Author Archives: suzanne

Tapering for a half marathon

  This post is prepared by West 4th Physiotherapy associate and runner Suzanne Foster Tapering Tips – Half Marathon Distance 1) Your last long run should be two weeks from race day. This allows the body to fully RECOVER from all those hard earned miles and to reap the physiological benefits of the increased mileage. This run is a great time to practice your fuel/hydration/warm up strategy for the race, what you are going to wear, what are you going to eat the night before the race as well as … Read the rest of this post »

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Downhill running tips for success

 This post is prepared by West 4th Physiotherapy associate and runner Suzanne Foster Don’t Put On The Brakes: Keys to Conquering Running Downhill! If your quadriceps muscles are sore after hilly running, it is probably from the downhill portion.  This is because downhill running requires our thigh and lower leg muscles, to contract “eccentrically” or lengthen as we move down the hill. This can actually cause microtearing within the muscle as eccentric loading uses more force than on uphill or flat terrain. This is more costly from an energy and recovery perspective possibly leading to injuries (IT Band … Read the rest of this post »

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The Joy of Running Hills

This post is prepared by West 4th Physiotherapy associate Suzanne Foster. Read on and enjoy! Nothing brings me more joy during a run or race than seeing a huge hill ahead of me just waiting to be conquered. As someone who has run for 20 plus years, I have avoided speed work like the plague and will find any excuse not to do it! Thus I was pleased to find out that running hills could actually make me faster and could actually be considered a form of speed training  ( http://www.runnersworld.com/for-beginners-only/why-you-need-hills-in-your-running-routine ), … Read the rest of this post »

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Healthy running

This running tip was specifically written for Vancouver Frontrunners and comes from Suzanne Foster, a Physiotherapist with West 4th Physiotherapy(www.west4thphysio.com) whose practice is heavily focused on runners. Thanks Suzanne! Start off on the right foot! Did you know that 50% of runners are injured every year? Even now with all the advanced technology out there dedicated with perfecting the running shoe and the time and money spent on different kinds of treatment, the incidence is still increasing!  We all know that whether you are an athlete, runner, or jogger, at … Read the rest of this post »

Posted in Avoiding Injury, Knee, Running and the SunRun, Sports | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Pre and post natal fitness

 Recently I attended a pre and postnatal specialist certification program in which I had the opportunity to work with other health and wellbeing professionals.  The course was put on by Fit 4 Two – an organization founded by Melanie Osmack- a dynamic pre and post natal fitness specialist, trainer, developer, presenter, and writer. The course covered prenatal anatomy and physiology, fitness guidelines, strength and core exercises for pregnancy, labour and beyond, as well as class planning and personal training.  I was amazed at the changes that a woman’s body goes … Read the rest of this post »

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