How to Prevent Injury While Preparing for a Marathon
Expert advice on how to maximise your marathon training regime and how to prevent unwanted injuries from ruining the big day.
Preparing for a marathon requires dedication and consistent training, and it is essential to prioritise injury prevention to ensure you can reach the starting line healthy and ready to race.
Training for a marathon is an exciting and rewarding experience, but it also comes with its challenges. As you log the miles and prepare for race day, the risk of injury becomes a very real concern. Long-distance running places repetitive stress on the body, and without proper care even the most dedicated runners can find themselves side-lined by injuries.
Common marathon training injuries
- Shin splints: pain along the shinbone caused by overuse, improper footwear, or sudden increases in mileage.
- Runner’s knee: pain around the kneecap, often resulting from weak muscles or poor running mechanics.
- IT band syndrome: tightness and pain on the outside of the knee, usually due to overtraining or poor stretching habits.
- Plantar fasciitis: heel pain caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, often related to tight calf muscles or improper footwear.
- Achilles tendinitis: pain and stiffness in the Achilles tendon, commonly due to overuse or insufficient warm-up routines.
- Stress fractures: small cracks in bones, often in the feet or lower legs, caused by repetitive impact and insufficient recovery time.
How to stay injury-free
Follow a gradual training plan
A well-structured training plan gradually increases mileage and intensity, allowing the body to adapt to the demands of long-distance running. Sudden spikes can lead to overuse injuries such as shin splints or stress fractures. Most plans recommend increasing weekly mileage by no more than 10%.
Invest in proper footwear
Wearing the right running shoes is vital. Shoes should be appropriate for your foot type and running style, and replaced every 300–500 miles to ensure adequate support and cushioning. A gait analysis can help you select the right pair.
Incorporate strength training
Strengthening the core, hips and legs improves running mechanics and reduces the risk of injuries like runner’s knee or IT band syndrome. Include exercises such as squats, lunges and planks two to three times per week.
Prioritise flexibility and mobility
Dynamic stretching before runs and static stretching afterwards help maintain flexibility and prevent stiffness. Yoga and foam rolling can also improve mobility and ease muscle tension.
Warm up and cool down
A proper warm-up prepares the body for exercise by increasing blood flow and loosening muscles. Cooling down afterwards helps the body transition to a resting state and reduces post-run soreness.
Listen to your body
Pay attention to warning signs of overtraining such as persistent pain, fatigue or changes in running form. Rest is an integral part of training, and a day off can often prevent a minor issue from becoming a serious injury.
Maintain proper nutrition and hydration
Fuelling your body with a balanced diet supports recovery and performance. Staying hydrated is equally important, especially during long runs and in warmer weather.
When to see your podiatrist at Chiltern Wellbeing
If your pain persists or you are unsure about your training approach, book in to see one of our Specialist Musculoskeletal Podiatrists for an Initial Musculoskeletal Assessment. We can provide personalised advice, including how to optimise your training and address any biomechanical issues that might increase your injury risk.
If conservative treatments have not helped, your podiatrist might suggest:
- A biomechanical gait analysis — a study of the way you walk or run, focusing on the mechanics of movement, posture and muscle activity.
- Custom orthoses — specially designed and fitted to provide support, alignment or correction tailored to your unique anatomy.
- Exercise plans — personalised plans created by your specialist podiatrist and sent to you digitally.
- Footwear — expert advice and guidance on the correct footwear for the big day and your training leading up to the event.
If something doesn’t feel right, don’t put up with it. Book an appointment with our HCPC-registered podiatrists and we’ll get to the root of the problem.
