runDisney Training Tips with AdventHealth: Gear Up for the Virtual Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

Race week is officially here and runners everywhere are gearing up for their virtual miles ahead of the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. Whether you’re taking on 3.1 miles or feeling a little Dopey with 48.6 miles, AdventHealth, official medical provider of runDisney, has pulled together a few tips to get yourself prepared:

Choose Your Course

Regardless of your personal preferences, both treadmill and outdoor workouts have their place in a well-rounded runner’s training toolbox. Figuring out which is right for you as you plan for your virtual race is the best way to get started. Here are a few reasons to enjoy either:

Treadmill Running

• Easier on the body - The movement of a treadmill belt helps assist with leg turnover, making a treadmill effort slightly easier. This can be particularly beneficial if you’re recovering from an injury, and allow you to reacclimate your body to physical activity.
• Climate controlled - Treadmill running allows you to log some miles, even during dangerously hot, cold, icy or stormy conditions.
• It structures your workout - Many treadmills have pre-set workout options that can encourage you to push past your limits and stay motivated through tough workouts.

Outdoor Running

• Involves More Muscle Activation - Outdoor running is full of unknowns. Uneven roads, wind resistance and unexpected stops mean that running outside naturally involves more variation in running surface and pace. This means more opportunities to strengthen your muscles.
• Strengthens Your Bones - Outside, your bones and joints have to adjust to hard running surfaces, which translates to building more strength and resilience over time.
• Improves Your Mood - Fresh air, sunlight and time in nature make running outdoors better for your mental health and well-being.

Learn more on the AdventHealth Blog here.

Get the Best Stretch Ahead of Your Run

There’s nothing like a good stretch to feel whole. And if you’re a runner, the right stretches at the right times may even boost your strength, flexibility and peak performance. While there are numerous types of stretching, we’ll focus on two of the most common: static and dynamic.

Much like their names imply, static stretching is a passive movement while dynamic stretching is much more active. Static stretching impacts the flexibility of the specific muscle you target, while dynamic stretching increases your mobility in a variety of muscle groups.

Learn more on the AdventHealth Blog here.

Tips for Perfecting Your Running Technique

While stride length and foot strike can be incredibly variable among runners, the concept of good posture is more universal. A forced, stiff upright posture isn’t ideal, but running tall, relaxed, and moving forward smoothly will help optimize your form. Here are a few easy cues to keep in mind:

• Relax - Try to relax your shoulders and arms to allow your arms to swing forward and back easily and avoid clenching your hands into tight fists.
• Run tall - As fatigue creeps in, it’s easy for your form to deteriorate and you may become hunched. Focus on running tall, almost as if someone is pulling a string from the top of your head. Your body should have a slight forward lean that starts at your ankles and keeps your body in continuous alignment, rather than bending forward from your waist.
• Focus on forward motion - This may seem obvious – running is all about moving forward, right? But sometimes we waste energy by movement up and down or side to side, especially with our arm swing. Focus on a strong, forward arm swing, keeping them around waist height, without allowing your arms to crisscross the front of your body.

Learn more on the AdventHealth Blog here.

Ultimately, have fun while you’re completing your at-home miles! Want to learn more great health and wellness tips for runners? Head over to AdventHealth’s blog for more content.

What are some of your favorite ways to prepare for the virtual race weekend? Share with us in social using #runDisney in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.