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Audrey successfully completed the Marine Corps Marathon a couple times, but kids and life kept her busy and away from marathons for almost 21 years. This year, she virtually completed MCM using Runcoach training!
“ I am a respiratory therapist and this pandemic has been very stressful on all of us healthcare providers. Spending time improving my physical health has helped my mental and spiritual health too.”  Major milestone: This was my first Marathon in 20 yrs! The last Marine Corps Marathon was about 21 yrs ago when I was pregnant with my youngest who is now 20. I ran with a running club and all we did was run. I remember in the training we ran up to 24 miles and being so sore after each long run! After kids, I ran 3-5 times a week, but rarely more than 3 miles.
What is the secret to your success? This time I followed Runcoach almost to the letter including the cross training and core. I only ran 17 or 18 miles before the race went virtual. I was worried and emailed coach Tom because I was concerned it wasn't enough running. He said it was, and I ran the virtual MCM with a local run group.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Since the man who plotted the course was an ultramarathoner, his course had all kinds of hills -- It was harder than the actual MCM course would have been. I was a little scared. Once I hit 18 and could still run, I relaxed a little.. then 20, then 24. It was in the 50s in Maryland, windy and pouring rain all day. I finished in a little over 6 hrs. I didn't think I would have taken that long but those hills were tough. I was prepared to be sore the next couple days. To my surprise, I was not! The training really helped and now my next goal is to run an ultramarathon in March 2021.
What’s the most rewarding part of training? The accomplishments! Doing things, like push ups or planks, that I could never do before. I am a respiratory therapist and this pandemic has been very stressful on all of us healthcare providers. Spending time improving my physical health has helped my mental and spiritual health too.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? For those training, follow the program. It helps! And if you have questions the coaches do actually answer in a timely manner and have great advice. I have always had knee pain after running. I learned it was the way I run. I watched a video, changed how I run, and voila... why didn't someone tell me that years ago? Anything else you would like to share? I'm using Runcoach to train for the ultra!
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Runcoach Success Stories
Part 3: Running Through the Pandemic - Alternatives to RunningDecember 29, 2020Part 3: Running Through the Pandemic – Alternatives to Running
For the third installation of Running Through the Pandemic, I want to share what I’ve done through the pandemic as alternatives to running.
As we move into our 4th quarter of battling Covid-19, many of us find ourselves in need of alternatives to running.
In my last two posts, I shared How I Dealt with Bar Air Quality during the fires in the Northwestern part of the U.S. and my Recovery from Injury #2 after my knee surgery in July.
For this next edition, I want to discuss some other hobbies I’ve picked up through these uncertain times. I realize that many of us our back in social restrictions as the virus conditions to disrupt our normal lives and adversely affect so many people. Additionally, many will now enter the most restrictive winter season without access to gyms and normal workout locations. So here’s what I’ve done (potentially not all positive) in lieu of physical activity.
In April, I started fishing more at Coyote Pt. a City Park in San Mateo. The serenity of the water and the surroundings have always been good for my soul. Still it is the randomness of the potential and unexpected timing of the reward that drives me the most. This past spring the San Francisco Bay had one of the best California Halibut runs ever. My fishing partner/daughter, Riley and I were able to catch this 24” beauty which rendered some wonderful ceviche’ (email me for the recipe’;-).
I also went back to my youth and taught my older daughter, Olivia how to play my favorite childhood game = Battleship. As is often the case my 3-0 perfect record soon evaporated an the pupil has now overtaken the teacher. She leads the series 8-4.
I also started an online game of Hearts with my mother in western Pennsylvania and my in-laws here in the area. That has given us time to connect and of course compete during the restrictions. An online Zoom Christmas Scavenger Hunt with my niece, Elise in Philadelphia was a success (at least in my mind) and Zoom connections have been meaningful throughout.
Additionally, I started to play in an online poker game with friends and friends of friends from the East Coast. This was quite the lesson as I’ve always considered myself a good poker player until I met these guys. Now I feel like I’ve taken a Master Class in Texas Hold ‘Em and gained what I believe are meaningful insights into playing the hand you’ve been dealt and using the information at your disposal to make good decisions. Not sure I can entirely recommend this but I wanted to share nonetheless.
While I’ve tried meditation throughout the pandemic, the most impactful solace this year was my work with a life coach. She provides insightful perspective and is an invaluable sounding board as I continue to navigate these choppy waters.
Lastly, I’ve enjoyed nights with my wife. We set use Netflix & Amazon as our before bed hobby and have enjoyed The Boys (not my wife’s favorite), The Social Dillemma (a must see for all of us that look at our phones too often), and especially Schitt’s Creek based on a family that found themselves in crisis long before the pandemic.
That’s pretty rosy picture I’ve painted, but the truth of this journey is somewhere in between. I’ve been moody, anxious and nearly unbearable when not exercising. I’m sure if you asked my family and those closest to me they would tell a different story of how I’ve been throughout the year, but I keep trying and encourage you all to do the same. I have also stopped taking calls on my way home from work – it is a terrible habit and I’m happy to be rid of it.
If you’ve gotten this far – thank for reading. I’d love to hear about your alternatives to running and physical activity through the pandemic.
Coach Tom’s Top-3 List for Alternatives to Running Through the Pandemic
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Training
Part 2: Running Through the Pandemic - Recovery from InjuryWritten by Coach Tom McGlynn October 25, 2020Part 2: Running Through the Pandemic – Recovery from Injury
For the second installation of Running Through the Pandemic, I want to share my personal injury recovery from this year.
In normal times injuries leave us without our beloved “Runners’ High”, often time a lack of focus, sometimes weight gain, and a general ambivalence about our path forward. It feels like this is magnified 10x via our current disruptive work environment, home schooling and overall lack of socialization.
I began to experience chronic knee pain in January. Unfortunately, this we not the typical tight quads and non-firing glutes. On July 16th, I had a scope of the knee to remove some loose pieces and examination of the trochlea head.
Not surprisingly, my surgeon discovered evidence of all the 60,000 miles of running my knees have endured over the last 30 years.
My recovery has been slow. I am near pain free walking but can’t do single leg squats which is one of the markers, my physical therapis Ky set as a prerequisite to running.
Frankly, this has left me unfocused in everyday tasks, less productive, generally ambivalent and somewhat rutter-less.
Sound familiar?
When I walked on at Penn State, my coach - the late, great Harry Groves, made this guarantee to me: if you train hard – you will improve and eventually get injured.
Coach Groves passed in February with a tremendous legacy of instilling strong work ethic in young men and I’m often reminded of the lessons he taught. He had a way of challenging us with lots of explicit-ridden acronyms such as “GOYFA”, where G = Get, O = Off, Y = Your and I’ll leave the F & A to your imagination.
With no running in the past 6 months and probably none until at least next year, I was forced to think of how I would move forward and get off my proverbial seat. The real impetus for the start of Runcoach was that running has always been more than a sport or exercise for me. When I’ve been stuck, running is the milieu for a path forward.
Almost always injuries are mitigated with physical therapy. Often times it is not the therapy itself, but the psychosomatic benefits of doing something as opposed to nothing. So, I continue to be religious with my PT.
After years of despising the bike and spin workouts, I’ve found a new, non-inflammatory love of the Peloton. There’s just something about that leaderboard and those spunky instructors urging me along. I’d love to follow you on Peloton and join you for a class and my user name is RuncoachTom.
Meanwhile, my former running partner, Lester (yellow lab) continues to need his exercise and at 8 years-old my knee injury is a Blessing for him. We routinely log 15K steps/day and sometimes stretch to 20K+.
The combination of my PT, the Peloton, and walking Lester keeps me moving forward. In these times, we need to find whatever we can to resiliently keep on.
I also am grateful for all the miles I was able to run and those still ahead. It is funny how much one appreciates something routine after it is gone.
For all of you who have been on the sidelines like me either currently or historically, I encourage you to focus on what you can do today, and the potential of what tomorrow may bring.
As always, any movement leads to activity which becomes a path forward.
Coach Tom’s Top-5 List for Moving Through Injury in the Pandemic 1. Focus on your physical therapy, flexibility and strength work as there are multiple benefits 2. Draw strength from all the great coaches and motivators you’ve had along the way 3. Find a new activity that does not aggravate your injury 4. Be grateful for all the miles you’ve logged to date 5. Remain hopeful for what the future may bring
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Injury Prevention
Treadmill Running TipsOctober 24, 2021
You may refer to it as the "dreadmill". The boring nature aside, there are plenty of benefits to gain from using the treadmill to complete your training. Whether it's unpleasant weather, or for safety reason (looking at your early birds and night owls), make the most of the 'mill with these tips.
Six Tips For Enjoyable Indoor Running: - Always set aside 5-10 minutes to "warm up".  Don't start running at a high speed on the treadmill. Just as if you were outdoors, stretch lightly before starting you run. Then easy jog 5-10 minutes at a relaxed pace so that your body can prepare for the workout or run ahead. -Use a slight incline. Set the treadmill incline between 1-2%. Since there's no wind resistance indoors, a gentle uphill better simulates outdoor running. If you are just getting started with running or new to treadmill, it's okay to se the machine at 0%. Make it a goal to be able to run at 1% within a month.
Be sure to aware of your form still. Nice and tall spine!
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Training
I started running around Christmas 2018 after 15 years! Then I completed by 1st marathon in Chicago in October 2019 (finish time 4:18). Just completedmy 2nd marathon the NYC (virtual) in October 2020, big personal best of 3:51 What is the secret to your success? There really is no secret here - you must put in the time and work for training. But I also view my running time as my "me" time." I reflect on my day ahead, I catch-up on podcasts, I listen to audiobooks, I let my mind wander... What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? The biggest challenge is balancing running with family and career. There are days when I have an early meeting so I will wake up really early (4:30am) to get my run in. If it's important enough, you'll get it done. What is the most rewarding part of training? Nothing beats crossing the finish line. While overall health and wellness is the over-arching goal (and Runcoach shows how you are improving which is very encouraging), crossing a finish line is a tangible milestone on this journey. And thinking of all your family and friends who support you through the good times and bad as you cross that finish line is humbling. What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Follow the schedule Runcoach gives you. If you stick with the schedule, you will hit your goals. Also, be honest with yourself. If you can only run three times a week, put that in your profile so your schedule reflects this and it's not a stressor. Anything else you would like to share? Runcoach has really been good at predicting race performance for me. I keep doubting I'll hit those times for a race but I've managed to. The app is great and has helped me reach my goals. My coach, Hiruni, is always there to keep me focused. And no big deal but she's an 11 time Sri Lanken national record holder :) What feedback would you offer on the Runcoach experience? Runcoach has been key in my running journey. The free version gives you a training program that is flexible and will adjust automatically for missed runs and multiple races. The paid version gives you 1:1 coaching (mine is super-friendly and helpful!) and allows for even more customized training schedules. I'm very happy with Runcoach!
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Runcoach Success Stories
Goal Setting For BeginnersMay 07, 2021
A goal, no matter the caliber is critical to keep you focused. A goal should be ambitious, but not so wild that it will take you an exceedingly long time to reach it. As a beginner, you will see various levels of successes rather quickly. Use this to your advantage and set several personally relevant goals.
(1) Exercise Regularly – Run consistently This can be simply to run/ walk/ move your body and sweat 2 – 3 times per week, for a month. Building a routine is the first step toward meaningful change in your life. Your body adapts the more times you teach it to do a skill. Continually running/ walking will improve the response within your body (2) Run a Specific Distance Be it one kilometer, mile or 5K – marathon, set a distance that you can be proud of completing. Time or pace is not relevant at this point. This is a personal record of the farthest distance you can cover in one-go. (3) Run Non-Stop Set yourself a goal to run on-stop over a realistic distance. At first you can even make it a goal to run around your neighborhood without stopping, then move up to a loop around your local park. (4) Select a Race Live events are a rare luxury for now, but you can still register to support a race organization which is meaningful to you. Most virtual races will send you a finisher medal, and other awesome swag. These are treats to reward you for reaching the goal. (5) Weight Loss Lots of people start running to lose weight. Just like setting your eyes to run a certain distance, you should set a weight loss goal for each week and each month. Experts recommend 0.5-1kg (1-2 lbs) as a safe weekly weight loss goal.
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Training
Part 1: Running Through the Pandemic - Thoughts From Coach TomSeptember 21, 2020
I’ve read countless inspirational stories from many across the U.S. and around the world. As I’m hopeful that we may be through the worst, I thought it might be helpful for me to share my experience of the last six months with our wonderful Runcoach customers and anyone else that might find my perspective helpful. This is a bit selfishly cathartic for me but I’m hopeful my experience and some advice may be beneficial. This will be a 6-Part Series with the following topics:
Running with Bad Air Quality Many of us in the northwest part of the country and now with extensions to the midwest, have experienced extremely poor air quality from the tragic fires in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada. As runners, we always want to push through adverse conditions. I haven’t been running (more to come on that topic) and I’m acutely aware of the detriments of inactivity. However I believe that poor air quality has long-term bad effects. So what can we run in and what can’t we? Here are my thoughts:
Personal biometric feedback is your breathing within and after a run. There is a difference between wheezing and heavy breathing. Think of wheezing as strained breaths where you can feel it down deep in the lungs. You will feel wheezing from asthma and unhealthy air during and after your run. We don’t want to run through wheezing as the lungs are remodeling to transport necessary oxygen and some tissue could be dying. On the other hand, heavy breathing is normal and we experience this through heavy exertion. A great marker to distinguish between the two is how you feel after a run. You should not have labored breathing or any wheezing within an hour of workout completion. Here are my favorite sites/apps to check the air quality.
So what to do if the air quality is poor?
The bad air quality won’t be here forever. In these times, it is important to remember those who have lost lives, homes, pets and much worse in the fires. Still the loss of your workout is personal and not to be diminished. I like to think of how much I appreciate running in these times and the hope that I will have the opportunity to run in clean air soon.
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Training
Virtual races and time trials have been the medicine of choice for athletes like Ward who are missing the excitment of racing. As the race scene is still uncertain, we encourage everyone to test their speed and endurance through a self-timed race. You are working hard, why not snag a shiney new personal best?
Ward's Recap of his recent time trial to Coach Tom:  "I took my local coach, Susan (also wife of 45 years!) to the local high school track. As we squeezed through the locked gate, I said "Welcome to my world!"She was only mildly amused as she crawled free of the gate.  The weather conditions were good - partly cloudy, slight breeze and temperature in the mid to upper 70's. Track was empty. I had rested all week - no runs (although I do a lot of physical labor - I am the "custodian" of a log cabin and 31 acre piece of property). I set my 400m splits up to run a 7:25 1,600. Here are my actual splits (per 400 meters): 1:50.74 1:50.52 1:44.58 1:38.58 Final time = 7:04.42 !!!! My heart rate steadily climbed up to 150, 155, 160. My max heart rate during the run was 168. It peaked as I "sprinted" (a generous term) down the final 50 m. It was a very good effort. I did not have much left in the tank at the end and was running very close to my maximum effort (as much as you can do by yourself). I also had my assistant take some short videos of me running towards camera, away from camera, and from the side. I thought you might like to examine my stride (if not my wonderful Covid haircut and Dave Wottle golf cap!*) Conclusions: 1. My stride, as I suspected, is where I have lost most of my speed. I guess because I am weaker, my legs don't propel me as far with each step. My tempo is the same, my stride is much shorter. I look like an OLD MAN. I am an OLD man! 2. My max HR is probably about 170 3. I can run a sub-7 minute 1,600 m Thank you for the challenge Coach! -Ward
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Runcoach Success Stories
Summer is the time for colorful, fresh, and fruity. Fruits are in abundance this time of the year. You should be able to find all ingredients at any local grocery store. The prep for each drink is under 5 minutes!
¾ cup tart cherry juice 1. Place tart cherry juice in blender. Add frozen pineapple and yogurt.
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Nutrition
Full Body Workout With Coach TomMay 28, 2020Distance runners need strong core muscles.
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Whole Body Workout
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First off, injuries are no fun. As I’ve discussed training, time trials, and social distanced running with you over the past 2 months, I realize that some of you are in the same boat as me = unable to run.
Jerric restarted his relationship with running after a 15-year hiatus. His return has been nothing short of remarkable. While juggling the demands of family, a career, and training, he recently set a 27 minute personal best while completing the NYRR NYC Virtual Marathon. Read about his "not so secret" tips for success!
As with any new adventure, when you are starting off, it can seem dauting to set a goal. To take some that stress off, we’ve asked our coaches for their top tips.
What a crazy year this has been. We’ve gone through a pandemic of the century, lost loved ones, observed the pain & suffering of so many, and seen our running industry turned upside down.
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