Run Stronger.
Recover Faster.
Stay Pain-Free.
Strive Running & Recovery is a veteran-owned physical therapy and performance clinic in Auburn, WA. We help individuals of all ages move better, recover faster, and perform at their highest ability.
Who We Are
Physical Therapy Built for Runners
Strive Running & Recovery is a veteran-owned physical therapy and performance clinic in Auburn, WA. We help individuals of all ages and abilities move better, recover faster, and perform at their highest ability by combining clinical expertise with research-backed recovery options.
We will always give you our best so that you keep performing and feeling your best. Let us help you reach your goals while remaining pain-free.
Your Provider
Meet Dr. Jonathon May
Jonathon May is a physical therapist with more than 9 years of experience. He earned a BS in Kinesiology from Pacific Lutheran University and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Baylor University.
As his children became more involved in running, Jonathon recognized a need to specialize in running mechanics — leading him to obtain his Certified Running Gait Analysis (CRGA) specialty, enabling him to help athletes at all levels improve mechanics, enhance performance, and prevent injuries.
He also holds a certification in Postpartum and Pregnancy Corrective Exercises (PCES) and treats a wide range of conditions including sports injuries, joint replacements, post-op rehab, vertigo, and more.
Book with Dr. May
Running Analysis
Better Running Starts Here
What if one small change in your stride could make running easier, faster, and pain-free? Many runners think injuries are inevitable — but often the real issue is running mechanics.
Video-Based Movement Analysis
Slow-motion, multi-angle video breakdown of your stride length, cadence, posture, and foot strike pattern.
Mobility, Stability & Strength Testing
Clinical testing identifies the physical limiters — hip weakness, ankle stiffness, imbalances — driving your gait patterns.
Personalized Plan & Exercises
You leave with specific, prioritized exercises and corrections designed to improve efficiency and reduce injury risk.
See It In Action
Watch a Real Gait Analysis
Wondering what actually happens during a running gait analysis? Watch how Dr. May uses slow-motion video to break down a runner's mechanics in real time — identifying the exact patterns that lead to pain, inefficiency, and injury.
Why Choose Us
Who We Are & Why We're Different
Strive stands out from traditional physical therapy by focusing on runners and active individuals — combining performance optimization with injury prevention.
Root Cause Focus
Instead of just treating symptoms, we use detailed movement analysis and strength screening to identify what's actually causing your problem — then fix it.
Runner-Specialized Care
We combine video gait analysis with hands-on physical therapy — a depth of assessment most PT clinics simply don't offer.
Performance-Driven Recovery
Recovery tools like compression therapy, cold plunge, and HBOT help clients recover faster, run stronger, and perform with greater confidence.
What We Offer
Comprehensive Services
A full toolkit for performance, recovery, and rehabilitation — all under one roof in Auburn, WA.
Video Running Analysis
Slow-motion, multi-angle video breakdown of your running form with a Certified Running Gait Analyst who's also a licensed PT.
Functional Movement Screens
Clinical assessment of mobility, stability, strength, and movement patterns to identify risk factors before they become injuries.
Physical Therapy
Treatment for sports injuries, sprains, strains, post-op rehab, joint pain, chronic pain, vertigo, and postpartum conditions.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
High-pressure oxygen to accelerate healing, reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and support cellular repair after training or injury.
Cold Plunge
Kept at ~55°F in the research-supported recovery range. Reduces soreness and inflammation, boosts circulation and mental resilience.
Compression Therapy
Sequential compression boosts lymphatic flow and circulation to speed recovery and reduce post-workout soreness between sessions.
Cold Water Therapy
Cold Plunge Therapy
Cold plunge therapy — also known as cold water immersion — is one of the most effective and research-backed recovery tools available to athletes and active individuals. Our plunge is maintained at approximately 55°F, right in the optimal range shown by research to maximize recovery benefits without unnecessary discomfort.
Reduces Inflammation & Soreness
Cold immersion constricts blood vessels and reduces metabolic activity, significantly decreasing post-exercise inflammation, swelling, and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Accelerates Recovery Between Sessions
By flushing out metabolic waste and reducing tissue damage after hard training, cold plunge allows you to bounce back faster — so you can train harder and more consistently.
Boosts Circulation & Lymphatic Flow
The cold-to-warm transition triggers a powerful pump effect in your circulatory system, driving nutrient-rich blood back to fatigued muscles and moving lymphatic fluid more efficiently.
Builds Mental Resilience & Energy
Regular cold exposure triggers the release of norepinephrine — a hormone and neurotransmitter that sharpens focus, elevates mood, reduces stress, and increases mental toughness over time.
Who It's For
Cold plunge therapy at Strive is available to runners, athletes, post-surgical patients, and anyone looking to speed up recovery or improve resilience. No experience necessary — our team will guide you through your first session safely.
Hyperbaric Therapy
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a clinically proven recovery and healing modality in which you breathe pure oxygen inside a pressurized chamber at 1.4 ATA. At this elevated pressure, your lungs absorb up to three times more oxygen than at normal atmospheric levels — flooding your blood, plasma, and tissues with the oxygen your body needs to repair, reduce inflammation, and perform at its best.
Accelerated Healing & Tissue Repair
Elevated oxygen levels stimulate the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) and activate stem cells, dramatically speeding recovery from injuries, surgeries, and overuse conditions.
Reduces Inflammation Systemically
HBOT suppresses inflammatory cytokines throughout the body, making it effective not just for acute injuries but for chronic inflammation that keeps athletes from fully recovering between sessions.
Improves Circulation & Oxygen Delivery
Oxygen dissolves directly into blood plasma under pressure, bypassing red blood cells and reaching damaged or oxygen-deprived tissues that normal circulation struggles to supply.
Supports Cellular & Neurological Recovery
At the cellular level, HBOT restores mitochondrial function, supports collagen synthesis, and helps repair nerve tissue — benefits that extend far beyond standard physical recovery methods.
Conditions HBOT Can Help
Session Length
60 minutes
Experience
Comfortable & Non-Invasive
Testimonials
Hear What Our Clients Say
Discover how our personalized treatments have helped clients regain mobility, strength, and live pain-free lives.
"Jonathan did a great job helping me recover from my shoulder injury. Highly recommend his services."
Dean A.
Shoulder Recovery Patient
"I've been to PTs for car accidents and postpartum recovery. Dr. May is hands down the best I've worked with. He shows you how to do exercises properly and the hands-on therapy is exceptional."
Wander K.
Postpartum Recovery Patient
"Jonathon is amazing. Over the years he has treated my husband and 2 of my teenage sons. He is knowledgeable, professional, and patient. We highly recommend!"
Nicole P.
Family Care Patient
More Ways We Help
Don't Wait to Feel Your Best
Beyond our core services, we offer additional options to support your recovery and performance goals.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before your first visit to Strive Running & Recovery in Auburn, WA.
Book AppointmentStrive Running and Recovery works with all ages and skill levels. Whether you're just starting, getting back into running, staying active for health, or training competitively, we help you improve performance, reduce pain, and run for life. Our recovery services also support longevity and ongoing pain management.
We offer a comprehensive approach to performance, recovery, and rehabilitation, including:
- Video-based running analysis
- Functional movement screens
- Physical therapy
- Recovery services (HBOT, cold plunge, compression therapy)
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber (1.4 ATA), allowing your body to absorb significantly more oxygen than normal. This helps accelerate healing and recovery, reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and support cellular repair.
Our cold plunge is kept at ~55°F, within the research-supported range of 50–59°F for recovery. Benefits include reduced inflammation and muscle soreness, faster recovery after workouts, improved circulation, and increased mental resilience and energy.
We are a pay-at-time-of-service clinic and do not bill insurance directly. However, you may be eligible for out-of-network reimbursement for physical therapy services — we can provide a superbill for submission. Note: Insurance does not cover wellness or performance services (HBOT, cold plunge, compression, running analysis).
No referral is required to receive treatment. However, if you plan to seek insurance reimbursement, your provider may require one — so it's best to check with them in advance.