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9 Tips to Self-Treat Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)

By on April 9, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Injury

ITBandMobilizationRunners will often develop Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) after running on uneven terrain or downhill.

The pain, located on the lateral (outside) leg or knee, can be very debilitating to the point that running or hiking activities have to be stopped.

Even walking becomes difficult. If you handle your pain and symptoms quickly, ITBS can be easily self-treated.

This post will help you discover the risk factors for ITBS, and learn how to quickly return to your running routine with these self-treatment techniques. Continue Reading →

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From Walking with a Cane to Ultra Marathons

By on April 7, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Interview, Ultramarathon

IMG_7599
Steve Ross was obese, doped up on meds, and suffering from knee pain and headaches. Now he runs 100-milers that feel like marathons.

Last year Steve Ross ran 2,600 miles and is aiming for 3,000 in 2015.

Not bad for someone who has overcome major knee and back surgeries, obesity and an addiction to pain medications. Oh, and at one time, he had to walk with a cane. Continue Reading →

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Ultra Runner Conquers Drugs, Obesity

By on March 28, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Ultramarathon, Weight Loss

Click to enlarge photo

Click to enlarge photo

Brendan O’Ryan has overcome many obstacles to become an ultra marathoner.

Cigarettes. Drug addiction. Obesity.

As a kid, O’Ryan played football and wrestled. When he was 14, he suffered stress fractures in his L1 and L2 vertebrae. That’s when things took a drastic turn.

“I started smoking weed and drinking,” O’Ryan says. “As I got older my drug use got more and more serious. I got clean when I was 19. I was still pretty unhealthy for a while. I smoked cigarettes and ate pretty terribly. After about two years clean I stopped smoking and started trying to get healthier.” Continue Reading →

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How to Self-Treat Plantar Fasciitis

By on March 26, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Injury

PlantarFasciitisExercisePlantar fasciitis, a very painful and debilitating condition, is commonly experienced by runners in the spring as many runners begin to taper up mileage in preparation for the spring and early summer racing season.

A sudden increase in mileage along with a transition from indoor running (either on a track or treadmill) onto harder surfaces (such as concrete or asphalt) can cause microscopic injury to the plantar fascia.

This results in swelling and pain. Plantar fasciitis is more common in older runners, but it can occur to anyone at any age. It typically begins as a mild discomfort which grows steadily and quickly to the point that a person may struggle to walk, stand, and especially run.

In this post you will discover the risk factors for plantar fasciitis, and learn how to quickly return to your running routine with these self-treatment techniques. Continue Reading →

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Phoenix Marathon Offers Elevation Loss, Heartfelt Gains

By on March 10, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Race Recap, Review

PhoenixDowntown

Perspective is a wonderful thing. Sometimes when we fall short of our major goals, we have to keep in mind that we run because others cannot.

By Henry Howard

I am fortunate to have a job in which I travel and interview some amazing people. I’m even more fortunate that I get to combine the travel with visiting some really cool places and collecting new experiences. Continue Reading →

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Positivity, Inspiration Drive Busy Single Mom

By on February 24, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Half Marathon

Davonda Family-22Davonda Williams balances raising her daughter, fulfilling her job and maintaining her fitness as she aims to finish half-marathons in the U.S. and Europe.

By Henry Howard

Ask Davonda Williams about how she got started running and she laughs. Williams then goes on to explain about a man she used to date who was “always talking about his ex-girlfriend” who was a runner.

“And it started to irritate me,” Williams says cheerfully. “So the first 5K I signed up for was more about me being able to say, ‘Hey, I can run too!’ I am going to show him. And show her. And show everybody.” Continue Reading →

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From Couch to 5Ks to Ultra Champ

By on February 21, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Ultramarathon

Nathan_ultraThe busy father of five balances his commitments to family, work and of course running — as he teaches his children about exercise, wellness and perseverance.

By Henry Howard

Like many runners, Nathan Maxwell started the sport to get in shape. He ran a few 5Ks and was hooked. So he went up in distance, again like many runners, to see if he could do a half-marathon.

That was 2012.

Since then, Maxwell has charted his own path though he deviated from the natural path. The next step was not a full marathon. Instead, the Augusta, Georgia, resident went right to ultra distances, where he found his passion and excelled at those long races. Continue Reading →

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Steve Yee -Call him Mr. Marathon Maniac

By on February 11, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Interview

Marathon Maniac founders Steve Yee, Chris Warren and Tony Phillippi [click to enlarge]

Marathon Maniac founders Steve Yee, Chris Warren and Tony Phillippi [click to enlarge]

Steve Yee coined the term with his marathon friends and has presided over the growth of the popular group of yellow-clad runners since 2003.

By Henry Howard

Steve Yee’s running passion started innocently enough. In 1983, Yee learned of the Seattle Mariners Fun Run, an 8-mile run that included four tickets to a ball game.

“With a few weeks training I was able to complete it without stopping so I got really excited, started training more and signed up for races every single weekend after that,” he says. “With each race more challenges emerged, I started running half marathons and finally took the plunge with my first marathon six months after the Mariners Fun Run.”

Turn the clock ahead 20 years and many marathons later, Yee was having lunch with Chris Warren, Tony Phillippi, Sue Fauerbach and Terry Watanabe after — of course — a marathon. The runners talked about how many marathons they ran throughout the year. Friendly oneupsmanship took over as the runners started throwing out race after race that they would do.

At one point, Yee said,

“I feel like I’m amongst a bunch of Marathon Maniacs.”

The name stuck, and Yee, Warren and Phillippi became the original founders and co-presidents of the most popular marathon group active today. Continue Reading →

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Two Simple Steps to Analyze Your Last Tempo Run

By on February 10, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Speedwork

1-4-1ZoneBy Philip Miller, creator of GraphMyRun

Runners whose goal is just to finish a marathon only need a very simple training tool. It’s a check list.

“Did I do my long run this weekend, yes or no?”

But if you’re training for a marathon with a different goal in mind – like qualifying for Boston – your training plan will be more complex. And that means you’ll need better analysis tools, too. Continue Reading →

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Dozen Runners Crossing USA for Charity

By on February 3, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Ultramarathon

RaceAcrossUSACoast-to-coast event spans 140 days, allows participants to break through boundaries and raises money for 100 Mile Club.

By Henry Howard

For some, finishing a marathon is the ultimate achievement in running. It’s a worthy goal and one that less than 1 percent of the adult population achieves.

Right now, a dozen runners are going on an epic multi-marathon challenge across the United States. They are participating in the Race Across USA, which is literally what they are doing — from California through the southern part of the United States to Washington, D.C.

It’s a 140-day journey, with 120 planned days of running and 3,080 miles. They will run 112 marathons during that time.

Darren Van Soye is the creator and organizer of Race Across USA, along with his wife, Sandy. He is running the entire race so she is taking on the primary role of race director, handling logistics and everything else that comes up along the way. Continue Reading →

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Toughness, Faith Fuel Ultra Runner

By on January 26, 2015 in Guest Perspective, Interview, Ultramarathon

BryanBurkAir Force veteran uses lessons learned from high school football, military career and his religion to bring him to the finish line of endurance races.

By Henry Howard

In high school, Brian Burk played running back and safety on the football team. He had grown up playing a variety of sports but did not fashion himself as a runner.

Burk — aka “CleDawg,” a nickname stemming from his passion for the Cleveland Browns — readily admits that back in those days he lacked discipline and any knowledge about conditioning. Instead, he just wanted to play the game he loved.

That all changed one day when the coach made the team run a mile after practice. Continue Reading →

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