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. >>>
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