Return of the Runner

Talk about a throwaway comment!

I'll never forget the first time I heard those words as I sat speechless with my head in my hands in that cold, clammy doctor's office, which suddenly felt more like a morgue. The strange part was that he seemed to enjoy relaying the bad news to me.

I was helpless and in disbelief after receiving the verdict from the doc once he put the x-ray up on the illuminator/viewer and pointed to my right knee and the offending OCD (osteochondritis dissecans) lesion.

I didn't really understand the implications of this diagnosis/condition. All I heard was..."never run again." Powerful statement for a teenager to process, especially when coming from someone in a white coat.

One tear turned into two turned into a steady stream as I had no other choice but to look over at my mom for emotional support. My world was fast caving in...

Navigating life as a 14-year-old was challenging enough and now I apparently had a bum knee that would need to be replaced in my 30s or 40s. GREAT! Kiss that college tennis scholarship goodbye!

Unbeknownst to that pompous orthopedist, I was at the beginning of my athletic career and my identity and survival largely revolved around my ability to run...not only for the sake of sport, but also to escape violence and abuse.

In hindsight, I suppose this was one of a couple defining moments that ultimately put me on the path to becoming a physical therapist...not only to help myself, but to also help others regain confidence in their body and enjoy a life enriched by movement. I don't know about you but it's tough to imagine a life without sport or activity...not an option!

Fortunately, we sought a second opinion and that's when I landed myself in the hands of the late, great Dr. Freddie Fu. Unfortunately, Dr. Fu passed away six days ago...RIP (you can read more about his legacy HERE). Dr. Fu was a world-class doc and pioneer in the field of medicine. Most importantly, he was a present, attentive, and caring person, who took a genuine interest in my situation.

I'll never forget that first appointment. Dr. Fu's office walls were lined with what seemed like hundreds of frames autographed by famous athletes across a wide array of sports thanking him for his unparalleled care. We call these "non-specific effects" in medicine. I knew I was finally at the right place!

There was an aura around Freddie between his reputation in Pittsburgh not to mention that he was accompanied by an entourage of residents and sports medicine fellows, who shadowed him during office visits trying to soak up every last bit of his knowledge like a sponge.

Despite his hectic schedule, Dr. Fu took ample time to get to know me as a person. He also reassured me that I would get back to high level sport. His confidence gave me confidence. Turns out...he was right! I not only got back to playing division one tennis and competitive soccer but have subsequently completed multiple Ironmans and often post the fastest or one of the fastest runs off the bike. Ironically, my knees have never felt better.

All this to say that if you are an active person or runner, who's sidelined from training and experiencing despair, please put your mind at ease. Through patience, persistence, courage, commitment, and connecting with top-notch and caring medical professional(s), you'll get on the other side of things.

I know that I'm not alone in saying that I've been in some dark places physically and mentally as an athlete but I always seem to fight my way through and I know you will too in the event you're currently navigating rough seas or muddy waters.

So without further ado, I wanted to share a spoken word piece with you entitled, Return of the Runner. I originally delivered this a couple weeks ago as a keynote for the CALU Summit, which is a conference put on by my friends and colleagues at Level Up & Clinical Athlete. It encapsulates my framework in helping to migrate runners out of the medical system in spoken word form.

Knowing how many runners, triathletes, coaches, and clinicians are part of my network I thought you'd enjoy it. Hopefully it doesn't ruffle too many feathers as I tend to speak candidly on this topic thanks to my experiences as an athlete and clinician-coach over the past few decades.

Above all else, I'm here to remind you that if you're currently sidelined from training that...you WILL run again!

Enjoy and would love any and all feedback.

Other Random Links & Cool S#%!

Grip strength from midlife as an indicator of later-life brain health and cognition: evidence from a British birth cohort - click HERE​

Grip strength is a fascinating objective measure when it comes to health and wellness. If you're a medical or health professional it's likely something to consider collecting in working with patients. It seems like maximum grip strength may offer some value in predicting brain health. Time to break out the gripper or start lifting some heavy stuff.

Pittsburgh Pirates 1st Team to Field an All Minority Lineup - click HERE​

One of the things that I learned during my recent trip back to Pittsburgh to visit my parents was that the Pirates (Pittsburgh's major league baseball team) were the first team in MLB history to field an all majority lineup and 2021 marked the 50-year anniversary of this event. Pretty cool eh? I'll never forget the time I was over at my Grandma's house and I asked her if she had a baseball I could use to play catch with a friend. She went down into the crawl space of her garage and returned with a ball that had some writing on it. Upon closer inspection it was a bunch of signatures...two of which were Roberto Clemente and Bill Mazeroski! Turns out it was signed by the entire Pirates team from their final year playing at Forbes Field and is likely worth several thousand dollars.

Putting Polarized Training into Practice by Siren Seiler - click HERE

Stephen Seiler is a world-renowned researcher who studies endurance training. He popularized the concept of "polarized training" (AKA "80/20" training). Looks like apples don't fall too far from the tree based on the direction of his daughter, Siren. This is a well written and informative piece about putting polarized training into practice. A great read for all you runners and triathletes.

Red Bull Flight Between Two Tunnels - click HERE​

I never cease to be amazed by the stunts that Red Bull puts on. They draw from so many different sports, cultures, and personalities. Here's a clip that will keep you on the edge of your seats. Not much room for error...

Why Fitter People Drink More Alcohol by Alex Hutchinson - click HERE​

I have a confession...I like BEER! My friends will laugh when they read this because they know when I go to order a beer I generally ask for the highest alcohol citrus IPA on tap. I've told you too much already...HA! (Un)fortunately there is probably no better place in the world for beer than Seattle. Okay...Denver and Portland aren't too shabby either. You'll find this article fascinating if you enjoy exercise and a pint. Alex does a great job of giving you a lens into some key research on the topic. This is the first time I've heard the term "licensing effect," which entails that when you’ve done something “good,” you reward yourself by allowing yourself to do something “bad.” Turns out I'm really good and bad ;-)

Why We Must Leave Medicine | John H.P. Maley Lecture by Tim Flynn - click HERE​

If you feel like medicine should be different when it comes to the patient experience this is a must watch if you have the time. Tim, a well-respected and seasoned physical therapist, discusses how we got ourselves into this mess that we call "healthcare" and how we'll get out of it. I'll never forget the weekend at the Rising Tide conference that my friends and I put on a couple years back in Albuquerque, NM. I got the chance to chase Tim and some other folks around this Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks on the outskirts of Albuquerque. Such a fond memory running through the tent rocks.

Young cyclist beating tour riders - click HERE​

What an incredible and memorable moment for this young kid. I bet we'll be seeing more of him in the future. I bet the pro riders were pleasantly surprised and perhaps scared by his climbing abilities.

Rafael Nadal Fulfills a Loyal Fan's Dream To Meet Him Before Alzheimer Takes Its Toll - click HERE​

It's awesome to see the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer go above and beyond the call of duty all the time for their fans. They've been role models to me and I've closely followed both of their careers having grown up as a competitive tennis player. Their acts of kindness never get old and serve as inspiration and reminder that life is bigger than sport.

Extreme Sport Clips

Skimboarder - click HERE​

Rollerskater - click HERE​

Skateboarder - click HERE​

Skateboarded - click HERE​

BMX'er - click HERE​

See you in October. I can't wait to share some interesting projects that are in the pipeline in my next newsletter. Hope you're settling into Fall or Spring pending which hemisphere you live in.

Lastly, thanks as always for carving out a space for me in your inbox and a special thanks to everyone who onboarded for the Bones, Tendons, Weights, & Whistles course that got underway last Saturday!

Onward,

Chris