Myths About Teen Runners: Debunking Common Misconceptions

When I first envisioned opening Precision, I knew I wanted to create something different from the typical healthcare experience.

I was growing increasingly dissatisfied with the direction healthcare was heading. I repeatedly heard from my clients about their frustrations – how they felt unheard by their practitioners and lost in the system. This was not the healthcare experience I wanted to offer. I was determined to create a space where patients could expect more than just the standard care, where they could feel valued and understood.

As a physical therapist, I was also deeply troubled by the struggles my colleagues faced. Overworked, underpaid, and often unappreciated, many physical therapists were dealing with challenges that went beyond their clinical work. In an environment where perfectionism and competition ruled, collaboration was often sidelined. I found myself wondering: what would happen if we supported and uplifted one another instead of tearing each other down? How could we provide exceptional care to our clients if we weren’t looking out for each other and working to elevate our profession as a whole? This became the driving force behind my desire to change the way things were.

Creating meaningful change is never easy. At first, it’s always met with resistance. Some days, it feels as though I’m running at full speed, but by the end of the day, it seems like I’ve only made small steps forward. I have to remind myself that these small steps are progress, even if they aren’t immediately recognized by others. And that’s okay.

Like most entrepreneurs, I’ve faced my share of setbacks. There have been moments of failure that have been incredibly tough. I’ve made mistakes along the way, but each one has taught me valuable lessons. It’s easy to throw in the towel and give up, to tell yourself that your vision was just a dream that wasn’t meant to be. The barriers and obstacles can feel overwhelming at times. But the true challenge lies in continuing to push forward, even when the going gets tough. I’m confident that over the next few months, Precision will continue to evolve and improve.

I want to share my vision for Precision so you can understand why it exists. It’s important to me that you know what we stand for. I can talk about it to myself all day, but if I don’t share it with you, what does it matter? We truly value and appreciate each of our clients, because without them, we wouldn’t be able to continue growing and pushing boundaries. Thank you for your support. I also want to express my gratitude to the team members I’ve worked with, past and present, for their dedication to this dream.

If you’re not already part of our Precision family, we would love for you to join us.

At Precision, we believe patients should have the freedom to choose their healthcare experience. We’re not bound by insurance companies; instead, we focus on what our clients truly need and deserve. As we continue to grow and evolve, we are committed to innovating and finding new ways to meet the needs of our community. We recognize that every client’s story matters just as much as the physical injury they’re facing. Education—whether for our clients, the community, or ourselves—is key to improving the care we provide and fostering progress within our profession.

We are also committed to building a supportive community and creating lasting relationships. Collaboration and personal growth are essential, both within our team and with our clients and fellow healthcare practitioners. Taking care of ourselves and practicing compassion, not just for our clients but also for one another, is crucial to ensuring we can show up every day as our best selves.

This is the foundation of the excellence we strive for at Precision. It is why we exist, and it’s at the core of everything we do. Thank you for being a part of our journey.

Injuries are unfortunately a common part of the running and triathlon world, with up to 92% of runners experiencing an injury at some point. The causes of these injuries are varied and depend on factors like training history, work, diet, sleep, and much more. While we’ve discussed topics like overtraining, bike fit, and running gait in previous posts, some of the most powerful tools for improving performance and reducing injury risk are often overlooked: strength training, yoga, and mindfulness meditation. Sometimes, adding these components to your training routine, instead of just piling on more miles or hours, can be the key to achieving better results and staying injury-free.

Strength Training

Strength training is a game-changer when it comes to improving performance and reducing injury risk. As Zach Bettis highlighted in a previous blog, strength training can improve running economy, power, and aerobic capacity. This means your heart works more efficiently, you can run faster with fewer steps, and you can cover the same distance with less effort. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym; just two 30-45 minute strength training sessions per week are enough to reap these benefits.

From an injury perspective, strength training helps correct muscle imbalances and functional movement deficits that contribute to common running injuries. Issues like knee valgus, femoral adduction, and over-pronation are often linked to these imbalances, and strength training can address them, improving your form and reducing the risk of injury.

Yoga

Yoga is an excellent addition to any endurance athlete’s training program because it promotes strength, flexibility, and a strong mind-body connection. The practice integrates breathing with movement, stimulating both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

In endurance sports, we tend to over-rely on the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the fight-or-flight response, raising heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure. However, tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system can help lower heart rate, relax muscles, and prepare the body for rest. Since many endurance athletes operate in a constant state of high-stress activity, yoga helps to counterbalance that stress, improving recovery and reducing the risk of injury.

Taking a yoga class once a week—especially one focused on runners or athletes—can significantly enhance your training. You may even want to try our Yoga for Runners class, which starts in June!

Mindfulness Meditation

Spending just 3-5 minutes in quiet reflection each day can do wonders for reducing stress, improving performance, and lowering injury risk. Several studies show that mindfulness meditation can boost motivation, focus, and overall satisfaction in athletes. It also helps reduce stress and the risk of burnout, and it plays a role in improving recovery times.

In one study, athletes who practiced mindfulness meditation were found to be less likely to get injured, as self-regulating thoughts and emotions contributes to better physical resilience. By training your mind to stay calm and focused, you can avoid the mental and physical strain that leads to injuries.

Making It Work for You

We all have reasons to skip out on strength training, yoga, or meditation—busy schedules, lack of time, or simply not seeing the immediate benefits. However, by replacing just one or two hours of your weekly training routine with these practices, you can significantly boost your resilience to injury. Whether you choose yoga, strength training, or meditation—or a combination of all three—you’ll be improving both your physical and mental strength.

Changing habits is always a challenge, but isn’t it more rewarding to keep training and racing than to watch from the sidelines due to injury? Stay consistent, and your body will thank you.