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| The last column discussed what sports injuries are and how to assess their severity. This column will tell you what to do when you have an acute sports injury. The three main goals... read more |
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| Acute Sports Injuries are traumatic in nature. Some are very dramatic such as when Mike Foligno broke his leg at centre ice the season before last. Although his was a bone injury m... read more |
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Ira
Smith |
Dr. Ira Smith is a Sports Medicine physician and a graduate of the Sport Medicine Fellowship from the University of Toronto. He is a member of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicin... read more |
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Marathon Sunday | Tuesday, April 11, 2006 |
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 Tomorrow is the Toronto Marathon. Several thousand runner's will embark on the 26 mile course that starts in front of city Hall and winds it's way around the city to finish in front of Metro Hall on Wellington Street. At the same time many thousand more runners will complete a 10 k run through downtown Toronto with the same start and finish line.
For those of you who have trained hard this is your big day. You know that some where along the run it is going to be painful, the joy of setting a goal and completing it will be well worth it. Just keep thinking of how good you are going to feel when you actually cross the finish line. For the winners it will be around 2 hours and 10 minutes for the men and 2 hours and thirty minutes for the women. The rest of the pack will finish between then and five hours.
The following are a few tips for those who are going to run the marathon tomorrow or are planning to run another race this year.
1/ Make sure you are ready for the race and have trained sufficiently for the distance and type of event. Do not try to be hero and injure yourself. There are always more events you can enter in the future when you are ready.
2/ Watch the weather. This is especially true for the spring marathon. Most of your training has been in the winter and cool spring. If it is a hot day your body will not have time to adjust. Therefore you have to run at a pace that is appropriate for the weather. If it is a hot day it is not the day to run your personal best or at the pace that you might have wanted to. Slow down to avoid over heating which will make the day quite uncomfortable or even serious problems. The temperature will be announced at the start line. Watch for temperature markers along the course. Green means no problem. Yellow means caution and red means that the heat is a serious concern.
It is also important to dress appropriately. Dress in layers and shed clothes along the course if you have to.
3/ If you have been sick the week prior to the event with fevers, muscle aches, or diarrhea and/or vomiting DO NOT RACE. This can lead to a more severe illness which can be life threatening. I know you have trained long and hard, this is not the time to put your body and life in jeopardy. The Marathon will guarantee a spot for next years race.
4/ Always print your name, address, phone number, and emergency contact on the back of your number. If you have any medical problems and/or are taking medications, write those as well on the back of your number. Inform the marathon committee before the race if you have a medical problem which might be affected by the race.
5/ Protect your skin in problem areas. Use lubrication between your thighs and around your toes where you are prone to blisters. This is not the time to use new shoes or inserts. Shoes should have at least 60-80 miles of running on them.
6/ Drink plenty of fluids. Try to drink 2 cups before the race and a cup at every 5k station. Electrolyte drinks are excellent if you are used to them. If you do not know how your body will respond, this is not the time to try something new. Remember that you are already dehydrated well before you feel thirsty. Be aware of the signs of dehydration and heat problems. They are excessive sweating, headache, nausea, dizzyness, cramps, possible cessation of sweating, and gradual loss of consciousness.
7/ We have a medical team of over 150 doctors, nurses, therapists, podiatrists, and other volunteers to help you on marathon day.
For those of you who are not participating tomorrow, think of this as inspiration to make goals for yourself. Good luck to the runners and I will see you at the finish line.
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