Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 27, 2010

15

SPORTS

 Mountain Views News Saturday, November 27, 2010 

X-Country Season Ends for Alverno’s Blakely

Common Runners’ Injury: Stress 
Fractures Of The Foot; Repetitive 
Impact On Feet Can Increase Risk 
Of Damage

(NAPS)—Stress 
fractures of the foot 
are becoming more 
common in runners, 
especially first-time 
marathoners, according 
to the American College 
of Foot and Ankle 
Surgeons.

The growing popularity 
of marathons among beginning runners has contributed to the 
increase in repetitive stress injuries, including stress fractures 
of the foot, seen by foot and ankle surgeons. Often, first-time 
marathoners enter a race with little or improper long-distance 
training. The lack of experience coupled with the repetitive 
impact placed on the feet during the run can produce enough 
stress to cause hairline breaks in the bones of the foot. 

“Runners who increase their mileage too quickly or change 
to a more intense phase of training may be more susceptible 
to a stress fracture due to the increased force placed on the 
bones,” said Alan MacGill, DPM, AACFAS, a foot and ankle 
surgeon from Boynton Beach, Florida. “A general rule of 
thumb for runners is to increase the mileage by no more than 
10 percent each week. Runners who are training also need to 
have adequate rest time in between runs to help decrease the 
risk of injury.”

Runners at all levels of experience are also at higher risk for 
stress fractures if they wear improper shoes while running or 
training, suffer from flatfoot or other foot deformities, or have 
osteoporosis. 

Signs of a stress fracture can include pain, swelling, redness 
and possibly bruising of the area.

“Stress fractures can occur anywhere in the foot and can 
eventually lead to a complete break of the bone if left untreated,” 
Dr. MacGill explained. “Early diagnosis and treatment are 
important to ensure proper healing.” 

If a break is suspected, Denver foot and ankle surgeon John 
McGarry, DPM, FACFAS, advises runners to immediately 
follow the RICE protocol: Rest, Ice, Compression and 
Elevation. If pain and swelling last longer than a few days, a 
visit to a foot and ankle surgeon for an X-ray and diagnosis 
is in order. 

In most cases, treatment includes rest and immobilization 
with casting of the foot. Surgery may be required in certain 
instances to repair and stabilize a stress fracture that has 
progressed to a full fracture. 

Runners can take action to prevent repetitive stress injuries 
in their feet by wearing supportive athletic shoes and slowly 
building up their activity levels according to their abilities. “If 
a runner suffers from abnormal mechanics in the foot, such as 
overpronation or hypermobility, custom orthotics can also be 
helpful to prevent these injuries,” Dr. McGarry said. 

For additional information on stress fractures and other 
foot injuries, visit ACFAS’ consumer website, www.
FootHealthFacts.org. 


Photos and Story By Lara L. Larramendi

The Alverno cross country season that began in September 
ended for the Jaguars’ top runner, Eryn Blakely as she 
finished 33rd out of 117 competitors in the CIF Southern 
Section X-Country Division 5 Finals at Mt. San Antonio 
College in Walnut on Saturday, November 20, 2010. 

Heavy rains overnight and throughout the morning, 
forced officials to run for the first time in several years, the 
X-Country Finals on the Mt. Sac alternate “rain course”, 
a flat and paved 3.15-mile course instead of the regular 
rugged and hilly 3-mile course. Blakely’s finish time was 
21:41 slower than the 20:24 that she posted at Prelims 
the previous week on the regular course. Only the top 5 
finishers, not on a qualifying team, advance to the CIF State 
Finals in Fresno’s Woodward Park on November 27.

Blakely expressed disappointment and was not pleased with 
her performance. Nonetheless, the future looks bright for 
Blakely, only a sophomore. “Eryn is truly a talented runner 
who has continually improved throughout the two cross 
country seasons that she has been training with me”, states 
Alverno X-Country Coach Ken Berry. “What I see in Eryn 
is that she is this untapped resource who is continually 
learning how to push herself through difficult practices and 
races. And because of her competitive nature – unbeaten in 
all league races in two years – she will continue the steady 
improvement that she has shown”.

2011 Alverno X-Country Season looks promising.

The prospects for next season look very good. Returning 
varsity runners Eryn Blakely, Ashley Haylett, Jessica 
Lopez, Francesca Rueda and Adrianna Martinez improved 
throughout the season. Showing good form and improving 
at season’s end was Bella Daniels-Campos. Returning as 
the defending Horizon League 2010 JV champions with 
potential to move up to varsity next year are Devny Osuna, 
Andrea Gochez-Wilson, Reagan Dowd, Victoria Pintado, 
Nicolette Rodriguez, Madi Daniels-Campos and Holly 
Coates.

Coach Berry commented that he is “looking forward to our 
next season with a new level of excitement, eager to see Eryn, 
her returning Alverno teammates that continue to improve 
and excel. Watch out for the 
Alverno Cross Country team 
next year!”


Top: Sophomore Eryn Blakely, in the rain finishing her 2010 CIF-
SS Cross Country finals run on the Mt. Sac track. Above, Right: 
Sophomore Eryn Blakely, Jaguar (teammate Audrey Davy) and 
teammate Miranda Akkari, happy the rain has stopped (temporarily) 
and the race is over.


With Bobby Eldridge 
Written By Bobby Eldridge

If you want to add 15 more yards to your tee 
shot-in three months, do what I did. I have a 
confession to make. Less than 24 months ago, my 
great friend Harvey Mackay asked me if I wanted 
to play 18 holes the following week. I had cut way 
back on my golf both playing and practicing for 
the past couple of years and I was not looking 
forward to this round of golf.

By the time I reached the 12 hole he (74 year 
old) Harvey had outdriven me four times. Harvey 
was playing to a 9 at the time and he is a great 
driver of the golf ball. I should say straight driver 
of the golf ball with an average of 225 yards. If I hit 
it well I was maybe 15 yards past him. However 
if I missed the tee shot a tiny bit, I was hitting first 
onto the green.

When I walked up to the 13th tee, I remember it 
as thou it was yesterday, I decided that I was going 
to do something about my golf game. The first 
thing I needed to do was start practicing and the 
second thing was to CATCH UP with the game. 
It was passing me by. The game was changing 
(getting longer) and I was stuck in neutral.

The next moring I ordered a Momentus Heavy 
Hittable Driver off of the internet with overnight 
delievery. I could hardly pick it up. I took it to 
the range, swung it five times and almost feel over. 
That is when I decided that I needed to come up 
with a routine so I could take advantage of my 
new club.

I decided that I was going to swing the club 
25 times, three days a week whether I was at the 
golf course or not. In the backyard I went every 
Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Once I started 
using it at the practice facility I then came up with 
another way to use it. During practice sessions I 
swung it three times for every six balls I hit. I like 
to hit three draws, three fades, three straight shots 
and then three swings with the heavy driver.

On days that I play, I have another routine 
that I have used for years. I hit three shots with 
every club in my bag. Now my routine includes 
swinging the heavy driver one time every time I 
change clubs.

OK, I know you are dying to hear the results. 
The only reason I am not going to tell you how 
much further I am hitting the ball is that everybody 
is different. The one thing I will tell you is that I 
am back. I have caught up with the sport and…
well ok, I am at least 20 yards further off of the tee 
and 1.5 clubs longer with my irons. BUT, I have 
been VERY committed to this process. I have not 
missed a day in two years.

VERY IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

#1. Warm up before you pick up a heavy driver 
and start swinging it

#2. Even thou it says it is a HITTABLE club, 
make 200 practice swings with it before you start 
hitting balls. You have to get use to it first.

#3. This is NOT an overnight fix for short tee 
shots. Stay committed to see results.

#4. I added 15 yards in the first three months, I 
kept going so I can keep what I have!!!

#5. Harvey Mackay (USE YOUR HEAD TO 
GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR) is a genius 
at dishing out great business advice. I took 
advantage of his lesson to me.

Start using a HITTABLE HEAVY DRIVER 
today and you will add 15 more yards to your tee 
shot-in three months, like me.


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 Current work includes writing the column, “Looking Up with Bob Eklund,” in Mountain 
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