Dr. Driscoll is in the News!

10/10/2009

Locals to run in Hartford Marathon today

Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) - Saturday, October 10, 2009
Author: Samaia Hernandez ; Record-Journal staff

Locals to run in Hartford Marathon today

WALLINGFORD - More than 10,000 people, novice and expert alike, will be rising early today, adrenaline in gomode, ready to race through downtown Hartford's serene Bushnell Park, along the Connecticut River and through the towns of East Hartford and South Windsor to compete in the 16th annual ING Hartford Marathon.

For some, it will be an exercise in determination, the culmination of years of training, years of practice in a favorite pastime. For others, the marathon, half marathon and 5k will be a time to escape the normalcy of everyday life and catch a natural endorphin high. As of Wednesday, 247 residents of Meriden, Cheshire, Southington and Wallingford had signed up to run in the marathon. Seventy-eight Cheshire residents will be leading the pact followed by 77 from Southington, 54 Wallingford residents and 38 from Meriden.

Dr. Jon Driscoll , orthopedic surgeon for Comprehensive Orthopedics of Wallingford, Meriden, Southington and Cheshire, has been tending to the needs of several competitors recently, some who pushed their body too far. The most common injuries the group sees are stress fractures, tendinitis injuries, meniscus tears and knee damage, Driscoll said.

He doesn't discourage patients from trying a long distance run for the first time, but he does advise that it is not for everyone.

"The bottom line is that some people's bodies aremade for marathon running, long distance running more than others," said Driscoll , chief of orthopedics at Mid State Medical Center. "Often times, you don't know until you try to train for one."

Twenty-five-year-old Alyssa Adams of Cheshire has been training since the summer for her first 26.2-mile run. She and her sister, Katharine, 22, decided to spread the word about multiple sclerosis, a disease that struck theirmother, Patricia.

The two used social networking Web sites such as Facebook to gather donations fromfriends and strangers and raised nearly $1,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Then, Alyssa Adams, a swimmer who has participated in eight triathlons, came down with mono three weeks ago, forcing Katherine Adams to run alone.

"It was a little bit ironic and horrible," Alyssa Adams said.

But this year's set back hasn't discouraged her from gearing up for next year.

"People say, 'you caught the bug,' I think I've really caught the bug," she said of running. "Each time I want to do better than the last time and get friends involved."

Meriden's Wendi Kemp, a lawyer who works for ESPN, opted for the less intense half marathon this year. Although she played sports in college and maintains a healthy workout routine, for the 44-yearold, the half marathon is about getting together with a group of friends.

"It's more of a social thing for us," she said of the team of five. "None of us are really serious runners. We're basically planning to do about 10 minute miles, certainly nothing fast, nothing competitive."

Maria Huff, 39, of Plantsville has been training for her first half marathon this year. For Huff, "it was more like, 'I wonder if I can do this.' " All four runners have been following the advice of doctors like Driscoll who recommend proper training prior to the big run, weekly runs and one "big" run every week, adding more miles as the date draws near.

"Listen to your body, your body is telling you things," he said. "Soreness is normal, but persistent soreness and pain is not." And, it's always better to have it checked out and be nothing than not to visit the doctor at all.

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