​The Stroller Warriors of Jacksonville, FL have been fortunate enough to meet monthly with Mike Ryan, PT, ATC a renowned expert in the sports medicine field. We are all fortunate to have Mike here with us today to tell us his top 10 sports medicine tips for runners.
 
Without further ado, here are Mike’s top ten tips! 

1.  Take Care of Your Dogs 
Your feet are your base of support and the home of thousands of nerve receptors. Proper shoes, thin running socks, strong toes muscles and smart blister control are simple ways to keep you running with happy feet.
 
2.  Respect the Hills
Running up and down hills drastically alter the stress on your knees, ankles and low back. Controlling the intensity and the volume of your hill running will allow your body to adapt to the change in terrain. A flat 4 mile run is much easier than a 3 mile hilly run so plan accordingly.

​3.  Keep on Rollin 
If you’re a runner, you MUST be using a leg roller 1-3x/day. It’s a simple tool and it works. It’s my MVP when it comes to relaxing my quads and IT bands both before and after a run.  So you don’t have time? It takes less than 2 minutes per leg. Simply stated; 4 minutes on a roller can be the difference between you running with your SW friends tomorrow morning and sitting at home with knee pain. 
 
4.  Ice, Ice Baby
Ice is your best friend. It helps decrease pain, reduce swelling and accelerate your recovery. A bag of frozen peas is good but….a ziplock bag with crushed ice/water or an ice massage with a frozen papercup of ice is MUCH better.  It’s uncomfortable, yes, but it works! It takes about 4 minutes for the area being treated to go numbs and after that, it’s easy.  My general rule of thumb is to avoid icing any longer than 12 minutes to avoid complications.   

5.  Quads Are Queen
Strong quads - the muscles in the front of the thigh - are so important for runners.  These 4 muscles absorb a majority of the load when your feet pound on the road.  Therefore, keeping these key muscles strong, flexible and happy should be a high priority for injury-free runners young and old. 
 
6.  Running Waves
Running in the shallow and/or deep end of pool is a smart way to enhance your fitness, protect your joint surfaces, change up your routine and strengthen your core.

7.  Total Body Care
We use every muscle group when we run so training the entire body is wise. Core strength, flexible shoulder muscles, strong feet and erect posture are just a few of the “other things to do” besides logging high miles behind the stroller.

​8.  Fuel the Right Way
Hydrating with water, simple sports drinks, plenty of fruits/veggies and healthy proteins will help a runner perform well and recover faster.  Minimizing potentially unhealthy shortcuts like supplements, “energy” drinks, crazy diets and processed food are traits of runners with long running careers.
 
9.  Compress the Calves
Leg swelling is common for older adults on their feet for most of the day.  Calf compression sleeves are a simple way to reduce swelling and reduce the risk of calf strains.
 
10.  Listen to Your Body
No one knows your body better than you do. As we tell our kids: “Please listen to me”….our bodies are saying the very same thing to ourselves.       (a pause to let that powerful analogy run through your mind for a moment).      It’s always comforting to have running partners to join you for your runs but maybe your knee or your heel needs a day off this morning.  Or maybe your legs feel extra fresh today and they’re screaming at you to run a little faster for the last 2 miles of your run. Make listening to your body a habit.  Our bodies are much smarter than we give them credit for so let’s “be good listeners” so we can avoid overuse injuries and keep on running!
 
Mike Ryan, PT,ATC
www.MikeRyanSportsMedicine.com
 
Thank you so much Mike for sharing your wisdom with us! 

Today we have for you the founding story of Stroller Warriors Fort Meade!
 
Stroller Warriors Fort Meade was founded by Rachel S. I had the privilege of meeting Rachel first hand this year. We Captained a Ragnar team together for the 2017 Ragnar DC. Rachel is funny, caring, and a great team player. Sit back and enjoy the founding story of SW Fort Meade!
 
Rachel says she first heard about Stroller Warriors when she lived in Monterey, CA. “There was an active chapter when I was in Monterey, CA but I never joined because I was doing my own thing and thought I didn't need a running group.” Little did Rachel know she was about to learn how wrong she was about not needing a running group!

​Rachel’s interest in Stroller Warriors Running Club was peaked by social media. “A friend of mine moved away from Monterey to Pensacola and she founded the Stroller Warriors Pensacola chapter. Every other post she made on Facebook was about how awesome it was to have a group of runners who supported each other.”

This got Rachel thinking about how awesome it would be to have like-minded individuals in her life to support and encourage one another. Once her son was born and she was back into running she felt the need for a community of runners in her area.

​“We seemed to have a strong community of runners for the post Run Series but there wasn't a specific group. I suddenly wanted a group here in Maryland. I was nervous to start the Stroller Warriors chapter and initially teamed up with a friend. I almost let her take it over while I sat back. I was afraid that I wasn't the right person to lead a Stroller Warrior chapter because I had never been in one. That friend ended up stepping back and allowed me to become the founder of Stroller Warriors Fort Meade.”
 
Rachel says she now has a new motto in life. Her motto is, "Jump in with both eyes closed!"
 
Jumping in with both eyes closed has taught Rachel valuable lessons about herself. “From launching a Stroller Warriors chapter without ever having been involved in one I have learned that I am more outgoing than I give myself credit for. This has allowed me to take on things I didn't think I'd ever do because I was timid and afraid. This chapter was possible all because a team (SWHQ) took a chance on me.”

​Being a Coordinator has not only enabled Rachel to give back to her local community, it has also helped Rachel to grow and develop as a person. “I have grown a lot as a person in the year I've lead the Fort Meade chapter and I know a lot of that goes back to the awesome members we have. These members have become great friends and a vital source of encouragement in my life. I'd never be where I am today without the chapter and it's members. Some people might think that as members they have lots to gain from their leader, but it goes both ways. As a leader, I have gained lots from my members.”
 
Thank you Rachel for sharing your story. We know Stroller Warriors Fort Meade will continue to grow and flourish under your guidance! 

​If you’re a Chapter Founder and would like your story featured please email me at Kelly.swglobal@gmail.com! If you’re interested in founding a chapter and bringing Stroller Warriors to your location, please follow these instructions.
 
Thank You and Happy Running!
Kelly