Fall marathon season

The fall marathon season is finally under way. All that summer mileage is starting to show its worth as many DC runners taper for MCM, as well as the assortment of nearby races. Steamtown, Wineglass, New York are on the schedule for marathoners in the mid-Atlantic region. There seems to be a bit more buzz about this fall season as people try to avoid getting boxed out at Boston like last year. Registration opens October 18th so get your mouse clicking fingers stretched out and ready to go. My fall marathon season is over before it even started. A summer calf injury forced me to take off most of July so I am just now starting to train with some purpose. It might be a blessing in disguise as I am coming back with a bit more focus and motivation. Time off is actually a good thing. Many people try to train with purpose all year round which ultimately just creates stagnation. I have signed up for a couple half marathons, Richmond and Kiawah. My hope is that racing the shorter stuff will help me be more comfortable racing at a faster pace. And its all about being fast, right? well, it is really all about having fun. My days of being fast are not over cuz they never actually really started. Fast is Sammy at Chicago, as seen above. If you want some inspiration to kick off your Boston training program, go to flotrack and watch the finish of the men's marathon in Chicago. These guys are literally duking it out over the final mile, back and forth, til Wanjiru finally pulls away. What a great photo above: the crowd, the fading Lel with the yellow lights in the back, the 26 mile mark, and of course Sammy in full stride. Here's to a finish strong for us all in your next race, clink.

What I did on my summer break.....

I am excited to have the opportunity to speak to some high school runner at a local running store this summer. My experience as a long time PT, and a 25+time marathoner, gives me a relatively unique perspective of running. I admit my outlook is biased, based on working with many injured runners and seeing consistent trends of imbalances and weakness. One thing I love to share with fellow runnersis the concept of doing more than just running. In fact, that is my favorite questions for an injured runner I am seeing in the clinic : what do you do besides just run?

A well rounded runner, one who is going to be less vulnerable to injury, and better able to handle to stress of intense training, needs to consistently do form drills, stretch, cross train, and work on strength training. This post will focus on the last component, strength training.
When you read the research on run related injuries you see that the knee is the most commonly injured area. Anterior knee pain is the most common injury, followed closely by lateral knee pain, or IT band syndrome. Hip weakness is a consistent finding with these injured runners. As a result, a good introduction to strength training for runners would start with hip/glute strengthening. I like to focus on strengthening the glute max, the glute medius, deep hip rotators, and the core muscles. I also like to incorporate functional movements into the warm-up before I reach for exercises which isolate specific muscle groups.

The following is a brief list of helpful exercises which can be done 2-3 times per week in the off season as cross country preparations continue. Try to focus on good form in the first month, controlling the speed and form of the movemnts, with light resistance and high repetitions.

For the young athletes tonight we will do :

Forward lunge walking x 1 minute
Backward lunges x 1 minute
Side lunges x 1 minute
Skier squats with theraband at knees x 1 minute
Heel raises x 1 minute
Sidestepping with band times 1 minute
clam with band x 1 minute each side
plank x 1 minute
deadbug times one minute

Short and sweet, but it targets muscles that when weak typically lead to injury. Many of these exercises are in video format in my older posts on this blog. Enjoy, and train smart!

Sports and Spinal Physical Therapy

Doctor G has landed at Sports and Spinal Physical Therapy (www.ssptdc.com), located in the Foggy Bottom area of Washington DC. It has been a great move for me for a variety of different reasons. One reason is strength in numbers- there are six other therapists on staff at SSPT. Each therapist has different talents to use. Sonja does dry needling, Steve is a skilled manual therapist, Jen is savy with real-time ultrasound, and so on. The reality is this experienced staff offers a many different skill sets which ultimately benefits the clients the most. Another reason I am to be at Sports and Spinal is the experience of the staff outside of the clinic . Most of the other therapist are passionate about being active. We have runners, triathletes, crew athletes, swimmers, paddlers, and cyclists on staff. I firmly believe it is ideal for an athlete to see another like minded athlete when doing their rehab. I could go on and on about SSPT but humor me and hear about a couple other things. One is that the clinic is very active in the community. We recently assisted athletes at the DC tri. Another exciting community event will come in the form of helping the cast of Mary Poppins while in town performing at the Kennedy Center. And finally, another benny of being at Sports and Spinal is having access to the dartfish software. This powerful video analysis tool is a great help to clients, particularly runners, when explaining their injury. I find I can tell an athlete they are weak, but if i show them how their form is breaking down on dartfish video analysis, it makes much more sense and they are usually(!) more compliant with their exercises. Stop by the clinic at 2175 K St for a quick visit, or if you need a check-up, call 202-463-7611 for a complementary screening.

Boston marathon 2010- the three F's.

The Boston marathon was another classic for me. As I have previously mentioned, I view this race a bit differently. It is a way to celebrate the past year of training, while competing with some of the best marathon runners out there. For me, it is also a way to get together with family and friends to celebrate life. Julie and I have gone to Boston for three consecutive years. Each year has a different story to tell but it all come back to the 3 F's: family , friends, and fun.

This year for the race we stayed with Julie's brother David and his family. We were right in Newton so being close to the race course was a bit of a thrill. David was nice enough to take us on a scouting mission over the Newton hills which was great. not matter how many times you have run a course, it helps to see it up close and personal right before you race it. It certainly helped me when I got to the hills to have a good visual about what as around the corner because I had seen it the day before.

Also new for this year was the fact that my college friend Rupert was staying with us. His Scottish charm was a welcomed addition to the house. We talked strategy leading up to the race as we had done many training runs leading up to race day. It was also fun being able to see Bill Potts and Angela doing their first Boston, and Nick lighting up the course as usual.

The race is one that requires strategy. Though most runners do tons of running leading up to race day, most don't have a firm race strategy. I had experienced going out too fast on the course so Rupert and I had a conservative start. We hit half way right on schedule in 1:26 high. In fact, we kept hovering at least a minute ahead of schedule. I tried to ease back knowing the hills were coming. We hit the Newton firehouse right on time. The only problem was that I essentially lost 60-90 seconds on each hill. I managed not to explode but I was not able to maintain the pace I wanted to run a 2:55. I fought hard through the end and came in at 2:59:09, a PR. I was happy to go sub 3 for the first time, but disappointed to not finish stronger.

Each marathon is a learning experience. Though I felt I had trained to a higher level of speed fitness, looking back I suspect I skimped on the endurance work. This is an area I took for granted and it made my finish a bit soft. Most sports psychologists talk about the importance of having a short memory with races. Rather than dwell on the few minutes I left in the hills, I will try to lock in on the new speed, as I dial the endurance back in. Thanks to all for a great race weekend.

10 minute core routine

I attended a Triathlon expo recently which had the usual assortment of vendors and tchochokes. They had a speaker series which had experts discussing topics related to triathlon. I was able to catch Kerri Kramer talking about core strengthening for the multi-sport athlete. Kerri and I worked together for years "back in the day". We had lots of laughs in the clinic and the clients benefitted from having two eperienced and passionate clinicians guiding them. Kerri is now running her PT business, Fast Track Physical Therapy, http://www.fasttracktherapy.com/, where she focuses on treating endurance athletes. During her talk she presented a 10 minute core workout. She essentially highlighted the fact that this type of training does not need to complicated, or elaborate. It needs to be focused, and present! What I mean by this is that core work HAS to be a part of all serious athletes' regular routine. This is particularly true for endurance athletes. The research tells us that as a runner fatigues, their movements patterns change. We instinctively know this. We feel our knees clanking together in the third hour of a marathon. We see our finishline photos which show out posture gone to pot. We know this. So, the question is what to do about it. When I see runners in the clinic, one things I want to know is what do they do besides run. For most, this is not a whole lot. Maybe yoga, maybe pilates, or bike. Rarely is a specific and focused core and hip strengthening routine described. Odd. Strange because this is what the research tells us is what a runner or endurance athlete need to avoid many common injuries. This was the point Kerri was trying to make at the expo- do something! Even if it is only 10 minutes, do something.

The 10 minute routine sounds good, and it is. Basically look at it as targeting the top 5 exercises, doing them each twice for nearly a minute each time, and then moving on. Common exercises to reach for would include the forward plank, the side plank, the bridge, the clam, and sidestepping with resistance bands(pictured above). Ok, so you ask why these exercises? Quite simply, these represent a start to building a foundation of strength in the areas of greatest importance. For example, most research on running injuries describe weakness in the hip external rotators and abductors. That is why we do the sidestepping and the clam exercises. There is a method to the madness! the research also says that a strong core helps create a strong foundation to perform upon. That is why we add the planks. Starting to make sense? Good. Many of these exercises have been presented in video format on this blog so be sure to go back into the older posts to review.

Less thanTwo weeks to Boston

Get your parade wave ready. This is basically my approach to running the Boston marathon. It is a victory lap for the marathon runners out there. Though the qualifying standards have been eased a bit over the years, the reality is still that you can't just sign up for the Boston marathon. You have to earn it. For most people, myself included, this fact makes the trip to the Hopkinton start line that much sweeter.
The first time I qualified for Boston, it was a real chore getting there. I raced the Shamrock marathon in VA Beach to drop 20 plus minutes off my previous marathon PR. The only bummer was that I qualified in March and had to wait 13 months to race the marathon. When I finally got to race day, I was so psyched I could hardly stand it. The race weekend was a blur. You tell yourself to rest and stay off your feet but it is amazing how hard that can be. The expo is huge, as is the buzz leading up to Patriot's day.
Back to the parade wave. My feeling in '08 still holds true today- this is a celebration of a race to toast all the work I put in to get to that place. I worked so hard to prepare that I felt I should celebrate that fact. The race was the perfect venue since the vast majority of the other people there had done the exact same thing. When you are racing, it is easy to put your head down and just focus on your pace/nutrition/strategy etc such that you do not really experience the surroundings. I made the point in my first Boston to take it all in. Again, my mindset was that this was something I had earned so I was going to enjoy it! Not to say that I was high-five'n all the Wellsley girls but if you can't at least smile and wink at a few then what the hell! It is a great race with much history. The feeling of starting with a corral of 1,000 similarly paced runners is pretty cool. Cool, that is until you blow through the first mile under six minutes. Ouch.
So, to Angela, to Bill, to Roo, to Nick, to Timmy, to maybe Chris, to maybe Isabelle, to Elyse, Naoko and all the other runners, let's take a moment to celebrate while in Boston. We have put in the work to get to Boston. We deserve a victory lap. Be a warrior out there, especially up to that left turn on Boyleston St......

Champion Story

I love this picture. That is George on the right with his bling. He recently returned from the World Masters track and field championships after winning medals in three sprinting events. The reason I love this picture is because George is a great guy who displays many behaviors of a true champion.

George came to me after seeing my flyer for the "best run ever" running evaluation. We talked about my experience as a PT, and as a endurance athlete which left him curious. He asked me what a distance runner could offer a sprinter. Good question, I thought. I explained that I work with all clients, athletes and non-athletes, by looking at the body as a machine. A thorough exam tells me where the machine is out of balance from a strength or flexibility standpoint, for example. I reassured George that by doing so I could help him to identify areas of weakness within his machine with the goal of making him stronger, and faster. So, back to what I love about George. It is the willingness to think outside his training box. This is a challenge for most athletes, especially ones who have had some measure of success. A true champion, however, is open to trying new things in training to improve. This is exactly what George did. Over the span of a couple months I gave George a progression of exercises which allowed him to get stronger in a sport specific way. Obviously, for a sprinter, having explosive strength is key. The same should be said for having upper level dynamic core strength because this is what allows a sprinter to use that aforementioned lower extremity strength. Added core and hip strengthening to his training regime helped George fine tune his machine to tolerate more training stress without the wheels coming off. He was able to parlay this new strength into more training, ultimately leading to more success at a very high level.
Just wanted to share the George story as it inspires me to think about my own training. Am I open to changes to get stronger and faster. I think about what weakness I have, and creating a plan to address them. It is common to focus on strengths, but with such an approach I would argue that you are setting yourself up for less true growth.

Though I will likely never have World's medals around my neck, I can still display the behaviors of a champion. This approach will help us to achieve our own measure of success. Here's to a PR at Boston!

hamstring injuries

I had the opportunity to talk last week at the Pacers running store in Clarendon (http://www.runpacers.com). Actually, it was the first in a series of talks to be given at the store each month. This month, the topic of discussion was hamstring injuries in runners. I chose this topic because it is a common problem which I frequently see in clinic. JOSPT, which is the sports medicine PT journal, also recently feature an article about a runner who strained their hamstring because of weakness of their glutes.

As with most running injuries, a hamstring injury is typically multifactorial. This injury has historically plagued sprinters because of the huge forces stressing the hamstring during an all-out effort. Most of the research published on hamstring injuries has, consequently, been done on sprinters. However, there is a growing amount of research on middle and long distances runners.The hamstrings are the 3 muscles on the backside of the thigh, just below the glutes. The muscles attach to the sit bone on the pelvis, and inserts below the knee. As a result of crossing two joints, this muscle group performs a variety of functions. The role they play in running is two fold: when the leg is in the air advancing forward, the hamstring controls how quickly the knee extends, and the hip flexes; with the leg on the ground, the hamstring will flex the knee and extend the hip. This is a key distinction because the hamstring muscles must quickly transition from one role to another once the foot strikes the ground. It is during this transitional period that injuries frequently occur.
There are a variety of factors which predispose an athlete to a hamstring injury. One is hamstring weakness. The leg which has weaker hamstrings, especially in eccentric strength, is more vulnerable. A previous hamstring injury will certainly predispose an athlete to re-injury. The reason this is the case is that when a hamstring injury heals, the body lays down scar tissue which is ultimately less pliable than normal tissue. Given the stress that this muscle takes, it is easy to see how this can be a weak link. Poor flexibility in the hamstrings can be another predisposing factor. Poor running form is on the list too. Additionally, poor desk posture can cause an athlete to have tight hamstring muscles which then get strained during running. Poor glute strength will force the hamstrings to work harder. The reason for this is that the glute max and the hamstrings both extend the hip. When the glute is weak, the hamstring will try to compensate. In endurance athletes, a weak glute max can overstress the hamstrings. No amount of stretching or massage will cure this problem til the glutes get stronger.

Given the variety of causes of a hamstring strain, the prevention of them needs to be broad reaching. Here are a few areas to focus on:
1) Strengthen: In particular, focus on strengthening the hamstrings eccentrically. This means working them while they elongate. Use the bicep as an example: you curl the weight up (concentric), and slowly lower (eccentric). A good example of this is placing your heels on a swiss ball, bridging your hips off the ground, curling your knees back, and then SLOWLY letting the legs go straight. Having strong glute muscles will help also so don't forget those.2) Stretch: There are a variety of ways to stretch: actively, passively, and active assisted/dynamically. Think of your warm up as a way to take the leg through a full range of motion to get the blood flowing. Do this prior to your run. Common exercises I do for a dynamic warm up include squats, lunges, and running drills like leg swings, high leg lifts like going over a hurdle, and leg kick outs.Passive stretching is best done after a run. Posture is key with this type of stretching. The hamstring starts at the sit bone and extends down below the knee. As a result, it is important to be aware of what posture the lower back is in. Most runners keep their knees straight and bend over at the waist to stretch their hamstrings. problem is that they are also flexing their lower back which puts slack in the muscle you are trying to stretch. It also puts unnecessary strain on the back. Instead, think of a dowel rod strap to your back so you are forced to hinge at your hips to take a bow. This will certainly elongate the hamstring. Hold 30 seconds, a couple times each side.


Another way to stretch is using a rope around the foot while on your back. The thigh is held perpendicular to the floor. You can use the quad to gently straighten the knee stretching the back of the thigh in the process. When the quad contracts, it naturally shuts down the hamstring so it can be stretched. This is more of an active movement where you straighten the knee as much as you can with the normal curves in the low back being maintained. I typically have people cycle into the stretch and back out versus the prolonged hold on the previous stretch. 10 reps is usually good to go.
3) Posture- Keep in mind it is hard to sit at your desk with suboptimal posture strategies( read -crap) and then expect to go out and have great form and flexibility while running. It is all related. Go back to my post on desk posture and make sure you are in compliance! Also, keep in mind it is a process. You need to create a routine that allows you to consistently come to these exercises and stretches. Over months, not days, these will have an impact.

Sorry for the delay with this, but thanks for reading. As I frequently say, being a good runner requires more than just more miles. When you look at the successful runners, you frequently see a comprehensive training routine that includes quality runs with a focus, plus stretching, strengthening, balance and core work, and form drills. If your head was not already spinning, consider the need for quality nutrition and rest. If these two are not optimal then all other areas will suffer.

Doctor g videos: wall slide with ball

The wallslide with the ball ties together some of the other exercises already introduced. The runner will learn to move through their hips while the back stays straight. The is a key element of low back health: always bend from the hips and knees versus the back. This exercise targets glute and quad muslces, as well as encouraging control of movement patterns.

Place the ball against wall and lean against it. The ball should be between the shoulder blades. Braces stomach muscles, bend at hips and lower down to approximately 85 degrees of knee bend. Pause, and slowly raise back to the top. Emphasize the lowering portion of the exercise as it teaches many muscles to be active and controlling as the musccles get longer. The type of contraction that occurs when a muscles contracts as it gets longer is call a eccentric contraction.

Repeat 15x. This exercise can be done with a theraband around the knee. The strength of the theraband wants to pull the knees together. It is required of the participant to contract against the band, thereby engaging the hip external rotators. This is a very function exercise because the feet are on the ground, aka closed chain, and you move in a very functional motion- a squat. Use this exercise to get strong, AND, more importantly, also change a movement pattern. It is possible to be strong and have crummy movement patterns. We are trying to avoid that by engaging in exercises like this. Enjoy!

Doctor G videos: sidestepping with band

Another solid exercise I commonly give to runners is the sidestepping exercise using a theraband. The reason I like this exercise is that is does a great job of stengtheing the hip abductors. As I have previously mentioned in the clam video, having strong hips is vital for runners staying injury free. Consider that 50% of all running injuries occur at the knee. Common examples include IT band syndrome, and patellofemoral syndrome aka runner's knee. Both of these injuries have been shown to be associated with hip weakness. More specifically, both syndromes have been shown to be commonplace in runners that have weak hip abductors. When the abductors are weak, the knee tends to drift into adduction creating strain on the knee.

This exercse is performed in standing with a theraband around the ankles. Gently brace you ab muscles and pull right leg away from the left against the resistance of the band. The left leg follows making sure not to drag it or let them snap together. This is repeated multiple times after which the direction is changed. Initiate the movement from the power in the hips, not by sidebending the torso, or hiking the hip. Work the motion back and forth in a room to the point of fatigue.

Doctor G video: the clam

The "clam" exercise depicted in the attached video is a great way to strengthen your hip external rotators. Many of the common movement faults seen with injured runners entail excessive internal rotation. By strengthening the muscles that oppose this internal rotation, namely the external rotators, you start to see the value in this exercise. This concept is at the cornerstone of running sports medicince today: when you have a strong hips, you have happy knees. A strong hip give a runner better control of how the leg is moving, thereby minimizing the abnormal stressors crossing the knee.

The "clam" exercise is performed in a sidelying position with knees and hips flexed as shown. Brace your abdominal muscles and slowly raise the top knee against the resistance of the band. Pause at the top of the motion and then slowly and smoothly lower down. The top knee should lift up without the pelvis moving. At the start, the pelvis is perpendicular to the floor. This position should be consistent throughout the exercise. As muscles fatigue, there is a greater tendancy to use the trunk muscles versus the hip muslces to lift the leg. This will be evident by the pelvis rocking backward leading the leg. Repeat the up and down 10+ times focusing on control and apropriate movement patterns.

The Bridge Video

Many thanks to my brother John for helping me to produce these videos. Additional thanks goes to his colleagues Andy for help in editing the material. I have always felt that the powerpoint slides I use to educate clients on exercises were quite good. However, a video ties it all together is a more meaningful way. I was able to shoot a few videos with John. I chose to start with some of the fundamental exercises which isolate muslces and movement which are important for

runners.This video depicts the BRIDGE exercise. This is a great exercise to begin to train the gluteus maximus. This is an important muscle for hip and low back stability. Having a strong hip, as well as lower back is vital to the heatlh of a runner. Another reason this muscle is so important is what it does. The gluteus maximus actually helps to move the hip in multiple different directions. Bottomline is that strengthening this muscles gives you much bang for your buck.

Start in a supine position with knees flexed. Brace stomach muscles. Lift hips off floor such that you creat a straight line from the torso to the knee. Hold this position for a 5 count, squeezing checks together. Slowly lower, and repeat 15x. This can be done on a swiss ball to add an element of balance. It can also be performed single legged.

The bridge is an exercise which helps to teach someone to move through their

Staying focused

During the time period that an athlete is dealing with an injury it is essential to stay focused. All too often my sense is that an athlete is dwelling on what they can't do versus what they CAN do.
Currently in my PT practice I have the opportunity to work with many injured runners. These clients typically fall into two camps: those willing to cross train when injured versus those unwilling. Rather than fight with the injured area by carelessly continuing to run, I would like to suggest cross training with purpose.
Most running injuries are made worse by the impact of the foot hitting the ground. To a degree this is because it is estimated that 3x your body weight of force goes through the leg when it hits the ground during running. Instead of trying to handle this stress on an injured extremity, switch gears to another mode of exercise. For a runner, the elliptical closely mimicks the running motion without the impact stresses. Using a stationary bike is another way to keep the legs active without overly stressing them. Do not just get in a bike and spin. saddle up and consider what you would be doing if you were running. If Tuesdays are track days, consider intervals on the bike. If it is a tempo day, try to duplicate this on the elliptical.
If a runner has access to a pool, I often suggest getting in the deep water to "run". This requires a buoyancy belt to stay afloat. This environment allows the legs to move freely in the running patterns without impact stress. As an injury improves, running in shallow water is great exercise. With water up to the chest, the buoyancy effect allows a runner to gently get back into weightbearing. This progression is often a bridge to normal running. This enables an athlete to relearn the movement patterns of running without pain. This is important because studies suggest that pain, OR the fear of pain, often impair normal movement patterns and muscle function. If a runner can go through the motions of running in a pool without pain, there will be great value.
When dealing with my ankle injury recently, I fell into the typical trap. I was dwelling on what I could not do versus the modes of exercise that would help me. As I try to prepare for Boston, I have learned that there is plenty of cross training I can do as my ankle becomes more stable. This will help me stay fit. When I am ready to go full bore, I expect to have more kick in my stride as a result.
Hopefully in the next few weeks I can be back into a run-focused training program. In February I will decide if it is realistic to go for a companion belt buckle for the one pictured above. The one above is from completing the Leadville 100 mile mtn bike race in '99. There is a 100 mile trail run on the same course which is run in August. We'll see if it is in the cards for me this year depending on how the return to running goes.

Inspiration- John Kelley

I was able to spend the Christmas holiday in Newton, Mass. I was staying less than a mile from Commonwealth Ave so I used it as an opportunity to do some recon on the Boston marathon course. Though I have run the marathon the past two years, a race day experience is so different than a training run.

Being familiar with a race course has always been something I felt really helps. So much of marathoning, to me, is about being focused and calm. Without the jitters of an unfamiliar course, I feel my race management is that much easier.

Lance Armstrong was always on target with this approach. Say what you will about Lance and all doping craziness, but the guy knew how to train. He studied a race course to familiarize himself with the terrain. He rode coming moutain stages in the off season to really know how they felt. This was how I approached my time in Boston: get time on the course is a relaxed, yet focused manner. With this goal in mind, off to heartbreak hill I went.

Initailly I ran backwards on the marathon course. This brought me to the Newton firehouse, and the start of the hills. With just a few miles on my legs, the hills felt pretty easy. No real huffing and puffing. I tried to focus on absorbing the landscape to make if more familiar. I stayed light on my feet, tapping out a quick but silent cadence. My breath was steady as I imagined race day. My posture was helping me to keep a steady pace, versus fighting the effort of the hill. Overall, the hills were great. Total time on the course was 75 minutes which I was happy about given recent injuries.

During the run I noticed the above statue of John Kelley. Both runners in the statue are John. On the left is john at age 27, winning the Boston marathon. On the right is John finishing the race at age 84. he competed in the Boston marathon 61 times, finishing 58 times. Wow! That is a remarkable track record. Truly inspirational. To be so dedicated for so long is impressive. Makes me wonder what I will be doing at age 84, or 74 for that matter. I also wonder what he thought when he started his streak.

Many thanks to John, and his spirit, for the inspiration. I will think of him when I toe with line with Nick, Roo, and Bill this year, my third......

A new season awaits....

This is a great time of year. It feels good to wrap up 2009, and feel recharged for another season of racing. I have rested and now it is time to ramp things back up. 2010 promises to be another great year. Looking back, it will be hard to top '09: a PR at Boston, and running my first 100 miler were huge achievements, just like starting up a new practice at the Water Street gym. Realistically, however, there will more PR's, more bostons, and maybe even more 100 milers.

The above painting is of Mount Alto, which is adjacent to Monticello in Charlottesville. There have been many rides and runs to the top by your truly and crew. The Mount, in a way, represents my outlook for the coming year and training cycle. There is a defined path to the top where goals are achieved. To get to the top does not come without effort yet the view is sweet. To get there I know that I need to be focused and dedicated. There is no substitute for hard work. Ask Nick about that. He was out this morning in the 20 degree temps running his 800's. Focused and dedicated, hell yeah and that is why he runs in the 2:40's.

My first goal for the year is to run sub 3 at Boston. I have been chasing this goal for a couple years now which adds a level of excitement to thinking this is my year. I have a firm handle on what needs to be done so now it is time to start putting one foot in front of the other up that path.

The start of a new year, or new season, is a great time to reflect on what you want to achieve. Make a list which has realistic and objective goals outlined. Take the list and write a plan as to how you will achieve these goals. Making a goal is relatively easy. Writing the story of how you achieve it is decidedly more difficult. However, this is what champions do- they write their own story to accomplish goals. For me, the story starts with dedication and ends with hard work. It starts at the bottom of the mountain, and leads to the top. The next challenge brings me back to the bottom.

Take a moment to put pen to paper for this year's goals. See where your story takes you.

Recommended by the Washingtonian!

Check out the latest issue of the Washingtonian. There is a piece about sports medicine which discusses what it takes to stay healthy and actively engaged in sport. There is also a listing of recommended experts within the different fields of sports medicine. I am happy to report that I was listed for the recommended sports medicine physical therapists!
There are many great PT's in the greater DC area. which could also have been listed. Fortunately, I have had the good fortune to work with, and learn from, plenty of stellar therapists throughout my career. It is an honor to be recognized by the Washingtonian. I love being a physical therapist with passion for helping people. Whether a person is a sub 3 hour marathoner, or just an average Joe, the satisfaction of helping them learn how to overcome an injury is the same.
In a piece about sports medicine, it is nice to see physical therapy getting its due. Without PT, the recovery from most injuries, both surgical and non-surgical, would be drastically delayed. Physical therapy is more focused than ever on providing evidenced based care. This allows the focus of intervention to be on treatment which has been proven in research. I would suggest that anyone seeking out a qualified PT should insist on working with a clinician who practices this way. Care should be centered less on symptom management, and more on the mechanics of why the problem exists in the first place.
Thanks again for the acknowledgement!

http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/coverarchive/14463.html