MOST Magazine Fitness JUN'15 ISSUE NO.2 | Page 61

avoid issues related to toe nails, foot soreness and blisters. You should not have pain when you move in your shoes and that can be easily solved by finding the right shoes for you. FMM: You use the term gut research, how does a person know when to trust gut research or follow the science? JH: I coach runners to train by their body and listen to the signs. Science teaches us a lot, but many times it may not correspond with your gender or situation. For instance, much of the research in the past has been done on men, and we’re just now discovering the many differences in the two genders. Research is a great guide, but not all of it is well done. Your body will always tell you what works for you and what does not. That’s gut research - learning what works for you. FMM: In your running travels, what city offers the best road challenges, (e.g. hills), for running? and why? JH: I have traveled all over the world. In fact, I’m in route to Paris as I an-swer these questions. I love New York City because there are so many options for running. You can run hills, flat or trails just in Central Park alone! I love running in every city because it is such a fabulous way to get to know the culture and the vibe. Whether you’re running on the 18-mile and very flat lakefront in Chicago or the hills in Nashville. There are plenty of apps like WalkJogRun that can give you routes to run all around the world. FMM: What city offers the safest running environment for running? and why? JH: One of the safest is Chicago as it offers a well-lit flat path that runs along the lakefront and all along the route is well traveled. But no city is completely safe, so it’s always wise to know the course, ask for safe places to run at local running shops or the hotel concierge, run with your eyes and ears uninhibited, and in groups. One of my favorite things to do is to join a group run in cities. These are easily found at local run-ning stores in most cities. FMM: On a scale of 1 to 10, how competitive are you? JH: I find my inner competitive energy varies. When I was in my twenties, I was a very competitive runner and adventure athlete. That was when I was pushing boundaries to see just how far I could go. Now that I’m in my forties, running and other activity are fuel sources for my well be-ing. My finish time does not matter to me, the journey and who I spend it with along the way matters most. FMM: Is your level of competitiveness good for career as a coach? JH: When I first started coaching in the running industry, it really was not a career. You could coach at the school level, but there were not jobs in the health and fitness industry. My coaching career started when I was the director at the Discover Card Fitness Center. I would help employ-ees develop training programs that fit their busy lives and it evolved from there. In a way I was competing with myself to make a career where there was none. Passion and healthy competition are helpful traits when build any career, and especially coaching. >>> www.MOST mag.com || FITNESS M A G A Z I N E || 61