Big updates:
1) The hormone & injury avoidance workshop "Runner's Recovery" is officially in the pipeline!! I had several people mention interest... so I'll follow up with details in future emails, but it's looking like mid-February. This is will be an online webinar.
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2) I'll be co-hosting my first in person event with my FAVORITE physical therapist called "Race Ready Strength". It was be a 4 workshop series (spread over 8 weeks) that helps runners prep to be strong and healthy (so that you can be FAST) for spring races.

If you're interested in either, please let me know.

During the first of week of the Race Ready Strength series, we talked about do self-assessments.
While Sarah will have more rigorous protocols, mine are pretty simple.

1) Are your ankles mobile enough? You should be able to touch a wall with your knee when your big toe is 4 inches away. Can be done kneeling or standing. Both sides. Heels on the ground.

2) Are your hips flexible enough? Knees should be about 4 inches (or the width of your palm) away from the group... but even more importantly, about even on both sides.

3) Can you feel your glute muscles? Uneven-ness is a red flag here too

4) Can you do 30 calf raises? This is about having enough strength for an important muscle group. Bonus points for doing it without something to balance on or single legged.


5) How's that posture? Ideally, you should be able to get the backs of your hands and elbows down at the same time. Poor posture can negatively impact your core and ability to breathe.
These are baseline assessments you can test on your own and see what areas need some attention.
They don't mean you're doomed for an injury in the next week, but definitely need some love.


Finally, I want to begin ending these posts with an exercise form tip.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know!


Engage your core: Common cue. And it might be easy to think "pull your belly button to your spine" or "suck in"... I think I heard these in yoga classes 🤔, but it's not the best call. When you engage your core, it should be about bracing to protect your spine and connect your lower and upper body... not try to squeeze by someone in a busy restaurant.
So think... "brace like you're about tickled or sucker punched in the stomach" or whatever fancy lingo in that video.
Feel the difference?
Note how you can still breath while bracing vs sucking your belly button in... kinnnnnnda helpful.

It snooooooooooowed in Denver (final)
So I'm inspired to write about how to handle this (potentially) challenging weather condition...
Traction:
Having some bigger lugs (think deep grooves on a tire), trail shoes, or even YakTrax could help. If I'm running on sidewalks or roads, my biggest fear is black ice... so if I see a questionable patch, I'd rather jump in the snow for a bit. Even more packed down areas might be more slippery than deeper snow. Annnnnd if the sun is setting, really watch out for areas that look wet... with the shift in temps, they might actually be ice.
Layers:
It's better to be a bit too warm than too cold (esp for joints). Wool blends and dryfit are best when you start sweating (they tend to wick it away vs hold on to it and keeping you cold, esp if it's a longer run or you slow down). Having a layer to keep the wind out is VERY wise, even if it will only be blowing for a bit. And wearing as much reflective gear as possible, even in the middle of the day is wise.
Why?
Because you don't want to dress for the best part of the run, you want to dress for the potentially worst parts... the wind gusts, if you flip and ankle and need to walk, etc.
Effort level:
Cold weather is harder on the lungs, and when it's harder to breathe... it's harder to run.
Also, the HR will naturally be a bit lower.
And the joints will take a bit more time to warm up.
So do some activation work indoors, wear a buff when the temps drop, shorten your stride if it's slippery and judge based more on effort than pace or HR.

Last week I talked what type of exercises, in general, you should be doing in different seasons.
Well... let's get more specific!
Here are some of the exercises I recommend!
Do these to get faster and more powerful & resilient:
​Split Squat​
​Single Leg Deadlift with Foam Roller (or add weight)
​Single Leg Hip Thursters ​
​Elevated Bridges​
​Step Ups​
Do these to get healthier hips and knees:
​Side Band Walks​
​Side Step Ups​
​Banded Fire Hydrants​
​Transverse Step Ups​
​Bowler Squats​
Give them a shot and let me know how it goes!