A Message from Cpt. Ivan Castro

Team,

10 WEEKS TO GO!!! For some of you this may be your first marathon and anxiety may be starting to build.  Therefore, you may be looking at your training plan and wondering if you should change your approach.  I can tell you that if you have not suffered an injury, stick with what you have.  If you have suffered an injury, see a physician to ensure its nothing serious.  Most of the time it will be muscle related, therefore acetaminophen  or ibuprofen may be your best bet.  Ensure to apply RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) and take the appropriate rest.  Do not worry a week or two off may be what you need to recover.  Trust me, your fitness level will not drop or depreciate as you may think, you may bounce back and be faster and stronger.  Remember one thing, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!  By now you should be looking at your running shoes and making a determination if the shoes you have are the ones you are going to use on race day or if you need to buy a new pair.  Keep in mind this may be the cause of your injury.  Do not change your brand or model, stick with the model you have been training with.  Also, you should see which energy gel sits with your stomach best.  Although the Marine Corps Marathon does a great job having plenty of port-a-johns, you would rather be running towards the finish line as opposed to running towards the john or the wood line.

Take care,

Ivan

P.S.

Although Hurricane Irene is approaching and the Earthquake has just occurred, this is no excuse to take a free pass on your training day and cash in a golden opportunity to improve your physical fitness.

Team Operation Homefront is excited to announce our newest source of inspiration: Captain Ivan Castro. Capt. Ivan Castro sustained numerous life-threatening injuries including the loss of his right eye and the permanent loss of vision in his left eye when he was struck with shrapnel from a mortar attack while serving as a First Lieutenant with the 82nd Airborne Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom, September 2, 2006. Four years after his injury, Castro’s determination, strength and motivation is displayed as he became the first blind graduate of the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course at Fort Benning, GA.He will be running with Team Operation Homefront this October at the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, VA