The Broad Street Run is coming. The race’s medical director has tips to stay injury-free, both before and during the race.
Broad Street Run training takes months. Here's how to prepare and stay safe during the race.
The Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run is getting closer, and John Vasudevan’s mind is occupied with the topic that no runner wants to contemplate: injury.
That’s because Vasudevan, a Penn Medicine physician, is in his third year as medical director for the 10-mile race.
He oversees a team of dozens of medical professionals who volunteer to take care of ailing runners on race day — April 30 this year, with more than 36,000 entrants — and he also makes plans with city and emergency officials for months in advance.
The planning is essential because the event poses a unique combination of challenges, he said. At 10 miles, the Broad Street Run is more than three times the length of a typical neighborhood 5-kilometer race. Yet compared to most other long races, it draws a wider range of abilities. Casual runners are always in the mix along with hardcore types.
We spoke to him for tips on how to stay healthy, which injuries are most common, and what to expect at the medical tent on race day.
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What’s special about Broad Street?
The theme song from Rocky blares from loudspeakers at the start of the race. Crowds cheer from the sidewalk. And the 10-mile course — straight through the heart of the city — is mostly downhill.
All these ingredients help to draw a diverse group of entrants, said Vasudevan, director of the Penn Medicine Running and Endurance Sports Program.
“It’s like a rite of passage, almost, in Philadelphia to get through that run,” he said. “There’s a lot of people who are kind of amateurs who just want to be part of the crowd.”
Vasudevan loves that aspect of the race. He chose his specialty — rehabilitation medicine — for the same reason, because he wants to help people of all abilities to achieve a happy, healthy lifestyle.
Yet the nature of the race also is reason for caution.
“Maybe you think if you can run a mile, or two or three, you just run 10,” he said. “But it’s a big difference.”
» READ MORE: Broad Street runners: Meet the Barbell Bro, the Gearhead, and other Philly archetypes
How far along should people be in their training?
For those not used to running such a long distance, Vasudevan and others have developed a 12-week prerace training program, at www.broadstreetrun.com/train.
By this point, less than a month before the race, runners should be able to run 3.5 to 5 miles a day during the week, with a longer weekend run of 7 or 8 miles.
But if you’re not there yet, don’t make the mistake of trying to catch up, he said. The key is to build up strength and endurance gradually, increasing your total miles by no more than 10% to 15% each week, he said.
The Broad Street Run training schedule also calls for two rest days every week, and one day with a non-running activity, such as swimming or biking, to condition body parts that aren’t used much in running.
For those who are not in tip-top shape by April 30, there is no shame in transferring your spot to another runner, but the deadline for that is April 15. Or just take it slow — but not too slow. Runners are required to maintain an average pace below 15 minutes per mile.
Which injuries are most common?
Even if they build up their mileage gradually, every runner suffers aches, pains, or injury at some point.
Not surprisingly, the body parts most at risk are located below the waist: hip, knee, calf, shin, ankle, foot, Vasudevan said.
In many cases, these lower-extremity injuries do not involve a tear or fracture. The Penn physician calls them “cumulative-use injuries.”
“It’s less that something is broken,” he said. “It’s that it’s dysfunctional.”
These lower-extremity injuries often are connected to muscle weakness or imbalance elsewhere in the body, he said. Certain kinds of knee pain can be the result of underdeveloped muscles in the hips and glutes (the buttocks), for example. These muscles can be strengthened with exercises, including one maneuver called a clamshell.
And be sure to wear a good pair of running shoes, usually half a size larger than your regular footwear to accommodate feet that swell and spread during a run. If the sole wears thin on one side, it’s time for a new pair.
They are pricey — often more than $100 — so if that’s a problem, check with stores for older models at clearance prices. And don’t buy a snazzy new pair a few days before the race, as you won’t have time to break them in.
What about race day?
On race day, Vasudevan is joined by several dozen volunteers, including colleagues from Penn and others from Jefferson Health and Temple Health.
They represent a variety of medical specialties: primary care, internal medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics, rehab medicine, sports medicine, and emergency medicine.
Some are assigned to a medical tent near the finish line, in South Philadelphia. Others are stationed along the final stretch of the course, looking for anyone who may need help. The tent is equipped with ice bags, bandages, fluids, and splints, among other gear. Their goal is to cover the less-serious issues, freeing up city ambulance crews to handle more severe problems that require a trip to the hospital.
Typically, 70 or 80 runners in the race have issues that can be addressed on the spot, while five others need hospital care, Vasudevan said.
A lot depends on the weather. Warm temperatures raise the risk of heat stroke, and rain reduces traction, especially on metal manhole covers and trolley rails that traverse Broad Street.
Vasudevan’s main objective: to help as many people as possible to stay healthy and have fun.
“You are basically anticipating everything that could go wrong, hoping that it doesn’t, and knowing that fortunately, most people get through it,” he said.