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Lead Stories: Tuesday, December 2, 2008

ASK LARA: Introduction and Top-of-Foot Pain

Posted August 21st, 2007 at 8:45 PM by Lara Johnson

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Columns, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Ask Lara

Need advice? Injured? Confused? Overwhelmed? Bored? ASK LARA!
ASK LARA is a free advice column to help you with all of your running, fitness and nutrition inquiries. To ASK LARA — simply fill out the form at the conclusion of the column.

You’ve heard of ASK FLASH…Welcome to ASK LARA, a new place to submit all of your running questions. Let’s get to it!

Q. So Lara, we have Flash for all of our running and fitness questions, why do we need another Q and A columnist?
~Maggie from Boston, MA

A. I’m glad you asked that question. Well, it’s true that I do not have a catchy nickname. And I don’t have Flash’s years of wisdom, as I am much younger. However, I can offer guidance based upon my own personal and professional experiences. On the personal side of the coin, I have had my share of injuries and triumphs and set-backs, and all of those other things that come with being a runner.

Professionally, I have a background in the sciences, including a M.S. in Health & Exercise Science (See below for my full bio), and simply a fascination with human anatomy and exercise physiology. I am a personal trainer and have worked with the old, the young, heart patients, diabetics, healthy adults, addicts, students, in the clinic, and in fitness. And all related to exercise. In order to tackle your many questions, I am teaming up with Flash so that we may best conquer your running inquiries. Two heads are better than one, right? Plus, perhaps some of you ladies have women-specific questions. Send them my way!
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Q&A: Francisco Rodriguez on his transformation from avid smoker to dedicated marathoner

Posted July 19th, 2007 at 2:45 PM by Courtney Albon

Section: Running & Training, Motivation, Success Stories, Special Features, Interviews, Health & Fitness

Twenty years ago, Francisco Rodriguez smoked more than two packs of cigarettes per day - and the thought of running a marathon was almost laughable. Today, the recently-retired Bank of New York Vice President is running as many as 54 races a year and completed his 150th marathon in April at the Boston Marathon.

In the following interview TFS’s Courtney Albon speaks with Rodriguez about his metamorphosis, the challenges he faced, his source of inspiration and support, and the benefits of his new lifestyle.

TFS: What was your life like before you became a marathon runner? What were some of the specific, unhealthy habits that you had to deal with?

Rodriguez: Well, my major problem-or not problem-but my major issue is that I was a very heavy smoker. I used to smoke two and a half packs a day until 1998 when I decided that was not good. So, I started running and I haven’t stopped since then. It’s been twenty years no that I’ve been running.

I always eat healthy, but I just eat a lot. The food is always healthy, but it is in bigger quantities than other people. I don’t eat too many fats or fried foods, things like that, but my major thing was the smoking. So, now I run a lot of races and I run every day. My life is a lot better.

TFS: What triggered you to start working towards living healthier? Was there a moment of epiphany or was it more gradual?
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