December 2005 Page 2     Physician Is a Committed Runner   By Peter Macdonald, M.D., Family Physician from MHS&–Big Rapids I have three medals for races I completed this year. One was the Fifth-Third River Bank 25Km Run-which I ran for the past three successive years. Last year I was part of the "two hour club" which means that because I did well, I'm entitled to start closer to the start line next year. In October 2004 I ran the Detroit Marathon. It is the only international race in North America, and the only race where one runs in a tunnel for a mile. They refer to it as the "Under water mile". September 25th 2005 I completed the Scotiabank Lakefront run. It was on my son Lewis' third birthday, so it was a good day to celebrate with a birthday party afterwards. Some of the other various races include a 20 Km Channel to Channel run in Benton Harbor, and a yearly Labor Day 5Km fun run at the Highland Games. Keeping in the spirit of the occasion and being raised in Scotland, I run this one with my kilt on. In May 2006 I plan to run a half marathon on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, which is a good excuse to get home to family. In 2007, I will run the Copenhagen Marathon and look forward to many of my Danish cousins on my mother's side of the family cheering me on from the sidelines. Training I started running when I was living in Scotland six-years ago. I trained slowly, building up the distances and the frequency of the runs. People must be very careful when getting back into the stride after not running for awhile. One is not quite the same after a marathon (26.2 miles). It takes a good month for the joints and feet to feel normal again, using regular Ibuprofen to help. I currently run three times a week, if weather and family commitments permit, and I run four miles just for fun on the off season. I've been known to run in sun, snow, sleet, and ran, and I strive for a good 32-minutes when I run. And as I tell all my patients-cardiac exercise for twenty-minutes, three-times a week is necessary for good health. I look forward to the weekends, since that's when the big runs are, and this is the time that I don't usually have work commitments. Although I have been known to talk on the run with the answering service while doing a long run. In the months before the marathon, I increase the weekend runs by about 4 to 5 miles at a time. Two or three weekends before the marathon I do a 20 or 21 mile run then shorter ones from then on. Before a big race, I try and eat my last meal 1 to 2 hours before start time. I always eat some chocolate for good luck. With the Marathon's-I carry in a small pouch some high calorie paste. One usually has ample water on route so that severe dehydration is not an issue. Injuries have been an issue. My shoulder kept me out of training for a month this year. Patello-femoral syndrome sneaks up on me periodically. Overall my running career has gone well. Running offers a good opportunity to think, as well as doing something to keep me healthy. It has allowed me to see different places where I otherwise wouldn't go. It is very much an environmentally friendly sport, although one does have to change running shoes every six-months to protect the joints. I couldn't do it without the blessing of my wife. My brother and sister-in-law are also runners so we keep each other's spirits up in between big races.