Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast we are talking with Dr. Samantha Braun about training for Ultra’s, running Hell’s Hills and how her training as a Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Physician helps her avoid overtraining injuries.
She is not just a doctor, but she is also a real runner. She recently competed in the Hells hills 50 mile trail race, and was the first female finisher!
Dr. Braun… welcome to the show!
Some of the topics we discuss during the show:
1. Have you always been a runner or is it something that you took up later in life?
2. When did you decide that you wanted to go into medicine? Was it something that you’d always dreamed of as a kid or was there some particular event that inspired you to go into the medical field?
3. Give us a little background on your medical training and more specifically help all of the runners listening understand exactly what a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician actually does on a daily basis in practice.
4. How do you think your training in rehabilitation help you understand your own running mechanics, physical training limits and overtraining injury prevention while training for Ultra’s?
5. I know this often happens to runners. And I’m sure it also happens to your patients who were overcoming weaknesses as a consequence of a serious injury requires specific rehabilitation treatment. Many times when I’m doing consultations for injured runners, it seems a big obstacle to their recovery pops up when they get tired, mentally exhausted or run down, which seems to instill a propensity for negativity.
What is interesting is that these same athletes will actually plan for these moments of being mentally down during a race, and they have a contingency plan in place to help them get over the doldrums mid race. But it seems harder to overcome when they’re bouncing back from an over training injury.
Do you ever see a temporary mental or emotional downtown in rehabilitation patients, and if so what strategies do you use to help them overcome it?
6. Let’s talk about Hell’s Hills. Based on the name, I’m guessing that course is not entirely flat. Since its also 50 miles long, I’m guessing it’s not an easy event. Why did you decide to sign up for it?
7. During that race, even though you obviously did well, was there any section of the race, any particular mile marker or part of the course that you found mentally challenging?
If so, what did you do to restore a more positive mindset and keep running to your potential?
8. Have you ever had any over training injury while training and or competing in any long distance running event?.
If so, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently to prevent that injury from happening?
9. Did you have any trouble that you didn’t expect after running Hell’s Hills?
10. Right now there is some runner listening who is suffering from an over training injury, and very likely of how demoralized they have become as a consequence of not running.
If she was sitting there in front of you right now and you knew this about her, what advice would you give her to encourage her to keep healing, working and getting stronger so that she could get back to running?
Helpful links and resources mentioned in the show:
Dr. Braun, if anyone listening right now wants to reach out to you directly, where should they go?
Episode #1006: Mental Rehab for Recovering Runners with Mental Skills Coach Carrie Jackson »» |