Strength Training Reduces Risk of Injuries for Runners

Former financial services professional Lee Chimerakis spends his retirement fundraising and supporting charitable causes across Palm Beach, Florida, as an ambassador for the famed Honda Classic golf tournament. Lee Chimerakis is also a running enthusiast and dedicates much of his time to fitness and strength training.

Avid runners are prone to several types of overuse injuries, including Achilles tendinitis and runner's knee. However, appropriate strength training can reduce the likelihood of sustaining an overuse injury by half. 

Strength training builds up the density, flexibility, and resilience of the bones, tendons, and other structures. Thicker muscles also help cushion thinner ligaments and joints against the stress that running can place on the body. 

Just one to two 30-minute strength training sessions a week can be enough to obtain protective effects. Beginners should start training using only body weight and add additional loads as they build strength. Runners with previous overuse injuries can benefit from a modified strength training routine, but should consult with a physical therapist prior to starting.

A Few Benefits of Volunteering

With 30 years of experience in the finance sector, Lee Chimerakis received his bachelor of arts from the University of Florida in 1976. After his retirement, he became an ambassador for Honda Classic, where he now oversees 150 volunteers. Lee Chimerakis also volunteers for charities like the Palm Beach County Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity on behalf of the Honda Golf Classic in North Palm Beach, Florida.

A way of giving back to the community, volunteering offers multiple benefits for volunteers and the people and causes they serve. Here are a few advantages of participating in public-service activities:

It helps change lives 
Volunteering helps people make a positive impact on the lives of others and seeing the results of their commitment enables them to achieve self-fulfillment. It also builds confidence and creates experiences to include in future job resumes. 

It opens new horizons
Volunteers often meet people from different backgrounds. In addition to broadening their horizons, public-service engagements allow them to socialize and become valuable members of society.

It can reduce high blood pressure
Researchers from a study on the benefits of public-service work conducted at Carnegie Mellon University believe that the physical activity involved in some volunteer efforts may keep blood pressure under control. Moreover, stress levels can decrease, which correlates with long-term health benefits.