AORTA News: August 3rd, 2026

Happy National Mountain Climbing Day!
Auburn may not have mountains, but we've got plenty of hills that can feel like them! Thanks to everyone who joined us Saturday, especially our many first-time runners. We hope you enjoyed the run and look forward to seeing you again soon!

Upcoming Local Races

Chi Omega and Farmhouse Color Run 5K

When: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM (5K)
Where: Cater Lawn, Auburn, AL
Fee: $30, $15 (AU students)
Description: This 5K starts at Cater Lawn with proceeds going towards benefitting both organizations' philanthropies: the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. At each color station, a different color powder will be thrown by volunteers onto the shirts of the runners, so wear white, and expect to be covered in color by the end of the race!

Auburn University ODK Cake 5K
When: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM
Where: Cater Lawn, AU Campus
Distance: 5K
Fee: Free
Description: Omicron Delta Kappa will be hosting Auburn University's Annual Cake Race to kickoff Homecoming Week. The 5k is open to the Auburn community, and the top five male and female finishers of the race will win a cake! This longstanding Auburn tradition will begin and end in front of Katherine Cooper Cater Hall, and the route will take participants around Auburn's campus.

Mercy Medical 5K/10K
When: Saturday, Ocbober 03, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM (1-Mile) 8:30 (5K/10K)
Where: Ogletree Shopping Center, Auburn
Distance: 1M, 5K, 10K
Fee: $20 (1M), $35 (5K), $45 (10K)
Description: Come join us for the 3rd annual Mercy Medical Run to raise money from this race, all of it, will be donated to Mercy Medical. For over 25 years, Mercy Medical has fulfilled this mission through the generous financial support of our community. The clinic is staffed primarily by volunteers who selflessly give their time to love and serve the underserved of our community.

Walk For Life + 5K
- When: Saturday, October 10, 2026
- Time: 8:00 AM (1-Mile), 8:30 AM (5K)
- Where: Opelika Sportsplex
- Fee: $30 (5K), $10 (1M), $0 for 12 & Under (1M) 
- Description: Looking for an easy and fun way to make a difference for LIFE? Join Women's Hope Medical Clinic & Hope Adoptions as a runner or fundraising walker for our upcoming Walk For Life + 5K! By getting sponsors to support your walk, you can help reach our fundraising goal and play a significant role in cultivating a culture of life.

Beat Bama Food Drive 5K
- When: Sunday, November 01, 2026
- Time: 2:00 PM (1-Mile), 2:30 PM (5K)
- Where: Cater Lawn, Auburn University
- Fee: $38 (5K), $18 (1-Mile)
- Description: The Beat Bama Run Fest is a charity color run benefiting the Food Bank of East Alabama. It offers a 5K race and a one-mile fun run for participants of varying fitness levels, encouraging community involvement by collecting non-perishable food donations. Pre-registration is encouraged to save on fees, and the event includes water stops, refreshments, and children's entertainment, making it a well-rounded experience focused on fitness, community engagement, and philanthropy for participants of all ages.

Unity Wellness Center AIDS Day Run/Walk
- When: Saturday, November 14, 2026
- Time: 8:00 AM (1-Mile), 8:30 PM (5K)
- Where: Town Creek Park, Auburn, AL
- Fee: $5 (1-Mile), $5 (5K) (t-shirt $20)
- Description: Join us for the 9th Annual Unity Wellness Center World AIDS Day Run/Walk, featuring a $5 fee for both the 5K and 1-mile events (with an option to add a shirt for $20). Age group awards will be given, and there will be a raffle and refreshments for the whole family. The 1-mile walk starts at 8:00 am (untimed), and the 5K timed race begins at 8:30 am. This event commemorates World AIDS Day, a global day of unity against HIV, and supports Unity Wellness Center's vital services, including HIV testing, counseling, medical care, case management, and prevention education. 

Weekly Whimsy

9 Things Physios Wish Runners Would Stop Doing
July 27, 2026, The Running Week

Static stretching cold hamstrings, running through shin pain, and foam-rolling into pain are all common habits that sports physiotherapists wish runners would leave behind. Here is what to do instead.

Sports physiotherapists see the same mistakes every single week. They are not new mistakes, and they are not exotic ones. Instead, they are the same nine issues repeated over and over by runners who genuinely mean well.

Here they are, along with what to do instead.

1. Static-Stretching a Cold Hamstring Before a Run
Reaching for your toes at the trailhead before you have moved a muscle is the classic warm-up move. It is also the least useful one.

A cold muscle held in a static stretch does not lengthen productively. In fact, it can temporarily reduce power output during the first few minutes of your run.

Instead, walk for two to three minutes to get your body moving. Then spend eight to ten minutes doing dynamic drills such as leg swings, high knees, walking lunges, and ankle circles. Our guide to the best warm-up routine to do before a run walks through the full sequence.

2. Foam-Rolling Directly Into Pain
The louder the yelp, the more it must be working. That is the folklore. It is wrong.

Rolling aggressively over an already irritated area triggers a protective muscle response. Rather than relaxing, the tissue tightens even more.

Instead, keep discomfort to about 5 or 6 out of 10 at most. Spend more time working on the surrounding tissues rather than pressing directly into the sore spot.

3. Running Through Sharp Shin Pain
A dull ache along the shin often settles on its own, but a sharp, point-specific pain along the bone is a very different problem. Too many runners treat them as if they are the same and continue running through both.

Sharp, localized pain along the tibia that worsens with hopping can be an early sign of a bone stress reaction. If ignored, it can progress into a stress fracture. Unlike many running injuries, a stress fracture is not something you rest for a week and then return from. Recovery is typically measured in months, not days.

Instead, try hopping on one leg on the painful side. If that reproduces sharp, localized pain, stop running immediately and see a physiotherapist. The few days you lose arranging an assessment or scan are insignificant compared with the months you could lose if the injury progresses.

4. Treating Anti-Inflammatories as Race-Day Fuel
For some runners, taking ibuprofen before a hard run has become a ritual. Physiotherapists wish this practice would disappear.

Taking NSAIDs before racing can mask early warning pain while also placing additional strain on the kidneys during exercise. In hot conditions or during long endurance events, they may also contribute to exertional rhabdomyolysis, a condition documented in peer-reviewed medical literature.

Instead, focus on proper fueling and hydration. Save ibuprofen for after the event, and only if it is genuinely needed. Anti-inflammatory medications are not a performance aid. They are simply a way of masking symptoms that your body may be trying to warn you about.

5. Wearing Carbon-Plated Shoes on Every Run
Super shoes work remarkably well. Ironically, that is exactly the problem.

Many runners now wear carbon-plated shoes not only for races and workouts, but also for easy runs, long runs, and even everyday errands. The stiff carbon plate shifts loading toward the calves and feet in ways that your body may not be prepared to handle at high training volumes. As a result, plantar fascia problems and calf strains have quietly become more common during the super-shoe era.

Instead, reserve carbon-plated shoes for races and key workout sessions. Rotate in softer, more flexible shoes for your everyday mileage. If you suspect your footwear is contributing to recurring problems, see our guide on the 10 essential signs you are wearing the wrong running shoes.

6. Just Resting an Injury Without Load Management
Complete rest often feels like the safest response to an injury. For most running injuries, however, it is usually the slowest path back.

Muscles and tendons adapt to load. When all loading is removed, symptoms may settle, but the tissues do not become stronger. As soon as you return to your previous training volume, the injury often returns as well.

Instead, work with a physiotherapist to develop a graded loading plan. Begin with isometric exercises, progress to eccentric loading, and then gradually transition back into running. The runners who return most successfully are usually the ones who continued loading their tissues intelligently throughout rehabilitation, rather than avoiding all activity.

7. Running Through Pain That Changes Your Gait
A limp is your body's built-in warning system, yet many runners ignore it and keep going.

When pain changes the way you run, your body automatically shifts load away from the injured side. That extra stress has to go somewhere, and it usually ends up on the opposite leg, which is not conditioned to handle it. Before long, one injury becomes two, and neither has the chance to heal properly.

Instead, stop the run as soon as you notice your gait has changed. If necessary, walk home rather than pushing through. Return to running only when you can maintain your normal stride comfortably at an easy, conversational pace.

8. Ignoring One-Sided Calf Tightness
A calf that is consistently tighter on one side is not just an individual quirk. More often, it is an early warning sign that something else is going on.

Persistent one-sided tightness often points to weakness or restricted mobility elsewhere in the movement chain, such as the hips, glutes, or ankles. In many cases, the calf is simply compensating for a problem that originates somewhere else.

Instead, incorporate more single-leg strength work into your routine. Split squats, single-leg calf raises, and single-leg balance exercises can all help improve stability and reduce unnecessary compensation. A simple daily morning mobility routine can also be an effective, low-friction starting point.

9. Confusing DOMS With Injury or Injury With DOMS
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is typically widespread, symmetrical, dull, and improves as you start moving. An injury, by contrast, is usually localized, one-sided, sharp, and becomes worse the more you use it.

Many runners make the mistake of training through an injury because they assume it is just muscle soreness. Others skip perfectly safe workouts because they mistake normal DOMS for an injury. Either mistake can cost valuable training time.

Instead, use two simple checks: the sharp-versus-dull test and the point-tender test. If one specific spot produces sharp pain when you press it with a fingertip, it is unlikely to be ordinary muscle soreness. On the other hand, if your legs ache evenly on both sides and start feeling better after an easy warm-up jog, you are most likely dealing with DOMS.

The Common Thread
Read through the list again and one pattern becomes clear. Every one of these habits comes down to ignoring information that your body is trying to provide.

Physiotherapists are not asking runners to become overly cautious. They are asking them to become more observant.

A tight calf, a change in your stride, or a sharp, localized pain along your shin are all valuable pieces of information. Paying attention to those signals allows you to address problems early. Ignoring them does not make them disappear.

The Habit to Start Tomorrow
Choose the one habit on this list that you know you genuinely do—not the ones you occasionally fall into, but the one that consistently shows up in your training.

Focus on correcting that single habit for the next four weeks, then revisit the list and choose the next one.

No one eliminates nine bad habits overnight. The runners who become resilient over the long term are the ones who improve one habit at a time.

Link to article: https://tinyurl.com/bdhz82cz

Quote of the Week

       Running isn’t a sport,

       it’s a relationship.

                       Anonymous

Video of the Week

How to Build a Running Shoe Rotation (12:51)

Do you actually need more than one pair of running shoes? Yes — and here's exactly why.

** AORTA provides this informational video to its members as a courtesy and does not endorse any particular product, process, or service. 

Ongoing Events

RunGo For Turn-By-Turn Directions!
RunGo provides turn-by-turn navigation allowing you to just enjoy your runs without having to think about looking for street names and when you may have to turn next. Other great features include, audio cues with your running stats, split updates, the ability to share your runs via social media, and create new routes. Another great feature of the app is the ability to work offline. You can create and download your routes ahead of time, before your run so you don’t have to use data during your run.

Race Volunteers Needed!
As a runner, we know your time is valuable. But if you have a couple hours to spare, we could use your help for one of the upcoming AORTA supported or directed races! Assisting at a local race is a fun and rewarding experience. You are surrounded by health conscious individuals that, like you, are motivated fitness enthusiasts and appreciate the effort of volunteers.

Water Stop Volunteers Needed
Water stop signs and coolers are available at the following location: 1536 Professional Parkway, Auburn, AL. (Thank you Adahli Massey!). Coolers and signs can be picked up Monday-Thursday from 8AM-4PM and on Fridays from 8AM-12 noon. Items are in the room next to the back door. If you are unable to pick up supplies on these dates/times, e-mail clemster@aol.com to make alternative arrangements (we deliver!).

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