Despite the impending hurricane winds over 30,000 people took to the streets in Portsmouth for the Great South Run on what was the biggest and most successful weekend of the events history. The elite men’s event was taken by Emmanuel Bett with a time of 48 minutes and 3 seconds and 19 seconds ahead of Stephen Mokoka. In the women’s event Florence Kiplagat was almost 3 minutes faster than second place Polline Wanjiku.
Thousands of fun runners took place in the 10 mile run, having undertaken months of preparation and training to ensure they were fully prepared for the challenge ahead. Training is essential ahead of any sporting activity to ensure that you are prepared both physically and mentally and reduce the risk of sustaining running injuries.
Preparation, preparation, preparation
It goes without saying that preparation is the key to success. Professional athletes know that the training they put in will pay dividends when it comes to a competition and to be the best you need to train hard.
The same principles apply to those running for fun of charity as unless you prepare then you run the risk of either not finishing the race or sustaining running injuries, some of which can have an impact on your daily life weeks and months after the event. Shin splints or even ankle ligament damage can have an impact on future activity.
Before you even start to think about standing at the starting line you should have a clear training programme in place. A 10 mile run is quite a challenge, especially for someone who has undertaken little or no preparation. You need to build up your stamina over time, gradually running further and further as the weeks go by until you know you are capable of running the entire distance.
It is also important to vary your training, rather than continually pushing yourself for greater distances. Think about speed training to improve times over shorter distances as well as distance training to help improve muscle stamina. A common form of training among athletes is interval based, whereby you will sprint for a minute and then jog for a further minute before sprinting once again. This is a fantastic way of building up your muscles and your stamina.
Preparation is essential to limit the chance of running injuries, whether during your training or during the race itself.
What to do after a race
There will be many relieved runners this morning following their 10 mile challenge yesterday, many of whom will be rather stiff and sore. Whilst finishing the race will give you an adrenaline boost it is important to remember your training and have a full cool down immediately afterwards. Cooling your muscles down after a race reduces the build-up of lactic acid which can lead to running injuries. Stiffness in the muscles and joints can severely impact on your mobility the following day.
Many professional athletes have ice baths after a game, with the instant cooling of a muscle helping with its repair and your rehabilitation. Ronaldo recently installed a cryogenic chamber in his Madrid home, though this is not entirely practical for the average participant of the Great South Run. A simple alternative is to apply ice to those joints and muscles causing the most pain or where there is inflammation.
How to manage running injuries
Sometimes running injuries are unavoidable, even for the world’s elite athletes, which is why managing an injury is one of the most important things you can focus on. What you do to manage running injuries can influence the recovery time required.
In the immediate aftermath of sustaining running injuries you should stop what you are doing and rest as carrying on can make the injury worse and increase your time out of action. The majority of sports injuries are self-limiting and will get better on their own after a few days of rest, using ice to help manage any pain and inflammation experienced. If things don’t get better after a few days then you should speak with a clinician for a professional diagnosis, where a full rehabilitation programme may be devised for you.
In considering some of the more common forms of running injuries, shin splints from running is one condition where it is essential to stop training to limit any further damage. Shin splints from running is a general term to describe pain experienced at the front of the leg during exercise. It affects those undertaking sports with a lot of sudden starting and stopping, with pain felt along the shin bone (tibia).
Shin splints from running begins with a dull ache along the tibia and can become very painful should you fail to stop exercising. We may be tempted to run through the pain and hope it will wear off, though the pain could be a sign of damage to the bone and surrounding tissues which can become even worse with continued weight bearing activities.
Final words on running injuries
Whilst preparation is essential for any sporting event running injuries are an accepted consequence of overuse, such as shin splints, or sometimes bad fortune, from falling over. The immediate aftermath of injury is the critical time as managing it in the correct way can aid your recovery time. If you are ever in doubt then seek a professional diagnosis.
Grand Prix Of Poland And The Importance Of Knee Bracing
This weekend sees the start of the 2015 speedway season with the Grand Prix of Poland in Warsaw. The Stadion Narodowy will play host to the world's best as Tai Woffinden takes on the best.
Managing Common Knee Injuries Ahead Of The Champions League Last 16
This week will see the second round of the last sixteen of the Champions League, with a number of crunch matches taking place and an exciting spectacle of football for the neutral. The biggest game of the tie from an English perspective has to be Manchester City taking on Barcelona, an opportunity for one of the wealthiest clubs in the world to book their place in history by knocking out one of the most successful.
Common Knee Injuries From Mountain Biking
Mountain bikers can suffer from a variety of injuries whether from overuse or following a crash or fall from your bike, all with varying degrees of severity. The more extreme the route, the bigger the adrenaline rush but also the bigger the injury should you come off your bike at speed. Luckily, the majority of injuries sustained are minor and self-limiting in that you should expect to recover following a few days of rest.
