Great South Run Trainer's Diary

The Client:  Samantha has previously completed the Great South Run and signed up for the 2011 event with the intention of bettering her previous time.  A non-traumatic ankle injury led to a 6 month period of patchy training and increasing frustration for Samantha. 

Whenever she would try and run the story was the same, at some point during the run the injury would flare up, causing her to have to stop and hobble home.  It was early Summer when Sam and I first sat down to discuss her options for training going forward and we quickly came to conclude that we would train with the aim of completing the course, staying injury free and use this year as a building block toward a triumphant P.B at the 2012 event.

We conducted assessments of her functional abilities and strengths and set upon a course of action that would seek to firstly restore optimal range of movement to not only the ankle but also the structures of the back and hips which had been compensating heavily as Samantha sought to train and work through her injury.  A thorough stretching program was devised for Sam and she was advised to work on it daily.  We would regularly reassess her flexibility and re focus as the imbalances resolved.

Secondly we set up a program of corrective exercises designed specifically for Samantha.  The exercises we selected would have to be pitched at just the right level to avoid jumping ahead too soon and risking a return to injury.

With this in mind we began with a series of exercises that were to challenge Samantha's balance and coordination.  We focused on form and reinforcing correct posture and motor patterns.  Once we were satisfied that the movements we had picked were well learned we began to increase the challenge to the musculature through increased load in order to elicit the strength in key areas to maintain her posture and form when running thus preventing further injury.

Sam's program included exercises such as the woodchop - progressed to a standing position with the addition of a weight shift to more effectively load the ankle.



















The Supine Lateral Fitball Roll was a large part of Sam's core strengthening which will help her maintain her form and posture as the miles tick past.