Symmetry client Wendi Power will tell you she’s not a runner. In fact, she doesn’t really like to exercise. But the WGN sales director was at the starting line for the 2007 Chicago Marathon in early October. “I wanted to challenge myself and see if I could it,” she says.

Wendi and trainer Brian Eccles credit M.A.T. with making it possible for her to meet that goal. Muscle Activation Techniques has been an integral part of Wendi’s workout routine since she decided to train for a half-marathon two years ago. “It was a 40th birthday present to myself,” she says. At that time, she was some 30 pounds heavier and often wore knee braces.  Strength training, plus M.A.T. enabled her to complete the half marathon and, after that, a triathlon, with little more than normal soreness.

Brian says M.A.T. makes a tremendous difference. He notes that Wendi uses it proactively – to correct imbalances and strengthen muscles so serious injuries don’t occur.  

M.A.T. prevented Wendi from becoming hurt during the rigorous training.
When she increased her training runs to 20 miles, Wendi reported her knees did not bother her at all. and her recurring hip and shoulder pain pretty much disappeared.

The hardest part for her is the endurance running. “I almost quit  [marathon training] three times,“ she admits, but instead of stopping, she called Brian during long training runs and he cheered her on via cell phone.

As it turned out, Wendi faced a bigger test at the Marathon than she had imagined.
Record-setting temperatures in the high 80s caused hundreds of runners to quit and sent dozens more to first aid tents. For the first time in its history, the Chicago Marathon was stopped due to the unbearable heat.

Because Wendi was more than halfway through when the race was called, she was allowed to finish – at a walking pace. While that meant she could not complete the race under five hours as she had hoped, the reluctant exerciser did indeed achieve her primary goal of crossing the finish line at the 30th Chicago Marathon.

Symmetry client Wendi Power will tell you she’s not a runner. In fact, she doesn’t really like to exercise. But the WGN sales director was at the starting line for the 2007 Chicago Marathon in early October. “I wanted to challenge myself and see if I could it,” she says.

Wendi and trainer Brian Eccles credit M.A.T. with making it possible for her to meet that goal. Muscle Activation Techniques has been an integral part of Wendi’s workout routine since she decided to train for a half-marathon two years ago. “It was a 40th birthday present to myself,” she says. At that time, she was some 30 pounds heavier and often wore knee braces.  Strength training, plus M.A.T. enabled her to complete the half marathon and, after that, a triathlon, with little more than normal soreness.

Brian says M.A.T. makes a tremendous difference. He notes that Wendi uses it proactively – to correct imbalances and strengthen muscles so serious injuries don’t occur.  

M.A.T. prevented Wendi from becoming hurt during the rigorous training.
When she increased her training runs to 20 miles, Wendi reported her knees did not bother her at all. and her recurring hip and shoulder pain pretty much disappeared.

The hardest part for her is the endurance running. “I almost quit  [marathon training] three times,“ she admits, but instead of stopping, she called Brian during long training runs and he cheered her on via cell phone.

As it turned out, Wendi faced a bigger test at the Marathon than she had imagined.
Record-setting temperatures in the high 80s caused hundreds of runners to quit and sent dozens more to first aid tents. For the first time in its history, the Chicago Marathon was stopped due to the unbearable heat.

Because Wendi was more than halfway through when the race was called, she was allowed to finish – at a walking pace. While that meant she could not complete the race under five hours as she had hoped, the reluctant exerciser did indeed achieve her primary goal of crossing the finish line at the 30th Chicago Marathon.