Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT

Steady State Health Co-Founder & CEO
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[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

Do you ever worry when you don't hit your exact run mileage?

Perfectionistic concerns (worrying about mistakes and doubting whether you did something right) can roughly triple your injury odds compared to runners who worry about it far less (Naderi 2024).

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

Once runners understand this, they stop guessing what to do and start making better decisions on their own.

Listening to your body means understanding it well enough to know what to do next. Avoiding anything that hurts is actually ignoring your body.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

For years, I've told runners to "listen to your body."

But I've learned that's only helpful if you know what you're listening for.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

Without this education it can seem like pain should signal the same strategy, no matter where the pain is coming from.

But the rules are completely different depending on which tissue you're dealing with.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

Most runners don't know that's an option. They think chronic injuries are just part of running.

They're not.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

I used to think getting back to baseline was the goal. Pain-free & running the same mileage that you were before the injury = back to normal.

But I've learned that's only 2/3 of the way there.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

This is the secret that so many runners are looking for, and what keeps you running for decades instead of cycling through injuries every year.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

Why runners have chronic injuries:

Pain gets better just enough with rest that we lose motivation to continue to put in the work to fully address the root cause.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

If you find yourself worrying about whether you're still making progress, zoom out your time horizon.

Looking at stats in 30, 90, and 180 day time-frames is a game changer to help you stay motivated to stick with the process.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

No training is wasted, even if a race doesn't go to plan. Because YOU are the outcome of your training. Not the race.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

There is no such thing as a bad movement - it just may put more stress on certain areas of our body.

If these areas are relatively weak, this increased stress may lead to pain - so people may perceive the movement as bad.

We are meant to move!

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

Every runner needs to understand this: passive strategies like ice, stretching, and massage never get to the root cause of overuse injuries...overUSE!

Either accept running less or get your body able to tolerate more use - through strength training and/or smart run progressions.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

If you have a body, you're an athlete.

Original quote by Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike.

[Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT @kcullenberg]

Ultra-running has inspired people to do amazing things.

But it's now common for people to think you're not a 'real runner' unless you've run marathons...

It's ok to not run farther.

Do what YOU WANT & what makes you HAPPY.

Don't do something just bc you feel like you should.