Steamtown Marathon is quickly approaching… This is the time of year when local runners are ramping up their training for the marathon or gearing up for high school cross country. It is also the time of year when many runners come to our clinic with shin splints. Many of these athletes are female runners, however, to […]
Provisional Bag/First Aide Kit It is one week away from the 16th Steamtown Marathon. This column is dedicated to all the runners preparing for the big day. One small piece of advice; start slowly, avoid the first mile adrenaline sprint downhill, and enjoy the journey! Remember, only one Olympic marathon winner (Juan Zabala, Argentina, 1932) […]
Winter in NEPA can be the perfect opportunity to try something new. For example, for those who enjoy running or walking you can continue to do so in the winter, with a few adjustments. Equipment, such as treaded sneakers, allows you to run or walk in the snow. Snow shoes are a great way to […]
Last year’s Steamtown Marathon saw the influence of the new “barefoot running” fad, with R. J. Stiltenpole of Scranton Running Co. as one runner who sported the barefoot look and plans to do so again in October 2011. He, like many other “barefoot runners,” sported minimalist shoes to prevent cuts and blisters from the pavement. […]
In 2009, compression socks burst onto the running scene when people witnessed Paula Radcliffe, one of the top female marathon runners, wearing what appeared to be knee-high socks as she ran the Boston Marathon and other major events. In fact, so many people took notice that the sock she wore, 2XU Compression Racing Socks, became the 2009 Product of the Year! Today, the company offers two socks: one worn while running to improve performance, and the other worn after prolonged activities to reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness.
Last week’s column presented the cause and symptoms of a hamstring strain. This week will be dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this injury.
Hamstring strains are very common in spring sports in Northeastern Pennsylvania in great part due to our climate. Each spring, as the season begins, many athletes suffer from pain in the back of their thigh when they pull or strain the hamstring muscle from aggressive activity in cold temperatures, following a long winter layoff. This week’s column presents the cause and symptoms of a hamstring strain.
These tips are appropriate for those who did well in the Steamtown Marathon in October, qualified for the Boston Marathon in the spring, and will be training all winter. Furthermore, those who enjoy winter exercise through walking, running, snow shoeing or cross country skiing will also benefit from this information.
Many people living in Northeastern Pennsylvania attempt to exercise outdoors year round. The psychological benefits are many: each season brings its own unique beauty, and winter is no different. Most will not have to abandon outdoor activities, but some adjustments in equipment, clothing, and food are necessary for each season and the temperature changes that it brings.
Nothing can ruin a great run like a nagging painful blister. As you attempt to “run through” the pain, you compensate your gait in such a way that you irritate something else, such as your knee, hip or lower back. With this in mind, as many local runners prepare for this year’s marathon, I thought information on blister prevention would be of great value.
