As keen swimmers and runners start gearing up for the Lorne Pier to Pub and Mountain to Surf events in January, local experts have shared their top tips ahead of race day.
The Lorne Pier to Pub sees thousands of participants swimming 1.2km in one of the largest ocean swims in the world, while the Lorne Mountain to Surf is a scenic 7.5km run or walk along the Great Ocean Road the day before.
To provide participants with practical advice and race-day insights, Epworth Geelong is hosting a 'Fit for the finish line' panel event next week, with past Pier to Pub winners Brenton Ford and Sam Sheppard, Great Ocean Performance Founder, and runner Yazmin Hayes.
They will be joined by a panel of orthopaedic and allied health experts including orthopaedic surgeons Dr Simon Flower and Dr Rekha Ganeshalingam, Lorne SLSC Medical Hub volunteer and former Australian Youth Lifesaver of the Year, Dr Sophie Carne, and senior podiatrist Steph Kreskas.
Some have shared their key tips ahead of the event on 12 November.
Remember to recover
Epworth Geelong orthopaedic surgeon Dr Simon Flower is a self-described 'moderately keen swimmer' and heads to the pool once or twice a week, as well as cycling, and running in the Torquay Parkrun with his family.
For those entering Lorne Pier to Pub, Dr Flower's approach for maintaining healthy shoulders for the swim is to 'train smart'.
"Volume overload is a big culprit for injuries. It's important to step up your training slowly, strengthen your upper body regularly, and step down your training if you need to," he said.
"Every time you train, you do small amounts of damage, and the idea is that your body recovers stronger. The human shoulder is a remarkable structure, but it is also prone to injury and wear, so it is a fine balance between strengthening the muscles and allowing time for recovery in between.
"Injuries stopped me from competitive trail running before I studied medicine and I often think, 'if only I knew then what I know now'."
