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We do our best to help answer injury / medical type questions related to running but we aren't Doctors! If you have any pain, seek medical attention. The following answers are our opinions and should not be considered medical treatment or cures in any way. Please take the advice at your own risk. Thank you.
Any other questions feel free to e-mail us.

Q) I love running but feel I might be taking time away from family. Any suggestions?
A) Chubby Kids: Cute but unhealthy! Get your family involved. Running is a great thing, it makes you feel good and full of energy. Help teach your children the importance of exercise and bring them out with you. It's a good way to spend time with them and they often relate to you differently when they see you struggling alongside them. You're no longer a Mum or a Dad but a sweaty runner who understands what they are going through at that exact moment. Train for races and enjoy the fun and excitement that comes with completing an event together. If they can't keep up, get them to cycle while you run. Encourage each other and get closer as a family. Research shows that families that participate in sports or activites together are often closer and better able to communicate with each other. Get them on the right track while they are young and they'll be more likely to avoid excessive alcohol and drug consumption later because they want to stay fit! The self-confidence that exercising will give them may also help them later in life against the stress of school and peer pressure.

Q) Are you like a running club?
A) We are a little like a running club in that we have a social atmosphere, helping people to get to know each other and find new training partners. We also run together as a group at the weekends although this is optional as some people prefer to train alone. However, our biggest difference is that we provide structured training plans for our members to follow during the week on their own and we adapt these plans as needed. Our staff is always available to answer any questions as well which is our greatest feature as many programs and clubs lack this availability of information and runners always have lots of questions about injuries and equipment etc. With both our group training philosophy, our great training plans and our availability to answer all questions we feel that we have more to offer than a running club or any other online training program.

Q) What was your first Marathon like?
Sean: "It was one of the best things I ever did. Nothing can beat the sense of satisfaction you get from completing something that so few people ever attempt!"
The Chronicles of a Marathoner:
Mile 0: Here we go! haha... but what if I don't make it? What if I need to go to the toilet?
Mile 5: This is so easy and RTE just videoed me, I'm gonna be on the news!!
Mile 10: Uh oh. I started out too fast!
Mile 15: I've got a second wind. I'm flyin, yeehaa! Nothing can stop me now!
Mile 18: Oh God, why did I sign up for this?
Mile 19: I drank too much! Where the hell did all the portaloos go?
Mile 20: Oh nooo, it's another 6 miles!
Mile 21: I'm never going to make it.
Mile 22: Oh my god, my legs!
Mile 23: I think I'm going to die.
Mile 24: I'm dying.
Mile 25: I'm dead!
Mile 26: I'm too tough to die!
Mile 26.1: S#!T! I can't let that old Granny beat me.
Mile 26.2: I'm a MARATHONER!

Q) Can you tell me about Achilles Tendonitis?
A) Pain and tightnes felt in the lower calf muscles, which may be more prevalent in the morning. Can happen due to constant hill running, shoes with soft heel counters or shifting from high dress shoes to running shoes.
Quick Fix: Ice Massage, calf stretches, relative rest, modifying activities to pain tolerance. Also heel cups in your shoes may help.

Q) What are Bunions?
A) Pain felt around the big toe in conjunction with a noticeable lump. The big toe may project towards the other toes in an abnormal angle. Can be from a hereditary predisposition or wearing shoes which are too tight across the ball of the foot.
Quick Fix: Wear a shoe with a wider toe box. If area becomes red and warm, consult your sports medicine professional.

Q) Can you explain, Hip pain / Bursitis?
A) Pain on the outer hip area and near the buttocks muscles. The hip joint has a large bursa, a sac of fluid that lubricates and protects the joint, which can become inflamed. Can be caused by biomechanical inefficiencies, overuse and trauma such as childbirth or a fall etc.
Quick Fix: Activity modification, ice massage, and increase stretching. If the pain is radiating into your buttocks or leg, consult your doctor.

Q) What's this IT band thingy?
A) Your Illotibial Band is a tendon in your upper leg. Cyclists often have tight IT bands. Pain is felt on the outside of the knee or upper leg, often associated with track running or running on roads with an incline. Can often be caused by weak pelvic and buttock muscles, a decreased foot arch or inflexibility.
Quick Fix: Ice massage, specific ITB stretching and by varying walking and running routes.

Q) I have a sharp pain between my toes. What could that be?
A) It might be Morton's Neuroma. A sharp burning or throbbing pain from a pinched nerve most often between the third and fourth toes. Can be caused by excessive pronation (collapse of the foot arch), hereditary predisposition, obesity or wearing shoes that are too tight.
Quick Fix: Extra padding under the painful area, appropriately fitted and supportive shoes and arch supports as needed.

Q) Can you tell me about Plantar Fasciitis?
A) Pain felt along the bottom of the foot that may extend from the heel to the arch. Pain is often worse during the first few steps in the morning and towards the end of the day. Can be caused by prolonged standing, being overweight, a leg length discrepancy, unsupportive shoes or calf and achilles tightness.
Quick Fix: Arch supports. night splints and consistent stretching. Early recognition and treatment is key!

Q) What is Patello-femoral dysfunction?
A) Also known as Runners knee it's a diffuse pain often felt below the kneecap. Pain may increase when walking up steps, hill running or after prolonged sitting. Most often found in adolescent runners. Can be caused by weak thigh muscles, flat feet or insufficient rest between activities.
Quick Fix: Cross training, strengthening the thigh muscles, arch supports and applying ice.

Q) I can't run because I always get Shin Splints! What should I do?
A) Shin Splints are a pain near and around the tibia (Shin bone) that often occurs when increasing mileage or starting a running program. Failure to address this issue can lead to stress fractures. I give all my runners a very in depth talk about this particular injury, how to prevent it and how to help keep it at bay if it does crop up but there is too much information to list here.
It usually is caused by doing too much too soon which is why a proper structured program is so helpful.
Quck Fix: Ice, run on softer surfaces like grass, stretch, get proper shoes for your gait pattern and again ICE!!

Q) Every time I try to run the sides of both knees start to give pain - till I finally limp home in great agony. Someone said it might be the illiofibial tendons? Know anything about this? What should I do? - A from Galway
A) Pain on the inner side of the knee: Possible Medial Ligament strain. An overuse strain to this ligament causes slight pain at first but then gets gradually worse as you run. If allowed to become severe it will hurt even when walking or resting. Apply ice. A bandage or similar support will control swelling and make the knee more comfortable. Overuse pain you should see a doctor and for damaged ligaments it could take up to a year to heal.
Pain on the outer side of the knee: Possible Lateral ligament strain. Less likely caused by overuse, same treatment as above.
Iliotibial Tract Friction Syndrome: Overuse injury associated with repetitive knee movements such as running. See a doctor. Apply ice, stop the sport that causes the pain and stretch the outer thigh.
Popliteus Strain: Follow the same procedure for IT friction syndrome.
As with all runnig pain, it's not the pain that you should be worried about but why the pain occurs. Likely it is your body mechanics since you have the problem in both knees. I suggest seeing a physiotherapist and get them to watch you walking then see if your running shoes are the correct shoes for your body type. Specially made Orthotics can be worth their weight in gold as well.
Hope that helps!
Sean

Q) When I do treadmill and eliptic training I seem to lose weight from butt and thighs but my belly stays the same. What exercises do I need to do to trim the old waistline (and still be able to have my cream buns, of course!) - B from the USA
A) First of all this is impossible! Nobody can lose weight in a particular place by exercising the muscles in that area of the body. Perfect example: If you do tons of Ab work, you will never get rid of the excess flab on your belly because your body is a system not separate pieces. The only way to lose weight is to do cardio! This will reduce the excess insulation all over your body. You think that the elliptical trainer & the treadmill are toning down your buns because you are strengthening the muscles down there & so they feel more solid & firmer. It's all about calories in versus calories out! The more you eat the more you need to burn or it gets stored on your tummy & thighs! I suggest less krispy kreme Donuts and more running on the treadmill. Your belly will then start to shrink!
Sean

Q) How much does one high fat meal contribute to heart disease? - Anonymous
A) They have done a study on this in the University of Miami. People who participated in the study were all young people, in their 20s without any medical problems. On one day, the participants were served a low-fat breakfast of Frosted Flakes, skim milk and orange juice. The next day, participants ate a very high-fat breakfast, consisting of an egg McMuffin, a sausage McMuffin and two hash browns. After each meal, blood was drawn and tested. No problems were detected after the low-fat meal. But the same couldn't be said for the latter experiment.
J ust a couple of hours after a high-fat meal, they found evidence that there was damage already in the surface of the blood vessels. The evidence was a dramatic increase in micro-particles released when the lining of blood vessels is damaged. And three hours after the meal, harmful blood fat called triglycerides, shot up 81 percent. This might eventually lead to hardening of the arteries It can also lead to clotting or forming clots inside the blood vessels, which can potentially lead to stroke or heart attack. And it doesn't have to be a fast food breakfast to be damaging, according to the Researchers the meal they tested was 50 grams of total fat, with 14 grams from saturated fat. And their findings apply to any high-fat food combo, no matter where it's cooked.
It is not where you eat, but the food choices you make, and especially how much you eat.
Sean