For as much time as I spend defending this sport against all of the "running is bad for your knees" naysayers, I will be the first to admit that running can, and often does, hurt. Running long distances, especially when you are new to them, can leave you hobbling around for a few hours post run, desperately seeking some sort of relief from the discomfort. The plethora of information about how Continue reading →
6 Simple Post Run Stretches
There are a number of quips and short stories that truly stand out in my mind from my time in college as an exercise science student, beyond of course, the "important" knowledge that all of my clients hope I've retained (rest assured, I have). One of those stories came from a biomechanics teacher, who told us he had once witnessed a physical altercation at an exercise science convention. That's Continue reading →
Total Body Enhancement at Planet Fitness: 2 Month Follow Up
Imagine this: a machine that touts fat loss. Cellulite reduction. Wrinkle removal. And all you have to do is stand still. Sound too good to be true? Nearly two months ago I wrote a post about the Total Body Enhancement machine at Planet Fitness. I won't lie, the post kind of started out as a joke, but as I dug deeper into researching the idea behind red light therapy, a somewhat legitimate post Continue reading →
Four Fitness Truths (According to Heather): Your First Day at the Gym
The month of January is almost over, which means I've spent endless hours at the gym meeting with, counseling, and guiding new or returning fitness seekers. Or "New Years Resolutionists", if you will. This marks my 8th year working in fitness facilities, and over those eight years I've met a lot of people with a wide variety of reasons for wanting to join the gym. Despite the myriad of reasons Continue reading →
SMART Goal Setting for Runners
We have only 3 weeks left in 2017. THREE. That's absolutely insane if you ask me, and you can count me in as one of those people who stumbles through life mumbling "where has the time GONE?" As we approach a new year, it's time for people to start reflecting on what they've accomplished this past year, and declaring their resolutions and goals for 2018. If you are a long time runner that Continue reading →
Thirty Two Training Posts.
I think the very first time the idea of finishing a 100 mile foot race crossed my mind was sometime in 2015. Geoff and I had signed up for the inaugural Infinitus 48 hour race hosted by our friends at the Endurance Society, equal parts "FOMO" and equal parts on a whim. I foolishly thought "100 miles in 48 hours? That's nothing" assuming that such a long time frame to finish would compensate Continue reading →
For Life.
This thought will be brief, but I felt compelled to share none the less, especially with the barrage of resolutions surrounding health and fitness about to be made by people everywhere. Lately I've had countless friends, clients, and running store customers admit to me, almost sheepishly, that they've "fallen off" the proverbial fitness wagon. For a multitude of reason, likely none of them Continue reading →
Calming the Chaos: How Mindfulness Contributes to Wellness
My life is chaos. It's certainly no secret, and it's absolutely not a complaint either, but from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed, I spin around like a semi-controlled tornado (hence the blog title, Relentless Forward COMMOTION). An article here, teaching a group exercise class there, chauffeuring kids to and from school, a group run, laundry, personal training clients, a Continue reading →
My 4 Step Plan to Not Training Like an Asshole.
I think, short of some sort of accident that causes an acute injury, our bodies rarely just spontaneously fail. Injuries, especially from stress or overuse, don't just happen like the flick of a light switch. It's always a much longer drawn out process. One that begins far before we are consciously aware that there might even be a problem to begin with. Guess what? My body is Continue reading →
Specificity vs. Variety (or, “Why my Hips Hate CrossFit”)
I'm a total science nerd. I actually feel my blood pressure rise when debating with people why the soreness they feel 24-48 hours after a long run or workout is caused by lactic acid build up. I probably go way too far in depth when explaining to a new female client that she doesn't need to fear weight training and will not by any means "bulk". And I'll be the first to sit here and defend Continue reading →
The Art of the Purposeful Lack of Focus.
One of the best things about not being an elite athlete is that I can do whatever the hell I want. Plain and simple. Years ago I hired a running/triathlon coach. My goal was to PR in a marathon (Chicago Marathon was the PR plan, with Vermont City Marathon as a practice race) as well as complete my first sprint triathlon. I was also navigating my way through a full course load in college, Continue reading →
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