Have you dedicated some time to your butt today?

We had the reknowned Dr. Bob Wilder, Director of the UVa Sports Rehab and Running  clinic speak last Saturday to the Women’s 4 Miler Training Program participants about running without injury or pain (well, a little pain may be OK).

He asked the very pointed question: “How many of you dedicate some time to your glutes every day?”

I only saw one hand in the sea of hundreds go up (that was my coach). No surprise there, but I’m here to tell ya’, he may be on to something.

I am proud to say, that as someone who started running while significantly overweight and out of shape, I have been mostly injury and pain free. I worried a lot about the impact and possible damage all that weight would have on my middle-aged joints. Maybe I’m lucky, but I think it’s because I obsessively researched and adopted a moderate training plan, and I stuck to the plan. (Remember? This was one of Dr. Wilder’s suggestions – the sticking to the plan part, not the obsessing over the plan part.)

I have had only one minor injury over the course of my training. I was doing some “speed” work and busted into an all-out “sprint” (yeah, I still giggle when I say “speed” or “sprint”). I felt a little something go “sproing!!” in my hip. Turned out that this was not something that hurt while I was running, but I looked like the grandma who forgot her walker in my off hours. Getting out of the car, going up steps – killed me! My hip was tender and very stiff. I gingerly maintained my training schedule and paid a little extra attention to stretching this area.

Eventually, it became more of a dull nuisance. I worried about whether this injury would rise up and disrupt my running long term or cause some more lasting damage, so I decided to seek professional assistance. I was referred to physical therapy, and I had visions in my head of massage and electro-stimulation and gels and aroma therapy . I just knew they were going to pamper my hip back to health.

Um, no.

In the initial assessment, my PT said I had exceptionally tight hips, which I, of course, took as high praise. NEVER had the words tight and hips ever been used concurrently with reference to MY body. Then he said I was pretty athletic.

Oh, the euphoria!

It  wasn’t long before the afterglow of all this sweet talking was replaced with the reality that my therapy was going to involve some pretty demanding strength training of my core and my glutes.

I commenced to whining right away. Abs?! My six-pack (having always been insulated with a generous layer of flesh) packed up and left three babies ago. Are you kidding me? And can we talk about the shame of not being able to isolate or even find the glute muscle in question?

Well, fast forward a bit, and I can tell you now that the core work has made me a better runner. It has improved my form which has in turn improved my endurance and kept me from any further hip pain – or any other nagging pains or injury for that matter.

So go ahead and give your glutes a little extra attention today. You will be glad for it.