By Jake Chng

RUNNING a marathon is a daunting task, but with the aid of fitness experts, such endurance races can be made easier.

From breathing techniques to running strategies, questions were put forth to four fitness experts during a running clinic organised by Standard Chartered Bank last Saturday, as part of a running-clinic series held annually since 2002.
 
The clinic was designed to help first-time marathon runners do so safely at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon on Dec 6.

Real-estate agent Alvyn Goh, 53, one of the 150 people who attended the clinic, said: "I ran the half-marathon last year in about three hours, and hope to go under 21/2 hours this time round.

"With this knowledge from the clinic, I'm positive that I can achieve my target.

"I often get stitches during running. How do I overcome them"

Dr G. Balasekaran, associate professor at the National Institute of Education: Try to lower your running pace the moment you get stitches, so as to get more blood flow in your intestines.

You can try squeezing your abdomen or doing warm-up stretches before a run. Drink water consistently when training.

How far can you push your body, and what signs should you look out for before you stop?

Dr Francis Lee, senior consultant and head of emergency department at Alexandra Hospital:

You can overcome pain at the expense of injuries, but if that pain is in your heart and lungs, you cannot mentally overcome it and will stop automatically.

For those who collapse because of respiratory problems, most of them have underlying medical conditions. You should not run if you have such conditions.

Is there a proper breathing technique to practise when running?

Dr Lee: The proper way is to breathe in from your nose and breathe out through it.

This is because there is a higher fluid content in the air that goes through your nose, and that can hydrate your respiratory system.