May 2015

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RUNNING
289 May15
The (Maybe) Nays
After all that, is it right and fair to
deny a well-trained, uninjured and
self-motivated youngster entry to long
distance endurance races? In line with
the rest of the world, the Singapore
Marathon, for example, requires 42.2K
runners to be 18 years old on the day,
and they must be 17 to run the half.
Opinion is by no means unanimous
on this point. Physiotherapist Simon
Raftery of Orthomed, here in Singapore,
sounds a note of caution by reminding
us that children are not small adults –
they are built quite differently, he says.
“The first major anatomical difference
between children and adults is that their
bones are significantly softer, making
them more likely to produce stress
fractures in weight-bearing bones.” A
common example of this is shin splints,
which occur through the lower part of
the leg bone just above the ankle.
“They’re also more likely to develop
overuse injuries where the tendons
MAY
2
Energiser Singapore Night Trail
12 midnight, Mandai
17
HomeTeamNS REAL Run
7am, Sentosa
17
Cold Storage Kids Run
7am, 800m/6K, Gardens by the Bay
23
Meiji Run
2pm, 5K, Sentosa
23
SunNUS Mount Imbiah Challenge
8am, multi-terrain, 7K, Sentosa
24
National Vertical Marathon
6.30am, 63 storeys, 1 Raffles Place
24
Rotary Run
(inaugural), 7.30am, 5/10K, Big Splash
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30
ISCA Run
7.30am, 750m/5K/10K, Big Splash
30
Bare Your Soul
8am to 12mn, 2/4K walk, Palawan Beach,
Sentosa
30
50 Hrs Non Stop Run
9am, 12.9/25.8/43K, Bedok Reservoir
31
Adventure Trail Challenge
7.30am, 30K
JUNE
7
No Frills Run
7.30am, 5/10K, Kallang Riverside Park
13
The Great Relay Singapore
50/100K
COMING UP
insert into the bones: this is the weak
point in children,” Simon tells me. For
example, children in the age range 8 to
17 often develop heel pain due to Sever’s
syndrome, a painful inflammation of the
heel’s growth plate that’s associated
with sports and activities that involve
running and jumping.
Aren’t there plenty of alternative
competitive running opportunities over
shorter distances, up to and including the
10K, to develop the talent of a youngster
who shows promise? What’s more, as
any endurance runner will know, solid
marathon training – at whatever age
– takes up huge amounts of time and
energy. How much is left over for the
many other physical, academic, social
and other activities that a balanced
youngster should ideally be exploring?
Moderation
Everything in moderation, they say. But
moderation can be a tough lesson for
children who are truly passionate about
sport, as my Aussie colleague Katie
Roberts can confirm. Her nine-year-old
son, Joe, is an ardent rugby player, who
also loves running and is keen on both
duathlons and triathlons. Dad Sean
coaches the rugby team and teaches
the importance of rest and recovery;
nevertheless, young Joe has picked
up a painful heel injury that requires
treatment.
No doubt that painful heel will mend
given time and, possibly, rest, depending
on the doctor’s advice. Most sensible
parents – and that includes Katie – would
far rather help their children get over the
bumps, bruises, strains and sprains of
an active and sporty childhood than see
their glassy-eyed, pasty-faced sons and
daughters glued to various electronic
devices, day in and day out.
Or perennially buried in a book, like
I was.
14
Buen Momento: Run for Fun:D
4pm, 2.7K loop, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
JULY
4
OSIM Sundown Marathon
5pm, 5/10/21/42, F1 Pit Building
12
Pocari Sweat Run
6.30am, 10K, Kallang Practice Track
18
Mizuno Ekiden
7am, relay, 21/42K, Gardens By The Bay
26
Shape Run
6am, 1.8/5/10/15K, Kallang Practice Track
26
Compressport TRI-Factor Run
1/5/12/24K