Returning to running post-COVID, and understanding exactly what COVID and long-COVID can do to our bodies, has become one of the most important topics in running. With that in mind, one of the leading voices on long-COVID in the country, someone who has also qualified for the Boston Marathon, joins us on the show. It was an absolute honor to speak with Monica Verduzco Gutierrez, MD. In this episode, Monica talks about recovery from COVID, why it impacts individuals differently, guidelines to returning to exercise, "radical rest," how HR can play a role in the recovery, what long-COVID is and how it can be addressed, and so much more. Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez is an accomplished academic Physiatrist and Professor and Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. She previously was the Medical Director of the Brain Injury and Stroke Program at a top three US News and World Report Best Hospital for Rehabilitation. Dr. Gutierrez grew up in South Texas, then moved to Houston where she earned her undergraduate degree at Rice University, her medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine, and completed her PM&R residency training at the Baylor College of Medicine-UT Houston Rehabilitation Alliance. She excitedly moved to San Antonio to lead the distinguished Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in 2020. Her area of clinical expertise is the care of patients with traumatic brain injury, stroke rehabilitation, and interventional spasticity management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has developed a Post-COVID Recovery Clinic to aid in the rehabilitative recovery of patients with functional, mobility, and cognitive deficits after infection with coronavirus. She is now one of the leading voices in the country on this topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices