PERSONAL HEALTH : Last-Minute Tips for L.A.’s Marathoners

If history repeats, at least 7,000 entrants in Sunday’s City of Los Angeles Marathon will be first-timers. Since the race began in 1986, it has always attracted newcomers--sometimes almost half the pack.

In the few days remaining, there’s much novices can do to prepare, experts say, noting that some advice applies equally to veterans.

Here, tips from four experts on how to make the most of remaining pre-race time, along with suggestions on how to make the course itself and recovery smoother.

The experts are Rudy Hayek, a Tarzana fitness consultant and marathoner who heads Paragon Fitness; Anna Yanes, a marathoner and exercise physiologist at Centinela Hospital Fitness Institute in Culver City; Dr. Lee Woods, an orthopedic surgeon and director of the Foot Treatment Center at Orthopaedic Hospital; Dr. Sonny Cobble, medical director of the Sport Injury Clinic at Orthopaedic Hospital and medical commissioner of the marathon.

Before the Race

* Even if nervousness takes away your appetite, try to eat regular, healthful meals before the marathon. Concentrate on carbohydrates. Drink plenty of fluids.

* Stretch every day, several times a day. Be sure to target all the major muscle groups, both in the upper and lower body.

* You should have begun tapering down your training, with your exact workout schedule based on your abilities and fitness level.

* Concentrate on getting good rest, but don’t get anxious if you’re too jazzed to sleep the night before.

* Preparation should not be all physical. Rehearse mentally to calm nerves and improve performance. Begin 48 hours or even 72 hours before race day. Picture yourself as a winner. “See yourself, nice and relaxed, at the start,” Hayek suggests. “See yourself finishing the race.”

On the Course

* Once at the starting line, resist the temptation to take off like a shot.

* Once you’ve set a comfortable pace, resist the tendency to run hunched over. Don’t look at the pavement, but ahead.

* Along the route, take physical and emotional inventory. Give yourself a pep talk.

* Let your arms dangle every now and then to maintain relaxation. Pay particular attention to your hands. Clenched fists give away anxieties.

* If blisters tend to be a problem, consider taking extra socks. Or simply take your socks off and put them back on; the switch will change pressure points and reduce the likelihood of blisters.

* Pay attention to your shoe lacing, being sure it’s not too tight or too loose.

* Stay hydrated as you run, but eat and drink only what you’re used to. The course is not the place to experiment with a new sports drink or a new energy bar.

Once Past the Finish

* Resist the urge to lift a glass of champagne in celebration right away. Alcohol is dehydrating, so it’s better to concentrate on drinking plenty of nonalcoholic beverages. Stay away from alcohol at least for six or seven hours after finishing a marathon.

* It’s vital to eat, stretch and walk around. Do all that before enjoying a massage.

* Fatigue is the top complaint not just of first-timers but many veterans. Soreness of the quadriceps muscles is common as well. Walking will help, both immediately after the race and the next day, when you should walk for about 30 minutes.

* If blisters form despite good sock habits, keep the area clean. If they’re uncomfortable, lance with a clean pin. But don’t pick. “Let the (remaining) skin act as a physiologic dressing,” Woods says.

If a hematoma forms under a nail and is blue, distended and uncomfortable, “take a hot needle and push it through the top of the nail to drain,” Woods advises. (“If you’ve got the drive to run a marathon,” he reasons, “you can handle this.”)

* Long-term rest is important. Marathoners should not run a long-distance race again for about 26 days--allowing a day of rest for each mile run.