Plantar Fasciitis Management

I have found that plantar fasciitis is becoming an epidemic with many middle-aged people. Why is that? Well, there are a few different reasons: over-training, or under-training in some cases, constant contact with hard or irregular surfaces, repeated stress to the foot (running), obesity, and what I think is one of the biggest culprits, improper footwear. According to Dr. Perry Julian (a foot specialist for the 1996 Olympic Games athletes),
“One of the most common causes of plantar fasciitis is tightness of the calf muscles and the Achilles tendon.‰âÂVbCrLf For women this can come from wearing high heals. For men and women this can come from excessive pronation of the foot without enough support of the arch. Over time, as the muscles become fatigued, the structures of the foot become compromised. Muscle tightness is usually traced to trigger points.

Trigger Points
When the feet become tired and fatigued, the surrounding muscles become compromised Muscle support and motion are hampered. This makes the surrounding tissue more likely to develop trigger points. Trigger points are sore, knotty contractions of muscle bundles. They prevent a muscle from relaxing properly and recovering. Trigger points can develop in any muscle tissue. When you develop trigger points in the calf or soleus muscle they can refer pain to the bottom of the foot. That is why trigger point therapy of the muscles of the lower leg is essential in the management and prevention of plantar fasciitis.

Leg Regimen

Step One about 30 Seconds: I typically start therapy by using the Stick on the lower leg. The role of the stick is to improve blood flow to the area that is spasmodic, and to break up the adhesions that the muscle has developed. The best way to roll out the muscle area is to begin by rolling outside the shinbone, using short, specific back and forth strokes. Then roll lengthwise starting below the knee down to just above the ankle. When finding a trigger point, spend an extra 10-15 seconds on that area. Follow this procedure for all of the muscles of the lower leg for 30-45 seconds per muscle group regardless of there being any trigger points (See figure 2). Then stretch the muscles of the lower leg by doing foot drills.

Step Two: Start by walking 20-30 feet forward on your heals without touching your toes to the ground. Then walk on the outsides of your feet about 20-30 feet,; again, don’t touch your toes to the ground. Lastly, walk on the inside of your feet the same way as the outside of your feet. Next, walk on your toes in a straight line 20-30 feet without allowing your heal to touch the ground. Repeat on the outside of your feet, then on the inside of your feet 20- 30 feet without touching the heel. The goal of this procedure is to 1): stretch the muscle of your lower leg and foot; and 2) to strengthen the muscles that support your feet. An excellent byproduct of these exercises is that they are beneficial in preventing shin splints, calf strains, and Achilles tendonitis.

Step Three: Use a foot wheel or a golf ball to roll out the bottom of your foot (See figure 3). I recommend placing the wheel or golf ball on carpet or a thick towel. Support your weight on the opposite side, and begin rolling the bottom of your foot. Use gentle but firm pressure to locate and breakup trigger points. When you locate a trigger point spend 15-20 seconds on that area. If no trigger points are found, roll the foot for about 45 seconds working from the inside to the outside of the foot. I find that these work as an excellent preventative tool for plantar fasciitis. It takes about 3-5 minutes, and should be done twice a day.

What to do when Plantar is inflamed?
My typical treatment protocol is to spray the foot with anti-inflammatory spray, and wrap it for five minutes. This helps to drive in the anti-inflammatory properties. Next, I will cold laser the foot for 3-5 minutes. Cold laser has shown to be effective in speeding up tissue healing. Sometimes we will do some active release to speed up scar tissue breakdown.

Dr. Robert Irwin is an avid distance runner and is the team chiropractor for the Albany Conquest Arena Football team. A member of the vaunted Willow Street AC, Bob was the winner of the 2007 Sheraton Hyannis Marathon in 2:36:04. Dr. Irwin can be reached at 456-8805 or by email at bobdc99@yahoo.com

real,- BERLIN-MARATHON: Gebrselassie and
Habtamu 

triumph in World Marathon Majors race

The Ethiopian duo of Haile Gebrselassie and
Atsede Habtamu  earned maximum points in the World Marathon Majors (WMM)
rankings with their double success in the real,- BERLIN MARATHON. While
Gebrselassie achieved his fourth victory in a WMM race, Habtamu completed a
dream debut: on her very first appearance in a WMM event she collected 25
points.

The points earned by Gebrselassie and
Habtamu will not have a significant impact on who will be the overall champions
for the current 2008-09 season. Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya) and Irina Mikitenko
(Germany) have built up too big a lead in the rankings. But it’s a
different matter as far as the standings for 2009 ‰ÛÓ 2010 are concerned.

The real,-BERLIN-MARATHON once again lived
up to its reputation for top-class results. Haile Gebrselassie won in 2:06:08
to move up to second in 2008 ‰ÛÓ 2009 rankings. The Kenyan Francis Kiprop
collected 15 points for second place after a world-class run of 2:07:04. Here
in detail is what the leading results from the real,-BERLIN-MARATHON mean in
terms of WMM points:

MEN

1.            Haile
Gebrselassie                           ETH                        25
Points              2:06:08

2.            Francis
Kiprop                    KEN                        15
                          2:07:04

3.            Negari
Terfa                                       ETH                        10
                          2:07:41

4.            Dereje
Debele Tulu                         ETH                         
5                            2:09:41

5.            Alfred
Kering                                     KEN                          
1                           2:09:52

WOMEN

1.            Atsede
Habtamu                              ETH                        25
Points              2:24:
47

2.            Silvia
Skvortsova                               RUS                        15
                          2:26:
24

3.            Mamitu
Daska                   ETH                        10
                          2:26:38

4.            Rosaria
Console                                ITA                         5  
                           2:26:45

5.            Genet
Getaneh                                ETH                        1  
                           2:27:09

Two races remain in the WMM Series for 2008
‰ÛÓ 2009 following the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON: the Bank of America Chicago
Marathon on October 11 and the ING New York City Marathon on November 1.

The Boston Marathon and the Virgin London
Marathon complete the World Marathon Majors schedule and take place in April.

The Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya)
leads the men’s rankings for the 2008 ‰ÛÓ 2009 Series with 65 points
from Haile Gebrselassie (50). Irina Mikitenko (Germany) has already achieved
the maximum total of 75 points from three races and has a clear lead over Dire
Tune (Ethiopia/40) in the women’s competition. Mikitenko is on course to
become the first woman athlete to win a WMM Series twice in succession, having
already won the 2007 ‰ÛÓ 2008 edition.

WMM Standings for 2009 ‰ÛÓ 2010 to
date:

Men

1. Samuel Wanjiru                           KEN  
                     65
Points

2. Haile Gebrselassie                      ETH
                       50

3. Tsegaye Kebede                          ETH
                       35

4. Deribe
Merga                               ETH 
                      30

5. Emmanuel Mutai                         KEN     
                  26

    Martin
Lel             
                          KEN     
                  26

    Robert K.
Cheruiyot                    KEN     
                  26

Women

1. Irina Mikitenko                             GER 
                      75
Points

2. Dire
Tune                                        ETH       
               40

3. Salina
Kosgei                
               KEN        30

   Alvetina Biktimirova                     RUS
                       30

  Constantina Dita                             ROM
                     30

6.  Xue Bai                                           CHI
                        25

    Lidiya Grigoryeva                         RUS
                       25

    Paula Radcliffe                              GBR                       25

   Atsede Besuye                              ETH
                       25

The full standings for the 2008 ‰ÛÓ
2009 and 2009 ‰ÛÓ 2010 series as well as further information about the
World Marathon Majors and participating athletes are available from: www.worldmarathonmajors.com

Should you change form? Stay the course? NER “My Word” columnist and Greater Boston Track Club coach Tom Derderian gives his take. Click on “Download Now” below.

Geoffrey Mutai, World’s Fastest Marathoner, To Defend Title at
B.A.A. 10K on June 24

Women’s Race Features Matchup of Two Most Recent Boston Marathon
Champions

BOSTON ‰ÛÓ The Boston Athletic
Association (B.A.A.) today announced that Geoffrey Mutai, the world’s
fastest marathoner, will defend his title at the second annual B.A.A. 10K on
Sunday, June 24. Defending B.A.A. 10K champion, Caroline Kilel will square off
with reigning Boston Marathon champion Sharon Cherop. The race starts and
finishes on Charles Street
between the Public
Garden and historic
Boston Common. A partial list of elite athlete biographies is attached to this
release.

At the 2011 Boston Marathon, Geoffrey Mutai, of Kenya, secured his place in Boston
Marathon history by running the world’s fastest marathon ever run under
any conditions in a time of 2:03:02. His time was nearly three minutes faster
than the previous course record, and it was 57 seconds faster than anyone had
ever run the distance. He returned to Boston
two months later and won the inaugural B.A.A. 10K. With a time of 27:19 at the
B.A.A. 10K, Mutai won over Gebre Gebremariam, of Ethiopia,
by 52 seconds and ran one of the fastest 10K ever run in the United States. He started this
year’s Boston Marathon but did not finish the race.

In the women’s race, the two most recent Boston Marathon champions
will go head-to-head. Defending B.A.A. 10K champion Caroline Kilel, of Kenya,
won the 2011 Boston Marathon in 2:22:36 with a thrilling sprint finish. She was
just two seconds ahead of American Desiree Davila and six seconds ahead of
Sharon Cherop, of Kenya.
At last year’s 10K, Kilel went on to win in 31:58 over runner-up Kim
Smith, of New Zealand.
Kilel and Cherop faced each other again in this year’s Boston Marathon,
but it was Cherop who prevailed, using a well-timed finishing kick to defeat
Jemima Jelagat Sumgong, of Kenya.

Also joining the B.A.A. 10K field from this year’s Boston Marathon
is men’s runner-up, Levy Matebo, of Kenya. After the men’s lead
pack passed the 17-mile mark, Matebo and Mathew Kisorio, of Kenya, began to increase the pace,
quickly opening up a gap on the pack. The two ran side by side through 20
miles, when Kisorio began to fall off the pace. Despite the 150-meter lead
Matebo had established, he could not hold off a late charge by the eventual
champion, Wesley Korir, also of Kenya.
A bold front-runner, Matebo’s racing style will add excitement to the
B.A.A. 10K.

“We are excited to welcome back these great and gracious champions
as they return to compete against some of the world’s best
runners,” said Tom Grilk, Executive Director of the B.A.A. “Their
displays of courage and sheer endurance inspire us all, and we are grateful
that they have decided to take part in the newest addition to our calendar of
world class road races: the B.A.A. 10K, the second race of the inaugural B.A.A.
Distance Medley.”

The B.A.A. 10K begins at 8:00 a.m. on Charles Street in Boston, and top athletes will compete for a
prize purse of nearly $30,000. The 6.2-mile course is a scenic tour through Boston’s Back Bay
neighborhood. Starting on Charles Street, the race winds down picturesque
Commonwealth Avenue and Bay State Road as far west as Babcock Street near
Boston University, before heading back on Commonwealth Avenue, around the
Public Garden, and finishing on Charles Street. The field is limited to 6,000 entrants, but there is
still space left. To register, please visit www.baa.org/races/10k.

Partial List of
Elite Athlete Biographies

MEN

GEOFFREY MUTAI (Eldoret, Kenya) ‰ÛÓ 10K Personal Best: 27:19

At the 2011 Boston Marathon,
Geoffrey Mutai ran the fastest marathon in history.  Without the aid of
pacesetters, he led eight men under 2:08. After his Boston
win, Mutai continued to break barriers as he notched a 2:05:06 course record
this past fall in New York City.
With those titles, he became the first man in history to break course records
in Boston and New York City in the same year. The defending
B.A.A. 10K champion set his personal best in last year’s race. Mutai
currently sits in first place on the 2011 ‰ÛÓ 2012 World Marathon
Majors leaderboard despite dropping out of this year’s Boston Marathon.
He is married and has two daughters named Ivy and Marieke.

LEVY MATEBO (Trans Nozoia, Kenya) ‰ÛÓ 10K Personal Best:
27:55

Matebo was the runner-up at the 2012 Boston Marathon in 2:13:06. After
holding the lead for several miles in the latter stages of the race, he was
overtaken by Wesley Korir nearly one mile from the finish. His personal best
marathon came at the 2011 Frankfurt Marathon, where he placed second in
2:05:16. He also won the Barcelona Marathon in 2:07:31 on March 11, 2011.
Matebo set his 10K personal best in Nice,
France on April
17, 2011.

WOMEN

SHARON CHEROP (Marakwet, Kenya) ‰ÛÓ 10K Personal Best: 31:31

Listed as one of the top marathoners in the world in the past two years,
Cherop won the 2012 Boston Marathon by two seconds with a well-timed kick. At
the 2012 Dubai Marathon, she set her personal best time of 2:22:39. She has
also placed third at the 2011 IAAF World Championships Marathon and the 2011
Boston Marathon. She is currently in third place on the 2011 ‰ÛÓ 2012 World
Marathon Majors leaderboard, 15 points behind
Mary Keitany. She set her 10K personal best in New Delhi, India
in November of 2011.  Cherop is married to Matthew Bowen, who is a 2:10
marathoner himself, and the couple has a daughter named Natalia.

CAROLINE KILEL (Bomet,
Kenya) ‰ÛÓ 10K Personal Best: 31:36

In an enthralling sprint finish against American Desiree Davila and
Kenyan Sharon Cherop, Kilel triumphed, winning the 2011 Boston Marathon in a
personal best 2:22:36. She returned to Boston,
winning the inaugural B.A.A. 10K in 31:58. Later in 2011, she finished sixth at
the New York City Marathon.  Kilel set her 10K personal best in Groesbeek, Netherlands
in June of 2009. She
lives and trains in Kericho, with her husband Vincent Kipkemoi, also a runner,
and their son Trevis Kipngeno.

About the B.A.A.:
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit
organization with a mission of managing athletic events and promoting a healthy
lifestyle through sports, especially running. Now in its 125th
anniversary year, the B.A.A. manages a comprehensive schedule of youth-running
events, distance running training programs and large-scale races in the city of
Boston. Most
noteworthy is the Boston Marathon,
the world’s most prestigious and oldest continually run marathon. Since the
inaugural race in 1897, the Boston Marathon has been the pinnacle for distance running
worldwide, a position which was reinforced in 1986 with the help of principal
sponsor John Hancock Financial. In 2006, the Boston
Marathon joined the Bank of America
Chicago Marathon, the BMW Berlin
Marathon, the Virgin London Marathon, and the
ING New York City Marathon to form the World Marathon Majors. The B.A.A. 10K is the second race in the
inaugural B.A.A. Distance Medley, a three race series which includes the B.A.A.
5K in April and the B.A.A. Half Marathon in
October.  Go to baa.org for more information.

Reigning Boston Marathon Champion Caroline Rotich Returns to Boston for this Sunday’s B.A.A. Half Marathon

Current Boston
Marathon, B.A.A. 10K, and B.A.A. Distance Medley winners lead strong
professional athlete field. More than 475 runners will race as part of
presenting sponsor Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s
team to tackle cancer.

BOSTON ‰ÛÓ The Boston Athletic Association announced today the elite field for the 15th annual B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. Headlining the professional
field are this year’s Boston Marathon champion Caroline Rotich ,
as well as two-time defending B.A.A. Distance Medley victor Stephen
Sambu. Both are from Kenya. The B.A.A. Half Marathon will be run on
Sunday, October
11, 2015, beginning and finishing in Boston’s Franklin Park.

Rotich, 31, returns to
Boston looking to add another accomplishment to her growing resume. In
2010, Rotich won the B.A.A. Half Marathon in 1:10:52, showing her
prowess over the distance. The native of Nyahururu,
Kenya, returned to the Bay State in triumphant fashion this year, using
a finely timed surge on Boylston Street to win the Boston Marathon in
2:24:55. By winning the Boston Marathon, Rotich became the first woman
ever to win both the marathon and the B.A.A.
Half Marathon.

“Winning Boston‰Û¢ makes
me feel like one of the big runners,” Rotich said earlier this year,
reflecting on her victory. Rotich will be racing the 2015 B.A.A. Half
Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
and the Jimmy Fund, as part of her tune up for November’s TCS New York
City Marathon. Rotich is one of the favorites in that race as well, and
has won the NYC Half twice.

Standing between
Rotich and another B.A.A. Half Marathon title are a slew of
international runners. Mary Wacera, the 2014 IAAF World Half Marathon
Championships silver medalist, returns to Boston after winning the
rain-soaked B.A.A. 10K fewer than four months ago. Cynthia Limo, last
year’s B.A.A. Half Marathon runner-up, and Helen Jepkurgat, winner of
two half marathons this year, round out the women’s field from Kenya.
Hailing from Ethiopia is Belaynesh Oljira, a World
Championships bronze medalist both on the track and in cross country.

Leading the American
charge are Clara Santucci and Karen Roa. Santucci is the reigning
Pittsburgh Marathon champion. Beverly Ramos, the national record holder
for Puerto Rico, returns to Boston aiming to better
her eighth place showing from a year ago.

For the men, Sambu
comes into the B.A.A. Half Marathon riding a hot streak in
Massachusetts. In addition to winning the past two B.A.A. Distance
Medley titles, he placed second at the B.A.A. 10K in June and won
August’s Falmouth Road Race on Cape Cod. Having previously finished
third and fourth at the B.A.A. Half Marathon, Sambu seeks to finish atop
the podium.

“I love this place.
I’ve been doing most of my races, almost everything, on the East coast.
So many people know you, they love you,” Sambu said prior to the B.A.A.
10K. “So many people
[here], they love running.”

Joining Sambu among
the men’s contenders from East Africa are Raji Assefa, Daniel Salel, and
Eliud Ngetich. Assefa, a native of Ethiopia, holds the fastest half
marathon personal best in the field, having run 1:00:07
in Rotterdam in 2008. He placed 6th at last year’s race.

Salel and Ngetich are
half marathon aces looking to give Kenya their ninth B.A.A. Half
Marathon men’s title. Salel is this year’s B.A.A. 10K winner and
finished runner-up at the B.A.A. Half Marathon in 2014, while
Ngetich won the Virginia Beach Half Marathon in March with a personal
best time of 1:03:40.

Eric Ashe and Brian
Harvey will sport the distinguished gold unicorn singlet of the Boston
Athletic Association’s racing team. Ruben Sanca, a Massachusetts native
and 2012 Olympian for Cape Verde Islands, is also
competing.

With the B.A.A. Half
Marathon serving as the third and final race of the B.A.A. Distance
Medley, three athletes have a chance to earn bonuses on race day. If
Rotich, Salel, or Wacera win their respective races,
they’ll earn an extra $20,000 (USD) bonus for finishing first at two
B.A.A. races this year.

Since first being run
in 2001, the B.A.A. Half Marathon has seen winners from eight different
countries. The winner of the B.A.A. Half Marathon will earn $10,000,
plus an additional $10,000 if the winner’s time
is under the event records of 1:00:34 for men and 1:08:20 for women. In
2014, more than 6,220 athletes participated in the B.A.A. Half
Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund.
This year’s field has 8,500 participants.

Men’s Elite Athlete Field (as of October 5, 2015)

NAME

CITIZENSHIP

PERSONAL BEST

Raji Assefa

ETH

1:00:07

Stephen Sambu

KEN

1:00:41

Daniel Salel

KEN

1:00:41

Eric Ashe

USA (MA)

1:03:33

Eliud Ngetich

KEN

1:03:40

Brian Harvey

USA (MA)

1:04:44

Ruben Sanca

CPV (MA)

1:05:24

Women’s Elite Athlete Field (as of October 5, 2015)

NAME

CITIZENSHIP

PERSONAL BEST

Caroline Rotich

KEN

1:08:52

Mary Wacera

KEN

1:07:44

Belaynesh Oljira

ETH

1:07:27

Cynthia Limo

KEN

1:07:02

Helen Jepkurgat

KEN

1:09:56

Clara Santucci

USA (PA)

1:12:22

Beverly Ramos

PUR

1:12:48

Karen Roa

USA (MA)

1:17:04

2015 B.A.A. Half Marathon Open Division Prize Structure
(Men and Women)

PLACE

AMOUNT (USD)

1

$10,000

2

$6,000

3

$4,000

4

$2,500

5

$1,200

6

$1,000

7

$600

8

$500

9

$300

10

$200

BONUSES

BONUS INCENTIVES FOR TOP OVERALL FINISHES IN 2015 B.A.A. EVENTS*

Win three of the four events

$10,000

Win two of the four events

$6,000

Place among the top two in three of the four events

$4,000

Place among the top three in three of the four events

$2,500

* Includes the Boston Marathon.

EVENT RECORD BONUSES

B.A.A. 5K

B.A.A. 10K

B.A.A. HALF MARATHON

BOSTON MARATHON

$5,000

$7,500

$10,000

$25,000

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.)

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic
Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a
healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s
Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and
the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive
charity, youth, and year-round running programs, including high
performance athletes and running club. Since 1986, the principal sponsor
of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial.
The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along
with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New
York City. More than 60,000 runners will participate in B.A.A. events in
2015. The 120th Boston Marathon will be
held on Monday, April 18, 2016. For more information on the B.A.A.,
please visit
www.baa.org. 

Six-time all American, 3:55 miler to run Flag Day 5K June 16

Charlie Marquardt, a six-time National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 3 All- American from Haverford College in Pennsylvania will return to Falmouth on June 16 to race in the ninth annual Falmouth Flag Day 5K.

Marquardt won the first Flag Day race in 2011 when he was a high school student while visiting Cape Cod from his family’s home in Pasadena, Calif. He went on to a stellar career in college, including 13 Centennial Conference championships in events ranging from 800 to 5000 meters, earning All-American honors six times in various events over his college career.

One of Marquardt’s primary goals as a runner was to break the elusive 4-minute barrier in the mile and he accomplished that feat with a 3:55.97 in the 2018 Sir Walter Miler race, Raleigh, N.C., in 3:55.97. He was one of 13 Americans to break 4 minutes in the same race, an American record. He foreshadowed that effort a few weeks earlier with a 4:00.38 mile at the Adrian Martinez Classic in Concord, Mass. He was on pace to break 4-minutes when he lost his footing in the final meters and somersaulted onto the surface of the track while he broke the tape in first place.

“The clock ticked closer and closer, and I was having a hard time driving my arms and legs,” he said. “I started to lean over those last steps and one of my legs just didn’t function right.” Marquardt’s father, Clay Marquardt, emailed race director Rich Sherman last month to announce that his son would be returning to Falmouth, saying “his college training, work schedule and summer conflicts have made it impossible to return to this memorable and hospitable event, but we are a ‘go’ this year and I have signed Charlie up.”

His personal best of 14:07 in the 5000 meters augers a new course record for the Flag Day race, which was set in 2018 by Rob DeLeo of Brookline in 16:10. DeLeo will not be racing this year, but defending champion Lucas Roy of Upton will be back to chase Marquardt. “I am still getting back into racing shape,” he said, “but I think I have a good shot at breaking 15 minutes.”

In the women’s race, defending champion Julianna Coughlin of Falmouth will attempt to better her 2018 time of 19:53, and 2016 champ Anne Preisig of Falmouth will also compete. Her winning time of 19:47 in 2016 set a master’s record and was one of the fastest women’s times since the race was founded in 2011 by former Falmouth Road Race co-directors Kathy and Rich Sherman and race staffer Jo-Ann Leaf. The women’s record of 18:26.2 was set in 2013 by Ella Martin of Woods Hole.

Although the front runners will be racing at an impressive pace, walkers and joggers are welcome to sign up for the event. Proceeds go to Falmouth Education Foundation and Falmouth Public Schools. Last year’s event raised more than $10,000. The walk/run website is www.falmouthflagday5k.org, where there is a link to the online registration site. Numerous age-group and open prizes will be awarded, in addition to a Red Sox ticket give-away, medals for 17-and under, and T-shirts for the first 250 to register. The 10 a.m. start will be preceded by children’s sprints, age 9-and-under, on the Falmouth Heights field.