Regularly adding water, salt, gel, adjusting goals and listening to the body is how many athletes prepare for VM Hue, amid the hot weather.
Early on the morning of Saturday, April 20, Anna Le – a famous runner in Nha Trang, put on her shoes and went to the Citadel area, running gently for 6km. For many years of participating in running tournaments across the country, light running before each tournament is a habit that helps runners from Hanoi get used to the weather. This is even more important for events with high temperatures, such as VnExpress Marathon Hue 2024, starting April 21.
Anna Le said that the hot weather, forecast at about 27 – 30 degrees Celsius at the time of the race, is a big challenge for most athletes, especially those who run a full marathon of 4 hours or more. During this time, in addition to heat and high humidity, runners are also exposed to sunlight, easily leading to loss of strength. Therefore, getting familiar with the local weather before race day is mandatory. Anna Le advises runners to run lightly in the early morning or late afternoon, and avoid going out at noon to maintain physical strength for race day.
In the past, racers and runners living in Nha Trang focused on drinking water, electrolytes, and slow carbohydrates to provide energy reserves. When it’s time to warm up, this runner takes a salt tablet and 15 minutes before starting, he bites a gel packet. Once racing, Anna Le will refill gel every 30 minutes on average. Gel and salt are two indispensable things for runners, helping to supplement salt and provide energy after drinking about 15 minutes. “Loading salt gel helps the body endure, operate with better performance and limit exhaustion and fatigue,” Anna Le said.
Facing challenging weather, the female runner said she would proactively lower her goal. For the long distance, Anna Le will reduce her pace by 5 seconds per kilometer compared to the goal. Ramp pace reduced by 7 – 10 seconds. This is a way to avoid overexertion while also helping the runner feel his body. “If you feel you still have strength, you should only speed up in the last kilometers,” said the runner from Hanoi.
Agreeing with Anna Le’s comments, Dang Anh Quyet – champion of VPBank VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight 2024 said runners need to enter more cautiously in events with high temperatures. This is also the strategy Quyet will apply when competing tomorrow. Runners born in 1990 proactively run at a steady pace for the first 35km, accelerating in the last kilometers when physically fit.
Since the beginning of the year until now, Dan Quyet has participated in many marathons with similar hot weather, so he always actively practices to get used to the weather. In the past two days, he went to Hue and jogged a few kilometers every day. The most important thing for the champion of the Ho Chi Minh City 2024 night running tournament is not to miss the water station of the organizers. High heat causes runners to sweat a lot, leading to dehydration and electrolyte loss. Regular intake of water and electrolytes is a must to maintain endurance.
Dan Quyet has a habit of taking water, drinking part of it, then pouring the rest on his arm to reduce the heat. On average, he loads a gel pack every 45 minutes. “VnExpress Marathon always has a very high density of water stations. This is a factor that runners need to take advantage of to have a safe race,” the 34-year-old runner shared.
Runner practicing to prepare for the early morning race on April 20. Image: VM
VnExpress Marathon Hue puts runner’s safety and experience first. Along the racetrack is a system of 21 water stations with filtered water, Revive electrolytes, bananas, watermelon, ice, etc. The distance between each station is from 1.5 – 2.5km. 51 doctors and nurses from Emergency Center 115 Thua Thien – Hue will ensure the health safety of runners when placed in 10 fixed medical stations and 6 mobile stations. Each station is equipped with medical supplies that meet standards as an out-of-hospital first aid room.
According to Anna Le, having a lot of fruit at water stations is a plus. High-performance athletes who have a systematic lesson plan do not often eat fruit along the track because they have accumulated enough energy before the race. However, for most active runners, eating watermelon and banana every 30 – 45 minutes on average also helps gain more energy. Drinking water and fruit also needs to be moderate to avoid stomach upset during vigorous exercise.
In terms of health, doctor Bui Phu Truong – head of the VnExpress Marathon Hue medical team said that high heat is the cause of fatigue, heat stroke, sunstroke, muscle tension, and cramps. He noted that athletes need to prepare breathable clothing to help the body escape heat quickly but at the same time must cover important positions such as the neck, nape, and head. “If you feel dizzy, dizzy, or your body is hot, the athlete needs to find a cool place, recharge electrolytes, apply cool compresses, use a fan, and contact the medical team for care,” Dr. Truong shared.
VnExpress Marathon medical team leader also recommends that runners with medical conditions consider running a marathon this time. In particular, people with diseases such as angina, hypertension, or cardiovascular problems should not participate in marathons without a doctor’s permission. People with diabetes participating in marathons can affect blood sugar control. People with diseases such as asthma and COPD should not participate in exercise because it increases the risk of acute shortness of breath.
VM Hue Expo Area on the afternoon of April 19. Image: Van Ngo
VnExpress Marathon Hue 2024 will start at 3:00 a.m., April 21. This is the 4th year the tournament has been held. Despite facing the hot sun, 8,000 runners were still eagerly waiting for the experience of competing in the ancient capital. This year, the tournament has renovated the entire race track with a highlight and two starting and finishing gates located in the same area and athletes running towards Dap Da bridge. Many runners say that the Hue road is always beautiful and carries local identity when passing through many scenic spots.
Local leaders evaluate VnExpress Marathon as a “nuclear” sports activity of the province, contributing to introducing the image of Hue constantly innovating and rising. Last year, during the three days of the tournament, the tourism industry of Thua Thien Hue province welcomed about 32,500 visitors, with revenue reaching 55.5 billion VND. In 2022, VnExpress Marathon was honored by the province in the top 10 typical cultural and sports events with great impact in the community.