Runner’s knee is patellofermoral syndrome, or anterior knee pain. It can be caused by a number of reasons. Depending on the particular reason, this will determine the treatment. In this episode, I shared the time that I had to shut down from running a race because of my runner’s knee.
Having runner’s knee is not isolated to runners. People who participate in sports related to jumping such as soccer and basketball can also get it. It is also common to women because of relationships of the hips to the knees.
Episode Highlights:
What runner’s knee
The important of strength training
How women have higher potential to have runner’s knee
Get a copy of the book Running Is Cheaper Than Therapy: A Journey Back to Wholeness 👉🏾here. It is available in hardback, paperback, and newly released audio form
In this episode I talk to my clubhouse BFF. We share so much in common. We both started running to help deal with depression. She generously shares with us her story of how she started running, sustaining an injury, recovering from it and thriving in the midst of it.
Lani Woods is an obstacle course racer, runner, podcast host, works in diagnostic medical imaging, single mom, and she also finds time to give back via the non-profit she directs. She is also an American Ninja Warrior. Tune in to hear her amazing story.
Episode Highlights:
Overcoming depression by running
Recovery from physical injury physically and mentally
Positive, uplifting use of social media
Directing a Non-Profit Organization
Guest Bio:
Lani Woods is a native of Los Angeles, California. She is a single mother of two very active and competitive kids. She has a diverse background in health care. Her love for the health industry started very young. She has worked as an EMT, caregiver, and in diagnostic medical imaging. She knew while facing difficulties growing up in poverty and not having access to a lot of resources and activities the importance of physical and mental health. She knew she had the resilience to overcome, Lani used her passion for physical fitness as a coping mechanism for her depression.
Lani started a podcast called unrelenting humans, after suffering a complex leg injury, to empower other athletes to share their stories of resilience, and how they cope mentally while living with injuries and other impairments.
She started running to cope with depression before she knew she even had depression because growing up poor, basically and not having many friends. She was just lonely and always mad. And she just realized that running helped her to feel better.
October 2019 she tore her anterior cruciate ligament( ACL) and posterior cruciate ( PCL) , sustained a tibial plateau fracture, sustained a calf injury and had multiple bone contusions. She got the cast off in December 2019, but didn’t have surgery until February 20 of 2020. She had to do prehab to get range of motion back after the cast just to get to surgery. After a few months of getting back to running she noticed her knee kept swelling. It was found to be caused by the screw. Her body had rejected the screw, so they ultimately had to take out the screws
Podcast helped her in many ways during this process. She started listening to podcasts and listening to people’s stories of overcoming adversity. She used her social media platform to reach out to people and share their stories.
Lani is now a co-founder of a Non-profit organization. It’s called Rock Era. They are dedicated to enriching and empowering the youth in the black and brown communities. Lani had one of her dreams come true she was accepted to be a part of American Ninja Warrior.
In this week’s episode, I am privileged to have been entrusted with Roderick Sewell’s story. He was born with a condition called Tibial Hemimelia. Against all odds, Roderick Sewell succeeded. He not only succeeded he became a Paralympian, an Ironman World Champion finisher. He inspires in everything he does. His story is amazing. Sports literally changed his life, listen to his inspirational story
Episode Highlights:
What is Tibial Hemimelia?
How Roderick conquered his limitations and thrived in sports
How Challenged Athletic Foundation discovered Roderick and supported him from the time he was eight years ago
Learn how Roderick who afraid to swim learned to swim and qualified for Team USA
Listen how swimming increase his endurance so much that he completed the half marathon of his first 70.3 triathlon in less than two hours.
Guest Bio:
Roderick Sewell is Paralympian as well as an Ironman World Champion finisher. His history is significant for having both of his legs amputated before his second birthday because he was born without tibias ( lower leg bones). He was born with a condition called Tibial Hemimelia, also known as Tibial Deficiency.
Sewer’s mother eventually quit her job that she worked at for 20 years on a naval base and filed for unemployment to ensure that he had full coverage for his prosthetic legs, however, took a toll on the family financially.
It was at this time that he found the Challenged Athletes Organization or CAF. CAF is a nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for people with physical challenges to play sports. Prior to CAF, he never considered sports because of the prosthesis that he had. After he was exposed to CAF, the different possibilities and sports became apparent.
CAF has been supporting Roderick since with training equipment, race fees and travel agents from eight until now. It is because of them that he found sports and it transformed his life.
Get a copy of the book Running Is Cheaper Than Therapy: A Journey Back to Wholeness 👉🏾here. It is available in hardback, paperback, and newly released audio form
What are your reasons why? Determining your why gives you purpose, motivation, determination, discipline, and consistently. It reminds you of your direction. The key to developing a “Why” is the best way to ensure you are making progress towards your goals and avoid setbacks toward those goals. So, what is my Why? In this episode, I shared my why’s in terms of sports, particularly triathlons.
Episode Highlights:
My triathlon journey over the years
FOMO the reason why I signed up for Tulsa IronMan
Effects of the pandemic on my athlete life
Anniversary of the Tulsa Massacre
Celebration that black people can freely race, and have overcome so many obstacles
Details of IronMan Tulsa from a Spectator who is also a Triathlete
Get a copy of the book Running Is Cheaper Than Therapy: A Journey Back to Wholeness 👉🏾here. It is available in hardback, paperback, and newly released audio form
In this week’s episode, my guest is the first professional, black female triathlete. I couldn’t be more proud of her! Sika Henry has obtained her pro card at Challenge Cancun, which is a half Ironman distance race. She was the third overall, amateur female. Prior to this race, she also competed in challenge Miami. So listen how she was determined, and did not let obstacles stand in her way. It’s amazing how, despite having a tragic injury, she came back and completed her goals. She did not let the obstacles prevent her from making it to her finish line.
Episode Highlights:
Know what you want and start acting on it.
Obstacles make you stronger.
If you want to do something, make a goal and set out to achieve it.
Keep moving and stay motivated despite setbacks until you have reached your goal.
Enlist help to reach your goals
Guest Bio:
Sika Henry is a competitive professional triathlete, and a corporate analyst based in Newport News, Virginia. She currently works as a full time analyst for Ferguson enterprises. She grew up just outside of New York City. She was a swimmer in high school and a collegiate high jumper. Sika became an NCAA, all American in track and field who earned her Bachelors of Science in economics from Tufts University. She is a 2019 Ironman World Championship finisher, five time Ironman 70.3 age group podium winner and a two time marathon champion. She has been featured in USA triathlon magazine and The Washington Post. She is very passionate about increasing diversity within the sport of triathlon. African Americans presently only make up 5% of a sport. Sika’s goal was to earn her Pro Card in triathlon. She did that at her last race. She is an example that with hard work, determination, that dreams do come true. She continues being an advocate for diversity. I can’t wait to see what else Sika Henry accomplishes.
Get a copy of the book Running Is Cheaper Than Therapy: A Journey Back to Wholeness 👉🏾here. It is available in hardback, paperback, and newly released audio form
We all know the obvious physical benefits when it comes to running, but what about the mental health benefits? Please tune and listen to Dr. Gina Meyer as she goes through the many reasons why women should start their own journey in running. Most of us (if not all of us) understand that every woman finds strength from their hearts and it empowers them in everything that they do, so why should running be different?
Episode Highlights:
The Mental Health Benefits of running
Understand how ARC empowers thousands of women with their running journey
Breaking the barriers that prevent people from starting to running
Going through life armed with the power of a running journey
Tapping into the peace and joy that running can provide
Guest Bio:
Dr. Gina Meyer joins me today. She is passionate about empowering women through health and wellness. She is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and has been a leader in the field of outpatient physical therapy and sports medicine since 2003. She founded Best life physical therapy. Meyer has a true passion for helping her patients beat their pain so they can get back to doing the things they love. This pursuit led to her role as founder and host of the Rise Resolute podcast, a podcast designed to connect women through female athletes stories of grit and perseverance. Dr. Meyer believes that being active is a privilege that enhances our lives in so many ways. Gina founded ARC (Active Resolute Connect) based on her passion for empowering women by improving their mental, physical health and overall being through running.Everyone has a runner within.Through her program she uplifts women, and presents the sport to people who may not otherwise have access, or may not otherwise feel that they are able to run together. Her hope is that through ARC and other programs, that we create a future in which all women can be warmly embraced in the running community and enjoy the amazing benefits running offers. GINA is also a wife, mother of four children, again an avid runner, hiker and golfer. She loves adventure, new experiences, the ocean and the coffee bean. She believes that being active is a privilege. And that when we are active, we can rise up and be our best selves and find joy in life.
Get a copy of the book Running Is Cheaper Than Therapy: A Journey Back to Wholeness 👉🏾here. It is available in hardback, paperback, and newly released audio form
