March 2024
“All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work.”
- Calvin Coolidge
Coach’s Commentary
Shout out to R4H athletes Lawrence and Emily who had great 10k performances recently at Strawberry Plains! They both worked hard and had great finish times earning them each 2nd place age group awards. I unfortunately had to DNF my half marathon due to a back injury, but it enabled me to be there at the finish line to watch both of them finish, which I would have missed otherwise. Getting to celebrate their accomplishments definitely helped alleviate some of my own disappointment. Honestly, as much as I love running and competing, I think I get an even bigger “runner’s high” from watching my athletes achieve their goals. I get so excited every time I watch one of my athletes cross the finish line, it honestly makes me so emotional!
My decision to DNF my own race was definitely not an easy one, but I know it was the right one. It is hard to work for an outcome and then lose the opportunity due to an unrelated injury, but sometimes that is the way life works out. I preach to my athletes about listening to their bodies, and this was definitely a day when I had to take my own advice. Could I have run the race? Yes. And I started the race, just in case I would be able to make it. But my back started spasming from my first step, and after giving it one mile to loosen up (unsuccessfully), I knew stopping was the right choice. I could have pushed through the 13 miles despite the spasms and pain, but I wouldn’t have been able to run as fast as I had hoped, and I would have set my recovery so far back I may have had to forfeit my next race as well.
All this to say, when my athletes suffer setbacks and bad days, I am here to support them and help them through. I know personally what it is like to work hard for an outcome only to have things go wrong the week before or day of, and that is part of life as a runner/athlete. We have to be able to put in the hard work physically, but we also have to mentally tough and accept when things don’t go our way without getting discouraged and giving up. There will always be bad days and bad seasons, but as long as we don’t give up, there is no reason to lose hope for our goals and dreams. I am here to celebrate client wins and support them in the disappointments. I am here to help with the mental game as well as the physical one, because both are equally important when it comes to running.
Currently Recommending
The Feed : #1 Resource for Athletes (performance snacks, nutrition, etc.)
Do you feel like you need to be fueling better before/after runs with gels or bars but are having trouble finding the ones you like best? Check out https://thefeed.com/ where you can browse many different options and buy single servings of various products to help you find what you like without committing to a whole box. I don’t get anything from the Feed for recommending it to you, I just have been appreciating the ability to try many different gels on my own search for the perfect one, and wanted to share the resource with you!
ICYMI
“Founding Member” spots for my workout video database are filling up! The first ten people to join get a lifetime* membership of just $30 every 3 months. The database currently has 26 videos, and a new one is added every Wednesday morning. Videos range in length from 10-45 minutes, and most are 20-30 minutes long, which is perfect for busy people looking for a short but effective workout. Members have the opportunity to input suggestions for future workout videos if they are looking for something in particular.
Email me coach@run4thehills.com to learn more or sign up.
Freebie
Looking for a challenging workout? Give this one a try! There are only 12 exercises, but each is done for 2:00 minutes non stop followed by a 1:00 recovery before jumping into the next exercise.
