Sarah Scozzaro Found Her Purpose and Passion When At Her Lowest

---

My guest today is a big believer in the value of doing the “little things,” as a runner.

Along with being a runner, she is also a coach, personal trainer, and fellow Dirt Unit member.

It is a pleasure to go a few easy miles with Sarah Scozzaro.

Like A Moth To A Flame

Running first entered Sarah’s life as a child when she began running 5k’s with her dad.

A negative experience with a coach in junior high prompted Sarah to give up the sport she loved.

This would be the first of many times running would leave her life, but it was never permanent.

Sarah resumed running in 1998 as a way to lose weight and her love affair with the sport resumed.

It was only 2 years later that she completed her first marathon.

Running as an adult gave her a purpose and community that she was looking for.

Much to her dismay, she sustained a serious running injury in 2002 that would sideline her for the next 8 years.

 Looking For A Bright Side

Sarah’s running injury occurred when she stepped on a root while running and fractured her knee.

Doctors originally told her that she would never be able to run again.

It was 6 months after the injury before she was able to walk unassisted.

The first year following her accident, Sarah allowed herself to be sad and grieve the loss of running in her life.

From then on she was determined to figure out what she was able to do.

Her list included strength training, spinning, and eventually becoming a personal trainer.

Sarah felt so good exercising that in 2010 she decided to get re-evaluated by a surgeon to see if she could run again.

The surgeon gave her the go-ahead to resume running and she hasn’t looked back since.

Running Rebirth

Once Sarah was able to resume running it didn’t take her long to start building her mileage.

Her comeback marathon was in 2012 and that same year she completed her first ultra.

Sarah qualified for Boston in 2013 and ran the race in 2015.

This rebirth of running is when Sarah discovered her love for trails.

Sarah has always enjoyed helping others succeed, therefore becoming a running coach was a natural next step.

A self-proclaimed nerd when it comes to the science of running is a valuable asset when it comes coaching clients.

Even the best coaches should welcome questions and be able to explain the “why” behind each workout.

In the era of social media, Sarah prides herself on being transparent in the ups and downs of her training.

Sturdy Runner

Sarah is a big believer in runners doing the little things to stay healthy.

In the wake of her injury, she was unable to ignore how one little thing could throw off how the body worked.

Staying healthy doesn’t take much time and anything is better than nothing.

The common weak links Sarah has found in runners are feet, knees, and hips.

Strengthening these areas will greatly reduce injury risk.

Feet can be strengthened in various ways including:

• Lifting and lowering toes independently
• Walking barefoot when possible
• Rolling feet on a ball
• Walking on varied surfaces

In an effort to injury proof runners of all levels, Sarah is holding a “Sturdy Runner Workshop.”

“The main objective is to create a resilient body to improve running health and performance.

---

Mentioned In This Episode:

• Sturdy Runner Workshop

Stay connected with Sarah by checking out her Website and/or following her on Instagram and Twitter.

---

A freak injury kept Sarah Scozzaro from #running for almost a decade, but since getting back into the sport she's certainly made up for lost time! #runchat #orangemud Click To Tweet

---

As Always, I’d Love to Know What Stood Out to You From this Episode! Let Me Know Your Takeaway in the Comments Below!

---

 Want to Support the Continued Growth & Production of the Show?

Check out the support page for ideas and suggestions of ways you can help me grow the show. And remember, not all support involves money. Some of the best ways you can show your support are 100% free.

Subscribe to the Show

Never miss another episode of the Diz Runs Radio by subscribing to the show, and for my fellow Apple fans out there, it’s never been easier now that the podcast app is native on the new operating system. iPhone/iPod/iPad users click here. Android users click here. SoundCloud users click here.

Please Give Me Some Feedback!

Take the 6 question listener survey to help me shape the future of this podcast.

Register for a Free Race Training Plan

Every month, I’m giving away a FREE training plan for the race of your choice. For details/information, and to sign up, just click here.

Join The Tribe!

There’s always room for more members of the tribe! Both the Facebook group and the email group provide opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else. The Facebook group is still small, but it is a great way to connect with fellow runners and foster community amongst like-minded individuals. The email g