One of the most challenging parts of getting fit is staying healthy and injury free. Dr. Ashley Perrott is an Ironman finisher, busy mom, and family medicine physician at Novant Health Salem Family Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (See photo, left, of Ashley with her parents and brother Brett Miller, our Director of Business Development, at the start of Ironman Florida, which the whole family completed together!) Dr. Perrott is answering some of the most-common questions our users have on staying on track.
Joint pains are more concerning than muscle pains in general. Muscle soreness can be expected for 1-2 days after a more intense workout or more intense week of training. This soreness should improve daily. Recovery with rest or light workouts after an intense workout can help muscle soreness and stiffness. Muscle injury lasts longer than this, and may prevent the ability to complete a light workout or even regular activity. Rest will generally help this pain and soreness. Any pain that gets worse with activity should prompt the athlete to reduce speed/intensity to avoid injury. Muscle pain or weakness that persists despite rest is a reason to see your MD.
Joint or bone pain, swelling, or redness may represent more significant injury. Certainly a specific episode of injury (rolling ankle, falling, tripping) that causes deformity should prompt an evaluation at the MD in some fashion. Joint pain is worse with pressure on that joint even at rest. Patients may complain of pain with standing, sitting, or laying down. Instability is another concerning sign/symptom. if a joint “gives out” or “catches” with activity it’s something that we would like to see.
In general an increase of more than 10% mileage or intensity per week can be associated with more injury.
Have a question about staying healthy and injury free? Contact Us.
Joyful as the holiday season can be, the weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year can be a challenging time for anyone who is trying to make healthy lifestyle changes. With the raft of holiday parties and the onslaught of indulgent treats, it can be tough to keep your healthy eating habits on track. And with less daylight, tough weather conditions, and a tornado of holiday-related errands and festivities, it gets tough to find the time for regular workouts. Luckily there are things you can do to keep yourself on track, and emerge triumphant by the time January 1 comes along.
Use these 4 tips to set yourself up for success this holiday season.
Embrace the mini-workout. With the ever-growing to do list it can be tough to find the time for regular exercise you do at other times of year. But you don’t have to make exercise an all-or-nothing proposition. Moving every day—even for a few minutes—will give you the energy and clarity you need to stay on track. You can split up your workouts into shorter sessions and still get the benefit. Research has shown that splitting a 30-minute workout into three 10-minute sessions delivers the same benefits.
Challenge yourself. You don’t have to set an audacious goal to keep yourself on track. Start small by tracking your steps on a daily basis, and challenging yourself to move just a few steps more each day. Just download the Movecoach app and sync your favorite training device, and your daily steps will automatically upload into the Movecoach app. As the steps add up, you’ll be earning milestones and cool rewards in your company challenge. Learn more about syncing here.
Create some accountability. Fitness is funner with friends. Invite a friend to join the Movecoach challenge (Click here to learn how) and meet up for regular movement breaks throughout the day. Go on a lunch-break walk, or set up a walking meeting. Plan to meet a friend for a morning workout. It’s much tougher to press the snooze button when you know someone is waiting for you. Use these tips to encourage friends to move more with you.
Eat well. Eating is probably the trickiest terrain during the holidays. So many treasured holiday traditions revolve around meals, dishes, and desserts, and it can be difficult to avoid indulging. You don’t have to endure the season feeling deprived. Just pick your spots. Enjoy the one to two dishes you really love in reasonable portions, and buffer the indulgent foods with whole healthy foods like fruits, veggies, and whole grains, that nourish your health and give you the energy you need to move more.
Maggie Flanagan
Major milestone: I completed my first Marathon—the 42nd Marine Corps Marathon.
What is the secret to your success? Perseverance
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Injuries. I spent tons of money on [doctors]! Illness in the last month leading up to the race meant no training and changing my goals. I switched my race goal. I focused on just finishing, instead of the time goal that my training had indicated was achievable.
What is the most rewarding part of training? The workout sessions that I was able to complete with others. Solo training is such hard work!
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Train with others. Complete all your workout sessions - including strength & conditioning.Be realistic about what you can achieve, but don’t be afraid to change if life gets in the way.
Have a running story to share? Click here for details.
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Name: Rosaleen Dillon
Major milestone: I finished the 2017 Dublin Marathon in 3:57:32. At the end of June I signed up with my 6 brothers to complete the Dublin Marathon. When I entered my 10-K pace, the estimated time was 4:17. I'm glad to say, that with the help of Runcoach , I finished in 3:57:32. (Thank you Runcoach!) So next year, a 3:55 for BQ [Boston Qualifying Time] for Boston is within my reach!
What is the secret to your success? Stick to the plan, be patient and commit to it.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Believe you can! One day, something just clicked, I felt terrible at warm up, but the big workout ended up being the best!
What is the most rewarding part of training? Seeing the improvements and knowing you CAN make it through.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Get the daily reminders. It helped keep me focused. But knowing my weekly schedule helped me arrange my runs with work, kids, etcI loved when my schedule adjusted when I reached a new level of fitness. It gave me encouragement! Also, the coaches are always there to answer questions and give encouragement. I signed up for Runcoach so that I can keep training. I'm not able to train with a club and Runcoach has helped me in every aspect.
Have a running story to share? Click here for details.
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Mitchell Gottlieb
Major milestone: Marine Corps Marathon finisher
What is the secret to your success? Make a plan and stick to it.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? At 55 years old, it was a challenging age to pick up running and decide to run a marathon. Running in the Marine Corps Marathon helped to inspire me on my runs and having my wife push me out the door Monday mornings really helped as well.
What is the most rewarding part of training and the race? Finishing was very rewarding. Running in snow and rain and the look on people's faces as you run by in shorts with a big smile always pumped me up. Race day was an emotional day. It was 9 days before my 56th birthday. The Marine Corps Marathon honors all Marines who have served to defend our great nation. During the race we ran through Washington, DC and Arlington, Virginia. Running past monuments and buildings with such history was uplifting. Running through a sea of photos of our fallen soldiers lost in too many senseless wars was heart wrenching. Marines lined much of the course and I tried to shake hands and thank as many as I could.
It was special to have my family cheering me on from multiple locations along the course. They have supported me for the last six months of training. They motivated me on days when I did not want to run, They worried about me when my long runs ran too long and always tried to get me to stretch.
The most amazing part of the the race was the final .2 miles. Running up the Marine Corps War Memorial hill with cheering crowds and finally passing the finish line. My medal was presented to me by a Marine and finished off with a salute. I was not sure if I should return the salute but did my best after running 26.2 miles. It was a day I will never forget. I'm already looking forward to another marathon.
Haley Carwile
Major milestone: 2017 Marine Corps Marathon
What is the secret to your success? I followed my Runcoach MCM training program from start to finish -- over 787 running miles! My secret to success was never giving up. Even if I had to set my alarm for 3:45 AM to get those long runs in!
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? One week before my race, I sprained my achilles tendon doing a recovery run on the treadmill. I had never injured myself before and had no idea how it would impact my race. I rested, iced, and took over the counter painkillers all week and set a personal goal to run the race as best as I could. I used mental toughness to get through 26.2 miles with an injury.
What is the most rewarding part of training? Seeing results! (I was able to run a 7:30 mile by the end.) Always having something new to try (great workout variation), I loved receiving new workouts each week, and watching the logged miles get higher and higher! Runcoach was amazing through my entire training process.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? You are strong. You are tough. Stick to the training and TRUST it!
Name: Harold Pizzetta
Major milestone: I qualified for the Boston Marathon!
What is the secret to your success? Using Runcoach took away the need for me to stress over how to and how much to train. Runcoach allowed me to focus on enjoying running and racing.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Like many, self-doubt and an injury along the way creates a real risk that i would give up on the marathon distance. My IT band required me to ramp down my running twice while transitioning from half to full. During the second episode, I was sure that I was not going to achieve marathon distance. Following the Runcoach schedule brought me back and fully prepared me for the marathon.
What is the most rewarding part of training? I think back to the transition from half- to full-marathon training. I was absolutely intimidated by the thought of several 20+ mile Saturday runs. But, little by little, Runcoach added miles and I held on for the ride. Reflecting on how far I have come keeps me motivated.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Rest days and easy runs are requirements, just as much as hard workouts and long runs. The easy runs helped my up my miles per week without serious injury or over-training.
Anything else you would like to share? As much as I hate to admit it, I think the speed work suggested by the training plan made a great deal of difference. Those workouts are the most difficult for me, but worth the effort in the end. I have emailed Runcoach for support and suggestions on a few occasions. Each time, the support was terrific. In particular, I got some good advice on adjusting my schedule to deal with an injury.
1. Tap the Me icon (on the bottom-left corner of your phone screen).
2. Select "More."
3. Select "Invite Coworkers."
4. Send your coworkers an invitation to join Movecoach.
From the web, on a computer:
1. Login.
2. Click on the arrow next to your profile photo on the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
3. Select "Invite Coworkers" from the drop-down menu.
Click here for tips on how to help a coworker start exercising regularly and stick with it.
Any questions? Contact us.
After sacrificing so much time, energy, and sweat to train for your race, the stress in the days before the event can feel overwhelming.
It is easy to get caught up in worrying about what you can’t control—factors like the weather, or how well your training went. But that’s not a good use of your emotional energy.
Focus instead on the many other factors within your control that can make or break your race.
Take the steps below to stress less on race week and arrive at the starting line feeling fit, fresh, and ready to run your best.
Hydrate. Dehydration can sap your performance, and make any pace feel harder. Prevent dehydration by consuming plenty of fluids in the days before the race. Aim to consume half your body weight in ounces each day. So if you weigh 160 pounds, try to drink 80 ounces of water or other calorie-free drinks each day. If you weigh 120 pounds, aim for 60 ounces. Sip fluids in small doses throughout the day. Pounding drinks right before a workout, or the race, could cause GI distress.
Eat well. Stick with the foods that have worked well during training and given you a boost without upsetting your stomach. Avoid any new foods or meals with spicy foods in the day before the race—you don’t to risk GI distress. There’s no need to carb-load for a 5-K or a 10-K. But to ensure that you have plenty of fuel when the starting gun fires, in the days before the race make sure that there are plenty of wholesome carb-rich foods in your meals.
Review the course. Review the race course online, or better yet drive or run on stretches of the course in the days before the race. Take mental notes on where you’ll have to push and where you can cruise. Visualize yourself crossing the finish line feeling composed, strong, and exhilarated.
Get your gear out. It’s tempting to try something new to honor the special occasion of the big day. But it’s not a good idea. A gear or wardrobe malfunction before or during the race can throw off your focus and end up derailing the day you’ve been preparing so hard for. Plan to race in the shoes, apparel, gear, and gadgets that have been reliable in training.
Review your logistics. What are your plans for picking up your race packet? How will you get to the race in the morning and get home afterwards? Where will you park? Make a plan, write it down, and stick to it. Spending time to nail down these logistics will help relieve stress on race morning.
Get some rest. Avoid the temptation to cram extra miles or intense workouts in the final days before the race. Your fitness on race day is the result of the cumulative effect of all the workouts you’ve done over weeks and months. It’s unlikely that any workout you do in the week of the event will propel you to a PR. And by pushing the pace or the mileage right before the race, you risk getting injured, and sidelined from a goal you’ve worked so hard and long to achieve. Use the days before the race to rest, run easy, and get plenty of shuteye. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night.
Review your training log. Add up all the miles you logged to train for this big event. Take note of all the times you pushed yourself out the door for a tough workout when you would have rather stayed in. Draw confidence from all that you accomplished on the way to the starting line. Anyone can show up on race day. But it takes months of dedication, sacrifice, and hard work to train for it and get your body and mind into shape to give that race your all. Take some time to reflect on some of the major milestones and highlights of your running life so far—say the first time you completed a mile, ran five miles, broke a new personal best, or hit a pace that once felt impossible. Savor that success. Use those memories, and that pride to fuel your confidence heading into race day.
Review your goals. Have a few time goals in mind that are realistic based on how your training went. Consider the miles you logged, how healthy you feel, and any aches or pains you may have accumulated along the way. If you set a goal at the outset of training, but work, life, illness or injury got in the way, save that goal for another day. It is far better to go in with a conservative goal and surprise yourself than to go into a race with vaunted unrealistic expectations that ultimately lead to disappointment. In addition to setting time goals, be sure to set consider objectives that aren’t so tied to the numbers on the finish-line clock. You might aim to run up the hills you previously walked, try to perfectly execute your fueling plan, or run each mile within 10 to 20 seconds of the previous mile. Or you might try to do a negative split—that is, finish the second half the race faster than the first half.
