The weeks leading up to peak week can be brutal. And The Long Run of peak week can feel daunting. But there’s something so satisfying about finishing your long runs and saying, “I did that!” Crushing that weekly challenge, seeing your progress, and feeling your running fitness improve is almost addictive. The tight hip flexors and stiff hips though: not so much. And when you’re 8, maybe 6, weeks away from race day and feeling all the niggles and aches add up, it can be a real mind-trick when...

Tight calves are one thing. But a persistent, deep, lower calf tightness that almost cripples you on or after a long run? Dear running fit fam, I did the dumb. On purpose. Sort of. A few weeks back, I committed to my long run, knowing that my achilles and calves would have an attitude the next day (long story.) What I didn't anticipate was all calf-hell breaking loose 5-8 hours later. It didn't help that I was on my feet all evening. But I couldn't remember the last time I had experienced a...

Most runners don't realize this is a hamstring issue. Until it's a little too late. I had a runner in the clinic once with a stubborn pain she could only describe as "right under my butt cheek". She was concerned, wondering is this sciatica? Do I have a low back problem? Do I have some kind of glute strain? So I asked her to point to the spot and she was able to place a finger on exactly where the hamstring met her glute. And to be honest, that proximal or "high" hamstring location is the...