Patient Story of: Ben Bush

I began training for marathons in 2019 to raise money for a charity that is incredibly important to my family, The Children's Heart Foundation. After two marathons and nine or 10 half marathons, I was starting to see real progress in my times, and I decided to go after a Boston Qualifying marathon time. In April 2024, I ran the Jersey City Half Marathon in 1 hour, 30 minutes and felt like I was on track.

A month later, at mile 10 of the Brooklyn Half, my entire right leg seized up. Every muscle seemed to lock, and I had no idea what was happening. I took two months off and tried to come back for a four-mile race in July, but the problem remained and I could not run.

What followed was a series of visits to chiropractors and physical therapists as I tried to identify the problem and find a solution. I saw some mild improvement, but the discomfort persisted every time I tried to ramp my training back up. Ultimately, I had to defer my 2025 marathon to 2026.

Like so many runners, I had become a cautionary tale of willful ignorance when it came to preparation. I loved running, but I had largely ignored strength training, stretching, warm-up routines, recovery and the discipline that should come with a real training program.

Running is one of the ways I experience the world. I love being part of the running community and sharing both the challenges and the joy that comes from overcoming them. Being injured took all of that away from me, and the effects extended well beyond running. I needed to get better.

Then I saw a promotion through New York Road Runners (NYRR) for a running assessment and metabolic testing at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). I signed up and was paired with Kate Baird. Kate asked me a lot of questions and put me through a comprehensive assessment. When we sat down afterward to review the video and my performance, she immediately identified several issues with my form and function. More importantly, she explained that there were specific things we could work on – particularly through strength training – to help address them.

I asked about one-on-one coaching, and Kate explained that HSS offers it and that she could take me on as a client. I signed up immediately.

We began a strength and training block to prepare for my return to the Brooklyn Half. Kate taught me to think differently about pacing, heart-rate zones, strength, recovery and the purpose behind each workout. My training blocks are now designed around my actual data and personal feedback – not a generic mileage plan.

Kate has access to my Garmin data in real time, and we check in regularly, both in person and over Zoom. She adjusts my strength work and training blocks as I progress. When I have questions, we talk or text. Just as importantly, she helps me keep my head in the right place when I want to push too hard, overreact to a workout or get caught up in the wrong data.

The difference has been remarkable. As I train for the 2026 New York City Marathon, I feel strong, prepared and – maybe most importantly – confident in the process. We are going into the race with a very specific plan, and I intend to stick to it. I'm also running London in April 2027 and, I hope, Chicago in October 2027, where I'll make another run at my Boston Qualifying time.

Kate has become as much an accountability partner as a coach. She knows when to push me, when to pull me back and how to keep the bigger goal in perspective. I'm a big believer in coaching, and I now feel like I have the right team around me to reach my goal of running all of the World Marathon Majors by the time I'm 50. HSS – and especially my partnership with Kate – will be instrumental in that journey.

I'm incredibly grateful to be healthy, running again and excited about what comes next.