Personalized Marathon Training Plan Guide
Preparing for a marathon requires a systematic training plan. RunBox AI coach creates a customized 16-20 week marathon training plan based on your fitness level, goal time, and available training time.
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- Personalized Assessment: Based on your running experience and fitness condition
- Smart Adjustments: Training intensity optimizes automatically with progress
- Scientific Pacing: Based on your target finish time
- Injury Prevention: Reasonable intensity progression to avoid injuries
guangzhou marathon introduces identification wristbands what other unknown running high tech exist
The annual Guangzhou Marathon has successfully concluded, with a total of 99,330 runners registering for the event. After a lottery draw, approximately 30,000 participants from 46 countries and regions competed. This year's Guangzhou Marathon was held for the first time as a "Double Gold" event (IAAF Gold Label and CAA Gold Medal), meeting international first-class standards. Due to weather conditions, this was the coldest Guangzhou Marathon in history and the first to be run in the rain. The weather also helped many Chinese runners achieve their personal bests.
In addition to the course and participants, another highlight of this marathon was a piece of cutting-edge technology that left a deep impression on everyone, namely—Anti-cheating wristbands.
To prevent instances of proxy running, unauthorized running, and bib swapping, the 2018 Guangzhou Marathon introduced anti-cheating wristbands for the first time. When participants collect their race kits, staff members verify their identities and personally attach the wristbands, which serve as credentials for check-in and participation. The wristbands can only be removed after the race.
Those who follow marathon events may recall seeing these wristbands at the Beijing Marathon. The anti-cheating wristbands introduced at this year's Guangzhou Marathon are supplied by the same company that serves the Berlin Marathon, one of the world's six major marathons—a Dutch company named Dutchband.
Dutchband has been serving the Berlin Marathon for many years and has extensive experience. They also provide services for other large gatherings in Europe, such as concerts and football matches, totaling over 250 events annually.
With the rapid development of internet technology, more and more high-tech innovations are being applied to marathon events. Besides anti-cheating wristbands, what other cutting-edge technologies are being used in marathons? Let's take a look together!
Facial recognition for check-in
This event used facial recognition for check-in for the first time, helping organizers identify 11 proxy runners and 2 participants with fake bibs, and disqualifying over 10 rule violators. This was the first time a large marathon event with over 20,000 participants in China and the world used facial recognition for check-in. With an inspection speed of 3-5 seconds per person, 50 smart devices, and 50 professional technicians, the system greatly alleviated the service pressure of the event. The event implemented both online and offline facial data collection. Before the event, participants could collect their facial data online via the Damai app. Those who missed the online collection could do so offline when picking up their race kits using valid identification such as an ID card or passport.
Heart rate monitoring
This year's Hangzhou Marathon provided 2,000 participants with free heart rate watches. Participants could register to rent the watches and receive heart rate monitoring services throughout the race. "When the heart rate monitoring device detects rapid heart rate fluctuations, it will emit a 'beep' sound to remind participants to adjust their heart rate. Our backend system can also monitor participants' heart rates. If a participant's heart rate remains high and cannot be self-regulated, the professional medical team will locate the participant using the device's positioning function and provide assistance," explained a staff member from the organizing committee.
Collecting race kits with facial recognition
This year, the Suzhou Marathon used facial recognition technology to accurately match participants' ID information, eliminating some of the complexities and errors of manual verification. This made the process more efficient and intelligent!
Body composition monitoring
To help more participants complete the race successfully, the Suzhou Marathon partnered with the Inbody brand to introduce smart body composition monitoring equipment. This equipment includes dozens of test items to monitor your weight, skeletal muscle, body fat percentage, body water, and other indicators. Every participant could undergo a comprehensive body composition check.
Smart ECG monitoring system
This year, the Suzhou Marathon introduced cutting-edge equipment from the Microcheck Health Management Center—CareU, a smart ECG monitoring system. It monitors participants' heart rates in real-time. Through backend data analysis and anomaly detection, if a participant's heart rate is abnormal or exceeds the exercise heart rate warning level, the system will accurately locate the individual and provide real-time alerts. The on-site professional medical team can monitor each participant's condition through the backend system and provide targeted services as needed.
Each participant received a smart wristwatch, and facial recognition was used for security checks.
If a participant's body shows abnormal signs, the monitoring platform and medical staff equipped with VR smart glasses will receive an alert immediately.
The event organizers set up 303 cameras, 56 one-click alarm posts, and 40 IP broadcast systems. They provided 10,000 smart wristwatches for participants and 22 pairs of VR smart glasses for medical staff. This was the first time in China that IoT cutting-edge technology was applied on a large scale to a marathon event, providing comprehensive care for participants' health and safety.
The race took place during the hottest season in Guangxi. Running in such high-temperature and high-humidity conditions can make the body feel very hot and humid, increasing body temperature, oxygen consumption, glycogen depletion, and heart rate. Lactic acid production also accelerates, leading to greater energy consumption. The skin has to handle more heat dissipation, and faster sweating can lead to dehydration, causing heatstroke or heat exhaustion.
To ensure the safety of runners in high temperatures, the organizing committee used data from the WBGT monitoring system to issue "cooling notices" via the official platform before the race. They also set up sprinklers, sponge ice water stations, ice mineral water stations, and oral rehydration salt stations along the course. On race day, the organizing committee used the WBGT monitoring system to take samples every half hour from 7 a.m. until the end of the race, using timing points as sampling bases within a five-kilometer radius. They notified all medical staff in real-time about the alert levels. As a result, all participants completed the race safely. The WBGT monitoring system is also used in events like the Boston Marathon and the Australian Open to ensure event safety.
In addition to the technologies mentioned above, more and more cutting-edge technologies are continuously being applied to our marathon events. These technologies provide greater convenience for participants and better ensure the health and safety of every runner.
Speaking of this, I can't help but exclaim: Long live technology!
Do you have any different ideas or insights about marathon technology? Feel free to share them with everyone. Who knows, your idea might be realized someday!
(Some text and images are sourced from the internet. If there is any infringement, please inform us for removal!)
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