August 3, 2017 - TCO
TCO partners with distance-running Team USA Minnesota
Twin Cities Orthopedics is proud to partner with the athletes of Team USA Minnesota as they pursue their dreams of running in the Olympic Games by being a sponsor of the Team USA Minnesota Distance Training Center.
As a sponsor, TCO also has made its sports performance facilities available to Team USA Minnesota for training, injury prevention and rehabilitation.
“We’re really excited to have the partnership and expertise that TCO provides,” Team USA Minnesota coach Chris Lundstrom said. “There are some great facilities and equipment we can utilize.”
The popular AlterG, the anti-gravity treadmill uses NASA technology to reduce bodyweight impact, provides a comfortable running workout for athletes returning from an injury or looking for a lighter run.
“Rather than doing a 10-minute run and getting on the bike for 40 minutes, you can make it all running on the AlterG and reduce the load and gradually go back to bodyweight impact,” Lundstrom said. “If you’re a serious runner, you have to stay ahead of the aches and pains.”
TCO also provides gait analysis and baseline testing for Team USA Minnesota athletes.
Founded in 2001, the Minneapolis-St. Paul-based training group recruits athletes out of college to improve post-collegiate U.S. distance running and develop Olympians. The team consists of up to 15 male and female athletes who specialize in distances ranging from the mile to the marathon.
“We are excited to become a silver-level sponsor of Team USA Minnesota,” Chris Bailey, TCO’s director of Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, said. “We hope this partnership will provide the Team USA Minnesota athletes and community with a wide range of health, preventative and training support.”
To date, Team USA Minnesota has developed 24 national champions and an Olympian, achieved 75 top-three finishes in U.S. Championships – roads, track and cross country – and placed 28 athletes on U.S. World teams. The training group is already focused on preparing its distance runners for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials on the track and in the marathon.
“We are very pleased to have the support of Twin Cities Orthopedics as it is a significant new partner that will make a big difference for our team of distance runners,” said Patricia Goodwin, president and founder of Team USA Minnesota. “We truly appreciate the commitment and confidence TCO has in our training group and look forward to a long-term relationship. The financial support along with the health care services will assist us as we continue to play a leadership role in post-collegiate American distance running and in our local running community.”