Are you preparing for a marathon? Congratulations on this challenge! During your preparation or the marathon itself, you might encounter muscle cramps. Indeed, everyone faces this issue, whether you run your marathon in 3 hours or 4 hours, for example. It’s even common for some marathoners to slow down due to hamstring or thigh cramps in the last 10 kilometers.
To prevent this inconvenience from stopping you, it’s important to prepare and know how to quickly relieve cramps. Here are our five tips to prevent cramps during a marathon and tricks to stop them if they occur.
Contents
What is a Cramp? Symptoms
Definition of a Cramp
A cramp is an involuntary and painful contraction of a muscle or group of muscles. It usually occurs suddenly and can last from a few seconds to several minutes.
Types of Cramps Experienced by Marathoners
Marathoners are particularly prone to exertional muscle cramps, which occur during intense and prolonged physical activity. We can distinguish between a true cramp, when you are in severe pain and must stop, and the “beginning of cramps,” when you feel the muscle stiffening, contracting unusually.
Nocturnal cramps can also occur after a run, when muscles are tired and dehydrated.
How Do Cramps Occur During a Marathon?
Cramps during a marathon can be caused by several factors:
- Dehydration: Excessive fluid loss through sweating reduces the muscles’ ability to function properly. This factor is rarely a significant issue unless it is very hot (over 25 degrees) or there is high humidity.
- Electrolyte Imbalance: The loss of minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium disrupts the electrolyte balance necessary for muscle contraction. Again, this is rarely a determining factor in a marathon.
- Muscle Fatigue: Prolonged effort exhausts muscles, making them more susceptible to cramps. A weak muscle or a strength imbalance is rather the cause of cramps in a marathon (for example, quadriceps too strong compared to hamstrings).
- Overtraining or Inadequate Training: Excessive training days before the marathon or insufficient preparation (e.g., lack of long runs) can also contribute to cramps during the marathon.
Our 5 Tips to Avoid Cramps During a Marathon
Stay Properly Hydrated
Importance of Hydration During a Marathon
Proper hydration is essential for maintaining muscle function and avoiding cramps during a marathon. Dehydration reduces blood flow to the muscles, increasing the risk of cramps.
Hydration Strategies Before and During the Race
- Drink regularly in small amounts: It is recommended to drink small sips of water every 15 to 20 minutes, almost at each aid station.
- Possible use of isotonic drinks: Isotonic drinks can help compensate for electrolytes lost through sweat. But unlike ultra-trails, the marathon duration is not so long, and these drinks are not indispensable. You can take some before the start if you don’t carry liquids with you.
During the race, if you carry a hydration pack or a flask, you can take a sports drink and water at the aid stations.
If you decide to take a sports drink provided by the organization, make sure to test it during training to ensure you tolerate it well.
Adopt Proper Marathon Nutrition
The Role of Electrolytes in Preventing Cramps
Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium are essential for muscle contraction and relaxation. An electrolyte imbalance can disrupt this function and cause cramps. Foods rich in electrolytes that you can eat in the days before the marathon include bananas, oranges, and spinach.
During the Race
Take energy gels or purees to have a carbohydrate intake during your marathon.
Prepare Your Muscles with Proper Training
Importance of Progressive Training for Marathoners
Progressive training strengthens muscles and improves your endurance, reducing the risk of cramps during a marathon! It also gets your body used to the repeated impact on the pavement, which can damage muscle fibers due to repeated shocks.
Specific Exercises to Strengthen and Stretch Muscles
Stretching and Strengthening Program: Incorporate dynamic stretching and targeted muscle strengthening exercises to prepare your muscles for prolonged effort. Muscle strengthening is the main factor in preventing cramps during a marathon.
Listen to Your Body During the Race
Recognize Early Signs of a Cramp
Learn to detect the first signs of cramps, such as mild spasms or muscle stiffness, to act quickly. Sometimes, slightly reducing your pace by 10 to 15 seconds per km can help restore vigor to your legs.
If that is not enough and you feel the cramp is really close, slow down and walk at the aid station to reduce pressure on the affected muscle.
This happened to me in 2019 at the New York Marathon. I started too fast, despite a disrupted preparation in the last month before the marathon. I had severe hamstring pain from km 30, due to this complicated preparation, the fast start (2 minutes too fast at the halfway point), and a lack of leg muscle strengthening. The hamstrings were stiff, on the verge of cramping. Walking for 30 seconds at the last two aid stations to relax my thighs helped me cross the finish line in 2h39, just 1 minute off my record.
What to Do if a Cramp Occurs During a Marathon?
- Specific Stretching: Gently stretch the affected muscle to relieve the cramp. For example, if the cramp is in your calf, try leaning forward with the affected foot behind and the heel on the ground.
- Light Massage: Massage the affected area to help relax the muscle.
- Strategic Pause and Gradual Resumption: Stop briefly to treat the cramp, then gradually resume running. Don’t hesitate to alternate walking and running to restart.
Choose the Right Equipment
In addition to physical and nutritional preparation, choosing the right equipment can make a difference in preventing cramps during a marathon. Here are some tips:
- Running Shoes: Invest in a good quality pair of running shoes that suit your gait and provide good cushioning. Inappropriate shoes can cause pain and cramps.
- Technical Clothing: Wear technical clothing that wicks away sweat and keeps you dry.
- Compression Socks: Compression socks can improve blood circulation and reduce muscle fatigue. If you are prone to calf cramps, they might be worth trying.
- Recovery Accessories: Use massage rollers and recovery balls after training to relax your muscles.
Using the right equipment gives you the best chance of achieving your goal!
Avoid Cramps and Prepare Your Muscles to Run a Marathon with RunMotion Coach
By preparing well, you can significantly reduce the risk of cramps during a marathon. Stay properly hydrated, follow a good training program, adapt your diet, and most importantly, listen to your body. These strategies will allow you to run with more confidence and comfort.
For optimal preparation, discover the RunMotion training plans. They are designed to help you improve gradually and prepare for the race you want. Additionally, the S&C module (Strength and Conditioning) offers specific strengthening and stretching exercises to prepare your muscles for prolonged effort.
We have testimonials from users who frequently experienced hamstring cramps during marathons and no longer had them with the combined effect of the RunMotion marathon training plan and the PPG offered by the application.
Prepare carefully and beat your marathon PR by avoiding cramps!