Martín Méndez, one of the figures of the latest editions of the Maratón de Reyes, will unfortunately not be able to be part of the 39th edition due to an injury. However, he will be cheering on everyone participating and will surely welcome the winner at the finish line. With all his experience and outstanding participation in competitions throughout the country, Mendez offers some advice to all those who will be part of the region's greatest sports festival this Saturday. After highlighting that the Municipality provides the possibility of obtaining a free physical fitness certificate, he advised: “If you have doubts about running 10 or 5 km, run five,” he advised.
“The main thing is to enjoy the race; it is a popular festival where all the residents of Concordia go out into the streets and we know what it is about. I recommend that athletes rest during this week prior, in what is called tapering. If the competition is on Saturday, avoid heavy training” in the last few days, remarked Méndez, who has several editions of the traditional race under his belt, in addition to vast experience in athletics.
STAY HYDRATED AND EAT HEALTHY
Regarding hydration, Méndez assured that the fundamental thing is to “drink plenty of water, throughout these days, keep consuming plenty of water and then do it before, during, and after the race,” adding regarding nutrition that it is important to avoid eating fatty or fried foods. “If you already have a diet, do not change it and continue consuming plenty of fruit, vegetables, water, and healthy meals with plenty of protein such as fish, chicken, pasta,” and even, since the marathon is in the evening, “athletes should not change their menu on Saturday.”
Finally, he highlighted “this idea of Enrique Cresto that the Municipality can perform the prior medical check-ups free of charge for all runners who want to have them done,” he said, and advised athletes to do so because it is very important. “It is a race to enjoy and not to achieve time records; it is demanding, so those who are not used to this type of competition but like to be part of Reyes, if at any moment they have to walk, they should walk, do not push yourselves.”