Running Hacks Gallery of published articles in the CRC newsletter Insights from local runners, blending advice from grassroots athletes, coaches, and nutritionists on how to perform better. We may publish a shorter version of an interview in the newsletter with the full interview posted here. Greg Kucharski (May 25, 2025)
Running Hack with Greg Kucharski, PT, DPT, SCS Greg is a CRC member specialized in Physical Therapy and improvement for runners. He tends to visit early morning run clubs to provide injury screening for runners. Personally, I haven't visited without stumbling on a fellow CRC member leaving Greg's practice. Greg has two young sons, a wife who is also a PT and plans to visit the Italian Dolomites next summer. Onto his advice how to stay in peak shape and injury free. CRC: What exercises do you recommend to improve performance? Greg: Strength training is an important piece of every runner’s repertoire. Make sure to include single leg exercises for stability; running is a single leg sport and you need to be able to maintain control and stability over thousands of steps. Single leg RDLs and lateral step downs off the edge of a step are a good place to start. Incorporate some explosive movements where you drive up into a single leg position. This could include lunges or box step ups. Single leg heel raises will help with acceleration while running. If you wanted to help with turnover, then strap on an ankle weight and perform hamstring curls while standing in a single leg squat position on your other leg; it’s tough but a good one! And go outside, run some hills, and perform speed work at the track! CRC: What are the most common mistakes you see runners do in their training? Greg: Ramping up mileage too quickly, especially after an extended period of time off due to injury. While it is tempting to get back to running your normal volume, there needs to be a ramp up period. It takes time to build up tissue tolerance to repetitive strain and doing too much too quickly can result in more serious conditions including bone stress injuries. The easiest formula to follow is increasing overall weekly mileage by 10% per week. If you wanted to dial it in more precisely, then you’ll have to calculate ACWR (acute to chronic workload ratio). Each type of run is valued differently in terms of load on the body with faster paced workouts weighing differently than your slower paced runs. CRC: What does warm up, training and recovery look like in your mind? Greg: Probably the most common mistake that runners make it skipping the warm up. Don’t do it. We need to be preparing our bodies for the activity we are about to perform. Running is a dynamic movement and our warm up should reflect that. Dynamic mobility exercises followed by a glut activation exercise like single leg RDLs are a great way to fire up the nervous system, bring blood flow to your muscles and activate key stability exercises you will be using while running. Going for a run before the run doesn’t count. This dynamic warm up can be performed in just a few minutes and can take place while catching up on gossip. When it comes to training, the word that comes to mind is Intent. Everything you do should have some intention behind. This applies to how you structure your training plan, which strengthening exercises you select and what muscles you are actually trying to activate while performing that exercise. Recovery is multi-faceted. Stretch and foam roll post run. Elevate the legs and use compression recovery boots. Scheduling a physical therapy session a few days after a race can help speed up the recovery process by flushing out the muscles. Maintain proper hydration. Make sure to refuel. And get some sleep! CRC: What is your best advice to prevent injury? Greg: Listen to your body. If you are starting to feel sharp or throbbing pain, reduce your volume and go get it checked out. Physical therapy is a great first line of defense. We can help identify what’s causing you to break down and make referrals to other specialists as needed. Typically catching a small injury early on will help you bounce back faster and prevent it from turning into something bigger that would result in you missing some time from running. Also, don’t skip out on cross training. The human body is very dynamic and we should be training it with a variety of movement patterns. Stronger muscles lead to improved resiliency. CRC: Can you recommend specific running drills or exercises to improve form? Greg: There’s no one size fits all formula when it comes to improving running technique. Some people need to get specific muscle groups stronger to stabilize their body. Others need to tweak their running mechanics to improve their efficiency. Shoe selection may be either working for you or against you. Then there are the gazelles out there who possess a naturally beautiful stride and we don’t want to mess with that. Running Gait Analysis let’s us determine what camp you fall into. We can record and dissect your running technique to identify any areas of deficiency, and then create a game plan for improvement. CRC: Are there any specific exercises to avoid while recovering? Greg: A lot of running injuries can be categorized as overuse injuries. Repetitive strain on the body over thousands of steps can quickly compound and turn into lingering issues. Depending on the specifics of the injury, we may need to pull back and take a short pause from repetitive movements including running and cycling. At QCPT Physical Therapy, it’s my goal to keep you moving and performing at your very best. I will never advise you to stop running altogether unless your specific condition truly warrants that you take some time off and rest to avoid a more serious injury. With some tendinitis issues, we can actually continue to train through that but it varies based on the severity and your body’s ability to tolerate the load. A thorough physical therapy evaluation can help you determine the best course of action moving forward. A very common injury that runners encounter is a proximal hamstring strain where you feel pain at the crease of your butt. In this case, it’s crucial to NOT stretch the hamstrings despite the tightness you feel in the back of your leg. This is an inflammatory condition and pulling on the tendon with a prolonged stretch will make it worse. Don’t poke the angry bear. CRC: What specific therapies do you offer that work for runners? Greg: At QCPT Physical Therapy, we offer a comprehensive array of services to not only help runners recover from injuries but to manage soreness and boost performance. Each session starts off with a detailed review of your injury and running history. From there, we work together to formulate goals and provide a thorough evaluation of any deficits that may be holding you back. Movement screening and Running Gait Analysis helps us paint a picture of what your running mechanics look like. We can manage injuries and mobility deficits with manual therapy including dry needling, cupping, soft tissue and joint mobilization, and instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization. Your “homework” assignment will consist of an individualized plan that includes strengthening and mobility exercises tailored to your specific needs. Compression recovery boots and a Theragun are also available for use to further promote recovery. You don’t have to be injured to come in. Regular maintenance work is a good way to keep yourself progressing forward and catch injuries before they happen. CRC: What can runners do outside of treatments to ensure success? Greg: To optimize performance, it’s important to build up your Dream Team. This can consist of a physical therapist, massage therapist, sports dietitian, and running coach to name a few. Having a holistic approach is important and all of these specialties complement each other nicely. And also please don’t neglect your sleep. Without proper sleep, your performance and recovery drops off significantly. Disclaimer: The advice shared in this interview is general in nature and not tailored to any specific individual or situation. It is not intended as professional or personal coaching advice
|
Matt Scalabrino (March 25, 2025)
One of the most requested additions from CRC members has been advice on training and nutrition. In response, we’re excited to introduce a new section in our monthly newsletter: “Running Hacks”. This segment will feature insights from local runners, blending advice from grassroots athletes, coaches, and nutritionists.
Since CRC is all about supporting our local running community, we’re kicking things off with local stalwart and well-respected runner, Matt Scalabrino.
Matt delivered a stellar performance at the Charlotte Marathon in November 2024, finishing in 3:10.05. He also ran the 2024 Boston Marathon, though he narrowly missed his ambitious goal. A consistent top finisher in his age group at local races, Matt is known for his dedication and competitive spirit. Unfortunately, he is currently nursing an injury, and he will likely miss the 2025 Boston Marathon. Given this setback, we also ask Matt about injury recovery and training adjustments.
A huge thank-you to Matt for sharing his insights on how to perform better.
CRC: What defines you as a runner—talent or grit?
Matt: I do feel like I have some natural ability, but there are plenty of runners much faster than me. I consider myself a grit runner with some speed. My strengths are stamina, competitiveness, ability to maintain strong effort and push through fatigue and discomfort. I embrace the pain, as they say, and enjoy pushing my limits.
CRC: Describe your race strategy.
Matt: When I race, I try to give my absolute best effort and have nothing left at the end. I’ll have a loose pacing plan taking my fitness, goals, and the course into consideration. Based on how I’m feeling early in the race I may adjust it slightly. I try to settle into an average pace that I feel like I can sustain for the entire race and finish strong without leaving anything on the table. I can be analytical so I’m often doing timing/pace math in my head to stay on track.
CRC: How do you structure your training to improve speed?
Matt: To maintain and improve speed I do a couple of fast runs most weeks. I like tempo runs, progression runs, and intervals. I don’t avoid hills, they can be a great way to improve speed and fitness. While I rarely do track workouts, they can be beneficial. The key is consistency: I stick to the plan and never skip a run unless it’s absolutely necessary. No excuses for weather or just not feeling like it. I mix fast runs, slower recovery runs, and longer runs every week. Racing regularly at various distances also helps sharpen my speed. A great way to improve is to be friends with and run with fast people.
CRC: When running hilly races, how do you tackle hills?
Matt: I run based on effort, not pace. I understand that I’ll lose some time on the uphills but I’ll make up for it on the downhills and flats. I find that the key to tackling hills is approaching them like a negative split race or workout, starting each hill slower and gradually increasing my pace up the hill. For me, attacking a hill too hard from the start is a recipe to run out of gas mid-hill and lose time recovering.
CRC: How do you fuel during a race?
Matt: I make sure to eat breakfast, usually a bagel with peanut butter and banana, coffee, and some pre-race Gatorade. For shorter races like 5k or 10k I don’t fuel during the race. For longer races I’ll have a gel right before the start and then every 30 minutes.
CRC: Do you have a strict pre-race routine? What does it include?
Matt: I’ll usually loosen up with a warmup run and some light stretching. The warmup distance varies depending on the length of the race. For a 5k or 10k I’ll warmup for one to two miles. For a marathon I’ll just run a couple hundred yards to loosen up but I don’t want to add much extra distance to a marathon and the first couple miles of the race can serve as the warmup. Other than that, the most important thing is making sure I visit the restroom. I’ll listen to some upbeat music before the race to pump me up but leave it behind for the race. I’ve never run a race with music because I prefer to soak in the full experience and energy of the race and stay mentally focused, which keeps me going as much or more than music.
CRC: You’re currently injured. For many runners, training is an essential part of their routine—physically and mentally. How are you coping?
Matt: Coping with injury is difficult. Running keeps me fit both physically and mentally so both can suffer. I try to stay as active as I’m able to. For now, that includes cycling, walks, and strength training. Even though I’m not running, I still never miss attending my home run club every week, Legion Southpark. I’ll go for a walk or do a quick strength training session while everyone else is running and then hang out with the group afterwards. The fellowship of the running community is important to me so the camaraderie of the group is very helpful.
CRC: What’s your top-secret or best race advice for fellow CRC runners?
Matt: I don’t know if I have any secret advice but I would say to challenge yourself. Don’t be afraid to push yourself right up to or beyond whatever you perceive your limits to be. You will probably find that you are capable of more than what the self-protective limits in your mind might make you believe. Crashing through those barriers is an amazing feeling. Most of all, have fun!
Disclaimer: The advice shared in this interview is general in nature and not tailored to any specific individual or situation. It is not intended as professional or personal coaching advice
Contact usEmail us: run.charlotte@gmail.com | Join usThe Charlotte Running Club consists of passionate runners that strive to spread the love of running and to help each other grow. The Club's goal is to bring the expansive, diverse, and exciting Charlotte running community together under one umbrella through motivation, group runs, and social events. |