Happy Mother’s Day!!

Doc’s Talk by Andrew Laurence

Dr. Scaff called this talk “The Beginners Guide to Injuries”.
The injuries referred to in this article are cumulative injuries, repetitive stress injuries.

First sign of an injury: Feeling good
Why? Because when you feel good you tend to go out too fast or run too much, too often.

Injury Phase 1: Fatigue
Injuries progress in intervals of approximately six weeks.

Injury Phase 2: Soreness

Injury Phase 3: Tenderness
There may be swelling.

Injury Phase 4: Death or tear or rupture of tissue
serious injuries can take up to a year to heal.

The bottom line: Avoid injuries.

NSAIDs
Taking ibuprofen or aspirin you can injure yourself worse because you are numbing the pain. Take NSAIDs only on the days you are not running, never before a run.

Healing
You can do anything during the healing phase that does not hurt, e.g., ride a bike, swim, etc. You should be able to walk without significant pain before you start running again.

Recovery
Go out for a 20-minute run, a bit slower than your training pace. If the pain is worse after 20 minutes, it’s back to rest and relaxation, walking, or riding your bike.

If the injured area does not hurt after running 20 minutes, rest a day, and then add 5 minutes until you are again running for 1 hour, 3 times per week for a month. Then go back to your regular training program. That should take care of the bulk of the injury.

For more information read the various sections on injuries in Your First Marathon – The Last Word In Long Distance Running, by Jack H. Scaff Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.M., available for purchase at the Honolulu Marathon Clinic on Sundays and online at: http://yourfirstmarathon.net/buy-online-today/

Coming Attractions

Next Sunday Dr. Scaff will talk about weight.

To read full, unabridged summaries of The Honolulu Marathon Clinic’s weekly Doc’s Talks:
1) Go to the Honolulu Marathon Clinic web site (http://honolulumarathonclinic.org/)
2) Look under the “Categories” listing.
3) Click on “Doc’s Talk”.

Table Duty

Thank you Tom for taking the helm; the fruits, cookies, and drinks were fantastic! Continue reading →

Doc’s Talk by Andrew Laurence

Dr. Scaff called today’s talk a “potpourri” of topics.

You may not believe this, but running started here in Hawaii. Not racing, like in the Olympics, but running. Only 167 runners participated in The Honolulu Marathon in 1973. Nobody knew anything back then! Today, the 3 main schools of running, the Honolulu Marathon Clinic, Hal Higdon’s, and Jeff Galloway’s, all evolved from base training as initially done by the Honolulu Marathon Clinic.

You could walk the marathon in two days and never “Hit The Wall”. If you drink enough and your urine is colorless (once a day) and you urinate within 4 hours of your run, you will not overheat. Post-race collapse is something you can take care of. The bottom line is base precedes speed, and that is all you need to do.

The Honolulu Marathon Clinic’s basic approach to training for the marathon is Simple and works: In the first 3 months: Run 1 hour 3 times per week. In the 4th month: 1 hour 4 times per week. In the 5th month increase to 30 miles per week. Maintain 30 miles for 2 months without getting injured, and slow down in the marathon, and you’ll finish. For a better finish time, add miles in the remaining months of training. Be mindful of your pace and stick to the program and you’ll do very well.

Read at least read the sections on rules in Dr. Scaff’s book. (Or read the entire book as it has very good information on running and other topics).

Copies of Your First Marathon – The Last Word In Long Distance Running, by Jack H. Scaff Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.M., are available for purchase at the Honolulu Marathon Clinic on Sundays and online at: http://yourfirstmarathon.net/buy-online-today/

Next Sunday Dr. Scaff will talk about “The Beginners Guide to Injuries”.

To read full, unabridged summaries of The Honolulu Marathon Clinic’s weekly Doc’s Talks:
1) Go to the Honolulu Marathon Clinic web site (http://honolulumarathonclinic.org/)
2) Look under the “Categories” listing.
3) Click on “Doc’s Talk”.

Sunday’s Picnic

It was well organized and well attended! Thanks to Board member Luanne , her husband, and her committee for doing such a great job at our May Day picnic! Food was plentiful and the atmosphere was joyous – a great combination! Thank you also to all of the volunteers – Burt, Muriel, Dwight, Debbie (thanks for cleaning all of our pots, pans and dishes), Susan, Rachun (with his “magical” Thai curry), Russ’ wife and Muriel’s sister (who shall be nameless ’cause I forgot), Val , Maile, Norm, Peter, Stephen and a host of others – thank you!! Was good!!! Continue reading →

Doc’s Talk by Andrew Laurence

Dr. Scaff talked about post-race collapse phenomenon, …which is different than collapse point. Example: A runner crosses the finish line, looks well, walks around, and 10 minutes later is in the first-aid facility hypotensive, pale, heat exhausted, convulsing.

Physiology of Post-Race Collapse
As you are running the heart needs fluids. Fluids come out of the tissues. The minute you stop running, fluids start immediately going back into the deprived tissues, blood volume decreases, and a devastating metabolic cascade of deterioration manifests. This phenomenon can be worsened if the injured runner eats food or ingests alcohol. Untreated this condition is fatal! Therefore, when you finish a run, you have to start re-hydrating immediately. Get a soda or similar beverage and just start sipping.

Treatment of Post-Race Collapse
Don’t panic. Lay the person down, bend their knees up a little bit, make sure they have a good pulse, and try to give them some kind of diluted soda with caffeine and sugar. A half hour later they are ready to go home. You can call 9-1-1 if you are really concerned, but if the patient gets into the ambulance, they’re going to have a hospital bill which may or may not be necessary. If the person does not need the ambulance, send them home, no harm is done.

Things to remember
1) You will see post-race collapse after the run.
2) Post-race collapse is ubiquitous and can occur to all of us.
3) Drinking water at the end of a marathon is not as effective as drinking in the first 10 miles when you are not thirsty. This is important. You could really get into trouble out there if you do not pay attention.

Announcement

Everyone is invited to the 7th Annual Hawai‘i Book & Music Festival where Dr. Jack Scaff will be giving a good talk on Sunday, 05/06/12 at 2 p.m. at the Civic Grounds at Honolulu Hale, Downtown. For more information see: http://www.hawaiibookandmusicfestival.org/

Copies of Your First Marathon – The Last Word In Long Distance Running, by Jack H. Scaff Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.M., are available for purchase at the Honolulu Marathon Clinic on Sundays and online at: http://yourfirstmarathon.net/buy-online-today/

To read full, unabridged summaries of The Honolulu Marathon Clinic’s weekly Doc’s Talks:
1) Go to the Honolulu Marathon Clinic web site (http://honolulumarathonclinic.org/)
2) Look under the “Categories” listing.
3) Click on “Doc’s Talk”.

Table Duty

Staffers Ann, Stan and wife, Maureen, Gail and Karlen - all helped out at table duty today! Thanks for such a great spread!

Next Sunday’s Picnic

Please bring in your latest creation to share with fellow runners and enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow runners. Friends and family invited; a $1 fee per person; drinks and Zippy’s chili and rice provided. Groups do their usual run then enjoy the picnic afterward. Start time around 9:30 a.m. Continue reading →