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The Manual Touch Physical Therapy

Whole Body Approach

Reclaim movement, function and life
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Your Marathon Checklist

July 8, 2021 By Denise Schwartz Leave a Comment

Get ready, Chicago Marathon runners—June is the beginning of the official training schedule for October’s big race. During this training phase, there is a lot to take into consideration besides just making sure your miles are completed.

Carney’s Story

Carney, a former patient of mine, ran the Chicago Marathon three times. While training for his second marathon, he made multiple mistakes that affected his ability to complete the marathon safely. This also put the time he had trained for in jeopardy. And with the excessive heat, Carney began cramping so bad at mile 17 that he had to spend a couple of hours in the medical tent. He finished the race in more than six hours, and walked across the finish line.

There are common mistakes that marathon runners make while training.

Here are some of Carney’s pitfalls:

  • Nutrition. He did not dial in his nutrition during his training
  • Travel. He flew into town from overseas just two days before the race
  • Dehydration. He went into the race dehydrated from the recent travel
  • New shoes. He didn’t finalize his shoe choice until the week before
  • Recent injury. He still struggled with some weakness from his latest injury of Achilles tendonopathy
  • Pacing. He struggled to keep an easy pace during his training runs, as he often ran at the same fast pace

Carney’s Proper Race Preparation

Carney was determined not to repeat the same mistakes when he ran his third marathon the following year.

Here’s how Carney fought against common marathon pitfalls.

Carney’s training wins included:

  • Shoe choice. He chose his race shoes early in training
  • Strength-training. He worked with a coach to build strength
  • Customized plans. His coach outlined a training plan designed for Carney to help with pacing
  • Nutrition. He worked with a nutritionist to figure out his exact fluid, nutrition, and electrolyte needs on race day and practiced them during his training runs
  • Physical therapy. He consistently came into PT after suffering a calf tear early in the year, and he diligently did his PT homework

After putting his new plans in place, Carney was set up for success for his third marathon. And wouldn’t you know it—he did it! He completed the marathon in 4:39 with some mild cramping in miles 21 to 22, but he was able to run through it. Congratulations, Carney!

Building Your Marathon Checklist

Carney avoided the problems he encountered while training for his second marathon by having a plan and following through. When you’re training, a marathon checklist is all too essential. Besides following a training plan that logs your miles up to that long 20-miler, there are many other components you need to be aware of. 

The following checklist focuses on all the things you can control before and during race day to promote having your best experience running a marathon!

Marathon Checklist

  1. Wear proper clothing for training and race day
  2. Train in your race day shoes
  3. Understand your hydration and nutrition needs while running longer than an hour, and incorporate regularly during your training runs
  4. Know your bathroom needs, so you don’t get caught out on a run with no bathroom available
  5. Train in different weather conditions
  6. Run easy when it says to run easy
  7. Listen to your body, and adjust your plan as needed; it’s okay to have a rest day
  8. Maintain/improve your mobility, balance, and strength through targeted exercises
  9. Get bodywork regularly, whether it be massage, physical therapy, or acupuncture
  10. Cross-train as needed
  11. Take care of any lingering injuries, pain, or irritation as soon as they happen
  12. See your health team regularly and as needed from this list: physical therapist, massage therapist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, and nutritionist
  13. Treat each training run with a purpose
  14. Work with a running coach for accountability, safety, and an objective ear
  15. Determine how many rest days you need, whether every week or a different cadence
  16. Know your injury threshold when increasing your long run distance; for example, I could increase my long run distance two weeks in a row, and then needed to cut back the third week
  17. Test any tech (watch, music) you might be using on race day, and don’t try something new day-of
  18. Have a race day pace plan
  19. Don’t go out of the gate too fast
  20. Have fun!!

This checklist helped me throughout my marathon story. As you can see, there are so many integrated components to consider when completing a successful marathon. Plus, the journey takes a ton of mental preparation and strength. You need commitment, discipline, patience, perseverance, sacrifice, dedication, and lots of training, both mental and physical. It takes support and understanding from family and friends. And it takes a community of runners and coaching from experts. 

Good luck with your marathon, and drop us a note about your marathon experience or any questions you may have. We’re cheering you on!

Filed Under: Running Tagged With: adjusting your running cadence, marathon training, runner tips, running, the chicago marathon

About Denise Schwartz

Denise Schwartz, PT, IMT, C is the owner of The Manual Touch Physical Therapy. For over 30 years, she has been helping patients reduce pain and improve quality of life using a whole body approach. Denise specializes in chronic pain, spinal conditions, running/triathlon injuries and prevention, balance/vestibular disorders, functional exercise, kinesiotaping, and various non-traditional and traditional & manual therapies. Contact Denise at denise@themanualtouch.com

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I saw Denise at The Manual Touch recently for sciatic pain, that only the day before I saw Denise kept me from walking; I could only hobble for short distances before I would sit down and collapse. After some tissue work and gentle exercise with Denise, she put Kinesiotape around the affected area. I immediately noticed stability and pain improvement and could walk so much better that I was able to complete shopping trips to 4 stores I had been planning but did not think I could do. To me, the t… Read more
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I was in Florida for vacation and developed an upper respiratory infection. I had annoying coughing and congestion in my chest. This went on for several days, and it was not getting better. It felt like I had a mucous plug stuck in my chest that would not break up. One night I remembered the self-treatment that Denise taught me at The Manual Touch where I had received PT, putting one hand over the afflicted area, and one hand near my abdomen where mucous could drain out. After about 5-10 minutes… Read more
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The best physical therapist I’ve ever experienced is Denise Schwartz in Wheeling at the Manual Touch. I have seen Denise twice for over 6 months to treat 2 bouts of frozen shoulder that occurred 8 years apart. In addition to my shoulder, she has also helped with my back, exercise regimen, and overall health. She is a holistic practitioner expert in PT techniques and knows how to teach her clients how to fit her techniques easily into their lives. She relates with her clients about as well as any… Read more
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As a young elite athlete I was involved in numerous accidents resulting in scar tissue causing loss of flexibility and restrictions as an adult. After each treatment I feel so much less restriction and experience greater range of motion.
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Last winter our daughter Maddie had had several eye and ear infections, and all required topical and oral antibiotics.  These were instigated by a plugged tear duct.  A pediatric ophthalmologist said there was little chance the duct would open up on its own since she was well over a year old, and there was no harm in waiting a little longer before SURGERY. My husband and I did not want our little girl’s eye probed, and we definitely did not want her to have a general anesthetic, so we bro… Read more
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The physical therapy I received at The Manual Touch PT helped reduce my sciatica pain to a manageable level in just a few sessions.  The exercises I was given strengthened and trained my muscles to prevent further back problems allowing me to return to playing basketball.
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Just a note to thank you for the time you spent with me Saturday in evaluating my running technique and body alignment.  Your suggestions are already making sense and having an early impact.  After our meeting, I went out for a 5K run and found your suggestions “to shorten my stride” and “being conscious of not overlapping my steps” to be helpful. Thanks Denise  
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I have been receiving PT therapy for pain and autoimmune disorders for over 18 months at The Manual Touch.  This also affects my kidneys and my lungs and other organs as I swell with fluid that my lymph system doesn’t seem to handle well.  I depend on the regular IMT tissue therapy I receive from Denise to help me function as normally as possible.  This therapy seems to work synergistically with the acupuncture and medication I also receive.  There are no cures for these disorders and as n… Read more
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Excellent, professional assessment and treatment for an older woman who’s had lots of failed therapy. Kind and compassionate and caring! Thanks.
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I can honestly say that Denise was the first physical therapist to listen to my story.   She has demonstrated more patience and compassion than any other therapist that I’ve ever met. For the past 8 years, I have been symptomatic with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare genetic condition which affects the connective tissue throughout my body. As a result of this disorder I deal with ongoing severe acute and chronic pain and a variety of other rare overlapping conditions such as thoracic outl… Read more
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Our Mission


We believe all body systems and mental/emotional health are connected. We take a whole body approach to discover why patients are not healing and what were the initial causes of their current symptoms. 

Our mission is to use this whole body approach to help patients heal and overcome pain and limitations, resulting in improved quality of life. We also aim to promote wellness in our communities through ongoing education. 
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Testimonials

I saw Denise at The Manual Touch recently for sciatic pain, that only the day before I saw Denise kept me from walking; I could only hobble for short distances before I would sit down and collapse. After some tissue work and gentle exercise with Deni… Read more
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/m-d-evanston-il
I was in Florida for vacation and developed an upper respiratory infection. I had annoying coughing and congestion in my chest. This went on for several days, and it was not getting better. It felt like I had a mucous plug stuck in my chest that woul… Read more
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/a-b-riverwoods
The best physical therapist I’ve ever experienced is Denise Schwartz in Wheeling at the Manual Touch. I have seen Denise twice for over 6 months to treat 2 bouts of frozen shoulder that occurred 8 years apart. In addition to my shoulder, she has also… Read more
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/b-h-elmhurst-il
As a young elite athlete I was involved in numerous accidents resulting in scar tissue causing loss of flexibility and restrictions as an adult. After each treatment I feel so much less restriction and experience greater range of motion.
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/s-northbrook-il
Last winter our daughter Maddie had had several eye and ear infections, and all required topical and oral antibiotics.  These were instigated by a plugged tear duct.  A pediatric ophthalmologist said there was little chance the duct would open up o… Read more
The physical therapy I received at The Manual Touch PT helped reduce my sciatica pain to a manageable level in just a few sessions.  The exercises I was given strengthened and trained my muscles to prevent further back problems allowing me to return… Read more
Just a note to thank you for the time you spent with me Saturday in evaluating my running technique and body alignment.  Your suggestions are already making sense and having an early impact.  After our meeting, I went out for a 5K run and found you… Read more
I have been receiving PT therapy for pain and autoimmune disorders for over 18 months at The Manual Touch.  This also affects my kidneys and my lungs and other organs as I swell with fluid that my lymph system doesn’t seem to handle well.  I depe… Read more
Excellent, professional assessment and treatment for an older woman who’s had lots of failed therapy. Kind and compassionate and caring! Thanks.
I can honestly say that Denise was the first physical therapist to listen to my story.   She has demonstrated more patience and compassion than any other therapist that I’ve ever met. For the past 8 years, I have been symptomatic with Ehlers Danlo… Read more
Read More

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