Runner Hue suggests how to have a personal record at MetaSports Marathon

This weekend, MetaSports Marathon Imperial Hue 2023 will kick off. Hue-based runner Nguyen Thi Ngot has tested the track many times during the past month. She assessed the basic track has not changed much compared to the previous season. The advantage is straight and less bends. However, it is necessary to pay attention to external impacts such as hot weather forecast, many steep bridges and upgrading of water supply by the organizers. Adapting to these new conditions can help runners set new personal records (PR).

After the test run on the morning of April 2, the participating runners and pacers all rated the weather this year as harsher than last year, so the process of conquering the personal record is definitely more difficult. This type of weather forecast will remain until the official running date (April 16). The temperature is around 24 to 32 degrees Celsius, it's hot and humid.

Therefore, to have PR at VM Hue 2023, Nguyen Thi Ngot advises runners to do more heat training exercises. This is an exercise that helps the body generate physiological adaptations, called thermal adaptation.

Runners can do this exercise in 5 to 7 days. Each time is done from 30 to 45 minutes with sunny weather conditions, about 35 degrees, humidity over 50%. Note, should only exercise with moderate intensity, be able to talk normally when running, not breathing. Besides, listening to your body is especially important. If there are signs of fatigue, dizziness, the practitioner should stop, avoiding the risk of heat shock.

If conditions do not allow outdoor heat training, you can choose to sit in a sauna for about 15 to 30 minutes. The heat and humidity, the feeling of numbness in the hands and feet when sauna is similar to running in the sun.

Maintaining heat training for three to six days will increase plasma volume. It also lowers your heart rate during exercise. A reduced heart rate means that the heart needs less effort to pump blood to the body, so it can maintain the level of activity for longer, especially suitable for runners 21 and 42 km.

The high humidity and heat in Hue also make it difficult to sweat. When the body cannot cool down, the body will continuously sweat, causing the runner to lose more water than usual, resulting in heat stroke, nausea, muscle pain...

Nguyen Thi Ngot said that although starting at 3 o'clock, there was no sunshine, but by the third kilometer, most of the runners were drenched in sweat. "People need to keep drinking water to cool down their body," Ms. Sweet noted, and assessed this as the most important thing if she wanted to have PR.

Along the MetaSports Marathon Imperial Hue 2023 racetrack, 12 single watering stations and 6 two-way water stations (both on and off). This arrangement is calculated based on the minimum distance the runner needs to drink and cool down. Therefore, each person needs to take full advantage when coming to the station.

Pacer Nguyen Manh Trung, who used to participate in speeding in many tournaments in the VM system, also particularly noted this. "Whether the weather is cool or hot, on the track I don't miss any water stations. Need to ensure enough water and electrolytes, can be used alternately," Mr. Trung said.

The technique of watering is also important, especially for those who want to set a personal record. "Actively observing, when I'm about 20 meters from the station, I often run away from a large group of people to get water and leave," Nguyen Ngot shared. She noted that when drinking, you should not stop completely, you should only slow down to avoid shock. Stopping will cause the body to demand rest, making it difficult to get back into rhythm.

The MetaSports Marathon Hue route is beautiful, flat and has few bends, which is a favorable condition for setting a personal record. With about 10 small slopes, not too big slopes are interesting challenges. However, those are also the parts that cause runners to struggle mentally to decide to jump up because many slopes are concentrated in the second half of the race, when the body is already exhausted.

Nguyen Ngot offers a solution, with the terrain and weather in Hue, when entering the race, he will run at the target pace of about 30 km in the first, to save strength to overcome the slope in the last km. "12 km later, if I still feel good, I will decide to speed up, so setting up PR will be more feasible", she shared. In addition, Vo Van Kiet Street is 5 km long with many slopes. Coming here, you should lower the pace and compensate for the speed when going downhill or flat sections, "runner Nguyen Ngot said.

MetaSports Marathon Imperial Hue 2023 will take place on April 16. The tournament was organized by MetaSports Newspaper in collaboration with Thua Thien Hue Provincial People's Committee, attracting more than 10,000 athletes to participate.