Happy Tuesday Reader!

I went to go sign up for the Bay Bridge 10k again and it got me thinking about how much of a dumpster fire my training was last year.

So I thought I would share a quick story about that past flare-up I had and how I handled it. I think it’s a good example of how I approach these situations, both personally and when working with clients.

Back in November, I ran the Bay Bridge 10K. If I’m being honest, I only trained for about six weeks. And if I’m being really honest, it was more like three and a half.

Just after starting my training block, I got hit hard with hand, foot, and mouth disease (courtesy of my toddler). Then we were away for a full week on a trip to Nashville which totally threw off any kind of training rhythm.

By the time I got back, I realized the race was just two weeks away and I panicked. I hadn’t logged nearly the mileage I wanted to, so I ramped things up way too fast. That week, I ran way more than I had been trying to “catch up.” And by the end of it? My right knee let me know it wasn’t thrilled.

Straight up gave myself IT band syndrome.

In the moment, I was super frustrated. It felt like every time I gained some momentum, something would get in the way. I’d never really dealt with a running-related knee issue before, and I wasn’t even sure what caused it at first.

But after a few hours of feeling down, I finally did what I always coach my clients to do: zoom out and reflect.

When something flares up whether it’s your back, shoulder, knee, whatever, it’s important to look at the big picture.

Ask yourself:

• Has anything changed recently in your training or habits?
• Did your routine get disrupted?
• Did your volume or intensity spike out of nowhere?

It’s not about pinning the blame on one exact thing, but more about connecting the dots.

In my case, it was obvious:
→ Got sick
→ Took time off
→ Jammed 3 weeks of training into 1 week
→ Knee wasn’t happy

Flare-ups aren’t failures. They’re feedback.

When they happen, let the emotion cool and then start asking better questions.

What variables can you tweak next time? Different exercise choice? Different pace or tempo? Lower volume? Higher frequency? Different recovery strategy?

The goal is to approach the situation like a science experiment.

Adjust. Adapt. See your body responds.

Rinse and repeat.

Now for me, it was a little too late. Race day was just a week away.

So I focused on symptom management like cutting back on volume, emphasizing a higher cadence during runs, and staying as pain-free as possible.

Not perfect, but enough to get me to the finish line.

If you’re navigating a setback or something flared up recently, you're not alone.

You don’t have to scrap your goals. You just need to step back, get clarity of the landscape, and make a decision on whether you should keep on as you were or make some changes.

Reader - know a friend that might find this helpful?

Just copy and paste this link to send it over to them:

​https://embarkphysioperformance.com/embark-blog​

All the best,

Zach