One of the most highly anticipated events of recent years has been the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon and this year is certainly no different. The VHI Women’s Mini Marathon quickly became a well-known fitness event for women worldwide. Since its founding and has been growing steadily in popularity ever since.

The VHI Women’s Mini Marathon is the biggest all women’s fitness event of its kind in the world. It began back in 1983 with 9,000 participants in its first year. This figure grew to a staggering 41,006 women in 2014 and has been growing ever since. VHI set up this event in the hope of promoting health awareness. The development of a healthy lifestyle among women while also giving them the opportunity to participate in sports such as athletics. However, this is not its only reason for its fame across the world. This event has proved extremely successful in raising much need support and funds for charities all over the country and world. Approximately €197 million euro has been raised for charity over the last three decades.

This year’s event takes place on Monday, June 6th at 2:00pm. The event starts off at Baggot Street and finishes at Fitzwilliam Square. This event is welcome to all fitness levels and includes both a 5km and 10km completion options. Registration for the event can be completed here.

Start Your Mini Marathon Training Early: Training Tips

The earlier you start to train for a mini marathon, the better. Whether you are choosing to walk, jog or run, preparing early will have huge benefits for your fitness levels. It will ensure that you are in optimal health for the day.

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind while preparing:

• Build up your training slowly and gradually: Don’t push yourself too far, too quickly. Take your current fitness level into account when starting your training programme and gradually adapt your plan to match your fitness level improvement as the weeks go on. The VHI Fitness Support include a week by week training guide to match your fitness abilities.
• The importance of nutrition: Eating correctly and ensuring that you are getting the fuel you need for training is very important. Make sure to eat a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats to provide you with the energy you need while running. For recipe ideas, look here.
• Warm up: Before every training session, you should warm up by going for a brisk walk or a light jog. This will prepare your muscles for the training session and ensure that you are better prepared to avoid injuries.
• Keep hydrated: It’s important to keep yourself hydrated while training and on the day of the event. Due to the long distances that you will be covering on the day, drinking enough water is vital for replacing any much needed nutrients lost and providing you with energy. Keeping hydrated will also aid in speeding up recovery.

If you need any advice on training for the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon, please feel free to get in touch with us here at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic. Our experienced chartered physiotherapists can provide you with training tips, a biomechanical assessment of your running style and treatment if you have any training related injuries.