Set-up for Behobia – San Sebastián 2022, what should I know?

The countdown to Behobia-San Sebastián 2022 is close to ending. There are barely 20 days left for the popular race and, for yet another year, the sporting event will serve as the theme for the Health Classroom which, organized by EL DIARIO VASCO and Policlínica Gipuzkoa, will be held this afternoon from 7:00 p.m. at the San Sebastian Aquarium.

The nearly 30,000 runners registered for the test will be able to learn first-hand advice and medical recommendations for before, during and after the B/SS. A comprehensive perspective of how to face the test by various specialists from the Sports Medicine, Podiatry, Rehabilitation and Nutrition and Dietetics units of the Gipuzkoa Polyclinic and the Quirónsalud Donostia Hospital. moderated by
Sonia Rousselmedical-assistance director of Quirónsalud in Gipuzkoa, there will be a subsequent colloquium to solve the doubts of the public.

Despite being in the final stages of preparation, Dr. Jiménez recalls the importance of carrying out “a medical check-up that includes a stress test” prior to starting the training that should have started “about twelve weeks before the race” . Those who have not done their homework are summoned to “not accumulate work because there is little time”, a practice that is discouraged because it is risky, just like “taking Internet plans” or “imitating others”

For this last phase of preparation, he recommends “not experimenting with anything new” in terms of food and “especially with clothing and anything else that can cause chafing.” Related to the clothing and the uncertain weather on the day of the test, it is clear to him that “within the preparation there must also be getting used to one type of clothing or another.”

Focused on ‘D-Day’, Dr. Jiménez indicates the need to start with a “not very long” warm-up consisting of “about five minutes of easy jogging to wake up the muscles and about eight minutes of dynamic stretching”. Already in the race, he offers some medical signs to watch out for. In cardiac or respiratory terms, “if we notice acute pain, dizziness, a feeling of tightness in the chest and that we are short of breath, we must stop, yes or yes,” he warns, while in muscular terms he points out that “if we notice a puncture, It will be a warning related to a micro-tear that can lead to a more serious injury” if we don’t stop.

With healthy eating as the indisputable “base” for an athlete, Roussel offers sports nutrition guidelines to deal with B/SS. Estad are based on a diet “rich in vegetables, complex carbohydrates and proteins of high biological value”, while it warns that it is necessary to “do without alcoholic beverages, processed products, saturated fats and copious meals”. Facing the test, the days before “it would be advisable to carry out a load of carbohydrates” and do it “progressively to cover those glycogen reserves”. As for what, when and how much, “the ideal would be to assess each case, since each one has its own requirements.”

The moments after the test are equally important for a correct recovery and the guidelines of Dr. Pérez de Ayala are framed here. In the first moments after crossing the finish line, “it is important not to stop suddenly”, but rather “continue with a gentle jog for about 300 meters”, in addition to performing dynamic stretches that will have to be repeated “after a few hours, before to go to sleep for example». Likewise, it indicates that the “best recovery exercises” are muscle discharges in the legs, specifically “in the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves and Achilles tendon, which are the ones that have suffered the most”, as well as “contrast baths” of cold and warm water.

For the day after, he recommends rest, because “the best way to cool down is rest” and “if there is the opportunity, take a day off from work. Would be ideal”. This does not have to mean sedentary activity, because “it is interesting to run a little or do another sport such as swimming or cycling. Of course, not being completely stopped”, but practicing the so-called “active rest” that allows “little by little to eliminate the lactic acid that we have been generating during the race”.

Good footwear and foot hygiene are key in the development of a runner. This is how Gárate considers it, highlighting the importance of carrying out a comprehensive study of the footprint -in the world of ‘running’ there are three types: pronator, supinator and neutral – that “allows the prevention of pain and injuries in the foot and other areas such as hips, knees or ankles with the use of suitable insoles». It will expose the importance of wearing shoes whose sole is not worn and that have good cushioning, support and breathability. In this last question, socks are also relevant elements, since “if there is hyperhidrosis -excess sweat- we should avoid cotton socks, they absorb it”.

This physiotherapist advises «listening to the body» and «not trying to do in recent weeks what we have not done in the previous three months», at the same time that he summons us to «go to the physio for the final set-up; and in the race, go from less to more».