MINI FEATURE | Anh Bui, DPT: Q+A
What was on your mind before you met with us for the first time?
I joined Boulder Underground just 3 months before the California International Marathon (CIM), which I considered a little late to start a brand new training program. I wanted a coach that was successful at training sub 3:00 marathoners and taking them beyond these goals. I wanted someone who knew how to train athletes at high altitudes, teach me how to actually train for a marathon, and tell me exactly what I needed to do to hit my goals. In my first conversation with Matt, I ranted about all my goals and he made me realize they were all short-term goals and that I was going to hit those goals all pretty soon so we started talking about long-term development.
How do you like being coached by Matt?
Being coached by Matt is simply the best. He has a very calm temperament that makes me take a lot of pressure off of myself and to just go have fun running. I came to Matt wanting to improve my marathon time, and ended up improving all my PR’s from mile to marathon in under a year (while marathon training).
What’s your favorite part of being in the group?
Running with a group makes 6:30 AM workouts so easy. Group training makes me more disciplined, otherwise, it can take me a little while to get out the door in the morning. It also gives me something else to focus on than just myself and my own training. If I can’t get out the door for myself that day, I at least know I need to show up for the group.
What growth have you seen in the last year?
The most growth in the past year has been my mindset. I used to set a lot of short term goals and now I’m really in it for long term development as a marathoner. With the Boulder Underground team, I’ve learned to be patient and focus on being consistent with training, instead of trying to crush every workout. I also learned that it’s not about having impressive workouts or setting PR’s at practice, but the accumulation of consistent training and workouts that matter most.
What has been challenging?
Balancing my work and running has always been the most challenging. My work as a PT tends to be physically demanding on my body as I’m on my feet often and using my hands for manual therapy. My first year with Boulder Underground, I was completing my sports residency in Boulder, CO. Residencies are optional for physical therapists, but I wanted advanced training as a sports physio. I worked 45 hours a week, not including my commute to and from work. In my first phone conversation with Matt, I told him “look, I don’t know if I can realistically run twice a day with my job” and he was super understanding and has always modified around my schedule. The most challenging experience was running California International Marathon (CIM) in Sacramento, flying back to Boulder that night, and going back to work the next day from 9AM - 7 PM.
What are you looking forward to over the next months and year?
I recently moved to Marin County in California and I look forward to exploring new running trails, reconnecting with family and friends, the racing scene, and progressing my running here. It’s funny - I grew up in the Bay Area but haven’t lived here since 2009. My experiences here as a 17-year-old…. Is much different now as a 29-year-old. I’m running in the most beautiful trails I didn’t know existed and it feels like I am renewing my relationship with running in the middle of a pandemic. There is still so much for me to learn about running and racing and my current goal is to run a marathon next year in under 3 hours.
What do you have to say about training with all of us women?
The women of Boulder Underground bring diverse experiences, skill sets, and abilities to the group. As a marathoner, I always need to work on my speed and turnover and I think training with women who have better skills on the track is very beneficial. We all have our own personal goals, but helping our teammates achieve their goals too is just as important. I think the women of Boulder Underground are an empowering group of women that demonstrate that you can manage a full-time job, have kids, have a social life, all while being a competitive amateur runner.
You recently moved from Colorado to California and will be training solo a bit more, what lessons will you take from your time with the group in Boulder into your training over the next year?
Training with the group in Boulder has really transformed my mindset, above all else, which has helped me train solo. When I have a negative thought, I turn it into a positive one. I try to explore as many different running routes in the Bay Area to keep running more interesting on the weekends. I’ve learned that recovery is just as, if not even more important than the run itself so I take my recovery very seriously. I’ve learned to run by effort and that if I need to run super slow on my easy days to recover before the next session, then I have to listen to my body.
How does your running/training shape your work as a DPT?
I am just as passionate about running as I am about my work. I am fortunate that my two passions compliment each other so well that working with runners doesn’t actually feel like work to me. I am certainly a late bloomer when it comes to distance running. I didn’t get to train consistently in high school or college due to injuries so I had a lot of unfinished goals. My experiences with injuries in my early running career make me relatable to many of my clients. There’s just a long list of “things I wish I knew early on”. I can’t go back in time and change my injury history, lack of self-care knowledge, or the mistakes I made not listening to my body. But being a physical therapist gives me the opportunity to change that for others and help them prevent injury so they don’t have the experiences I did.
How does being a DPT help shape your running/training?
My patients are extremely motivational and I feed off of their energy, motivation, and success just as much as they feed off of mine. I’m not just referring to the runners I treat, but ALL my patients, especially the post-surgical ones that are just stoked to do regular activities of daily living. I also try to do as I preach and I am diligent about investing time in the day to do mobility work (1 hour a day!!) and to strength train.
What's your favorite aspect of your job?
I absolutely love my job as a physical therapist. My favorite aspect is helping someone regain their identity and a piece of themselves again. Their passion becomes my passion. My specialty is working with runners, but I really enjoy working with post-surgical patients and having the privilege of helping them get out of their sling or crutches, move, walk, regain strength, and ultimately going back to activity. Being a part of someone’s healing process is incredibly special. I’ve had so many patients suffer acute injuries during sports that would deter many people from ever returning. I’ve come to realize that the mind heals at a different rate than the physicalities, and I love having that conversation about getting over the fear of returning to sports. I get to be their cheerleader and watch them achieve the impossible.
What is your favorite thing about working with runners as patients?
Working with runners is my bread and butter. I think the connection and similarities between runners are unique in themselves. Runners tend to be diligent, disciplined, and hardworking. I believe a majority of running injuries are either driven by poor movement mechanics, muscle imbalances, and poor training (usually a combination of 2 or 3). It’s a privilege for me to help someone figure that out. I love doing running gait assessments because everyone’s running style and mechanics is their own blueprint, and I strongly believe each runner should have a personalized approach and plan of care… that’s where I come in :)
Is there anything you’d like to add?
You have to expect great things out of yourself before you actually achieve them.
You can follow Anh and her running stories on Instagram @anhbui_dpt.