Media contact: Anna Jones
At the conference, runners of all levels will be able to learn from Olympian and UAB alumna Vonetta Flowers, as well as explore ways to boost their energy and improve performance. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Family and Community Medicine and UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine are hosting the annual Robert A. Ferguson Endowed Lecture Series: A Conference on Running Medicine on June 15.
The conference will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the UAB Hill Student Center, located at 1400 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35233. At the conference, runners of all levels will be able to learn from Olympian and UAB alumna Vonetta Flowers, as well as explore ways to boost their energy and improve performance.
“Last year was a great success, and we’re hoping to build on that momentum as we gear up for 2024,” said UAB Associate Professor Heath Hale, M.D., medical director for UAB Athletics and a conference organizing committee member. “We have put together an exciting itinerary that we believe will be interesting and valuable for all runners — from the ‘Couch to 5K’ novice to the seasoned marathoner, from the high school cross-country runner to the elite sprinter.”
At this conference, runners, coaches and health care providers can learn more about optimizing performance and avoiding injury, new research in running medicine, nutrition, mental health, and more.
Flowers was a sprinter and long jumper at UAB. Later she transitioned to bobsledding. In 2002, at the winter games in Salt Lake City, Flowers made history as the first Black athlete to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics. She was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
In addition to Flowers, who will cover her journey and the psychological aspects of running and competing, attendees can expect a full program of panel discussions, breakout sessions, lectures, and guided movement breaks led by UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine physicians, athletic trainers, physical therapists and sports performance coaches.
“This year, we’ve added two tracks covering subjects such as strength training, advanced conditioning, orthotics and footwear, gait analysis and biomechanics, supplements, and relative energy deficiency in sports, or RED-S,” Hale said.
Registration is $50 for individual participants and includes a continental breakfast and catered lunch. Teams, UAB-affiliated faculty and staff, and other groups can receive a discounted rate. Continuing education units, or CEUs, for athletic trainers are also available.
Registration is available online and in person at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the conference. Register here.