Are you actually absorbing your iron? “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” ~John Wooden For endurance athletes, fatigue is often worn like a badge of honor. In many ways, it’s part of the process, especially as we near the end of a training cycle. But there’s a difference between expected training fatigue and something more concerning. When heavy legs from months of work turn into consistently flat workouts, a stubborn plateau, or unexplained...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Achilles Tendinopathy - Part III "Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things." ~Isaac Newton Today marks 10 years since my beloved Grandma Riederer passed away. While she was never one to overindulge (only one of those beers belonged to her), she used to say, "Certainly my doctors don't think I shouldn't enjoy myself every now and again!" Every year when February 2nd comes along, I'm reminded of how it really does feel like Groundhog Day. I...
2 months ago • 4 min read
FAQ: Super Shoes 101 "Beware of those who try to sell you simple answers to complex questions.” ~Scott Adams Anyone who knows me well knows that I am not what you might call an early adopter. I didn’t get my first cell phone until almost 2005. I still don’t have a Netflix account. I willingly shave with a razor that has only two blades. And when it comes to running shoes, I didn’t buy a pair of wildly popular super shoes until late this past summer. There are many more examples to highlight...
4 months ago • 5 min read
“Listen to the music" "Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." ~Confucius The purpose of this newsletter is to share practical, approachable information on topics that matter most to athletes and active individuals at any given time. To make sure I’m not always writing solely about what I find interesting, I’m going to begin enlisting the help of those around me (current readers included) to help shape future topics. I thought a great place to start would be...
5 months ago • 4 min read
“N” marks the spot "You can't speed up bone healing, you can only slow it down." ~Tim Hoenig Imagine you’re a steeplechaser in the lead, coming into the final water barrier. After 2,900 meters of fatigue, instead of soaring gracefully, you belly-flop into the water pit. OUCH! That’s certainly one way to get hurt while running. But for the other 99.9% of running injuries, it’s the less dramatic overuse kind, where tendons and bones proverbially throw their hands up and say, “We’ve had enough!”...
6 months ago • 4 min read
Is your wearable guiding you, or running you? "It has become appalingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity." ~Donald Ripley In honor of Labor Day, I’ve been thinking about the “work” we runners put in. Not just the miles, but how we measure and make sense of them. Some runners swear by the precision of a chest strap, while others prefer the convenience of a wristwatch. Perhaps your device of choice is a Whoop strap, while your training partner prefers an even more discreet...
7 months ago • 4 min read
The Case For a "Post-Race" Taper "If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit." ~Banksy Let me set the stage: you’ve spent the past several months training hard, staying focused, and building toward one big goal. And it totally paid off. You smashed your A-race. You trained with discipline, executed with focus, and perhaps even surprised yourself with what you accomplished. You’re feeling strong, motivated, and more confident than ever. You think to yourself, “What if I can keep this going?...
8 months ago • 4 min read
"Put me in coach, I'm ready to play, today'" Happy 4th of July and Canada Day! "A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life." ~John Wooden In last month’s newsletter, we explored the role of motivation and how it applies to all areas of life, including sports. I also introduced Self-Determination Theory, which proposes that people have three basic psychological needs, autonomy, competence, and relatedness, that must be met to support motivation, foster growth, and promote...
9 months ago • 4 min read
"It keeps you runnin', yeah, it keeps you runnin'" "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." ~E.E. Cummings Motivation is one of the most important factors behind successful performance across many areas, including sports—and running is no exception. At its core, motivation answers the question: “Why do we do what we do?” To those outside the running community, the reasons runners are compelled to train and compete are not overly obvious. Athletes can be motivated by...
10 months ago • 3 min read