Natural Running Center

It is always a challenge being a director of a race. You are always faced with things you did not anticipate.  Twelve hours before the event here in West Virginia, we were hit with a thunderstorm of massive proportions.  Most of the course markings of the run which was 40% trail were gone.  Water from [Read more...]

Please enjoy this excerpt from a new book called “FARMACOLOGY:What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing,” from my colleague Dr. Daphne Miller.  Dr. Miller is a fellow Family Physician and we met a little over a year ago at an event promoting Nature Prescriptions.  Dr. Miller is one of the nation’s [Read more...]

This Saturday on May 11, there’s the Harpers Ferry Half Marathon, 4 Mile, Kids Run (www.harpersferryhalf.org); the 4 Mile is free for kids under 18! Join me on my favorite lunch-break routes at my job at Harpers Ferry Family Medicine. The race course in West Virginia is truly an event of historic proportions.  Every time [Read more...]

April 15 was the 117th running of the Boston Marathon, the oldest and most prestigious footrace in the world.  I have had the privilege of running 20 of them.  The amazing camaraderie amongst the runners, spectators, volunteers, and the City of Boston draws me and my family back every year.  This race has a special [Read more...]

The Sunday before the Boston Marathon, Dr. Walter Bortz of Stanford gave a lecture that received a standing ovation (I do not think I have witnessed a lecture receive a standing ovation).  Most of it was about the failings of our current healthcare mode of treatment focus and how each individual can achieve healthier lives. 

Dr. [Read more...]

NRC readers, This spring and summer we have a full menu of courses and clinics to help you become a healthier runner. If you are interested in learning the Lydiard methods in deep detail come to our 3-day course in Shepherdstown, WV. For those of you wanting an international experience follow the link to our [Read more...]

I’ve had the pleasure of running the Boston Marathon 19 times with a string now of 11 consecutive.  My only misses since 1989 were for military duties and a foot surgery.  In all these efforts, I had 5 under 2:30, 6 between 2:30 and 2:35; 3 between 2:35 and 2:40; 3 between 2:40-2:44; a 2:46 [Read more...]

Barefoot running is back in the news. Or rather barefoot-style running shoes. It’s the kind of “news story” that has “legs”. Yet the media angle is often misleading. I will quote from the first sentence of the story that appeared on the International Business Times website earlier this week: “A recent study seems to indicate [Read more...]

I was recently in New Orleans and had a blast.  It was a privilege to be part of a fun and inspiring running event that is the Rock and Roll. Jenni Peters and Ryan Green of Varsity Sports (an NRC Partner store)  and Newton Running supported my trip and a number of talks. The highlight [Read more...]

A recent study of less than 40 East African tribesman showed that most  land on their heels while running at a slow pace on a compliant surface (not pavement) and when they sped up most changed their pattern to midfoot landing.  Some in the media then grabbed onto this small sample and somehow arrived at [Read more...]