For the Long Run

A weekly newsletter exploring how to keep runners strong, healthy, and injury-free through every season of life. Blending personal insight with evidence-based strategies from my background in physical therapy and coaching—because running well is about more than just mileage, pacing and races. Running is for life.

Browse Past Newsletters

Is Your Calf Weakness Causing Your Injuries?

When we think of running strength, the calves are often overlooked. But if you're a runner—or just someone who wants to stay active and injury-free—your calf muscles are doing a lot more work than you might think. Let's start at the soleus (one of the deeper calf muscles), one of the hardest-work...

by Dr. Erin Kennedy Dalisay — Jun 20, 2025

Happy Father's Day 💙🎉

I just realized that this will be the 15th anniversary of me signing up for my first marathon! My dad has been running marathons since I was very young. So for Father's Day 2010 my gift to him was signing up for the California International Marathon so we could train together. Long story short, r...

by Dr. Erin Kennedy Dalisay — Jun 13, 2025

Quick Test to See If You're Squatting Correctly

Whether you’re a runner, someone returning from injury, or just trying to stay active and strong as you age, the squat is one of the best exercises you can do. But are you actually doing it right? The squat is probably the MOST common exercise that I’ve educated patients on in my career as a phys...

by Dr. Erin Kennedy Dalisay — Jun 06, 2025

Why Strength Training Is Crucial for Injury-Prone Runners

It’s a common misconception that running alone is enough to build leg strength. As a running physical therapist, I’ll hear a lot about how injury-prone runners feel the solution to their pain is stretching, foam rolling or trialling out ten new pairs of shoes. But, honestly? You’ll likely see b...

May 30, 2025

5 Common Mistakes Runners Make That Cause Pain (And How to Avoid Them)

As runners, it’s not uncommon to feel tightness or soreness after runs. But if you’re worried that you’re starting to experience something more serious - this post is for you. I have a confession to make: at the beginning of this month, I started to develop some ankle pain. After finishing my rec...

by Dr. Erin Kennedy Dalisay — May 23, 2025

How a 10-Second Test Can Transform Your Running and Longevity

One Simple, But Eye Opening Exercise My daughter is seven months old. She’s been starting to experiment with pulling up on objects to try to stand. Of course, she needs a close eye and support, or else she won’t be able to balance for longer than a second or two. As a physical therapist, I know t...

May 16, 2025

The Runner's Strength Checklist

Can You Pass These 5 Runner’s Strength Tests? I personally used to dread the summer training cycle. This was before becoming a physical therapist or a run coach. It’s hard for me to perform in the heat, and moving to Virginia didn’t help either. Holy humidity! But after doing my research on the b...

by Erin Kennedy Dalisay — May 09, 2025

Foundations First: Why Base Building Matters More Than You Think

(And how it leads to faster running later.) What's the most common mistake both beginner and experienced runners make? It's not taking their base building phase seriously enough. Whether you're training for your first 5K or gearing up for a half marathon or full marathon, skipping this essentia...

May 02, 2025

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For the Long Run

A weekly newsletter exploring how to keep runners strong, healthy, and injury-free through every season of life. Blending personal insight with evidence-based strategies from my background in physical therapy and coaching—because running well is about more than just mileage, pacing and races. Running is for life.

For the Long Run

For the Long Run

Legs hurting while running?