Last January, Serena Burla was having so much trouble with her right hamstring that she briefly considered not starting the Houston Half Marathon which served as the 2010 USA National Championships. The hamstring had been chronically sore, but as Burla warmed up for the Houston race, it tightened and became so painful that her coach suggested that she not start the race. But Burla decided to gut it out and amazingly, finished second to Shalane Flanagan in a personal best by more than a minute in 1:10:08.

Read More