ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker said it would be important if they wanted to cross the finish line on September 13.
‘‘Whether you are taking on the full or half marathon, success on race day starts well before the gun goes off, and knowing your limits helps you cross the finish line.
‘‘It’s a special feeling when you cross the finish line and can celebrate with your friends and family, but a lot of injuries happen when people put their bodies under too much load too soon.’’
Last year, ACC accepted more than 17,419 running-related injury claims nationwide, at a cost of $16.8 million, to support people through recovery.
Of those, 1460 were in the Otago region, costing $1.2m to help people recover; and 293 were in the Southland region, costing $367,000.
Mr Whitaker said Otago had the fourth-highest number of running-related ACC claims in New Zealand last year — behind Auckland (6199 claims), Canterbury (2580) and Wellington (1651).
With about eight weeks to go, he said there was still plenty of time to prepare for the marathon.
‘‘The key to success is building gradually and not increasing distance, speed and volume all at once.’’
The most common running-related injury claims were soft tissue injuries, particularly around the knee and ankle.
‘‘Overuse injuries are also prevalent — a risk that can increase as runners ramp up distance or intensity too quickly.
‘‘We see the same trends every year.
‘‘Runners sign up for a big event, try to cram all of their training into the last few weeks, and end up in the physiotherapy clinic for treatment.’’
It was important to have a plan for race day and to make sure you get your nutrition and hydration right.
‘‘Our biggest tip is to not try anything new on race day and make sure you replicate what you have done in training.’’
He encouraged runners to seek professional advice where possible, especially if they were returning from injury or attempting a new distance.
‘‘If something doesn’t feel right, get it checked early.
‘‘And if you are injured, talk to a professional about the right time to return to training, rather than pushing through pain.’’
