Taper: can be described as decreasing exercise before an important competition; it designed to create optimal performance on race day. Typically tapering for marathon is approximately 3 weeks from race day.  The goal of tapering is to get your body into peak performance for the race. As Greg McMillan states in his article “Don’t Taper. PEAK!” you do not want to change your weekly running routine. Decreasing your regular routine can lead to feeling flat on race day. Gradually ease off mileage over your tapering period (2-3 weeks prior to race day). McMillan also states, “more runners fail because of tapering too much rather than no enough”.  Part of keeping…

"The more I run the more I love my body. Not because it's perfect, it's far from it, but because with every mile it is proving to me that I am capable of more than I ever thought possible" - unknown

While I was on vacation in Costa Rica I was lucky enough to find the time to a workout and get a couple runs in with my husband. I was on vacation, why would I want to workout? Because I love it. Yep you read that right. I want to run while on my vacation! To me a vacation is about getting time to relax, recenter and find your inner peace. Running is one of the best ways for me to achieve that. (L)  Vacations are often busy and filled with activities. Finding the time to get a run/workout in might be hard, but no harder than any other day.…

1. Layers! Run with layers. Too warm you can layer down or switch out a layer for another if one gets too sweaty or wet. Having a wind resistant layer keeps the  cold bite away. A good base layer will keep the sweat away from your body keeping you warm. 2. Headbands or Hats: Covering your head helps conserve body heat 3. Be Brave Start Cold: Dress for slightly warmer temperature than it is: about 10 degrees warmer. Your body will heat up once it starts moving. * remember to change out of your running clothes as quickly as possible post run. Keeping a warm sweater in your car and stretching at home…

Well it is officially snowy winter running season out there! As magical and pretty as the snow looked on Friday evening I was not looking forward to running outside. I opted to go the gym with my husband and to focus on strength training. Lifting weights can be intimidating, it helps to keep your focus on yourself and to remind yourself everyone has similar goals and is to busy doing there thing to worry about you are doing.  I wanted to focus on my upper body as I find that can easily get neglected with running. Warm up/Cardio: 25 mins of running on the track:        1000 meters…

Anyone find it hard to come back to running after doing a race. Yes directly after the race when your body is still in recovery mode, not quite ready to hit the pavement again, there is nothing by race highs, fantasying about the next race and crushing that PB. Yet, you know can’t really get right into training you have to let your body rest. Once it’s time to start running I find i lack major motivation to get going again. Since completing the Chicago Marathon this thanksgiving I have been feeling huge post race blues. I believe it combination of multiple factors including, this the 1st year I ran…

I’ll start by saying that I love to run, yet how I got into it was not simply because I loved to run. Running was activity that I grew into and I grew into mainly out of necessity.  One of the biggest reasons was once I reached university I no longer was on a competitive sports team. There was a void within me where sports had previously been. This is feeling I am sure many of us have felt as we transition from competitive sports to active lifestyles.The second reason I started running was to combat the emotional and physical stress throughout university. In my second year of university I…