Although marathon training relies on consistent daily mileage, active adjustments and optimizing your condition before the race are still very important. About three days before the competition, you should maintain about 40 minutes of training per day, running 8 to 10 kilometers. However, don’t skip the warm-up and cool-down before and after exercise—aim for about 30 minutes each. Two days before the race, you should stop running, but continue warming up to the point where you’re lightly sweating, feel nimble, and in a good mood. The day before the race, you can get a full-body wellness massage or swim for half an hour—just be careful not to catch a cold.

Pre-Race Preparation
1. Adjust your sleep schedule one week before the race and make sure to rest before 10 PM.
2. Drinking plenty of water the day before the race is crucial—aim for more than 3 liters. Your urine should be as clear as water to meet the standard.
3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. It’s recommended to have tomato beef stew daily, along with two apples and two bananas each day. These are all great for aiding digestion, promoting elimination, and supplementing vitamin C.
4. On the morning of the race, you can have bread, cake, or congee for breakfast—eat until you’re about 60% full.

Recommendations　　
During the race, drink water at the 5 km and 10 km marks. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty and dehydrated after 20 km—the human body takes about 45 minutes to absorb water, so waiting until you’re thirsty is too late. Don’t start off too fast at the beginning of the race to avoid exhausting your energy later. It’s recommended to maintain a steady pace throughout and consider running with a partner.

Long-Distance Running Tips
1. Do a Simple Warm-Up Before Running
Some people are not used to warming up, but you should do some foot and gentle warm-up exercises before running. Since running puts significant pressure on the knee joints, it’s especially important to warm them up well.

2. Breathe Every Four Steps During Long-Distance Running
Long-distance running is an aerobic metabolic activity that involves the circulation of major human organs, especially the respiratory system. As your oxygen demand increases during running, it’s generally best to breathe every four steps and try to maintain this rhythm. In terms of breathing method, it’s better to exhale through the nose and inhale through a combination of mouth and nose.
At the beginning of long-distance running, due to the delay in oxygen supply compared to muscle activity demands, you may experience heavy legs, chest tightness, and shortness of breath—especially if you’re not used to exercising regularly. This is normal. If you feel very uncomfortable, you should stop and walk for a few hundred meters. If you feel particularly unwell, you should stop running altogether.

3. Keep Walking for a Few Hundred Meters After Running
Some people immediately sit down to rest after long-distance running. Coach Zhou reminds you: never stop immediately after running. After running, your whole body has been active, and you should allow all parts of your body to gradually relax. It’s recommended to walk for a few hundred meters after the run, fully relax your body, and then do some light movements for your waist, abdomen, legs, and arms as you’re able.

4. Four Types of People Who Should Not Participate in Long-Distance Running　　
Due to past incidents of sudden death among marathon participants, the following individuals are not suitable for long-distance running.
　　   a. Those with underlying health conditions—mainly cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
　　   b. Those who usually do not exercise. If the amount of exercise greatly exceeds your usual load, it can cause excessive physical stress, leading to sudden death or other sports injuries.
　　   c. Those who experience discomfort such as chest tightness, headache, or dizziness even with mild activity.
　　   d. Elderly individuals with high blood pressure or diabetes.

Warm-Up Steps:　　
   a. Stand with hands on hips, alternate lifting toes to move both ankles
　　   b. Bend knees into a half squat, lift heels, repeat 3 to 5 times to move both knees
　　   c. Alternate lifting and abducting both legs to move the hip joints
　　   d. Perform forward, backward, left, and right lunge stretches to loosen leg muscles and tendons

Foot Care Is Key in Long-Distance Running　　
Issues such as wearing inappropriate shoes, using unscientific running techniques, choosing unsuitable practice venues, or neglecting foot care after workouts can all lead to foot pain. How to protect your feet during long-distance running is a crucial issue for physical education teachers when guiding students. The following points should be noted in actual teaching.

    First, try to choose soft surfaces for running and avoid hard concrete ground. When running uphill, land on the forefoot, lean the upper body slightly forward, take shorter strides, and increase the push-off from behind. When running downhill, lean the upper body slightly backward, land on the heels first, then transition to the full foot, and always pay attention to safety—do not run wildly with inertia to avoid danger.

    Second, do not wear hard-soled shoes; opt for shoes with softer, thicker soles, preferably rubber shoes. If you must run on asphalt roads, choose rubber shoes with thick sponge insoles as your “running shoes.” This is because every step you take while running subjects the soles of your feet to the impact force from the ground, which is transmitted through the shoe soles. Since sponges are made of foam rubber and have high shock-absorbing properties, they deform quickly and sink inward when impacted by ground reaction forces. This deformation absorbs most of the shock, significantly reducing the force transmitted to the runner’s feet. The cushioning effect of the sponge also distributes the remaining impact evenly across the sole instead of concentrating it on one point. Once the impact is gone, the elastic sponge immediately returns to its original shape and rises back up. Therefore, running in rubber shoes with thick sponge insoles makes it less likely for your feet to hurt. In contrast, wearing hard-soled shoes on hard surfaces (like asphalt roads) over the long term results in a “hard-on-hard” impact, leading to foot pain afterward.

　　Third, adopt a scientific and reasonable running posture. Avoid landing on your heels. Instead, land on the forefoot to make full use of the foot arch’s elasticity, which helps cushion the impact and reduce resistance upon landing. The push-off from the back of the leg should be smooth, and when your foot hits the ground, utilize the cushioning force effectively without being too forceful. This approach makes running feel light and springy, reduces the burden on your feet, and helps avoid injury and pain.

　 Fourth, when running, do not tie your shoelaces too tightly, as this can hinder blood circulation in your feet. Soaking your feet in hot water regularly can reduce the viscosity of the lower limb and foot muscles, enhance the elasticity and flexibility of joint ligaments, and help prevent injuries. Developing the habit of washing your feet frequently also contributes to foot health.