Years ago, I applied to be a personal trainer in a gym. Taking one look at my runner’s body, the owner said to me, “Go work out for a couple of months and come back to reapply.” Happy as I was with my runner’s body, I never went back. But it occurred to me that …
What Does a Fitness Professional (Really) Need to Know? Read More »
If you’re a runner, chances are that sometime in your running life you’ve done hill repeats. The rather simple idea of running up and down a hill may seem monotonous and unnecessary to some but, for a runner, hill repeats are an often-used method of improving fitness. The feel of your heart pounding in your …
For the past two years, I’ve been writing a column on education for Personal Fitness Professional magazine. It’s given me a good opportunity to reflect on my own education, what it really means, and how it helps (or doesn’t help) my career. In the book Why We Run, zoologist and ultramarathon runner Bernd Heinrich …
Is Your Education Getting in the Way of Your Learning? Read More »
Muscles are the most accessible way we have to see what our workouts do to our bodies. However, despite how many compliments you get from your Instagram pictures taken following your workouts, what matters is not what your muscles look like, but what they can do. In the early days, it was the strength …
I’ve been thinking about bones lately. Remember the jingle we learned as kids: “The hip bone is connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone is connected to the knee bone, the knee bone is connected to the shin bone…”? That jingle can go on for some time since there are 206 bones in …
I ran my first track race tonight since January, when I was diagnosed with blood clots in my legs and lungs. I spent most of the day anxious about it, because I wanted to get this race over with and get through it without any problems. I went to the bathroom about six times today …
I just got back from Santa Fe, New Mexico, where I spoke at the American Indian Running Coaches Clinic, hosted by Wings of America. The topic of my presentation was ‘A Lifetime of Passion for Running Better: My Journey from Runner to Physiologist to Coach.’ Although I don’t feel I’m old enough to talk …
Run-Fit Retreats and a Lifetime of Passion for Running Better Read More »
I remember my mom telling my twin brother and me that I first walked when I was seven months old, and then when my brother got up to walk soon after, I pushed him back down and he didn’t get back up until months later. I guess my competitive nature was already evident. The …
Run-Fit Specialist Certification, Thigh Master, and 19 Million Runners Read More »
As I’ve been writing my next book, The Inner Runner, I have been spending a lot of time reflecting on running. I find myself humbled by what running really means and what it really does for us. For many, running is a pathway to experiences and emotions that cannot always be articulated. It is often …
On my run today, I test ran a pair of new shoes. I always love the feel of a new pair of running shoes. And I love how they smell. The smell of a new pair of shoes is like the smell of food before its eaten. There’s a lot of commotion lately about running …
PUMA Ignite, Middle School, and Chasing Carl Lewis Read More »