RunToTheFinish Shares Her Secrets To Being A Kick-Ass Runner
By admin
Last week I had the privilege of talking with one of my favorite bloggers regarding running… all things running. Amanda, who blogs at RunToTheFinish, has been a dear friend for quite some time now. We met and bonded over a run in Baltimore a few years back while there for a conference. 
Since then, we’ve had a few other running dates including Utah, Charleston, and the Palmetto 200! 
Amanda – Bonnie – Me – Bobbi Running Park City, Utah
Over the past 2 years, Amanda has unofficially become my running coach! Not only because she is so knowledgeable but also because of her passion. Her passion is contagious and comes out anytime you mention the word “run”. Getting advice from someone that not only knows the sport, but LOVES the sport is always a bonus. With spring bringing people out of hibernation and onto the running paths, I thought it was a necessity to do a What The Fitness on running… running safety, running distances, running tips, running fuel, heck even running marathons. Of course Amanda was the first person that came to my mind to dive into such a topic and luckily she was game.
The Secrets To Becoming A Kick-Ass Runner
**I apologize for the echo of the podcast! I have no idea why my mic decided to do this 
But its still an awesome talk!
https://s3.amazonaws.com/liftingrevolution/mindset/amanda2.mp3
While I cannot cover EVERYTHING that we discussed, here are a few highlights of our discussion…
How To Acclimate To Warm Weather Running
- Wear light, whisking clothing that allows the body to breath and sweat to evaporate off easily
- Opt for a visor instead of a cap to allow heat to escape from your head freely
- Carry a cold water bottle in your hand. Keeping your extremities cool, helps keep the rest of you more comfortable.
- Go for intensity, not speed – you will go slower, but your body will be working just as hard!
- Hydrate and replenish electrolytes! Amanda has some great electrolyte tips!
The Low Heart Rate Training Method 
LHR training has been Amanda’s go to for some time now. The idea is to keep your pace at a slower speed to allow your heart rate to stay down and teach your body to burn fat instead of carbs for running fuel. It’s a very much all or nothing form of training, meaning that you have to devote yourself to this idea of slower runs for all of training. Amanda discusses that while it works great for her (and helped her achieve an incredible new PR), it’s not for everyone (like me). If you’re like me and love speed work and intervals then it’s not going to work. Those are not allowed during the LHR Training. But clearly it works! If you’re interested in LHR, then check this LHR post out for more details! Saving The World 1 Run At A Time When you’re logging 40+ miles/week that is a lot of time on the road. So I had to ask… how do you pass the time? Personally, I am all about podcasts and books on tape. For short runs, music suffices but for those longer runs I need something to take my mind off the heat, the humidity and the “mile goal”. If you’re curious, I listen to Girl On Guy! Amanda on the other hand… she doesn’t need to let your mind escape with things playing in her ears. Often, its just her and the road. It’s her place to think and in the podcast, she shares a lot about what that means and how that benefits her career and life. As Amanda describes it, when alone running, she has solved all of the worlds issues. But of course once home, the solutions have been forgotten. We can all relate! But let’s face it, sometimes we have our off days and just can’t focus. On those rare occasions, she listens to Rich Roll or an audio book! How To Pick A Race 
Race season is upon us, which is why many more people are out running. It’s training time! If you’ve been thinking about racing…
- Which race(s) should you do? –> To travel or stay local? Amanda loves the idea of making a race special. You’ve trained for it so make it an event! Maybe that means staying local so all your family/friends can cheer you on, or making a mini-vacation out of it! Each person is different
- What to think about when registering for a race? –> Do you have the time to devote to training? Is this the right time in your life? What kind of training are you going to be following? Things to think about!
- What are the best Marathons/Half Marathons for beginners? –> Listen to find out what races Amanda has run that are the BEST in terms of crowd support and flat courses. I’ve heard awesome things about Chicago!
- How long should training be? –> A typical training plan for someone that has a half marathon under their belt (recommended) is about 16-24 weeks. It takes around 3 months to create your running “base” to get your body prepped for the added milage. Amanda offers awesome training to help!
Other Awesome Tidbits Clearly, we covered a lot! Which is why I really recommend listening in to the podcast. You’ll also learn…
- How to fuel for runs?
- What to consider when picking a race/course?
- Amanda’s favorite brands/gear
- How she fell in love with running
- So much more!
Enjoy it… perhaps listen while going for a run! Sounds like a great plan.
Are you running a race this summer/fall?