Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Ashley Hayes Reporting Marathons have been gaining in popularity within the last decade. They're no longer just for the elite.
Many people are training in groups and doing it to raise money for philanthropies, like cancer research. But as with most athletic events, training for marathons can include injuries. Those injuries are more prominent in women.
On this morning the air hovers below zero. Condensation from Joy Postma's breath freezes to her hair and face.
Joy Postma/ Marathon Runner: "Come rain or shine, snow, sleet, rain... we do it."
"Running is a lifestyle for me. Running is a way for me to pound my stress out on the pavement."
And the stress she carries is greater than most. Postma's daughter Isabel is sick with terminal brain cancer. Statistically, she should have died years ago.
Joy Postma: "She's unable to use her legs, and so I run for her."
Five marathons and counting.... she trained and finished this 26.2 mile race in an aircast. It's one of several injuries.
Joy Postma: "Shin splints, runner's knee, chronomalasia is what it's called. Iliotibial tendinitis, rolled ankles."
Postma's injuries are common among long distance runners, specifically women. It seems the pounding has a greater impact on women's bodies.
Amy Powell/ Team Physician, University of Utah: "Women have wider hips, so the angle from the knee to the foot is a little bit bigger in women than men. Which is one of the thoughts behind why the knee cap issues are more prominent in women."
Ashley Hayes/Eyewitness News: "So why do you keep doing this?"
Joy Postma: "Because running is just an addiction."
And because each time she crosses the finish line, her inspiration, her daughter, is waiting on the other side.
Isabel was diagnosed with cancer at 11 months old. She's now five.
Postma is training for her sixth marathon and is deciding between the Salt Lake Marathon in April or the Ogden Marathon in May.
If you are interested in running one of those marathons, now's the time to train. Here are some tips to avoid some of those injuries Postma listed.
Marathon Training
Start Slow
Increase in small increments
Right shoes, right fit
Don't ignore pain
Start slow. It's a 16 week training process. Increase your mileage in small increments. Most importantly, buy shoes that fit and replace them when they wear out.
And, if you have persistent pain, see a doctor. Orthopedic centers often see an influx of patients a few weeks before the marathons.
