As Rio 2016 kicks off, we’d like to take a moment to give kudos to all the athletes competing; the Olympic journey is certainly not an easy one, and we stand in awe of the sheer tenacity and dedication demonstrated by these elite athletes. AlterG salutes you all!
Indeed, these elites take their bodies to the limit (and beyond!) on a daily basis, walking that thin and perilous tightrope between peak fitness and devastating injury. Few athletes know this precarious balancing act more intimately than distance runners, who are known for pounding the pavement for upwards of 100 miles per week, a tall order for even the most genetically gifted among us. Unsurprisingly, one of the most common and frustrating injuries distance runners face is the dreaded stress fracture, a crippling diagnosis that has the potential to halt a season in its tracks. The stakes are even higher in an Olympic year, and in the lead up to U.S. trials, disaster struck for one of America’s best distance runners, Emily Infeld.
With an impressive bronze medal finish in the 10,000 meters at the World Championships in August, Infeld appeared to be a definite medal contender for team USA. Leading into the Olympic trials, however, she began to notice a nagging pain in her left hip. With the classic runner’s mindset of “no pain, no gain,” Infeld trained through it, eager to prove herself yet again on the world stage. This strategy proved to be short-lived, however, as she was soon diagnosed with a stress fracture of the left trochanter.
It would be understandable if Infeld had thrown in the towel at that point; no one would have blamed her for having a pity party after such devastating news. Luckily for the US-of-A, Infeld is no ordinary athlete. She immediately got to work rehabbing and maintaining her fitness through a rigorous cross-training regimen. And that regimen was certainly bolstered by some serious training. Just shy of 4 weeks into her healing process, Infeld was “up and running” on the AlterG, chasing those Olympic dreams. The AlterG allowed her to begin running 3+ weeks earlier than she would’ve been able to on land. As any runner can tell you, 3 weeks is no small difference when it comes to gaining or losing fitness. For Infeld, all that “moon-running” clearly paid off; she finished second to Molly Huddle at the Olympic Trials 10,000m run, in a time of 31:46.09, punching her ticket to Rio in a truly impressive fashion.
Infeld isn’t the only Olympian to take advantage of the power of the AlterG. Our disciples include a plethora of household names and the U.S. Olympic training centers are outfitted with multiple machines. We are proud to play even a small part in America’s quest for gold, and we are featuring some of this Olympic Games‘ AlterG athletes on our Instagram. Check it out!
Now, we would certainly be remiss if we failed to call attention to the fact that AlterG isn’t just for the pros! No way, Jose, it’s also for us average Joes! Elite athletes and weekend warriors alike can all benefit from the training and rehab power offered by the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill™. Check out some of our Success Stories posts to see a few examples of the diversity of our AlterG family. And remember, while the AlterG is a great rehab tool, it is also uniquely valuable in its utility as a method of injury prevention. When it comes to fitness, AlterG delivers all of the gain, without the pain. What could be better than that?
Well, to be fair, a gold medal would certainly be nice! But who knows, perhaps your fitness quest will yield some unexpected results, come 2020. Don’t sell yourself short, we believe in you! Today, you may be the champion of the office softball league, but tomorrow holds the promise of greater glory (like, maybe Penn Relays Corporate Challenge Champions!). As Dr. Frankenfurter famously commanded, “Don’t dream it; be it.” And who are we to challenge such a sentiment? After all, he is a doctor…