Fix My Running

On this episode of The Adaptive Zone, we speak to expert Professor Peter Malliares about tendinopathy, a condition characterized by persistent pain around the tendon and dysfunctional disability. We'll learn why an individualized approach is necessary and uncover the various factors that contribute to tendinopathy.  We'll also hear about the various treatments available to patients, includ...

This is one of the most common questions I get from runners. So today I’m going to take a deeper dive into Zone 2 running. We’ll talk about what Zone 2 running is, why it’s important and how to make sure you’re doing it right so that you can improve your race performance. Zone 2 usually refers to a running intensity that focuses on developing the aerobic system. Runners often refer to this as the...

“I had to quit running because it’s bad for my knees” - Millions of people If I had a dime for every time I’d heard that! I don’t actually know how much a dime is, being English and all. Let's dig into the evidence, definitions and context of knee arthritis as it relates to running. Featuring a couple of rants about unhelpful terminology and phrases related to running injuries. More from Matth...

Running with Power Meters has exploded in popularity in the last few years. Taking the baton from their cycling counterparts, elite runners have begun to embrace "power" as a key metric to guide their training. As the cost of running power meters comes down, it's time for recreational runners to get in on the act. Many runners are noticing that "watts" is already displayed on their Garmin or Apple...

I was giving a talk at a running club a couple of weeks ago about strength training for runners. I asked the group to raise their hand if they were doing regular strength training. Only a few hands went up. Then I asked them to raise their hand if they had heard that strength training was good for runners. All the hands went up. This is real progress, it was only a few years ago that runners belie...

If you want to know how much water you should drink when running, you’ll need to know how much you sweat. Sweat rates vary from runner to runner. Some people sweat as little as 200ml of fluid per hour, whereas others can sweat as much as 3 litres per hour! To complicate things, sweat rates can vary significantly within the same runner. If you’re running in -30°C you will sweat far less than you wi...

Most runners have heard that slow running will help improve their performance. However, time and time again I see runners going too fast on their slow runs. This means they're always a bit tired, so they have to go slower on their fast runs. So they end up doing most of their runs at a kind of moderate-intensity pace. Missing out on many of the training benefits experienced at lower and higher int...

Runners often use gels and sports drinks to fuel their long runs. In my experience, they typically take 1 gel per hour (at the most). Frankly, this is not enough. That would be 20-25 grams of carbohydrate. If you want to fuel your long run properly, you need more like 30-60 grams of carbohydrate. That’s more like 2-3 gels. To put it more clearly, most runners be fuelling with 2-3 times as much car...

If you'd like a pdf walkthrough of the "Project 2023" goal-setting method, email me the word "pdf" and I'll send it to you: mboydphysio@gmail.com If you set your goals using this method, I'd love to hear them, just email me at that same address. I'd also love to connect with you on Instagram, give me a follow @matthewboydphysio Happy New Year Everyone!

Leaking urine when running is way more common than it should be. Every week I meet a runner in the clinic with this problem. The degree to which urinary incontinence with exercise has been normalized is really disheartening. This is a significant medical problem. It is NOT normal and it CAN be treated. If you, or someone you know, is having trouble with leaking when running you are going to be so...

Achilles Tendinitis is one of the most common running injuries out there. It is also one of the most difficult to overcome. Research studies suggest that many runners with Achilles pain are still experiencing symptoms years after it starts. My guest today is Mike Morton. When we met a couple of years ago, Mike had been suffering from severe Achilles Tendinitis and had been unable to run for almost...

Symptoms of perimenopause can start as early as your 30s. They can include irregular periods, hot flashes, sleep problems, mood changes, vaginal and bladder problems, decreasing fertility, changes in sexual function, reduced bone density and a whole host of other issues. Pelvic Health Physiotherapist Michelle Lyons joins me on the show today to discuss the specific problems that might be affecting...

Some common mistakes runners make when carb loading for marathons include focusing too much on the night before, including foods that contain high amounts of fat and trying to eat more food overall - rather than just more carbs. In today's episode, Endurance Sports Dietician Stephanie Small will walk us through the nuance of carb loading for half marathons, marathons and ultra-marathons. Carb Load...

Do you suffer from cramps? Do you find you perform poorly when running in the heat? Do you ever experience a kind of malaise that leaves you unable to hold your pace? Have you ever dropped out of a race or ended up in the medical tent? Do you come home from runs drenched in sweat? Do you find salt stains on your running gear?   If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may need to le...

Today, we're chatting with Stephanie Small about Running to Lose Weight. Steph is a Registered Dietician who specializes in helping recreational and competitive athletes. You can find her at Stephanie Small Coaching.com . In this episode, we discuss the role of running in fat loss, how to avoid gaining weight if you're training a lot and how to modify your diet to allow you to lose body fat withou...

Click here to download your Free Marathon Training Plan Looking for an exciting new challenge? Feel like a marathon or an Ironman might be a little bit easy? Adventure Racing might be for you! In today's episode Triathlon Coach, Teresa Harrison is back to give us her guide to Adventure Racing 101. How to get into Adventure Racing 00:00:00 Introduction 00:05:43 What is Adventure Racing? 00:19:55 Ho...

Irregular periods are extremely common among female runners. However, just because something is common, it doesn't mean that it's normal. Menstrual cycle disturbance can be an early warning sign of something called low energy availability . This is when the athlete is burning more calories than they're taking in. This situation drives the body into a kind of crisis mode during which it will only f...

YouTube video of this episode Online Running Technique Analysis Discussed in this episode... 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:54 What does the evidence say? 00:03:11 Overstriding 00:04:23 Vertical Oscillation 00:05:40 Knock Knees and Dropped Pelvis 00:07:17 What is good running form? 00:07:55 Cadence 00:10:43 How to fix your running form Cool stuff mentioned in the show... 00:14:44 Top 4 Running Form T...

YouTube video of this episode Can I keep Running Through Pain? This must be one of the most common questions I hear as a Physiotherapist. The shorter answer is, actually, yeh, probably. However, as with most things, it's not quite that simple. So in this episode, I'm going to break this down into 6 separate questions. Is this a niggle or an injury? Can I keep running through the pain? Do I need to...

YouTube video of this episode The secret to avoiding running injuries is more simple than we often think. When runners get injured they will often jump to blaming their shoes, their technique, tight muscles, weak core...the list goes on.  Sometimes these things can be important, however, one thing is always important if you want to avoid running injuries, Adaptation . More from Matthew Boyd P...

Planning on doing a marathon this year? Hansons Marathon Method tosses out mega-long runs and high-mileage weekends—two old-fashioned running traditions that often injure and discourage runners. Runners using the Hansons method will gradually build-up to the moderate-high mileage required for marathon success, spreading those miles more sensibly throughout the week. Running easy days mixed with pr...

These training zone calculators help you determine your individualized training zones for running. We use three field tests that you can do with just a GPS watch or a running app on your phone and a heart rate monitor. We take the results from those three field tests to determine your specific training zones and track the effectiveness of your training. Full show notes for this episode including a...

Nowadays most runners know that including strength training in their program is likely to improve their performance. However, most runners aren't actually doing any strength training, and those that are may not be seeing the benefits they hoped for. In order to help runners optimize their strength training, I invited Rich Blagrove, author of the book Strength and Conditioning for Endurance Running...

This episode is part of the Running Fundamentals Course. A free online course to help runners understand the foundations of running performance. Just click the link to get the full course sent to your inbox. Running Fundamentals Course Why are my Running Heart Rate Zones not accurate? Have you ever wondered why the running heart rate zones on your GPS watch or running app seem way off? So, for exa...

There is certainly no shortage of "advice" out there about running form. If your social media habits are anything like mine, you can't scroll down your feed more than two or three times without seeing some video or image depicting "bad running form" or "good running form" or some sort of transition between the two. Heck, I've put up quite a number of these posts myself! BUT! What does the evidence...