relief of aching legs using the World Run recovery system

references and short bio on Michael Gillan

Qualified as a masseur in 1993 in Australia in relaxation massage and started working with Ultra Marathon athletes

In 1995 realized that the conventional way of working on the runners muscles for recovery was not the way to go as it was working on their muscles which were already in a state of soreness and stiffness from overuse; using the fingers to help reduce this only made things worse.

1995 Colac 6 Day race
(Light Manual Muscle Relaxation developed, used from here on-changed name to the World Run Recovery System in 2007)

Changing the approach to working with the muscles improved recovery and resulted in improved performances (see manual on Colac 6 day progressive chart for results)

In !996 went to Nanango 1000 Miles and helped Sandra Brown, Bill Beauchamp and others finish.

2 Years later became official Masseur at Coburg 24 Hour event and the Australian Race Walkers.

Worked with many of the elite ultra marathoners such as Cliff Young-Drew Kettle-Gary Parsons
Sandra Brown-Yiannis Kouros at various events

Met Jesper Olsen on his epic run around the world and worked with him for a while.
www.worldrun.org

Founded the 'Aching Leg Institute of Hard Knocks'

Institute Motto

'I see no ships-only hard ones' anonymous

The objectives of the Institute

* to help people to achieve the best they can without aching legs

* to assist them to do this by using the World Run Recovery System

* to provide them with the best Do It Yourself Recovery System possible

Mission Statement-Quote

"I finally found my hero in life, and it was me!"

Kevin Saunders Ultra Marathoner

Kevin was on a Sydney to Melbourne (Australia) run and was going neck to neck with a great runner Yiannis Kouros; after a few hundred kilometers, he had done the best he could, and reaching the top of a hard to run up hill he had given it everything he had.

He had discovered the greatness within himself; instead of looking for heroes outside his own self, he found the biggest hero was within!

The faculty

The 'Aching leg Institute of Hard Knocks' is very exclusive

The chief of staff, chair person, financier, admin staff, research staff, writers, maker of teas and every member of the institute consists of one person-ME!

The rates of pay is the same for everyone irrespective of position and responsibilities-$0.000

Financial Backing

Financed by doing paid employment; present means of financing-hospital ward assistant

The faculty makes up for this though by recieving bonuses in other ways-

Satisfaction Fun and Achievement

The institutes facilities are based where ever the staff goes, classrooms ranges from a dusty roadside, to a chair at the side of the track' (a bit crowded with us all on it-see the actual chair in photo in Montreal World Champs) and for the classroom scientific theory, any handy library with medical reference books.

The institute working hours varies from 3 hours to 24 hours to 48 hours to 6 days to 16 days to 3 weeks to around the world however long it takes!

The research laboratory is out there at front line, 'cutting edge' fully hands on, if a mistake is made, rectify it!

The 'volunteers' consist of some of the self admitted worst runners in the world (not named for obvious reasons) to some of the best runners and walkers in the world! (see references-and these are just a few)

Research in other areas

Voluntary work
12 months working with the Melbourne Golf Injury Clinic (physiotherapists) at Vaucluse Hospital Melbourne Australia 1994-95

Working with
sports injuries
accident rehabilitation
occupational injury
geriatric
psychatric
hospital in patients

On Floor work experience

production line operator in many industries
plastics
carpet making
paints
security
food industry
kitchen
hospital orderly
spray painter
Airplane servicing

Facilities of the Aching Leg Institute of Hard Knocks are many and varied

The chair in the foreground was the living quarters and work area at the Montreal World Distance Championships fo 24 hours-it was also the only equipment that was needed to keep the team on the track for the full event-the airline mislaid everything except what I stood up in

Events and races

A record of Light Manual Muscle Relaxation use

1996 Nanango 1000 Mile 16 day (1600 kilometer) Foot race

1996 Coburg 24 Hour race

1997 Coburg 24 Hour race

1998 Coburg 24 Hour race (official masseur)

1999 Coburg 24 Hour race

1999 Australian Centurion Race walkers’ 100 mile 24 hour event

1999 Sri Chinmoy 24 hour race with Cliff Young

2000 Cliffies Dream 16-day event as masseur (7 days)

2000 Australian Centurion Race walkers’ 100-mile event

2000 Coburg 24 hour event

2000 Sri Chinmoy Adelaide 24 hour Event

2001 Coburg 24 Hour race (official masseur)

2002 Coburg 24 Hour race

2002 Australian Centurion Race walkers’ 100-mile event

2002 Self Transcendence 24 hour Event

2003 Australian Centurion Race walkers’ 100-mile event

2003 Coburg 24 Hour race

2003 National 24 Hour Championships Self Transcendence Footrace

2004 Coburg 24 Hour race

2004 Australian Centurion Race walkers’ 100-mile event

2004 Round the World Run 1

2005 Coburg 24 Hour race

2005 Australian Centurion Race walkers’ 100-mile event

2005 Cliff Young 6 day event

2006 Coburg 24 Hour race

2006 Australian Centurion Race walkers’ 100-mile event

2007 Coburg 24 Hour race

2007 Australian Centurion Race walkers’ 100-mile event

2007 Antibes (France) 6 jour event

2007 Mors world run 2 training camp (14 days)

2007 Mors 100 Mile event

2007 World Distance 24 Hour Championships Montreal with the Danish National Distance Running Team

Various Anti cancer Council 24 hour relay for life events plus Marathons Duathlons and Triathlons

2007 went to Europe and became masseur at the Antibes 6 Day

Training camp for world run 2 in Denmark

Became the World Run Recovery Specialist for world run 2

Looked after the Danish National Running Team at the World Champs in Montreal. etc.

2008 Australian Centurion Race walkers’ 100-mile event

2008 Coburg 24 Hour race

Some References
Michael’s methods of massage and blister care helped me to stay mobile throughout the race and to recover quickly afterwards. His techniques are safe and gentle.

Unlike some treatments, which put the runners and walkers at risk of muscle tears or infection, Michael’s techniques are gentle, safe, reassuring, and highly effective. They enhance comfort and flexibility, build confidence, and promote success.

This booklet will help others to learn and practice Michael’s methods. It is recommended reading for everyone who walks and runs and who wants to go further, go faster, or just to enjoy life more!!'

SANDRA BROWN 1996 Ladies 1000 Mile World Record Holder 1999 Ladies 100 mile Race walking World Record Holder
“I know that your massage kept a number of competitors in the event. The cold weather of Saturday afternoon and night certainly got to many of the walkers and your prompt action had them back in the race after a short stop.

In years past, that would have ended up as a non-finish. A number of walkers were able to keep going for the full 24 hours on the basis of your expert help.”

Tim Ericson Secretary Australian Centurions Club
'I have known Michael Gillan for many years and have always got quick relief for my aches and pains from the stretching he performs'.
CLIFF YOUNG-75-80 24 Hour World Record Holder (150.07 kilometers)

A word from Jesper Olsen World Runner about Light Manual Muscle Relaxation

“If I hadn't had the qualified help from the excellent masseur Michael Gillan, taking several thousands of km out of my legs, I could spare myself the effort!”

“My crew for the current stages, Michael Gillan, has proven to have other talents than the quite taxing job of taking care of all the requirements of a really tired ultra runner!
He has since years back been working on a new approach to stretching and muscle-rebuilding for ultra runners. I have the last two days tried his careful stretch and massage, and a bit to my surprise the muscles are beginning to feel like before the start back in Greenwich, London!!

Usually I doesn’t take massage as the legs of an ultra runner will often be quite sore during the long time events (and especially in an multi-year event like this...), and getting a massage can at times cause more injury and cramping up than good. For example my last massage was some 12 000km ago when I ran the 12-hour competition in Finland. And so far that has been the only one.

But Gillan came with best recommendations from my main contact in Australia, Phil Essam, who besides being vice president in the Australian Ultra runners Association has heaps of good knowledge to share. And this new kind of mild massage for ultra runners is definitely one of the good tips! There should be a fair chance that I actually get fresh enough to do some decent running at the 6 Day Race that I have coming up in Colac from the 21.November. I quite look forward to that, even though I can’t expect to make a top class result :-)”

He won! 756.2 kilometers (Jesper holds the record for the longest run in history over 26000 kilometers and the first person to run around the world Taken from www.worldrun.org

: ARTICLES WRITTEN & PUBLISHED:
'The Scout' magazine 'Blisters, and their avoidance and treatment when in a remote area'.

'Tide' Melbourne Chinese newspaper. 'Computer Caused Injuries and Using Western Style Massage'

'Aura' The ultra runners' magazine. 'Using Light Massage for Running Recovery'

'Ultra Oz' 'Ultra Walking and Shin Problems associated with compound rubber athletics tracks'.

Had input into the book 'The Beginning Runners Handbook'
By Ian MacNeill and Robyn Flemming Published by Allen and Unwin

Further Reading
Travell S.G. Simons D.G. Myofacial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual Williams & Willliams 1983

Travell J. Rinzler S.H. The Myofacial Genesis of Pain Post Grad Med 1952

Casley-smith Judith & Casley-Smith J.R Modern Treatment for Lymphoedema . 5th edition

Montague Ashley Harper & Row Touching

'Guyton-Textbook of Medical Physiology eighth edition-1991 W.B. Saunders Company-ISBN 0-726-3994-0

Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology-Seeley Stephens and Tate-Mosby Year Book ISBN 0-8016-0227-0

'Textbook of medical Physiology" Physiology- fourth edition-Robert M. Berne, Mathew N. Levy, Bruce M. Koeppen, Bruce A. Stanton-Mosby ISBN 0-8151-0952-0)

Travell S.G. Simons D.G. Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual Williams & Willliams 1983

Travell J. Rinzler S.H. The Myofacial Genesis of Pain Post Grad Med 1952

Ian Macneill and Robyn Flemming 'The Beginning Runners Handbook', Allen & Unwin

Bingham, John, 'The Courage To Start: A Guide to Running for Your Life' New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999

Barfoot, Amby (ed.), 'Runners World Complete Book of Running: Everything You Need to Know to Run for Fun, Fitness and Competition', Emmaus, Pa: Rodale Books, 1997

British Athletics, 'The Runners Guide', London: HarperCollins 1994

Bourke, Louise, 'The Complete guide to Food for Sports' Performance' 2nd ed., Allen & Unwin 1995

Fixx, James F., 'The Complete Book of Running', New York, Random House, 1997

Galloway, Jeff, 'Galloways Book on Running' Bolinas, Ca.: Shelter Publications, 1984

Glover, Bob, et al.,'The Runners Handbook', Penguin Books, 1996

Micheli, Lyle, 'Healthy Runners Handbook' Champagne, Ill.: Human Kinetics, 1996

Sheehan, George A., 'Running and Being: The Total Experience', New York, Simon & Schuster, 1978,



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