The hamstring as mentioned above is used in many sports, as well as continually used in day to day activities. Sports that are most associated with causing hamstring injuries are usually sprinting sports, or sports that require immediate or sudden speeding up. These include football (or soccer), track and field, as well as basketball.

A hamstring injury can also take place from a direct blow or hit to the muscle such as being kicked to the back of the thigh during a football game or falling onto the back of the thigh.

So what exactly is a pulled hamstring anyway? Well a pulled hamstring is also referred to as a hamstring strain, and is basically a tear of the actual hamstring muscle fibres. The severity of hamstring injuries varies. In the lowest severity injuries the tears are small and microscopic, however the pain is still apparent. The hamstrings here are essentially stretched a little too much and some small bleeding may happen also but within the muscle. In the most severe cases however the hamstring muscle can actually completely tear or rupture which can be devastating and may even require medical surgery to repair. In the most severe cases you can find you are not playing your desired sport for months, years, or ever again.

So overall the hamstring muscles are a group of large muscles that can be found at the back of the thigh and a hamstring injury varies in severity. Anywhere from small microscopic tears and some bleeding to actually rupturing your hamstring muscles and needing immediate medical attention.

Treatment of a Hamstring Injury
August 17, 2011
Treatment

A hamstring injury is incredibly painful. The extent to the level of pain you will be in will depend on whether the injury is grade 1 (mild) or grade 3 (severe) and what can be done to treat the injury is dependent on that. However there are many things that can be done to alleviate a lot of the pain and treat the injury successfully. Albeit some of the treatments take time and realistic goals of recovery should be adopted when undergoing any treatment for hamstring injuries. For example you are not going to recover from a grade 3 hamstring injury within 3 days. It’s just not possible.

The treatments for hamstring injuries are as follows. Some may seem basic but are still very effective. The first thing to do is to rest the leg. Avoid putting anything heavy on the leg at any time. If the pain is more prevalent and somewhat more severe it may be a good idea to use crutches until most of it subsides. The most important thing is to take as much pressure off the hamstring as possible.

The second important thing you can do is apply ice to your leg. This will go a long way in reducing the swelling and will numb the pain. The key here is consistency. You need to ice your leg for a period of 15 to 20 minutes every couple of hours every single day. Another useful thing you can do is to compress your leg, this will act in a way to reduce and keep down the swelling considerably. It can be done successfully by using a rubber band.

And finally another thing you can do is “elevate” your leg by lying down at an angle or putting your leg on a pillow this will take the pressure off your leg and will ensure a quicker reduction in bruising and swelling.

In addition to this there are some drugs you can take such as anti inflammatory painkillers. A common one is Ibuprofen.

As mentioned above there are many things you can do in order to treat your hamstring injury. The main thing is to rest and do everything you can do take the pressure off your leg.

The following are dates of races being hosted by the Klerksdorp Marathon Club in 2012.

 OFM & RIO CASINO GREAT RUN – 25 FEBRUARY 2012 – 42KM/21.1KM/10KM & 5KM – 42 STARTS AT 6H00 @ RIO CASINO,

 The FANTIQUE 60KM PRE COMRADES LONG RUN –  APRIL 2012 @ CLUBHOUSE -

VLAKVARK 21/10/5 – 22 SEPTEMBER 2012 @ FAAN MEINTJIES NATURE RESERVE

Please note that the Rio Casino race has been approved by Comrades & Two Oceans as an official qualifier. We have secured a major sponsor for this race and we need to support this race to ensure future sponsorships. There are plenty of big prizes and give-aways. Top quality T-shirts for all marathon pre-entries.

 Don’t miss any of our Club races. We need your support!!!!!!!!

The new t-shirts are now available from Des Fontaine Sports in our club colours. These shirts can be used for all races. Get yours soon to avoid disappointment. There are also a limited number of long sleeved shirts for those cold winter races. These make great birthday gifts.

Have a Happy and Healthy 2012.  See you on the road in 2012.

Regards Robin

Happy running

Voorspoedige nuwejaar aan al my mede hardlopers

Lekker hardloop

Zola Pieterse,^[1][2] better known by her maiden name of Zola Budd (born 26 May 1966 in Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, South Africa), is a former Olympic track and field competitor who, in less than three years, twice broke the world record in the women’s 5000 metres and twice was the women’s winner at the World Cross Country Championships. Budd’s career was unusual in that she mainly trained and raced barefoot. Her achievements on the track were often overshadowed by the political controversy she aroused during her short stay in the United Kingdom.

Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	1500 m: 3:59.96 1 Mile: 4:17.57 3000 m: 8:28.83 5000 m: 14:48.07
Medal record[hide] Women’s Cross Country Competitor for  Great Britain World Championships Gold 1985 IAAF World Cross Country Championships Individual Long Race Women Gold 1986 IAAF World Cross Country Championships Individual Long Race Women

Who can ever forget South Africa’s golden child Zola Budd? With her slight 48kg frame, bare feet and shy demeanour, she stole the hearts of many South Africans when she burst onto the athletics scene in the early 80s. In less than three years she twice broke the world record in the women’s 5 000m and twice was the women’s winner at the World Cross-Country Championships. Unfortunately, her brilliant athletic achievements were overshadowed by South Africa’s apartheid policy and her decision to apply for British citizenship in order to realise her dream of competing at the Olympics – and what happened at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

LIVING IN AMERICA
Zola lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with husband Mike and their three children, and though they are very happy, Zola admits to missing South Africa immensely. “Life here is very different. In summer it is hot and humid and in winter even colder than Bloemfontein! I miss the nature and the sunshine of the Free State. Mike still has business interests in South Africa and we plan to move back within the next year or two,” says Zola, who initially moved to the USA to try her hand at the lucrative veteran’s racing circuit. It proved a good move, as she has performed well in the past few years, regularly running away from athletes half her age!

Zola’s priority these days is her family. “My eldest daughter runs cross-country and our twins play soccer. I love being a mother, though it can be challenging! Your children grow up so fast and that’s why I try to spend as much time as possible with them,” says Zola, who is assistant-coach at Coastal Carolina University and has completed a Masters degree in counselling. She is also involved in a development programme for children, and is busy setting up a distribution network for Newton running shoes in South Africa.

LOOKING BACK
Zola was born in 1966 in Bloemfontein and was one of five kids. She came from a typical Afrikaans background and was very close to her older sister. “Jenny was like a mother to me and the two of us often ran together,” says Zola, who tragically lost her sister to cancer in 1980. This was one of her greatest losses in life. “Not a day passes that I don’t think of her. I miss her every single day and I think the fact that I was able to handle many difficult situations in life was because of my sister.”

 In die foto is Anton Schoeman, Lolla en Magda

Oom Tysie

Whitey, Nakkie,Nathan en Ilse

Na die run het ‘n paar van die klub se manne ‘n paar biere gedrink in die foto is Robin, Nakkie, Jasper, Whitey, Jakobus en Coenie

In die foto Robin, Tony, Jasper en Coenie

In die foto is Estie

In die foto is David en Renier in die agtergrond is Kobus

In die foto is John en die “Russian ” Katrina

In die foto is Danie, Jasper, Robin, Whitey and Tony

You’re in the middle of a run when things start to fall apart. Your legs feel like concrete, your breathing grows labored, your strides turn into a shuffle. Negative thoughts flood your mind, and the urge to quit becomes overwhelming. Unfortunately, if you run long enough, you’re bound to experience this some day. So what can you do about it? Matt Buman, Ph.D., a research fellow at Stanford School of Medicine, wanted to examine the specific physical and psychological reasons recreational runners hit the so-called “wall”—and more importantly, how they cope and recover from the setback. Of the 315 marathoners he surveyed, 43 percent had hit the wall in a recent race. Although Buman’s study focused on marathoners, the insights he collected can be helpful to any runner who hits a rough patch. With these specific, proven strategies, you can bounce back from the most common midrun meltdowns and finish strong. You have a dry mouth, feel weak, and fall off pace. THE FIX If you’re out on a run of 75 minutes or less and you start to feel thirsty and sluggish, you’re probably experiencing mild dehydration. The remedy is simple: Drink water or a sports drink. If, however, you’re on a longer run and, in addition to thirst, your legs feel heavy and your energy is waning, you may be running out of fuel. You may need carbohydrates—a sports drink, a gel, Gummi Bears—that your body can then convert into glucose to fire your muscles. “On a long run, you’ll feel better if you start fueling before the onset of fatigue,” says Janet Hamilton, an exercise physiologist and running coach in Atlanta, who recommends ingesting carbs every 45 to 60 minutes. “But if you’re running at higher intensity than normal, you may burn through your glycogen stores faster.” Also, keep in mind if you haven’t been fueling properly and you are well into your run, you won’t be able to undo the damage even if you chug 16 ounces of Gatorade. That’s because your body has to convert the carbohydrates into simple sugars before they can fuel your muscles. You’re overwhelmed by all the miles you have to cover. THE FIX “A lot of runners need to tune out for a while and focus on something else,” Hamilton says. Count the number of trees along your route, conjugate Spanish verbs, or fantasize about a postrun feast. “The runners in our study did all kinds of things from counting backward from 100 to making grocery lists in their heads,” Buman says. Both he and Hamilton caution to not tune out so much that you forget to occasionally check in with your body. “It’s important to focus on their physical well-being, by asking, When was the last time I hydrated? Am I holding my shoulders right?” she says. Your hamstrings, quads, or calves hurt. THE FIX If you’re pushing yourself hard, it’s not unusual to feel muscle soreness in your hamstrings, quads, calves, or even upper body. “You should expect that toward the end of an intense race or workout,” says Tom McGlynn, a three-time qualifier for the Olympic Marathon Trials and founder of Focus-N-Fly, an online coaching service. But if the pain is severe, slow your pace and assess yourself. “Walking or stretching might help ease the pain, so you can continue on,” he says.