More than 90 runners, coaches, and athletic trainers from across the area recently gathered at UAB for the second annual Robert A. Ferguson Endowed Lecture Series: A Conference on Running Medicine.
UAB alumna Vonetta Flowers, the first African American to win gold at the Winter Olympics, headlined the event. Her moving keynote focused on her journey to overcome medical setbacks and transition from track to bobsled.
Hosted by UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine and led by a range of experts—including four members of the Department of Family and Community Medicine—the conference focused on learning more about optimizing performance and avoiding injury, new research in running medicine, nutrition, mental health, and more. Afternoon breakout sessions allowed attendees to focus on their specific goals. These sessions included lectures on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S), supplements, gait analysis and biomechanics, orthotics and footwear, strength training, and advanced conditioning.
The lecture series honors longtime athletic trainer and UAB Director of Sports Medicine Robert “Drew” Ferguson, who has had a distinguished 40+ year career at UAB and Children’s of Alabama. Now the Director of Development for UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine and CEO of the Coach Safely Foundation, Ferguson has been a pivotal figure in advancing sports medicine practices and advocating for athletic trainers through legislative efforts. Ferguson was inducted into the Alabama Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
Ferguson served as the head athletic trainer for UAB while Flowers was attending the university, where she was a decorated sprinter and long jumper.
Local brands Champion Sports Medicine, Complete Feet, Fleet Feet, Mountain High Outfitters, Smile-A-Mile, TrakShak, and UAB Eye Care, supported the conference and took part in the on-site Running Expo. Altuis, Alabama Outdoors, Coastal Outfitters, Legion FC, Maximum Physical Therapy, Transplant Games of America, UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine, and UAB University Recreation also contributed raffle prizes and giveaways for participants.
