Running is often overlooked as a sport that needs practice and training to truly excel. Running is easily accessible, almost anyone can walk out their door and start no matter their fitness level. 

 There’s no real equipment needed, most people think if they invest in a good pair of shoes and keep running longer and faster they will see improvement.

 Unfortunately this is where they run into trouble with injury and breakdown. - Christina Juliano

In this weeks blog/podcast we catch up with physical therapist and runner Christina Juliano. Christina breaks down the importance of having good technique while running or walking, how important it is to build leg strength and how to have control in every movement to be more efficient!

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Coach: Christina thanks for being on the blog & podcast, let’s tell everyone what you do for a living?

Christina: Physical Therapy with focus in outpatient orthopedics.

Coach: How long have you been doing that?

Christina: 11 years

Coach: What moved you to get into this field?

Christina: My first experience into the sports medicine world, was as a highschool athlete. I spent a lot of time in the athletic training room which led me to get into athletic training. 

 After having to do volunteer hours for high school I was introduced to Physical Therapy. 

 I enjoy learning about how the body moves, treating the body is like a puzzle: fun, challenging, and finding out what’s driving the problem.

 I find it rewarding to see your patients progress and achieve their goals.

Coach: So if I understand this correctly you are a fellow runner yourself?

Christina & Husband Jim

Christina: After college I became an avid runner: participating in distances from 5k to marathon. I also competed in a few sprint triathlons.

Coach: How would you describe yourself as a runner? Slow & Steady, Ol Veteran, The Hare, Next Level Elite? What kind of runner are you?

Christina: Slow and Steady for sure.

Coach: You mentioned in our conversation that running is just like any other sport, you need technique, strength and control…… What do you mean by that?

Christina: I think running is overlooked as a sport that needs practice and training to excel. Running is easily accessible almost anyone can walk out their door and start no matter their fitness level. 

 There’s no real equipment needed, most people think if they invest in a good pair of shoes and keep running longer and faster they will see improvement.

 Unfortunately this is where they run into trouble with injury and breakdown.

Coach: When I think of running just like another sport, for some reason, I think of a golfer. Golf takes a lot of practice. The mechanics needed to swing a golf, now golfers have been adding strength to their game and of course they too need to have control on the course. Does that make sense, is it more to running than just throwing on your Brooks and getting after it?

Christina: Golf is a good sport to compare to running. Golfers refine their swing to improve efficiency, power and endurance to last throughout the match. It’s not just go out and hit as many golf balls as you can and you will get better. If you want to become a better golfer you have to train to improve mobility & strength. If you don’t have the range of motion for the swing how do you generate enough torque to hit the ball as far as you need.

Same goes for running: if you want to be able to run further faster you need to train in other aspects like strength mobility, motor control. Otherwise you end up breaking down.

Coach: Talk to us for a moment about technique, why is this important?

Christina: Technique is important because it improves economy by becoming more efficient. You want to be able to achieve the same goals with the least amount of energy expenditure. 

That’s where technique comes in.

(Learn these techniques by joining our Beginners 5k Transformation Program)

Coach: That’s awesome…….What about strength, why is this also important?

Christina: In general you can say running generates about 3x’s your body weight. Start running faster now you’ve just increased that force!

This is why muscular strength and endurance are important. You need the endurance to maintain the technique and the strength to endure the increased load on the body.

Coach: Now you’ve studied the human body in your profession, you’ve read all the books on running as well…...what can you tell us about the importance of control?

Christina: More importantly motor control: teaching your body to land correctly to avoid injury. This also feeds into technique as well as strength/activation of muscle

Coach: Thank you so much for sharing so many valuable nuggets that we can always come back and listen to this episode to be reminded of the importance of our technique, strength and control. 

Now we want to transition to learning more about Christina’s day to day life:

What At The Moment Are Your Healthy Habits?

Exercise Routine?

Christina: I exercises about 5-6 times a week. Alternating between cardio: bike run, strength training and core workouts.  

Recently I’ve been introduced to the peloton world: So biking has taken over!

 I also really enjoy the ground based movements known as animal flow, working on strength mobility and coordination.

Christina Plunges Of f The Cape May Ferry (Escape The Cape Triathlon)

Coach: Do you Intermittent Fast? If so, what's your schedule? 16/8 or what....

Christina: Recently started to dabble with IF: just 13 hours usually. I been using it mostly to decrease overeating at night.

Coach: Any special diet you follow?

Christina: I try to stay close to plant base whole foods. I’m not super strict, I will have dairy, fish and an occasional egg.

(We encourage a real, unprocessed nutritional plan. Try our 7 Day Keeping It Real Challenge to jumpstart your health goals.)

Coach: What are you excited about today, any special projects that you are working on at that moment?

Christina: I’m excited to be back at Ventnor Wellness, I had a short break due to covid. The teams starting to get back together with Marianne and Amber also returning this week. No current projects, however I would like to start working on a screen for runners looking at mobility and motor control. 

Personally once races return I’d like to sign up, maybe get back to Disney.

Coach: Let's tell people how they can connect with you?

Christina:

PT at Ventnor Wellness:  609-226-0473

FB page: Vetnor wellness for new updates

Email: christinaj1.jcm@gmail.com

Coach: Give us one parting piece of advice and we'll say goodbye: 

Christina:

What I’ve learned from running is Patience

 Patience with yourself

 Patience with the process

 Enjoy the small successes

 Not everyday will be a PR… the important thing is you got out there

 Becoming a more efficient runner takes time at first. It is more work and you’ll actually run a little slower because it’s a learning process.

Eventually it pays off in the long run.

Listen to Christina for yourself on this week’s podcast:

Episode 57: Technique, Strength, & Control w/ Christina Juliano

Thanks for reading this week’s blog, please share this article with a friend. If you enjoy our podcast please don’t forget to subscribe and rate our show.

Remember we are just ONE walk or run away…….

So Keep Calm And Run To The Best You My Friends!

-Coach Tadris

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