From recreational runners to elite athletes; with spring in the air there is also an extra spring in the steps as people physically gear up for the season ahead.
To help some of these athletes prepare for peak performance,
Kelly Sheerin - qualified physiotherapist and one of AUT University's leading sports scientists - has been leading a series of running-specific workshops and seminars in partnership with adidas, in the lead-up to the Auckland Marathon on October 31.
The series of workshops and seminars provide athletes with training techniques which can enhance performance and assist in the prevention of running-related injuries.
"We've experienced a real demand as athletes prepare for the Auckland Marathon. Our workshops and seminars assist all levels of runners, whether they are beginners, intermediate or advanced," Sheerin says.
In addition to the tailored running workshops he has been running with adidas for the Auckland Marathon, Sheerin was also responsible for establishing the AUT Running Mechanics Clinics in 2008, which he now manages. The AUT Running Mechanics Clinic provides a specialist service for enhancing athletic performance whilst also considering prevention or rehabilitation of running related injuries, says Sheerin.
Based on Auckland's North Shore, the Running Mechanics Clinic is open to anyone and everyone all year round. Assessments take into account the strength, flexibility, injuries and goals of the individual. The assessment process involves having a runner being filmed by multiple cameras, taking footage from all angles and providing a complete picture of how the runner moves, says Sheerin.
Sheerin - who was recently awarded a research grant by Sports Medicine New Zealand - modelled the AUT Running Mechanics Clinic on the University of Calgary's Running Injury Clinic in Canada, where he spent time helping to develop their research programme and analysing running mechanics.
"Running can be hard on the body, sometimes resulting in shin splints, knee and back weaknesses, fallen arches and strained Achilles. The purpose of the Running Mechanics Clinic is to help athletes stay healthy and in top form."
The AUT Running Mechanics Clinic, in conjunction with adidas, are currently undertaking a nationwide research project analysing the running habits of over 800 runners. The research specifically looks at running techniques, frequency of training, and the nature of injuries sustained.
"The purpose of the research is to gain a better understanding of the frequency and distribution of running related injuries sustained by New Zealand runners, so that we can improve our injury prevention strategies", says Sheerin.
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