MEDICAL TIPS TO RUN IN HAVANA
The Medical Direction of MARABANA, taking into consideration the 15-year experience at
work and the principle of preserving the runners’ health – high temperatures and
humidity levels prevail in our tropical climate – the Marabana Medical Management
suggests a number of tips aiming at preventing you from getting acute dehydration,
which is always a cause of medical emergency as well as any other minor problems that
might affect your happy experience of running in our Marabana competition.
1- If you suffer from any medical illness, please request approval from your own
doctor. We equally ask you to report to our physicians and experts any
documents issued by your doctor. This will allow us to ensure an effective
participation if necessary.
2- Participate in the distance you are trained for as this is such a strong exercise
that may be excessive for your body and endanger your health and even your
life, regardless your age and willingness.
3- Drink and eat enough energy liquids and foods such as pasta the day before
running. Hardly eat meat, fish and the like as well as any other meal such as
salads producing residues in the intestines.
4- Do not drink any liquors on the days before competition as alcohol dehydrates
you and unfavorably alters your energy metabolism. 5- Drink enough liquids during the race, drink water at every supply station even
though you are not thirsty. Generally, the thirst mechanism lies beneath the
actual hydration needs of the body.
6- We suggest you run with the kind of water you are used to drinking. However,
the Organizing Committee will ensure you with potable water all along the
course.
7- Wear a cap during the race as, this way; you will significantly reduce the sunrays effects over your body.
8- Wear a cool outfit, preferably cotton or basically cotton made clothes, which
allow you to perspire without causing any difficulties or frictions to occur in the
armpits or thighs.
9- We suggest you use any kind of oil in case your physique causes any friction to
occur in your thighs and armpits.
10-Do not wear a new pair of shoes on the day of the race no matter how good the
shoes are as this may cause blisters and injuries. Wear a pair of shoes you have
already molded by use.
11- Wear cotton socks properly made for runners.
12-Do not run on the edge of the course as its tilt may cause injury due to the
overloading one of your lower limbs will suffer.
13- If tolerated, try to feed on citric during the race.
14-Do not do anything you have not done before, the competition day is for
implementing what you have just practiced during training. Competition is not
one more day of training.
15-Rest, bear in mind that you should rest and sleep the day before competition.
MCs. Rolando Borges MD
Medical Director


WEATHER CONDITIONS
The Cuban Capital City, in November, is featured by the predominance of warm days
with slight thermal oscillation.
This is the answer to the radiation and atmospheric circulation regime particularities
inherent to the western part of the territory for that month, and to the physical –
geographical characteristics of the city.
Scarce sunstroke features November, December, and January. During the antemeridian
hours, a great number of light hours were reported if compared to postmeridian hours.
Researches have shown that during this month there will be 22% of probabilities to
reach lower or equal values to 3.0 light hours; 42% of probabilities to reach lower or
equal values to 6.0 light hours and 80% to reach lower or equal values to 9.0 light
hours.
On November, low figures of sun height are reported, which correspond to a law degree
of solar radiation, reaching its peak figures at 12:00 p.m.
This is period under the influence of migratory anticyclones (high-pressure areas in the
American Continent) often moving to the Southeast and then to the East. The
accompanying cold air masses reach Cuba after the cold fronts, along with wind from
the North and groundswell occasionally causing sea penetrations in the coast. After the cold fronts, temperatures are lower as well as the air humidity; however, the
thermal contrast at Casa Blanca, where the Institute of Meteorology is placed, is not so
serious. The average for the Capital City is 2 or 3 cold fronts per month.
Associated to migratory anticyclones on their way to the Atlantic Ocean, a phenomenon
known as “dirty strong breeze” takes place, which is typical of the northern offshore and
consists in short time showers generally before noon.
Likewise, if we take into consideration the additional efforts the heart has to overcome
due to the increase of the volume of the circulatory system while passing from cooler to
warmer climates and the extraordinary overloads caused by running in a Half-Marathon
or a Marathon, it is obvious that it is extremely dangerous if an adequate period of
acclimation is not accomplished according to the tropical features.
With the aim of reducing this possible problem and making favorable physiological
adaptation to the new situation, it is recommended that participants from cold
geographic zones arrive some days before the dates of competition.
Finally, you are kindly alerted concerning the high temperatures values reached by
asphalt on the street and avenues involved in the event, especially on unclouded days
which demand every runner to take measures to prevent this heat gain during the
competition.

General Direction