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In the Spotlight: Kerry Wittwer

July 8, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

We are back at it with another edition of ‘In the Spotlight.’ This time, let’s chat with Kerry Wittwer!

Kerry contacted me just over 3-months from her race with goals to stay injury-free and run the 1/2 in under 2:00. With 3-months until race day, it was important not to try anything fancy but work on correcting various imbalances and begin introducing strength training to Kerry’s program. Luckily for us, Kerry responded very well and was able to supplement her running with strength training with no setbacks or overtraining.

What I have learned about Kerry is that she will always find a way to get things done. While juggling family-life, work, and travel, there are rarely check-ins where she reports missing days or falling off track. Like I always say, you can have the best program in the world but if you are not consistent over an extended period of time, it does NOT matter. Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about Kerry and can simply provide a small amount of guidance in order for her to be successful. And, I’m super pumped to see how she does with her 1st marathon!!

Without further ado, let’s shine the spotlight on…

Kerry Wittwer

Q: Where are you from?

A: “I’ve pretty much been living in Tennessee or Georgia for most of my life (since I was 8). Through high school, I was in Kingsport in East Tennessee, then College at UT in Knoxville, then 12 years in Atlanta, and then 5 years ago my husband, girls, and I moved up to Franklin.”

Q: What do you do for work?

A: “I am an architect, and work for a firm out of Atlanta called ai3,”

Q: When you aren’t working, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

A: “Aside from running, which is what I do with any available time I can squeeze from my life, my family loves sports. We are a big soccer family; my oldest daughter plays competitively and my younger daughter is starting to get into it, as well. When we’re not at one of their games, we’re normally at a Nashville SC or Atlanta United game….or just watching one on tv.”

Q: What are the top reasons you enjoy running and fitness?

A: “I’ve always enjoyed being active, but somehow after my second daughter’s birth, I decided THAT was the time to run a half marathon. She was 5 months old when I ran my first half, and I haven’t really stopped since. I have found a new sense of pride, peace, and pure enjoyment. I wish I had started so much earlier in life, but am determined to make the most of my time now. I want to run as long as I can, and I want to run as many races with my children as possible. My daughter has already run a few 5ks with me and I can’t wait until she is old enough to run a half with me.”

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be? Why?

A: “Are we talking for running purposes because there are definitely better climates for it than where we are right now in Tennessee! I love Colorado and Switzerland though, if I could literally pick anywhere.”

Q: When you first started working with Garrett, what were the goals you wanted to achieve?

A: “I had been running consistently for 4+ years and completed 6 half marathons when I began working with Garrett. I had gotten to a pretty consistent completion time and was hanging in the 2:10 to 2:16 range, but would find myself just wearing totally out around mile 10 and I really wanted to run a sub 2:00 half.”

Q: What motivated you to work with Garrett and/or start supplementing your running with strength training?

A: “I had experienced one stress fracture and some shin splint issues over the past few years and have been a bit cautious not wanting to find myself injured again, but I knew there were better ways to improve performance, speed, and efficiency AND not get injured.”

Q: Even though you only had 3-months before your race, did you feel like adding strength training made a big impact?

A: “It made a humongous impact. I was actually shocked at how quickly I noticed a change in my running.”

Q: What are the most noticeable improvements you’ve seen so far?

A: “My overall speed is the number one difference. I was shocked at the perceived effort and how it feels easier, yet I’m going faster. I also noticed a large change while running uphill.”

Q: How did your race go? And, are there any specific areas you think you need to improve moving forward?

A: “My race was “almost” perfect. (Perfect is pretty difficult to achieve) I hit my goal of a sub 2 hour half marathon and finished in 1:58:39. This was more than a 12 minute PR. Although I noticed improvements quickly, I think that I could be so much stronger than I am now and that is the most intriguing to me moving forward. If I was finally able to hit that goal with only 3 months of change, what’s in store for me if I keep working?”

Q: What is your favorite part about the individualized programming option?

A: “My favorite part is that it’s tailored to me. Garrett is looking at my current fitness, mileage, goals, weaknesses, past injuries, and available (limited) time, and then designing a plan specific to me that is going to make the most of where I’m at. I was always overwhelmed by the amount of exercises that were “good for runners” and I never really knew which to do, how many reps, what weights….Having Garrett design a plan for me each month takes all of that stress out of it.”

Q: What is that one thing (exercise, drill, etc.) you dislike the most but continue to work on because you know it will help?

A: “Oh man….there may be a few to put on this list. 😉 I really don’t like the deadlifts.”

Q: How do you feel Garrett’s services may differ from other professionals in his field?

A: “The specificity to running being the number one goal. It is strength training for runners.”

Q: The word on the street is you have your eyes set on even bigger goals now that you surpassed the 2:00! Could you tell us about that?

A: “Well, I just turned 40 in June, and my midlife crisis must have struck quickly, because I am now officially registered for my first full marathon!”

Thank you for reading this ‘In the Spotlight’ segment. And, a big shout out to Kerry Wittwer! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or feedback.

In the Spotlight (November): Guy Edwards

November 28, 2017 · by Garrett McLaughlin

We are back at it with our fourth edition of ‘In the Spotlight!’ This month I have a client who has worked hard over the past year and is now running more efficiently with less aches and pains.

When I first met Guy, he was struggling with some achilles tendon issues. As an avid running and all-around active person you can imagine how frustrating that is. After the functional movement evaluation, It was clear that we could make very strong improvements in several areas that would eliminate the achilles pain, while improving overall range of motion and movement quality.

As we close in on 1-year of training, Guy continues to put in the work each and every week. In addition to our regular sessions, he has developed a routine that serves as a dynamic warm-up and maintenance program. Instead of picking his favorite exercises and drills, Guy has done a good job honing in on what truly needs to be addressed. Because ultimately, 2-sessions a week is very minimal. But, incorporating some of these strategies, both within and outside of the sessions, is the reason for these lasting results.

Without further ado, let’s shine the spotlight on…

Guy Edwards

Q: Where are you from? How long have you lived in the Nashville area? And, what brought you here?

A: “Most recently North Georgia. We lived in the Appalachian Mountains not far from Springer Mountain which is the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

I grew up in a small (tiny) town in Northern Mississippi. Marsha and I have lived all over, we moved about every four years for the 32 years we have been married. All, except for the last move to Nashville were business related.

We moved to Nashville 4 years ago to be closer to my three sons and three grandchildren who all live in Nashville.”

Q: What do you do for work?

A: “I’m a now retired, serial entrepreneur. My background is finance and Certified Public Accountant. I spent my early years working for Arthur Anderson, United States Steel, and Marathon Petroleum. Later I started 4 different Healthcare and Pharmaceutical distributions companies, all of which were either taken public or sold to private equity. I still serve on the boards of a couple of those companies.”

Q: When you aren’t working, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

A: “I ride my bicycles, walk my dog, watch Preds hockey and trade options.”

Q: What are the top reasons you enjoy running?

A: “Running is an excuse to travel to interesting places. There is nothing like the experience of running in a redwood forest, watching the sun come up while running on Mt. Tam or the Golden Gate Bridge, running the coastline of Big Sur, Napa Valley on a crisp morning, the first rays of sunlight hit Torre de Paine while running along a glacial river, running along the Fjords of Norway, a forest stream in Bavaria, under of full moon or the forest trails of North Georgia. Then there is Tennessee in the summer 80 degrees’ 90 percent humidity at 7 in the morning. That’s why we run.”

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be? Why?

A: “Nashville. Because my three boys, three grandchildren live here, and the Preds.”

Q: When you first started working with Garrett, what were the goals you wanted to achieve?

A: “My most immediate goal was to fix whatever was causing my Achilles problems. My Achilles was to the point of solve the problem or stop running.”

Q: What motivated you to work with Garrett and/or start making changes in your routine?

A: “Garrett was giving seminars and help sessions at Fleet Feet Brentwood. I spoke with a couple of staff members at Fleet Feet and watched a couple sessions. He seemed to have a different approach that was running specific. It took a couple months but I dropped by to talk with him about my issues. He assured me he could help.”

Q: What are the most noticeable improvements you’ve seen so far?

A: “The most noticeable improvement is to my running form late in a race. I’m able to maintain good posture, breathing and stride length the entire marathon. Strength training is critical to being able to maintain form and pace throughout a race. This past year, I’ve focused on running negative splits on my long training runs and in races. In the past I set out at goal pace and tried to hang on until the end but usually fell off the pace late in training runs and the last 4 miles of the marathon.

The core strength and good posture helps keep breathing and heartrate under control the last 5-6 miles of the marathon. Being able to keep the heartrate from drifting up and less fatigue in the legs helps me run the last 5-6 miles of a marathon about 10-15 seconds per mile faster than average. I no longer feel like I’m just hanging on late in the race.

Equally important, we developed a dynamic warmup that is quick and effective. I credit it in large part to keeping me injury free this last year.”

Q: What is your favorite part about the sessions?

A: “Weighted sleds, don’t you love that feeling when you are just about to throw up?”

Q: What is that one thing you dislike the most but continue to work on because you know it will help?

A: “It’s a tie, trap bar deadlifts and single leg deadlifts. They are a real buzz kill but they work.”

Q: How has supplementing your running with strength training and mobility impacted your running? And, do you feel this is an area more runners need to include in their programs?

A: “Strength training and mobility have a such an impact on running form and remaining injury free especially at longer distances. There are two things to say here. it is impossible to objectively assess your strengths and weaknesses, develop, and stick to a program. You can follow a generic running marathon plan and be relatively successful. It’s not clear to me how you can a follow a generic strength training plan and address all the issues required to be a successful runner.”

Q: How do you feel Garrett’s services may differ from other professionals in his field?

A: “The 5 exercises that will make you faster, the 7 Ab exercises every runner should be doing. There is so much information out there and no doubt much of it good advice. My problem has been trying to sort through it and then figure out how to apply and stick with it. That’s why I turned to Garrett.

I’ve worked with a couple trainers in the past and I have a running coach. The big difference with Garrett’s approach is the periodic functional assessments and tailoring the sessions to address the weaknesses found during the assessments. We retest and modify constantly. I’m a 60-year-old runner and not every exercise is appropriate for me. Garrett modifies many of the movements to address my limitations. In the past, my trainers have used a one program fits all approach. One program was a modified cross-fit where the goal was to see how fast you could run through the exercises. The point seemed to be high intensity training rather than addressing any specific issues or even bothering to make sure the form of each exercise was correct. I ended up injuring my shoulder trying to do kipping pull-ups.

Like a lot of runners, I sought help after an injury. A physical therapist helped me get through the initial rehab of the injury. His assessment was my injury was caused by a lack of functional strength, poor movement patterns and restricted range of motion. I did a lot of research, I found Kelly Starrett’s books particularly helpful in understanding the issues. Understanding the issues of functional strength, poor movement and restricted range of motion doesn’t fix the problem. My view is it’s not possible to self-diagnose then prescribe the proper exercise to remedy the issues. That’s why I turned to Garrett.

Garrett has developed an individualized program for me. We are systematically addressing mobility, flexibility and strength was the relate to running. It’s made a difference. I dropped 13 minutes off my previous marathon time and ran injury free this last year.”

Q: Looking ahead, do you have any new goals/races you are working towards this upcoming year?

A: “The immediate goals for the 2017 fall/winter season were to run a series of half marathons trying to incrementally improve the pace with each race. This fall I have completed 4 half marathons with one to go, Mt. Juliet. The pacing has improved in each race except for the last race which was slightly off my previous best time.

I qualified to run Boston in April 2018, training begins in earnest Mid-December. Will probably run another half about 4 weeks out from Boston to check conditioning. I’m excited to run Boston this spring and it’s my A race for the year. My goal at Boston is to re-qualify for Boston at the marathon. After Boston, I have a trail marathon in Oregon for late July, a marathon in Cape Town South Africa the end of September 2018, and looking at Queensland, NZ in November.”

Thank you for reading this ‘In the Spotlight’ segment. And, a big shout out to Guy Edwards!! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or feedback.

Soft-Tissue Maintenance for the Distance Runner

March 2, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

As the weather starts to warm-up there are a lot more races for runners happening on a weekly basis. This is great for distance runners and the community, as it promotes exercise and living a healthy lifestyle. I do credit runners for their training discipline and being active on a consistent basis, which sets them apart from other exercise-goers. However, an area I see that is commonly neglected is properly recovering from the high mileage demand of distance running. Sports involving high volume, repetitive motions can cause significant wear and tear on your soft-tissue, which increases the chance of injury. In this post I will discuss the process of muscle repair, and why the soft-tissue should be treated regularly.

How Do Muscles Repair?

When you strain a muscle, new muscle forms in its place, correct? Not exactly… During muscle repair following injury or repetitive stress, your body actually lays down different substances which are weaker and less elastic in nature, called scar tissue. Just think about that for a minute… After injury, your soft-tissue just isn’t the same. That is why it’s essential to not just rest completely following soft-tissue injury, but gradually stretch, strengthen and re-align the tissues manually. Once the scar tissue is laid down, it happens in almost a haphazard fashion. These new substances that fill in to repair the tissue need to be aligned in the same direction as the original muscle fiber, or the muscle will not function optimally and the incidence of future injury is high.

Do you have tight muscles? Have you ever considered that the tightness may be a protective mechanism by the brain to prevent further damage? Take a peek at the diagram to the right. Stress can start a vicious cycle, which if not treated properly can lead to injury. Even the low intensity, but repetitive running motion can cause microtrauma to the muscles. In some instances there might not even be a pain response, but often an increased level of soreness for the next few days that people usually disregard as having a great run or workout. This is all it takes on a weekly basis to increase your likelihood of muscular strain, tightness, compensation, and injury.

Soft-Tissue Maintenance/Treatment

Maintaining the resiliency of your soft-tissue is key if you want to excel in running, prevent adhesion/scar tissue build-up, and thus prevent injury. And, the great thing about soft-tissue treatment is there are tons of methods out there. Foam rolling may be the cheapest, do-it-yourself form of self-myofascial release (SMR). A foam roller costs anywhere from $15-$30 and is a must have for all runners. Although there is still some research needed on what exactly foam rolling is doing, there is no doubt that it makes you feel better after and allows greater improvements in flexibility. Other SMR techniques include using tennis balls, lacrosse balls, a theracane, etc. Whichever one you choose is fine with me, as long as you are making an attempt of improving tissue quality. Here is a quick video on foam rolling the Iliotibial Band.

Another great method is massage. It is definitely sufficient to maintain tissue quality with a foam roller, but the direct, hands-on application of a massage therapist is far superior. To manually palpate, and find specific restrictions within the soft-tissue will provide a better outcome. And, you usually don’t have to do a thing. Unlike a foam roller, which usually takes a little bit of work, a message will have more improvements than just to the soft-tissue. By improving lymphatic drainage, increasing blood flow, decreasing pain, and causing a longer lasting state of relaxation, I highly recommend this method once in a while.

As a certified active release techniques provider, I am biased to ART as the most superior method. ART is a diagnosis/treatment technique which takes into consideration not only which way the muscles fibers are oriented, but the movement of the muscle itself. By placing a specific contact on the tissue and then moving it from a shortened to lengthened position, either actively or passively, it allows the therapist to feel and break up any scar tissue/adhesions within the tissue. In terms of tissue repair, this technique makes the most sense by re-aligning the haphazard fibers to regain proper length and function.

Regardless of which soft-tissue method you choose, consider adding something into your maintenance routine. Not only will it allow you to improve flexibility and feel good, but it will reduce your chance of injury. Remember, exercise without proper recovery is like preparing dinner and never putting it into the oven. Why put in all the work if you’re not allowing yourself to reap the benefits. Think of it like getting an oil change for your car, once in a while we need it to continue running at our best. To find a certified active release techniques provider in your area, check out the ART website.

Garrett McLaughlin is a licensed athletic trainer and personal trainer in Nashville, TN. He thoroughly enjoys helping people make improvements within their lives. Aside from one-on-one personal training, Garrett is a certified active release techniques provider. ART is a soft-tissue manual therapy technique to quickly and safely restore the natural function of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and fascia. Contact Garrett for more information.

References:

http://bodyinbalance.com/856/muscular-injury-pain-muscle-healing/

http://www.essentialtherapync.com/scartissue.html

Essentials For Getting The Most Out Of Your Runs

January 12, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

When it comes to distance running there are many proper steps that are often overlooked. In my experience I have come across a significant amount of runners who only run. With repetitive task activities, whether that be siting at a computer and typing all day or running, we need to develop an adequate maintenance program to offset the negative effects of these movements. When I say maintenance program, I am not only talking about exercise, but soft-tissue work, movement prep/warm-up, mobility/flexibility, and nutrition. When all of these things are combined in a way to maximize performance, we can reduce the chance of injury, become more efficient, and improve results. Below are a few tips on getting the most out of your runs.

1. Soft-Tissue Work is essential to maintain normal functioning tissue. It is proven that over time doing the same repetitive motions will cause our tissues to breakdown, become adhered to surrounding structures, and lose there proper function which will cause compensation and injury. There are several great soft-tissue treatment techniques out there such as Active Release Techniques (ART), Graston, Myofascial Release, and Sports Massage. My favorite is ART as it allows the practitioner to evaluate tissue tension, texture, function, and movement. Once the dysfunctional tissues are located, it uses specific protocols to regain the tissues natural function. How often does a runner need soft-tissue work you may ask? Well, it all depends. I always recommend that my clients listen to their bodies. Some come to me every few weeks, and others every few months. Another cheaper alternative would be to pick up a foam roller and trying this form of self-myofascial release. It’s not as effective as using a therapist, but it definitely makes a difference. Here is a great site talking about the benefits of ART on runners.

2. Movement Preparation/Dynamic Warm-Up is essential and often an overlooked aspect to most exercise and running programs. Week after week I hear the same complaints of either not knowing what to do or not having enough time. In just several minutes you can adequately prepare the body for what lies ahead and good chance it will even maximize your run. I truly believe a proper warm-up should be based on our weaknesses while also increasing heart rate, muscle temperature, and mentally preparing for the upcoming activity. Check out these two videos for ideas on basic dynamic warm-ups:

3. Completing a Movement Screen is possibly the most important part of exercising properly. Ask yourself, “Is what I do on a daily basis improving my weaknesses, or am I continuing to put fitness on top of dysfunction?” Now, when I say weakness I don’t mean the actual strength of a muscle, but are all parts of the body functioning correctly to put them through the stress you do running each and every time. A movement screen will take a look at the biomechanics of your movement. Are you compensating? Do you have adequate mobility in your joints? Do you have the necessary strength to complete basic movements? Movement screening breaks you down in order to build you back up. Each and every one of my clients completes a movement screen prior to beginning their program. This way I have a baseline of how their body is functioning and can then create a program to improve their mechanics and also achieve their fitness goals. I highly recommend finding a qualified personal trainer, athletic trainer, or physical therapist to assess your movement and develop a plan to improve these things. This will maximize your runs, allow you to become more efficient with less energy wasted, and most importantly reduce the chance of injury.

4. Many runners have trouble finding the time to Resistance Train. Resistance training is essential to distance runners because it provides the opportunity to improve performance, address any dysfunctional areas, and reduce injury. I don’t even necessarily think you need to go to the gym 3-4 days/week, but based on your movement screen what are some exercises you can do at home that will make you better. It is amazing at how many people have lost the natural movement patterns that we were born with. In a society that is becoming less active every year and sitting long hours at a desk, resistance training can help combat those negative effects. For those that spend the majority of their exercise each week running, complete a movement screen, and develop a corrective program that will take only 10-15 minutes per day. Remember, “A chain is no stronger than it’s weakest link, and life is after all a chain.” – William James.

5. Just as important as a warm-up, Cooling Down/Stretching is a simple and easy way to recover post-run, prevent muscle soreness, and offset the limitations in flexibility we get from exercising and then sitting down as we cool off. Try adding just a 3-5 minute cool down after your runs. This could be as simple as slowing down to a light jog or walking to allow your heart rate to decrease. Once you finish a brief cool down, run through both lower and upper body stretches to restore the muscles back to their resting length. A lot of research shows that we don’t necessarily gain range of motion while stretching the muscles when they are warm due to their elastic properties, but if we reset back to our “normal” tension we can prevent future tightness from developing. Not only will this prevent tightness but it will allow you to recover quicker and feel better the next day.

6. Let’s be honest, Nutrition is the key to it all. We can exercise all day but still not become truly healthy on a cellular level unless we improve our nutrition in some way. Eating right really isn’t that difficult. Strive to eat every 3-4 hours to increase metabolism, regulate blood sugar levels, and prevent excessive hunger which leads to overeating. Once you get that principle down it’s all about quality of food. This means reading labels, staying away from processed foods, and trying to eat as natural as possible. Yes, obviously this can be a more expensive way, but the results you can see from eating well go beyond just your running performance and impact your whole life. I recommend all my distance runner clients to wear a heart rate monitor. This will give a more exact representation of how many calories they are burning during their runs and throughout the day. Then emphasis can be placed on adequately refueling the body and getting enough proteins to prevent tissue degradation.

Take the time to evaluate your current situation. Are any of the above areas missing in your exercise routine? If you are unsure, find a qualified fitness/health professional to evaluate your program and make the necessary changes to maximize results. Stay tuned until next time for ‘Exercises That All Runners Should Be Doing.’ Safe and healthy running to you all!

Garrett McLaughlin is a licensed athletic trainer, personal trainer, and certified active release techniques provider. He creates fitness and injury rehabilitation programs for athletes and the general population. Aside from achieving the client’s specific goal, Garrett is passionate about making each client move better in the process. With years working in collegiate and high school athletics, Garrett has trained cross-country/track athletes to some of their best times. Contact Garrett for more information on personal training, injury rehabilitation, or active release techniques. You can also check out his wellness page on Facebook for more frequent postings.