Cryotherapy Helps Runner Reach 80th Marathon Milestone

Marathon runner credits reaching the achievement to whole body cryotherapy technology

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, January 19, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- An ex-soldier turned amateur runner completed 80 marathons in just seven years, having started racing as a hobby and a way to unwind after leaving the armed forces.

Gary Howells, 39, from South Wales, finished his first marathon in 2013, and now coaches others on their running training and techniques after completing 80 marathons, 30 ultra marathons, and six Ironman triathlons across the globe.

The experienced runner has credited active recovery with enabling him to achieve the incredible milestone and complete thousands of miles on foot. Gary first used cryotherapy in Poland in 2016, in preparation for the Marathon des Sables, a six-day, 251 km (156 mile) ultramarathon – the distance of six regular marathons.

He has continued to use an advanced type of super-cold therapy from CryoAction, to help assist his recovery from intense exercise, allowing him to train and compete on a regular basis.

The sports therapist has a broad knowledge and experience of working in a range of clinics and now focuses on helping other triathletes and runners improve their technique and recovery. He is a running movement specialist with a wealth of knowledge in movement patterns and biomechanics, enabling him to diagnose injuries and identify improvements to body movement.

Gary has supported events such as Ironman Wales, Great Welsh Marathon, Front Runner events, and many local triathlons and running events, recommending super-cold therapy from CryoAction to improve their finishing times and training regimes. CryoAction cryotherapy chambers are the same professional quality chambers as those used by the Premier League Football teams and the England and Wales Rugby Federations.

Talking about his achievement, Gary said: “Sometimes I have to pinch myself and take a moment to count all the events I’ve now completed. I only started running a few years ago and I must have covered tens of thousands of miles on foot, bike, and in the water.”

“When people ask what my secret is, my first response is recovery – I don’t just mean having a day off or working on strength training rather than hard miles. I mean active recovery. I used cryotherapy for the first time four years ago and haven’t looked back. Since returning home I found a CryoAction chamber on my doorstep and immediately booked a block of sessions. After a three-minute session at -130°C (-202°F), I feel like I can do another marathon straight away. It’s hard to explain but you can feel your body repairing and the blood flowing.”

“There are many other forms of active recovery, including stretching, sports massage, and yoga, but cryotherapy is the quickest and most effective, and has allowed me to keep running long distances all over the world. I have tried 100% oxygen and have still not had the same effect or benefits of the extreme cold on my body.”

“I’ve never had an injury, and I aim to pass my techniques and what I have learned to others to help them improve their times. However, without proper preparation and recovery, they may not even make the start line. Recovery is a massive part of preparing for a race, as is nutrition and sleep – if you’re not recovering you’re not progressing.”

“Often runners and triathletes invest in expensive equipment, to shave seconds and minutes off their times, however those that are willing to spend thousands of pounds on a bike, helmet, shoes, and kit overlook recovery. A session in a cryotherapy chamber or a sports massage is a fraction of the price of some sports equipment yet it doesn’t occur to many to invest in their body and recovery as it is not as material as a shiny new bicycle.”

CryoAction’s professional, clinical and quality chambers, which involve exposing the body to temperatures of -130°C (-202°F) for three and a half minute sessions. The advanced, whole-body cryotherapy sessions mean that Gary and anyone that uses the chamber is able to recover faster and race more often.

CryoAction chambers provide a superior quality of ultra-cold cryotherapy sessions which reduces pain and inflammation from sports injuries by dulling the nerves and restricting blood flow to certain parts of the body.

Ian Saunders, CEO, of CryoAction, said: “Gary’s story is an incredible and inspiring one – to achieve such an achievement in a short period of time is staggering. We’re thrilled that he credits what he has achieved to using our facilities, and it goes to show that cryotherapy isn’t just for highly paid sports people, it’s for everyday fitness enthusiasts too – the ‘everyday elite’. We have seen a rise in the number of people using the therapy to improve their running and triathlon times and it’s great to see people investing in their wellbeing in this kind of way.”

“Our aim now is to increase the number of CryoAction chambers available for public use across the Globe, so we can provide even greater amounts of recovery and respite to those that need it.”

About CryoAction

CryoAction is the UK's leading provider of whole-body cryotherapy chambers to elite sports, gyms, spas and hotels. Its international client base ranges from major sports franchises, including a number of Premier League clubs, spa and wellness facilities, gyms and specialist cryotherapy providers.

CryoAction is the only specialist provider to design, manufacture, install, service and maintain all of its own cryotherapy equipment in the UK, including the innovative CryoSolo™ and CryoDuo™ chambers. The luxury cryochambers are available in a choice of electric and nitrogen, and come in a large range of different sizes.

For more information about CryoAction and to find out about its unique range of chambers, visit www.cryoaction.com.

Naomi Robertson
CryoAction
+44 800 014 8058
press@cryoaction.com
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