ProLog: Key to being an Olympian? Be #ProActive!

Meb Keflezighi is one of the greatest American distance runners of all time. He has been competing at the highest level since high school. Now, at age 41, he is going to his fourth Olympics. His accomplishments include 4 NCAA championships, 22 national championships, a win at Boston and New York marathons, and a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic marathon.

What is the key to his longevity at the highest level of distance running? Being ProActive about his health and doing prehab instead of rehab! Check out what he had to say in this recent Outside Online article:

"People say, “Go the extra mile.” But that’s not always a good idea. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to go one mile less. [What's important is] staying healthy and being consistent. I still get my share of injuries, but, as I write in my book, Meb for Mortals, it’s about “prehab instead of rehab.” You’d rather do one less mile and be able to say, “I could have done more,” versus “I’m totally drained.” In physical therapy, people will ask me, “What hurts?” And I’ll say, “Nothing hurts. I just need to be tuned up. I’ve put my body through a lot of stress, a lot of mileage, and I want to get it taken care of before it becomes a problem.” You’d rather get to the starting line healthy than just be one percent over-trained."

Most athletes need to be doing some sort of "prehab" in order to stay healthy and put themselves through the stress of their sport. Be sure you are making time to take care of your body!

Check out the full article here.

Be like Meb. Be ProActive. Prosper.