In 1978, a single publication dramatically changed the way people treat injuries.

And to this day, it's still one of the most common pieces of advice, which also happens to be absolutely wrong.

In the “Sports Medicine Book,” Dr. Gabe Mirkin explained the acronym he invented called RICE which stands for Rest, Ice, Elevation, Compression.

And for the next four decades, coaches and practitioners around the world have prescribed the RICE method as the definitive way to heal any kind of injury.

The only problem is that RICE's usefulness is completely unsubstantiated.

In fact, subsequent studies began to show that it's completely flawed.

As mounting evidence began to pile up against the use of RICE, Mirkin himself made a viral retraction in 2015, saying, “it appears that both ice and complete rest may delay healing, instead of helping.”

So what should you do instead when you have an injury?

Here's more on that...

​

​

ask me anything

Q:

Can you talk about what to do for problem toenails and toes that blister, then heal, then blister, then heal. Nails that turn black, fall off, turn yellow, hurt, grow thick instead of long. Yuck!

A:

Unless you make your living selling feet pics online, most runners accept the fact that ugly feet are part of the deal.

Or are they?

Everything you've described is sadly pretty common, but there are a few things you can do to help prevent these issues.

Above all else, make sure you have shoes that fit you properly. Shoes that are too tight can rub against your feet and cause blisters. And shoes that are too roomy can cause your feet to slide within the shoe, creating an impact force that can lead to bruised nails.

I highly recommend that every runner visit their local running shop if you have one nearby to get properly fitted for shoes that will work best for all your runs.

Next up is socks. Loose socks can rub against your skin and cotton socks that don't wick away sweat can leave skin vulnerable to irritation and blisters. Some people have good luck with wool socks (not vegan, of course). Synthetic performance socks are a good choice.

The type of running you do matters as well. If you run lots of downhills, your toes can slam against the interior of your shoe with extra force, causing black toenails no matter what you do.

Keep your toenails short, apply a barrier cream, and you might even try protecting your toes with blister prevention tape.

Unfortunately, for some runners, ugly feet happen as the miles go up, but hopefully with these tips your toes will be a lot happier.

podcast

I always wished there was something designed specifically for runners, something I could follow step by step for the night before, the morning of, my warm-up, and even mid-race.

So that’s exactly what I built.

And today, I’m going to share one with you for FREE, the pre-race warm up.

​Find Your Flow State is a four-part series of audio recordings designed for the critical times before, during, and after your race. It puts you in the right headspace to clear your doubts and get ready to race with calm confidence.

So why I am giving one away for free?

Because of the incredible results runners are getting who have used it.

Like Nancy who had a successful marathon in Valencia a couple weeks ago.

Nancy is on the PR Team, so she gets access to all my digital products for free, but I've been hearing dozens of stories like hers from other runners who have been using it.

And selfishly, the other reason I'm doing this is because I love making them! I'd like to make more of these in the future and the more runners who listen and get value from them, the better.

So check out the free episode by clicking the image above or get the whole series by hitting the button below.
​

inspo

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."

— Henry Ford

Have a great run today, Coach Claire

P.S. Happy holidays! I'll be taking the rest of December off from this newsletter and I'll see you again in 2026! (Rest days are important for coaches too.)

If you've got a spring race to start training for soon, I've got you covered. Simply reply to this email because my inbox is always open!

Thank you for being a part of the Planted Runner community!

​

My mission is to help runners just like you reach goals they never dreamed possible through science-backed training and plant-based nutrition.

​

Since 2016, I've helped thousands of every day runners become fitter, faster, and stronger with truly customized training and coaching.

​

I also love to share what I have learned from my own journey starting as a non-runner to a 2:58 marathoner at age 42, as well what I have learned coaching runners, completely FREE. I do that every week in this newsletter and on the Planted Runner Podcast.

​

Being a part of this email community ensures that you first access to everything we have coming up – from free running and nutrition guides, to events like workshops and retreats, and so much more to help you get results.

​

I'm so glad you're here and my inbox is always open. Feel free to reply with questions or feedback!

​

If that's not for you, ​unsubscribe here​, completely guilt-free!

To change your email or preferences ​manage your profile​.

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246

​