In Episode #44 of the More Than Miles Podcast, physical therapists Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards and Dr. Kacy Seynders interview physical therapist, author, and running researcher Dr. Jay Dicharry. Jay is a running aficionado, having performed gait evaluations on thousands of runners in his biomechanics research lab, worked with many runners to rehab injuries as a physical therapist, and spent countless hours training for triathlon races. During the interview, they talk about reframing the identity of endurance athletes (i.e., you don’t have to run a marathon to think of yourself as a “runner”), the importance of strength training for endurance athletes, running footwear choices, and tips on training and improving runners’ form.

Jay explains three key factors that he prioritizes when working with running athletes including developing adequate rotational strength at the feet, hips, and trunk; improving postural endurance, and accommodating for individual differences in structure and alignment. He goes on to explain how he developed a training tool to improve foot control in runners (i.e., the Mobo board) and some of the patterns of muscle weakness and poor dynamic control that he often sees and works to correct in runners. They also talk about Jay’s books “Anatomy for Runners” and “Running Rewired” that Jay has written for running athletes that seek to explain some of his philosophy on optimizing runners’ strength and form to enhance performance and reduce injury risk. If you are eager to learn more about the nuances of foot control, training tips, and fun commentary on running culture we highly recommend giving this episode a listen!