Robyn Pester Physical Therapy

17/07/2025

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 🧠👟

If you’ve ever thought,

"Maybe I should just run less..."
..you’re not alone.

The aches. The tweaks. The fatigue that seems to hit harder than it used to.
It makes you question if your body just isn’t “built” for this anymore.

But let me tell you something important:

👉 It’s not about running less.

It’s about running smarter.

Most runners in their 40s and 50s aren’t injured because they’re overtraining.
They’re injured because they’re under-recovering, under-strengthening, and following training plans that weren’t made for them.

📚 A recent review in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy highlighted that individualized training programs based on strength, hormonal age, and tissue tolerance led to fewer injuries and better performance in female runners 40+.
Here’s the smarter way to run:

✅ Incorporate 2x/week strength sessions
✅ Match your training to your cycle (or post-menopause rhythm)
✅ Use cross-training days to support—not compete with—your runs
✅ Focus on mobility and recovery as much as mileage

Your training should evolve with you—not punish you for aging.
You’re not broken. You’re just ready for better tools.

Smarter movement. Smarter recovery. Smarter progress.

👇 If you’re ready to step into the next phase of your running journey, comment “SMART” and let’s talk about what that looks like for you.

16/07/2025

Still gasping for air—even on “easy” runs? 🫁

If your breathing feels off or you’re running out of energy way too soon… it might not be your lungs or fitness—it could be your breathing patterns. 😳

Most runners don’t realize that overbreathing can mess with performance, stress levels, and recovery. This article breaks it down so clearly. Worth the 3-minute read.

👉 https://www.consciousbreathing.com/blogs/co2-academy/stop-overbreathing-how-co2-stress-and-performance-are-connected

Comment “reset” if you want to feel more in control of your breathing and energy.

What If Your Breath Wasn't Helping You—But Hurting You? Imagine this: You’re on stage. The lights are blinding. Your heart pounds like a war drum. Your breath quickens—fast and shallow. Your chest tightens. Panic creeps in. What if the very thing keeping you alive—your breath—is working ag...

15/07/2025

𝟯𝟬𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗺𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗲? 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 💪

You just crushed your run… but what happens in the next 30 minutes can make or break your recovery. 🕒

Enter: the 30-gram protein smoothie that fuels your muscles, supports hormonal balance, and keeps midlife runners like YOU moving pain-free and strong.

💡 Why it matters:

After 40, women naturally lose muscle at a faster rate—a process called sarcopenia. And if you're running without replenishing protein? You're accelerating that decline.
👉 A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that women over 40 need at least 25–30 grams of protein per meal to stimulate muscle repair and growth.

Especially post-run.

Here’s my go-to "Runner’s Rebuild" Smoothie for 30g of clean, recovery-focused protein:

🥤“Runner’s Rebuild” Smoothie Recipe
• 1 scoop (20g) high-quality whey or plant protein
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• ½ frozen banana (carbs to refuel glycogen)
• 2 tbsp PB or almond butter (healthy fats + flavor)
• ½ cup Greek yogurt (extra 10g of protein!)
• Dash of cinnamon (blood sugar regulation)
• Ice to blend
Optional add-ins:
🥄 Collagen peptides (bonus for joint health)
🫐 Frozen berries (antioxidants)
🌱 Spinach (micronutrient boost)
🎯 Total: ~30g protein, hormone-friendly, and tasty enough to look forward to every day.

15/07/2025

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗢𝘂𝘁-𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗚𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲 -𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴

Ever feel like you're stretching every single day… and STILL feel tight?
Your hips ache. Your hamstrings pull. Your IT band feels like a violin string. 😣

And so you:
• Roll it out
• Stretch it again
• Maybe even ice it...

But the truth is, tightness isn’t always about flexibility.

In fact, most of the time?

👉 It’s a sign your glutes aren’t firing — and your body is overcompensating.
According to a 2020 study in the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, runners with weak or delayed glute activation showed significantly higher rates of knee pain and hip tightness.

That’s right — weakness can feel like tightness.

Here’s why it matters:
💥 Your glutes are stabilizers. When they’re not doing their job, your hamstrings, hip flexors, and IT band pick up the slack. That’s what causes that deep, nagging tightness.

So no matter how many times you stretch, roll, or massage...
If the root issue is inactive glutes, the tightness will just keep coming back. 😫

Want to break the cycle?
🔥 Try these instead:
1. Banded lateral walks (activate your glute medius)
2. Single-leg bridges (wake up those stabilizers)
3. Step-downs (build control + strength in motion)

These are staples I use with almost every midlife runner. Why?
Because they retrain your body to distribute force properly, especially as recovery and muscle recruitment change in your 40s and beyond.
✅ Fix the weakness → reduce the tightness
✅ Build strength → reduce injury risk
✅ Activate glutes → get your stride back
Stretching is fine—but it’s not the solution.
Strength is the strategy. 🙌

👇 If this hit home for you, drop a 💪 in the comments or just say “ME.”

I’m putting together something special for runners who want to fix this for good.

12/07/2025

Saturday – 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀

“Finished a long run this weekend? Kickstart your recovery with science-backed habits:

✅Hydrate + protein/snack right after running

✅Ice bath or cool shower to ease inflammation

✅Sleep nap or 30 min rest—sleep is the body’s top recovery tool

Want a quick guide? Mayo Clinic suggests a warm shower, gentle stretching, and feet‑up time for total reset

”

11/07/2025

Friday – Small Wins. Big Momentum.

Here’s your friendly Friday reminder: you don’t need perfect. You need to be 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁.

This week may have had BBQs, travel, skipped workouts—or maybe it was strong, steady, and on track. Either way, your body remembers what you do most often, not just what you missed.

✅ Prioritized sleep or rest?
✅ Chose protein at a meal?
✅ Did 5 minutes of mobility?
✅ Drank a little more water?

That’s momentum. That’s progress. That’s stacking wins that matter—especially in midlife when hormones, stress, and recovery play a different game.

So before the weekend kicks in, pause for a second and ask:

➡️ What felt good this week?

➡️ What’s one small thing you’ll carry forward?

Drop it below ⬇️ or just give yourself a quiet high five.
You’re doing more than you think.

10/07/2025

🥣 Thursday – Eat to Recover, Not Just Refuel

Recovery doesn’t stop when your run ends—and what you eat matters more than you think.

One of my go-to post-run choices?

Tart cherry juice + a protein smoothie.

Here’s why 👇

✅ Tart cherry juice has been shown in multiple studies to reduce post-exercise inflammation, speed up muscle recovery, and improve sleep quality—especially helpful for midlife runners dealing with hormonal shifts or joint soreness.

✅ Protein + antioxidant-rich foods (like berries, leafy greens, turmeric, or walnuts) help repair tissue, calm inflammation, and support long-term joint health.

🧪 In one study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, athletes who drank tart cherry juice for 7 days pre- and post-event had significantly less muscle soreness and inflammation compared to placebo (study link).

🍒 Try this quick recovery combo:
– 8 oz tart cherry juice
– 1 scoop clean protein (whey or plant-based)
– ½ banana
– Frozen spinach
– Dash of cinnamon or turmeric

It’s delicious, easy, and your fascia, muscles, and mood will thank you.

Ingesting tart cherry juice for 7 days prior to and during a strenuous running event can minimize post-run muscle pain.

09/07/2025

💤🛌😴 Stretching isn’t just anecdotal:

A 2016 randomized controlled trial published in Menopause found that 𝟭𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 of stretching before bed significantly 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 and 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 and mood in middle-aged women (PMC). These effects were seen after just 3 weeks of consistent practice.

A great return on your time investment 😎

09/07/2025

🦵 Strength Starts Small

Want stronger hips, better balance, and fewer injuries? You don’t need to overhaul your workouts—just start with 10 minutes.
Try this:
✅ 30s single leg balance
✅ 10 glute bridges
✅ 5 deep squats
✅ 3 rounds = powerful stride foundation

Little habits lead to lasting change. Especially in midlife.

07/07/2025

The 50th PRE Track Classic (my 30th) did not disappoint this year. Always one of my favorite events of the year to work with these great practitioners and amazing athletes.The ladies crushed it with World Records in the 5k and 1500m. Can't wait to see many of these athletes back for USAs in 3 weeks as they try and make the Worlds Team in Tokyo this year.

04/07/2025

Happy 4th of July, Strong Striders! 🏃‍♀️💪

As you fire up the grill and soak in the sunshine, here are a few runner-approved ways to keep your BBQ both festive and body-friendly:

🥗 Build a better plate: Go heavy on grilled veggies, leafy salads, and lean proteins like chicken, salmon, or veggie burgers.

💧 Hydrate wisely: Alternate those cocktails with sparkling water + citrus for a festive (and fascia-friendly) sip.

🏃‍♀️ Move a little before you mingle: A short morning walk or mobility circuit helps keep digestion and energy flowing.

🍉 Sweeten naturally: Fresh berries, watermelon, or grilled peaches = summer dessert goals without the sugar crash.

Remember: balance > restriction. Enjoy the foods, the movement, the moments—and let your body feel good doing it. 💥

Happy Independence Day, my strong, steady, stride-powered runners💙🤍❤️

03/07/2025

Tight hips, stiff ankles, achy knees? These mobility drills can make a huge difference—just 15 minutes a day.

Ten exercises to keep your body loose and limber for the road.