About the time I was able to support myself on two legs, I began running and Nordic skiing. In my early childhood I was running laps around the house and, in my mind as a dreamer, standing on the Olympics’ gold medal podium and providing interviews to the eager media. My love for simple endurance activities continued to grow as I traveled to my father’s Nordic skiing and bicycle races most weekends throughout grade school. I found my own passion for challenging myself when my fourth-grade class was introduced to a one-mile running race by the high school cross-county coach, inviting the top runners to the team’s banquet at the end of the season. I was hooked and throughout middle and high school participated in cross-country running, track, soccer, and Nordic skiing. In my adult years I’ve embraced Pilates, yoga, backpacking, rock climbing, triathlons, in addition to my first love, the simplicity of running. Most especially, I have enjoyed the many 50K and 50 mile endurance runs I’ve completed.
I was introduced to massage in my late teens as a somewhat injury-prone runner, and quickly noticed its positive influence on my body and overall feeling of well-being. I was stunned by the immediate benefits and became an instant convert!
My interest in providing massage professionally grew after receiving a sports massage book from a friend. I immediately fell in love with the work and completed my first formal massage training in Minnesota at Eagle’s Nest Institute in 1996. I continued my education after moving to Seattle, becoming a 2001 graduate of the Brian Utting School of Massage (now Cortiva Institute). My education, work with elite and recreational athletes, and closely associating to many other brilliant health care specialists deeply inform my work. It’s such a great pleasure to help my clients recover from pain and injury and gain a better understanding of their bodies!
Real life experience influences me most. I began thinking about running form in middle and high school cross-country and track. Efficiency and pleasure in movement was innately important to me. While finding my love for the trails, running my first 50K and 50 miler in 1996 when I was 20, I was simultaneously delving into the world of massage and considering how the body’s movement patterns contribute to efficiency, or lead to injury. Also of great influence is my personal yoga and Pilates practices, awakening an evolving awareness and understanding of my body.
I have learned much from competing in ultramarathons, and further from closely teaming with Scott Jurek during the prime of his career, from 1996 – 2007. He often referred to me as his coach. Although I would argue he definitely took the lead, I take great pride in the intuitive advice and assistance I offered in guiding his training and during critical moments in his most important events. From 2003 – 2007 we hosted multi-day trail running camps and clinics, assisting runners with form, strengthening, stretching, mental preparation, training philosophies and programs.
I moved to Seattle in 1999 to help friends open a running shoe store. My experience there exposed me the confusing process of purchasing the modern running shoe. We set up a treadmill with slow motion video to analyze running form and the typical pronation evaluation. I noticed most people ran really well in a more neutral shoe. I started questioning a lot of the commonly asserted “correction” all of these other shoes were offering and continued to carry this question into my massage practice and coaching. Are we broken?
My personal transition to minimalist and barefoot running came naturally. In 2008 I began running in huaraches given to me by my friend, Born to Run famed Barefoot Ted. Since I had previously been known to forget running shoes or have such severe blister troubles, I’d run miles upon miles in sandals or barefoot. But when I intentionally began incorporating this method of running into my routine, I noticed the technique concepts I’ve always been mindful of occurred much more naturally. It was easier to engage my core and stability muscles, easier to stay open in the front of my hips, and easier to run lightly. The feedback from the ground was instant, allowing the body to be engaged more fully and running felt much more fluid to me, exactly as I’d always been aiming for. It didn’t take much time for me to ditch all my modern running shoes.
The most important concept I bring to my coaching is to consider that when we’re experiencing pain, our body is telling us to pay attention. I feel strongly that it’s our responsibility to believe in our bodies and treat them well, allowing them to reach their potentials of health and balance.
I am licensed to practice massage in the state of Washington, nationally certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and am a professional member of the American Massage Therapy Association.