In 2019 I thought I was done with long distance running. This month I ran the NYC Marathon.
Here’s the story…
NYC Marathon 2014
This was my 4th marathon. I ran New York once before in 2014, on my 30th birthday. This year's race was 10 years +1 day later.
In 2019 I didn’t think I’d ever run a distance this far again.
The last time I trained for a marathon was in 2019 when I got injured with a hip labral tear and was told by doctors that I needed to stop running because my body was aging. I was 35 at the time…
Labral tears are extremely common. I work with many clients who have had this injury. Some tears require surgical intervention, some, like mine, do not.
I refused to stop running, in my adult life running has been my safe space, an outlet and support for my mental health.
Being called old by these doctors set me down a path of movement study and exploration that became The Danaher Method.
NYC Marathon 2024
I set off to develop a movement practice for myself that included running AND included strengthening deep, small muscles, doubled down core work - and I’m not talking about crunches - and made muscle release a must-do in every session, be it with a ball or on a foam roller.
The Danaher Method started to help my own injuries and now it’s how I spend mine time teaching the principles to others.
Now back to the marathon...
This NYC marathon was not easy for me but it was a success.
The training was a slog.
Training looked like -
2 x Week Running: 1 Short (Hills or Fast Pace), 1 Long Run
2 x Week Strength Training: which always starts with a Pilates & Deep Core Warm Up
2 x Week: Pilates on the Reformer / Mat
Daily: Muscle Release with a foam roller or ball
Then there was the mental aspect. I had heaps of anxiety leading up to the race. I only told a few people I was training. It wasn’t until weeks before the race that I actually started talking about it.
In the race, all the things happened - excitement, feeling fantastic, feeling horrible, projectile vomiting, ultimately getting myself across the finish line by run/walking the last 4 miles.
Here’s the thing. I did something I didn’t think I’d be able to do. The method worked. I stayed true to this practice of stretching, release work and strengthening. My body was strong and healthy during the training. It worked.
This got me thinking about all the other things we think we "can’t do":
I can’t…
I’m to old to…
Imagine what people would say if I…
What if I fail…
What would happen if we break the "I can'ts" into manageable pieces? Maybe we can start taking steps closer to that goal and it becomes an "I did"...
Focus of the Month: Self Care
How will Self Care show up this month:
The Complete Self Care Session
A new private session format.
The intention of the session is to calm your nervous system and relieve sore muscles during a time of year when stress levels can peak. The session is 75 minutes and includes 10 minutes of tension relieving massage.
During your session you’ll receive guidance on how to continue to practice at home with our digital library. 1 month Digital Library subscription is included with your session.
Self Care Digital Classes
Meet the Self Care channel on the TDM digital library. Designed to calm your nervous system and relax your muscles.
This is a dedicated channel of classes using trigger point balls and a foam roller to hone in on the areas of tension I see most commonly as a practitioner - Neck & Shoulders, Lower-Back and Hips. Additionally the series focuses on breath & nervous system regulation.
The classes are available on the Digital Library.
Classes & Community
November & December Class Schedule
TDM HIIT & Pilates:
Monday 8:00AM
Wednesday 6:45PM
Saturday 10:00AM
Class bookings open 2 weeks in advance
**check the latest schedule for holiday week updates**
Ok! I think that's all for now. Thanks for being here!
Until next month!
xxx Catherine
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter by clicking the below link and scroll to the bottom...
Comments