The weather is slowly changing and soon many runners who have been cooped up all winter will begin the transition from the treadmill to outdoor running.

For the most part, this transition is not too difficult to make as long as you do not suddenly increase your volume of running.

“Spring can give you renewed energy, so be careful you do not increase your pace too quickly – same as the start of a race giving you a boost in energy or feeling that you can go faster than you are trained to do,” said William Roberts, M.D., professor with the University of Minnesota Medical School, Family Medicine and Community Health.

Yesterday we answered three common questions about the physical toll marathon running has on the body as the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon nears closer.

Today, University of Minnesota Physicians primary care specialist Grant Morrison, M.D., assistant professor with the University of Minnesota Medical School, Family Medicine and Community Health, and associate medical director for the Twin Cities Marathon, will answer some final questions.

What should a runner do if they get sick from running a marathon?

Many illnesses will improve simply with rest and nutrition. However, runners must guard carefully against any number of serious injuries.

Post-race, people should see their doctor if their illness seems to be getting worse, particularly if a runner cannot hold down fluids and is vomiting or having diarrhea. Runners do not get the flu while running, so a flu-like illness after a marathon that does not improve quickly with rest requires medical evaluation.

Chest pain during a race should not be ignored, particularly in a runner who has risk factors for heart diseases such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, a family history or even a personal history of heart problems.

The Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on October 7^th will bring 12,000 runners from all over the country and the world to Minnesota’s twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or you’ve never run 26.2 miles in your life, there are always questions surrounding marathon running. And who better to answer these questions than a University of Minnesota expert who also serves as the associate medical director for the Twin Cities Marathon?

University of Minnesota Physicians primary care specialist Grant Morrison, M.D., is an assistant professor with the University of Minnesota Medical School, Family Medicine and Community Health.

Over the next two days, Dr. Morrison will answer some common questions about marathon running.

Make sure to check back with the Health Talk blog tomorrow for the final questions and answers.

Dr. Morrison, let’s lead off with the most basic question: