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QT: How to Stay on Track During the Holidays

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It’s that time of the year, y’all.

Whatever holidays you do or don’t celebrate, things tend to get a bit crazy between now and about the 5th of January.

Holiday parties at work. Family. Travel. All the treats. All the drinks.

Point blank, staying on track with your training this time of year is a bit of a challenge, to put it mildly.

That said, if you’re a bit strategic, you can come out the other end no worse for the wear.

And if you really play your cards right, you can continue to make progress toward your goals at a time when a lot of people take their foot off the gas.

I’m glad you asked! Read more

QT: Best Christmas Gifts (or Anytime of Year Gifts, Really) for Runners

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Pop quiz: How many shopping days are left until Christmas?

Answer: I have no fricking clue! But whatever the number is, the countdown is on and Christmas will be here before you know it.

Buying Christmas gifts for runners can be a bit tricky.

We runners are a peculiar bunch.

There are 40 ba-jillion different running shoes out there, and yet I’ll only wear one or two different models from one shoe company. If a well meaning family member or friend buys me a different pair of running shoes, I’ll politely smile, say thank you, and literally never put that pair of shoes on my feet.

Ever.

And shoes aren’t the only thing we are peculiar about. We also have pretty strong opinions when it comes to apparel, fueling options, accessories, and just about anything else that we use while running.

Runners Not Crazy

It’s not that we aren’t open to trying new things, but most runners have a pretty strong “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it philosophy”.

So if you don’t know the exact preferences of each item for the runners on your list, it can be tough to get the right Christmas gifts under the tree.  Read more

Merry Christmas

A Christmas Poem

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Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the street

You could still hear the sound of this runner’s feet.

The kids were asleep and my wife was in bed

It’s a great night for a run to myself I said.

I laced up my kicks and snuck out the door

To enjoy the quiet of night with three miles or four.

After half of an hour back home I did head,

To jump in the shower and crawl into bed.

As I finished my run I looked up in dismay

For up on my roof I could see Santa’s sleigh!

I peeked in the window and what did I see?

But Santa himself putting gifts ‘neath the tree.

I couldn’t believe it! Could this be true?

I stood there agape knowing not what to do.

He finished his work and got ready to leave,

For he had much work to do yet on Christmas Eve

Before I could blink he was back at his sleigh,

Threw is sack in the back and then I heard him say

“Ho, Ho, Ho” as the reindeer prepared for their flight

“Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

Merry Christmas

Best Gifts for Runners

Give The Gift They Really Want: The Best Gifts for Runners

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When you’re shopping for a runner, what is a gift they are sure to love?

Best Gifts for Runners

The Reaction You’re Going For…

On the surface, that sounds like a pretty easy question.

As an example, runners need shoes, so a new pair of running shoes would make a great gift, right?

Well…

If you get the “right” shoes for the runner that you’re shopping for, then a new pair of shoes is an amazing gift! The problem is, there are roughly 4,723,289 different running shoes available and only 1 or 2 of those would be the “right” shoe.

As a runner, I can confidently say that if you got me a brand new pair of shoes that weren’t one or two specific styles of a particular brand I would NEVER wear them running.

As runners, we are peculiar like that.

And here’s the really bad news, we are peculiar about all of our gear that we use on a regular basis.

Clothes, gels, shoes, drinks…

There are, however, some gifts that work for most runners no matter what their particular peculiarities happen to be.

Some of the Best Gift Ideas for Runners (For Any Gift Giving Occasion)

(For legal sake, please assume that all links in this post are affiliate links. Some are, some aren’t. As a reminder, making a purchase using an affiliate link provides me with a small commission for every item purchased and it doesn’t cost you a penny more. The links are provided for your convenience, affiliate or not.) Read more

2014 Christmas Gifts for Runners-Training Aids

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Christmas 2014

As the holidays approach, the search for the perfect gift for each person on your list will only intensify. If you are shopping for a runner this year, over the next few weeks I’ll continue to give you dozens of gift ideas for runners in a number of different running categories. To revisit the categories I’ve already talked about, click here.

Best Gifts for Runners

Today, I will be looking at some of the training aids that many runners can use to help them get faster/run farther/stay healthy/become better overall runners.

If you’d like to download a list of all of the items listed on this post (with clickable links to make shopping easy) and talked about in the podcast episode, simply click here.

Training Aids for Runners

  • Coaching–One of the quickest ways for a runner to improve his or her performance is to work with a running coach. Hiring a coach may seem like something that is for elite runners only, but there are a lot of reasons why new runners can benefit from working with a coach, as well as those that have been running for awhile. A good coaching program will help all runners improve, while minimizing risk of injury or burnout, faster than many runners will be able to improve on their own.
  • TRX System–For whatever reason, there is still a large portion of the running community that thinks that strength training isn’t important. I can’t stress the importance of strength training enough, and the TRX System is the perfect piece of equipment for runners to work their entire body from the comfort of their own homes. There is literally nothing you can’t work with the TRX, and I believe that all runners will improve if they start working the muscles in their entire body.
  • Resistance Bands–Another great option for runners to get a whole body workout is to use resistance bands. Buy a pack with a few different levels of resistance to work different muscle groups and to progress as they build strength.
  • Exercise Ball–An exercise ball is a great tool for working the entire core, and it can also be used to work the upper and lower body as well. Core stability is vital for runners, especially those running longer distances, and doing work on an exercise ball is much more difficult than doing many of the same exercises on the floor.
  • Namaste Yoga DVD–Most runners have poor flexibility. A great way to improve as a runner, and to feel better overall, is to do yoga on a regular basis. Most yoga videos have a stigma about being long and boring, but the Namaste Yoga series is my absolute favorite because each yoga routine is only 22 minutes and there is constant movement throughout each session. I’ve tried a handful of other yoga DVDs, and this is hands down the best I’ve ever used.
  • Gift Card to Local Running Store–I love supporting small businesses, and the local running store is perhaps my favorite place to support. And believe me, every runner on your list has something at the running store they’d love to buy but haven’t, so a gift card makes a great gift!
  • Membership for Gym/Pool/Yoga Studio–Another way to support local business and help your runner improve is to give a gift certificate/membership to one of these options. All offer great cross training opportunities for runners, and also a chance to improve their all around fitness.

Click here for a downloadable list of my favorite training aids, with clickable Amazon links, to make your holiday shopping as easy as possible!