Latest / Kidcast Daily / Ep191: Preparing for a Marathon

Transcript

Ep191: Preparing for a Marathon · Kidcast Daily

• 0:08
  Spin the wheel, let's take a ride.
• 0:11
  Sports and science bursting from inside a world of wonder.
• 0:17
  Open wide. Come on kids, let's amplify kid
• 0:22
  cats. Daily starts yours.
• 0:25
  Welcome to Kick Ass Daily, where we bring news, trivia, fun
• 0:29
  facts, and more just for curious kids like you.
• 0:32
  Today we're going to talk about something that's both exciting
• 0:35
  and challenging. Preparing for a marathon.
• 0:38
  Have you ever wondered how people can run for hours and
• 0:41
  finish a race that is more than 26 miles long?
• 0:44
  That's longer than running from one side of a big city to the
• 0:47
  other? Let's dive into what it really
• 0:49
  takes to get ready for a marathon, step by step.
• 0:53
  First, let's talk about what a marathon actually is.
• 0:56
  A marathon is a long distance running race that covers exactly
• 1:00
  26.2 miles, or about 42 kilometers.
• 1:04
  That's like running the length of 460 football fields placed
• 1:08
  end to end. Marathons happen all over the
• 1:11
  world in places like New York City, Boston, Berlin, Tokyo and
• 1:15
  many more. People of all ages, from
• 1:18
  teenagers to grandparents train for months just to be able to
• 1:22
  finish a marathon. So how do people prepare for a
• 1:25
  marathon? It all starts with having a
• 1:28
  plan. You can't just wake up 1 morning
• 1:30
  and decide to run 26 miles. Even the fastest and strongest
• 1:35
  runners need to train their bodies and minds over a long
• 1:38
  period of time. Most marathon training plans
• 1:41
  last between 3:00 to six months. That gives your muscles, bones,
• 1:45
  heart and lungs time to get stronger.
• 1:48
  One of the first steps in preparing for a marathon is
• 1:50
  choosing the right shoes and clothes.
• 1:53
  Running shoes are very important because they protect your feet
• 1:56
  and cushion your steps. Imagine running on a hard Rd.
• 1:59
  for hours without good shoes. Your feet could get sore or even
• 2:03
  injured. Runners also wear comfortable
• 2:06
  clothes made from special fabrics that help keep them cool
• 2:09
  and dry even when they sweat a lot.
• 2:11
  Some runners even wear hats and sunglasses to protect themselves
• 2:15
  from the sun. Now let's talk about training.
• 2:18
  Training for a marathon usually involves running several times a
• 2:22
  week, but it's not just about running as far as you can.
• 2:25
  Every day, runners follow schedule that includes easy
• 2:29
  runs, long runs and sometimes faster runs called speed
• 2:32
  workouts. For example, a beginner might
• 2:35
  start with short runs, like two or three miles, and slowly
• 2:39
  increase the distance over many weeks.
• 2:41
  Every week they might do 1 longer run, adding a little bit
• 2:44
  more distance each time. This helps the body get used to
• 2:47
  running farther and farther. Did you know that most marathon
• 2:51
  runners never run the full 26.2 miles during training?
• 2:55
  Instead, they usually run up to 18 or 20 miles at most before
• 2:59
  the race. On race day, the excitement and
• 3:02
  energy help them finish the full distance.
• 3:05
  But running isn't the only part of marathon training.
• 3:08
  Rest is super important too. Runners need to give their
• 3:12
  bodies time to recover after hard workouts.
• 3:15
  This means taking days off from running, getting plenty of sleep
• 3:17
  at night, and sometimes doing gentle activities like walking,
• 3:21
  swimming or riding a bike. These are called rest days and
• 3:25
  cross training days. They help prevent injuries and
• 3:28
  keep runners feeling fresh. Stretching is another key part
• 3:31
  of marathon training. After running, stretching your
• 3:35
  legs, arms, and back can help your muscles stay flexible and
• 3:38
  avoid getting stiff. Some runners also do exercises
• 3:42
  to make their core muscles, like their stomach and back,
• 3:45
  stronger. A strong core helps runners keep
• 3:48
  good posture and run more efficiently.
• 3:50
  Let's talk about food and water. Eating the right foods gives
• 3:54
  runners the energy they need to train and race.
• 3:57
  Carbohydrates like bread, rice, pasta, and fruit are a big part
• 4:01
  of a runner's diet because they give quick energy.
• 4:04
  Protein found in foods like chicken, beans, eggs and yogurt
• 4:09
  helps build and repair muscles. Healthy fats from foods like
• 4:13
  nuts and avocados are important, too.
• 4:16
  Staying hydrated is also crucial.
• 4:18
  When you run, your body loses water through sweat.
• 4:22
  If you don't drink enough, you can get tired or even feel sick.
• 4:26
  That's why runners drink water before, during and after their
• 4:30
  runs. On very long runs, some runners
• 4:33
  also drink sports drinks that have electrolytes, which help
• 4:36
  replace important minerals lost in sweat.
• 4:39
  Here's a fun fact. Some runners eat a special meal
• 4:42
  called Carba loading the night before a marathon.
• 4:45
  This means eating extra pasta, rice, or bread to fill up their
• 4:49
  energy stores for the big race. Before the marathon, runners
• 4:53
  also need to learn about pacing. Pacing means running at a steady
• 4:57
  speed that you can keep up for the whole race.
• 4:59
  If you start too fast, you might get tired quickly and have
• 5:03
  trouble finishing. Most runners use a watch or
• 5:06
  phone app to track their pace and make sure they're not going
• 5:08
  too fast or too slow. Some marathons even have pace
• 5:13
  groups, where runners follow a leader who runs at a certain
• 5:16
  speed. Another important part of
• 5:18
  marathon prep is planning what to do on race day.
• 5:22
  Runners usually lay out their clothes, shoes and race number
• 5:25
  the night before They set an alarm to wake up early and have
• 5:29
  a light breakfast, like toast or oatmeal.
• 5:32
  Some runners put on sunscreen or bandages to prevent blisters.
• 5:36
  They also pin a special race bib with their number to their
• 5:38
  shirt. This helps race officials and
• 5:41
  photographers know who they are. Before the race starts, runners
• 5:45
  often do a warm up. This can be a short jog, some
• 5:48
  stretching and moving their arms and legs to get the blood
• 5:51
  flowing. Warming up helps prevent
• 5:53
  injuries and gets the body ready to run.
• 5:56
  When the race begins, thousands of people start running
• 5:59
  together. It can be crowded at first, but
• 6:02
  after a few miles, the runners spread out along the course.
• 6:06
  There are stations with water and snacks like bananas or
• 6:10
  energy gels. Volunteers hand out drinks and
• 6:13
  cheer for the runners. Some marathons even have bands
• 6:17
  or DJs playing music to keep everyone excited.
• 6:20
  During the race, runners use all the skills they practiced in
• 6:23
  training. They remember to pace
• 6:25
  themselves, drink water and listen to their bodies.
• 6:29
  If they feel tired, they slow down or take a short walking
• 6:32
  break. The most important thing is to
• 6:35
  keep moving forward. Did you know that the oldest
• 6:37
  person to finish a marathon was 100 years old?
• 6:41
  That shows that with the right training and determination,
• 6:44
  people of all ages can reach their goals.
• 6:47
  After finishing a marathon, runners feel a huge sense of
• 6:50
  accomplishment. They get a medal, take photos,
• 6:53
  and celebrate with family and friends.
• 6:56
  But even after the race, it's important to cool down by
• 6:59
  walking, stretching, and drinking water.
• 7:02
  Recovering after a big effort helps the body heal and get
• 7:05
  stronger. Let's recap what we've learned
• 7:08
  about preparing for a marathon. First.
• 7:11
  A marathon is a 26.2 mile running race that takes months
• 7:15
  of training and planning. Choosing the right shoes and
• 7:18
  clothes helps protect your body and keeps you comfortable.
• 7:22
  Training includes running several times a week with a mix
• 7:25
  of short, long and sometimes faster runs.
• 7:29
  Rest and recovery days are just as important as running days to
• 7:33
  keep your body healthy. Stretching and strengthening
• 7:36
  exercises help prevent injuries and make you a better runner.
• 7:39
  Eating the right foods, drinking enough water, and sometimes
• 7:43
  carbo loading can give you the energy you need.
• 7:45
  Learning to pace yourself helps you finish strong on race day.
• 7:49
  Planning ahead, warming up and listening to your body make race
• 7:52
  day safe and enjoyable. And finally, finishing a
• 7:56
  marathon is a big achievement. No matter how fast or slow you
• 8:00
  go. If you ever want to try a
• 8:01
  marathon one day, remember that it's all about setting a goal,
• 8:05
  making a plan, and working hard step by step.
• 8:08
  Even if you start by running just a little bit, you're on
• 8:11
  your way to something amazing. Thanks for joining us on Kit
• 8:15
  Cast Daily. We hope you learned something
• 8:17
  new and feel inspired by the world of marathons.
• 8:20
  Who knows, maybe one day we'll see you crossing the finish
• 8:24
  line. Until next time, keep exploring,
• 8:27
  keep asking questions, and keep having fun.
• 8:29
  Grab. Your breakfast, feeling fine,
• 8:33
  adventures waiting, don't be late.
• 8:37
  Today's. The day we celebrate Kick Ass
• 8:38
  Daily starts your day.