Runner Imba overcomes first muscle cramps to finish Chicago Marathon

Runner Imba completed the Chicago Marathon in 2 hours and 39 minutes despite facing her first-ever muscle cramps and extreme weather conditions. Following the race, she reported new knee pain and noted that managing hydration became a challenge after the midpoint due to intense physical exhaustion.

The day after completing the Chicago Marathon, Runner Imba shared details of the intense moments and physical changes experienced during the race through a recovery run. Conducted with Hip Euddeum, this recovery run captured the vivid state of the runner immediately following the marathon, including race management in an unfamiliar environment and unexpected physical pain.

"I worried I wouldn't finish"... A struggle amidst jet lag and heatwaves

Runner Imba stated that tension was high due to the combination of an overseas marathon and her first visit to the United States, which led to difficulties adjusting to the 14-hour time difference and environmental changes. On the day of the race, Chicago experienced volatile weather, with heatwaves approaching 30 degrees Celsius and heavy rainfall of 100mm.

During the race, Runner Imba experienced muscle cramps for the first time in her life. "I was so flustered that I thought I might not be able to finish," she said, describing her feelings at the time. The cause was an aggressive race attempt driven by concerns that her time would fall behind her planned pace. Despite this, she finished the race with a time of 2 hours and 39 minutes. She noted that the physical exhaustion was so great that she could not consistently manage hydration, adding that since hydration can disrupt breathing and rhythm, it required careful adjustment after the midpoint of the race.

Knee pain and heart rate: signals from the body

During the recovery run held the day after the event, Runner Imba complained of pain on the outside of her knee. "There is a pain on the outside of my knee that I have never felt before," she said, analyzing that the intense race the previous day appeared to have impacted her thigh muscles, calves, and ligaments. As this is a signal that could lead to future injury, thorough management is required.

During the run, Runner Imba mentioned that her heart rate was currently as high as Hip Euddeum's, emphasizing the need to pay attention to signals from the body. She suggested that because fatigue from the previous day and lack of sleep have resulted in a lack of energy sources, the focus should be on recovery rather than strenuous running. She plans to manage her mileage and look after her condition for several days after returning to South Korea.

Diet and recovery philosophy before and after the marathon

Dietary management methods before and after the race were also shared. Runner Imba revealed that she avoided dairy on the day of the race and replenished her energy with almond drinks and croissants. She explained that on days involving high-intensity racing, she prefers to maintain an empty stomach and eat in the evening because digestive functions decrease, creating a risk of food reflux.

Differing views emerged regarding the standards for recovery running. While Hip Euddeum emphasized light running that is "not difficult," Runner Imba demonstrated her runner's resilience by showing she could run up to 15–20km during recovery if it felt good.

Source: original video (YouTube)