The Internet is a truly amazing space, capturing the best and worst of current events, history, advice, humanity, pets, recipes, those song lyrics I never get quite right, and of course, fitness. Every now and then, a fitness myth I thought had been put to bed for good leaks into current online conversation and I hardcore cringe when I see there are lots of people who don’t know about its current condition (ie, it’s a zombie – walking dead fit fiction). One such monster that popped up this week to bite new, unsuspecting victims was an Ab Challenge. Now,…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — the days get longer, the weather gets warmer, runners start streaking… Memorial Day is not only the unofficial kick-off to summer, but it’s also the start of a summer run streak promoted by Runner’s World and embraced by runners all over the globe. Streak Runners International’s website lists almost 6,000 registered streakers from 69 countries, and as of today, the hashtag #RWRunStreak had 285,000 posts on Instagram, while the more generic #runstreak had 670,000 posts, mostly selfies of runners on roads, tracks, trails, and treadmills. Run streaking has gained popularity…

By: Aileen Kroon, RRCA Run Coach & NASM Personal Trainer The Average Runner People run for lots of reasons – to get in shape, to be social, to cross a marathon off their bucket list, to maybe eat or drink a little extra, to clear their mind – and while most of us will never qualify for the Olympic trials, if we’re going to race, we would like to see just how fast we can get. Most run coaches will tell you that you need to increase your mileage and/or increase your intensity, running workouts specific to the races…

I have yet to meet a runner who’s never been injured, and that’s not much of a surprise given anywhere between 50% – 80% of runners are injured every year. There’s a lot that can go wrong when you’re pounding the pavement with the force of 2-3x your bodyweight on 1 leg at a time. We runners aren’t exactly the conservative bunch, either, when it comes to addressing a little twinge here or tightness there. In the past, I’ve put on braces, popped Advil, injured other body parts from overcompensating, and done the runner’s walk of shame from going…

What’s truly amazing about the time we live in is that there are so many options for getting fit, and a general social acceptance that there’s no one right choice. Yogis and Crossfitters and Runners and Bootcampers exist in harmony, with many people embracing overlapping exercise identities. Maybe you are motivated by group classes at a gym, or maybe you prefer to workout in the comfort of your own home. You may even alternate days where you exercise socially and independently. Cardio, HIIT, Strength Training — the options are limitless for every interest, budget, and schedule. So how do…

“There are years that ask questions, and years that answer.” — Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God While 2017 and 2018 were hard years of keep-you-up-at-night, loss-of-loved-ones, identity-altering questions, 2019 was a year that answered in so many ways. I look back on where I was a year ago, and 2 years ago, and how eager I was for 2019 to begin just so I could leave 2018 and 2017 behind and move on with my life, wherever it was headed. This year, I leave 2019 behind with such hope and excitement for what 2020 has in…

Over the last decade, there’s been a major shift in running. You may think I’m referring to types of shoes worn or training ideologies, but no–I’m talking about gender. Starting in 2010, women began dominating men in the number of participants for road races. While many point to Oprah’s completion of the Marine Corps Marathon in 1994 as the kickoff to the women’s running phenomenon, there’s a lot about running that appeals to women, and I would argue this is especially true for women in the 30-60 year age range. For starters, running is one of the lowest barriers-to-entry…

You know that saying, “Be who you needed when you were younger”? It’s become a guiding principle of my business, the main driver for becoming a personal trainer in the first place. So I put together my top 5 things I wish I knew when I started running, and I hope you find them beneficial. Running is simple, but our lifestyles have made it complex. From shoes to sedentary jobs and commutes, we have altered our natural body alignment, and it takes most people some work to run with good form. Get fitted for shoes, and master some basic…