Running Tips for Beginners with Dr. Annabel Yuen

Is the warm spring weather motivating you to get active? Whether you are looking to enjoy time outdoors or are interested in improving your health, running is a great outdoor activity. We interviewed Dr. Annabel Yuen, a board-certified family medicine physician and marathon runner, about how she started her running journey and what she would recommend for people who wanted to start running.

CRHC: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us how long you have been running?
Annabel Yuen: Hi, I am Annabel Yuen. I am a primary care doctor at Crystal Run Healthcare. I have been with the practice since 2016, and I began training for marathons in 2020.

CRHC: First, what are the health benefits of running?
Yuen: So, some of the health benefits that are involved with running include better sleep, better focus, and better cardiovascular health. It helps to reduce stress and pain and the risk of anxiety. Running also helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

CRHC: Who inspired you to start running marathons?
Yuen: It was actually my younger sister. I was just so amazed by what I saw when I saw her finish her second New York City Marathon in 2022. I was just so enthralled by the variety of runners that were just passing in front of me at mile 25, people of all ages, all sizes, races, fitness, and agility. I said to myself, if these people can do it, so can I, and from then on, I set myself a goal to start running myself. 

CRHC: What is some advice you wish you had when you started as a new runner?
Yuen: Some of the advice that I wish I had when I was a new runner includes, first, making sure you get a good pair of running shoes. Second, figure out your hydration and nutrition plan. Third, you need to have a realistic plan you can stick to.
 

CRHC: What helps a person stick to their running plan?
Yuen: Make sure you have a running partner or join a local running team. Take time to really rest and recover. Always make sure to roll and stretch after each run to prevent cramps or extra soreness.

CRHC: What would you say to your patients to encourage them to start running?
Yuen: Unfortunately, a lot of my patients are afraid to get started because they have just so many factors working against them. But, I encourage them to try to get away from the fears that are holding us back from exercising our full potential. It's a new year; it's the year of the snake. Let's go ahead with some positive transformations. Let's get started!
 

Annabel Yuen, DO is a board-certified family medicine physician at Crystal Run Healthcare. She completed her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University-College of Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove, IL. She completed both her Family Medicine Residency and Internship at Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago, IL. Her clinical interests include women's health, adult medicine and psychiatry. Dr. Yuen is seeing patients in Monroe, NY.