Spark Healthy Runner

Spark Healthy Runner Helping runners stay healthy, run stronger, and enjoy lifelong running through evidence-based coaching, strength training, and education

Even if You Have Been Told to Stop Running with an Injury

09/12/2026

INJURED ≠ automatically stop running 🛑

One of the first questions runners ask me when something starts hurting is:
“Can I still run?”

But I want you asking a slightly different question…
👉🏼 “How much running can my body tolerate RIGHT NOW?”

Maybe we temporarily decrease:

↘️ Mileage
�↘️ Speed
�↘️ Hills
�↘️ Long-run distance

While we simultaneously:

↗️ Build strength
�↗️ Improve capacity
�↗️ Address WHY you're hurting

You don't get bonus points for running through worsening pain…but an injury doesn't automatically mean throwing away months of training either.

🎧 Carolyn Coffin and I break this down in Episode 307 of the Healthy Runner Podcast: 3 Common Marathon Injuries: How to Treat Them Without Giving Up Running.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch the full conversation on YouTube!
�

If you’re new here 👋🏼
I’m Dr. Duane Scotti, former physical therapy professor turned full-time running coach, running physical therapist, and 8x marathoner 🏅

I help everyday runners stop nagging injuries, get stronger, and finally feel confident in their training.

I blend rehab-level expertise with performance training to create simple, proven systems that actually work in real life.

👉🏼Comment GROW to start building your stronger running body

⚠️ 3 Warnings that You Have Achilles Tendinopathy1. You feel pain or stiffness along your achilles tendon in the morning...
09/11/2026

⚠️ 3 Warnings that You Have Achilles Tendinopathy

1. You feel pain or stiffness along your achilles tendon in the morning

2. Your achilles tendon feels tighter than it usually does when you try and stretch your calf muscle after a run

3. Your pain is only present at the beginning of a run and goes away a couple of minutes into the run just to come back again at the end of a long run or after the run is over.

Want to make sure you cut this off in the early stages so you don’t have to worry about your achilles pain worsening with running?

👉🏼 Comment ACHILLES below and I will send you the Ultimate Guide to running healthy without achilles pain

If you like this, ✅ Follow Duane Scotti | Healthy Runner for more running health tips!

🙌🏼 Tag a runner in the comments below who is worried about their Achilles!



If you’re new here 👋🏼
I’m Dr. Duane Scotti, former physical therapy professor turned full-time running coach, running physical therapist, and 8x marathoner 🏅

I help everyday runners stop nagging injuries, get stronger, and finally feel confident in their training.

I blend rehab-level expertise with performance training to create simple, proven systems that actually work in real life.

👉🏼Comment Achilles to start building your stronger running body

09/11/2026

Single-leg strength is one of the biggest game changers for Disney runners.

Train smarter 🧠 not just harder 🤙🏼



If you’re new here 👋🏼
I’m Dr. Duane Scotti, former physical therapy professor turned full-time running coach, running physical therapist, and 8x marathoner 🏅

I help everyday runners stop nagging injuries, get stronger, and finally feel confident in their training.

I blend rehab-level expertise with performance training to create simple, proven systems that actually work in real life.

👉🏼Comment RunDisney to start building your stronger running body

15 years. Same race. A very different runner 💙The photo on the left was from my very first road race, the New Haven Road...
09/10/2026

15 years. Same race. A very different runner 💙

The photo on the left was from my very first road race, the New Haven Road Race 5K.

I was in my 30s, an adult-onset runner, and had no idea where this running journey would take me.

The photo on the right is 15 years later.

Road race #94.

And somewhere between those two photos are thousands of miles, 8 marathons, 38 half marathons, PRs, injuries, setbacks, breakthroughs, finish lines…and one DNF.

But what I’m most grateful for isn't any single race result.

It’s the process of becoming the runner I am today.

Running has taught me that improvement doesn't happen in one training cycle.

It happens when you keep showing up.

When you learn from the hard races.

When you stop trying to prove your fitness every time you toe the line.

When you train smarter instead of always training harder.

And when you appreciate what your body is capable of doing right now.

New Haven has been a special part of that journey.

Over these 15 years, I've run the:
�🏃🏻‍♂️ 5K — 4 times
�🏅 20K — 4 times
�💪🏼 Half Marathon — 4 times

This year, I came back not chasing a half marathon PR, but using the race as part of a 20-mile marathon workout preparing for the Wineglass marathon.

Maybe that's the biggest difference between the runner in these two photos.

The younger version of me thought improvement was about getting faster.

15 years later, I realize improvement is about becoming a stronger, wiser, healthier runner who can keep doing this for years to come.

I'm incredibly grateful that I found running in my 30s.

Grateful for every starting line.

Every finish line.

Every runner I've met along the way.

And even the difficult moments that taught me something I needed to learn.

94 road races later, I still feel like there is so much more of this journey ahead.

Here’s to the next 15 years 🙌🏼

Keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep growing.

The process is the gift 💙

09/10/2026

Most runners randomly do strength workouts 🤷🏻‍♂️

Instead, progress your strength just like you progress your running 🏃🏻‍♀️

Comment runDISNEY for my free guide 🗺️




If you’re new here 👋🏼
I’m Dr. Duane Scotti, former physical therapy professor turned full-time running coach, running physical therapist, and 8x marathoner 🏅

I help everyday runners stop nagging injuries, get stronger, and finally feel confident in their training.

I blend rehab-level expertise with performance training to create simple, proven systems that actually work in real life.

👉🏼Comment RunDisney to start building your stronger running body

09/10/2026

Apparently carrying a Ziploc bag of graham crackers in your backpack isn’t normal? 😂🤷🏻‍♂️

When Carolyn Coffin asked me this during our conversation, I had to laugh because…you never know when you’re going to need some carbs! 🥨🏃🏻‍♂️

Marathon training has taught me to ALWAYS be prepared 😂

We had a lot of fun during this conversation, but we also covered some really important topics for runners especially if hamstring, IT band, or Achilles pain is threatening to derail your training.

🎙️ In Episode 307 of the Healthy Runner Podcast, Carolyn and I break down 3 common marathon injuries and how to treat them without automatically giving up running.

🎧 Listen to Episode 307 wherever you get your podcasts or 📺 watch the full conversation on YouTube!

And yes…I’ll probably continue carrying emergency graham crackers 😂

BIG NEWS! 💦🧂I’m excited to officially announce a new partnership with LMNT 🙌🏼If you’ve followed my running journey, you ...
09/09/2026

BIG NEWS! 💦🧂

I’m excited to officially announce a new partnership with LMNT 🙌🏼

If you’ve followed my running journey, you know how much I talk about hydration and fueling as it is one of my 6 key steps to becoming a stronger, healthier runner 💪🏼

LMNT has become a regular part of my hydration routine, especially during marathon training, long runs, and those extra sweaty workouts.

And to kick off this partnership, I have something for you! 👇🏼

🎁 Get a FREE 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with ANY purchase (even if you’ve ordered from LMNT before!)

Perfect timing as we head into fall race season 🍂🏅

👉🏼 Comment LMNT below and I’ll send you my special Healthy Runner link!

And if you already use LMNT, tell me your favorite flavor below! Mine is watermelon 🍉

WINNING WEDNESDAY: DAVEAfter years of running, Dave found himself dealing with insertional Achilles tendonitis in both l...
09/09/2026

WINNING WEDNESDAY: DAVE

After years of running, Dave found himself dealing with insertional Achilles tendonitis in both legs.
At his worst, he could barely walk without severe pain.

After working with Coach Duane and following a progressive strength and rehab program, Dave is now about 85% healed and, more importantly, believes he can get back to running injury-free.

One of our favorite things Dave shared:
“He gave me the confidence that I could in fact get healed when I was unsure myself. That alone was very valuable.”

That’s what we love about coaching.

It’s not just about getting you through an injury. It’s about helping you become stronger, more confident, and excited about running again.

Are you struggling with an injury or feeling stuck in your running?

Send us a DM or reach out to see if SPARK Healthy Runner could be a good fit for you!

I’m SO excited about something I’ve been working on behind the scenes! 🏰🏃🏻‍♂️✨If you’re training for Disney Marathon Wee...
09/09/2026

I’m SO excited about something I’ve been working on behind the scenes! 🏰🏃🏻‍♂️✨

If you’re training for Disney Marathon Weekend, Goofy, or D***y, I think you’re going to LOVE this.

I took everything I’ve learned as a running PT + coach AND from completing the D***y Challenge twice…and turned it into something I wish I had before my first runDisney weekend. 👀

It’s going to help you train smarter, stay healthy, protect that Disney Battery 🔋 and actually ENJOY the magic on race weekend.

And the best part?

I’m giving it away FREE 🙌🏼

Want me to send it to you?

👇🏼 Comment “RunDisney” below and I’ll send it straight to your DMs! 🏰✨

***yChallenge

09/08/2026

You can’t train like you’re 25 anymore… and expect your body to keep bouncing back the same way 🏃🏻‍♀️

As we get older, staying healthy isn’t about running less…it’s about training smarter 🧠

Strength training. Better recovery. Smarter progression. And knowing how to manage those nagging injuries BEFORE they derail your training.

🎙️ In Episode 307 of the Healthy Runner Podcast, Carolyn Coffin and I break down 3 of the most common marathon injuries…

✅ IT band syndrome

✅ Achilles tendinopathy

✅ Proximal hamstring tendinopathy

…and what you can actually do about them WITHOUT automatically giving up running.

🎧 Listen to Episode 307 on the Healthy Runner Podcast or 📺 watch the full conversation on YouTube!

What’s one thing you’ve changed about your training as you’ve gotten older? 👇🏼

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