Tips for the Taper
In running, the final phase of training is where you get sharp, peak, and taper. The last 1-3 weeks prior to a big race is where the emphasis is on all the fitness coming together at the right time. This part of training helps your body to mentally focus, gives you time to hydrate, fuel, and rest in preparation for your big goal. Here are some tips to maximize the final phase of training to get the most out of yourself on race day!
Training
Cut back some of the miles, but still keep some turnover workouts in the training that final week. This will keep your muscle tension in a good place so you don’t feel “flat” or heavy legged on race day.
Psychological
Take some time during the taper weeks to get your mind in the right place for race day. Look back at all the training you have done to prepare for your goal, and gain confidence in yourself and your fitness.
Hydration
Start an emphasis on hydration during your taper. This will help your body perform on race day!
Fueling
It is important to not over eat during the taper phase. However, be certain to get in good nutrients the few days leading into the race. You want to have all your energy stores filled and ready to carry you to a strong finish.
Relax
Focus on sleep, propping the feet up, and encouraging your muscles to repair and freshen up prior to race day.
When you put all these tips together, it can bring you more confidence knowing you are trained, mentally prepared, hydrated, fueled, and rested… the key components to taking your goals from a dream to reality.
Sports fiction author and runner Ali Dean brings a high school runner girl to life in this easy-to-read story about the highs and lows of success in sports at a young age.
Six years ago, my husband and I went to Cabo for our Honeymoon. 
I was in full force training with the USA Championships which were only one month away. It was stressful finding the balance of running, rest, and relaxation. Each vacation since, I have tried new tactics to be able to enjoy running while on the road. Here are some of the things I've learned that may help you:
1-Do Your Research
Contact local running stores or clubs in the area you will visit. Inquire about the best running locations and open group runs. There is simply no better way to experience the best local running routes than from the experts themselves.
2-Plan Ahead
Rearrange your training schedule for a lighter week. If more convenient, replace your easy runs with cross training activities. If you get aerobic stimulus with other activities for a week, and still prioritize your workouts and long run, you won’t lose fitness.
3-Run Early
Don't wait until the end of the day to run, especially while on vacation. Get up early and make that run happen so you can move on and enjoy the day without the weight of a run assignment on your shoulders.
4-Sitesee As Part of Your Run
Decide on the places you want to explore, check them out on foot, and then return the next morning to enjoy them if certain spots peak your interest. The Google Maps earth view is also an excellent way to identify fun routes and you can cover so much more ground running than walking!
5-Plan Vacation Around Training
Choose to plan a vacation the week after your goal race. Then there is no running necessary (unless you want to of course), and you can relax and enjoy the trip fully without the stress of a schedule.
Happy travels, and happy training!
Why does it always seem that spring is such short a season? 
The adjustment to heat training is not easy, and not always fun either. We want to share some ways to help summer training not be entirely miserable, and, you may find you even gain more fitness along the way thanks to the added stress heat puts on your body!
1-RUN EARLY: Set yourself up for SUCCESS by running first thing in the morning. It is way easier to wake up, run early, and get it done, than to have life get in the way and you're left trying to force a run in the heat or after a long day.
2-HYDRATE: We recommend waking up at least 30 minutes before you head out for a run to consume 12-24oz of electrolytes. If you have a long run or a hard workout, get creative with your options during the run... know where you can stop every 2-4miles to get a drink, leave a bottle and run a 2-4mile loop or out and backs, carry a bottle, or have a friend/significant other bike with you to provide fluids. More tips on hydration here.
3-ADJUST: Recognize that heat is an additional stress on your body. You should not expect to hit the same splits as you could on a cool day. Slow down, focus on effort vs pace. Add in an extra minute of two of recovery in between intervals or pause tempos to dump water on your head and to get a drink. Cut the long runs back a mile or two or find locations more suitable for hot weather that can provide more shade, and listen to your body if you start to feel dizzy or over heated... be smart! You can also do your quality sessions on the treadmill if you want to stick to paces and build confidence that you are not out of shape.
4-RECOVER: To help boost recovery after a hot run, take a cool shower, get in the pool, or put your feet in a creek to bring the core temperature down. You will find this strategy will prevent you from feeling so zapped the rest of the day. More recovery tips here to help you reset after a hard day of training.
5-REHYDRATE: After a hot workout, you will be in the hole in terms of hydration. Spend the first 30 minutes post run being sure to get in a lot of fluids. I recommend an electrolyte mix because something with flavor is more appealing and it will help you get caught up on your hydration needs. Rehydrating after a workout in the heat is critical to ward off cramps, injury, and allows the body to be ready to run again tomorrow!
6-REFUEL: It can be tough to eat after a workout in the heat. The belly often feels icky, but replenishing is very important to reap the benefit of the workout you just put your body through! Try greek yogurt, fruit, a smoothie (Summer Smoothie recipe!), kombucha, coconut water, or protein shake. These liquid calories are easier on the stomach and your body will be able to start the recovery process once you get some fuel in the tank. Interested in nutrition for runners? More info here.
We hope you can use these tips to help you crush your training this summer, please reach out if you have any follow up questions!
Understand the pros of protein synthesis. Your body can only absorb and utilize 15-20 grams of protein at a time. Instead of over indulging on protein in one sitting, try spacing it out in 4-6 doses per day with your final protein snack just before bedtime. One cup of greek yogurt, 3 ounces of meat, fairlife milk, protein supplement, some cereals, or a smoothie are all good options. If you have protein in your system right before bed, your body can actively use it during the peak recovery that occurs with sleep!
There is huge benefit to a routine when it comes to sleeping. Develop a routine that works for your schedule that allots minimum of 8 hours of sleep per night. If you have a set time you start getting ready for bed, you will have better time management throughout the day, resulting in less procrastination and other stress inducing habits. Sleep is when your recovery hormones are at their highest and are working hard to make you stronger, fitter, and closer to your goals.
Happy training, and more importantly, happy recovery.
The goal of a training plan: To take you from where you are, to where you want to be. 
A good training routine encompasses fitness, mental focus, and good habits that get stronger with each week.First, you start to build a foundation, or base, that will hold up and support the entire pyramid. From there, the focus is to consistently meet your daily goals as you progress towards the peak. With each run, you train your body and mind to handle the workload, and you adapt your lifestyle and schedule to support your daily efforts.
Ultimately, your pyramid will be completed in the peak week, which is your final goal of the training cycle. To accomplish this, the Runcoach vV02 algorithm helps you along the way with pace and workout adjustments as you progress. The goal of this training philosophy is to keep injuries away with appropriate stress and recovery.
The ability to train consistently, and without injury, always results in higher fitness and better mental focus.
With a well constructed pyramid, you will be ready for whatever race day brings.
Joyful as the holiday season can be, the weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year can be a challenging time for anyone who is trying to make healthy lifestyle changes. With the raft of holiday parties and the onslaught of indulgent treats, it can be tough to keep your healthy eating habits on track. And with less daylight, tough weather conditions, and a tornado of holiday-related errands and festivities, it gets tough to find the time for regular workouts. Luckily there are things you can do to keep yourself on track, and emerge triumphant by the time January 1 comes along.
Use these 4 tips to set yourself up for success this holiday season.
Embrace the mini-workout. With the ever-growing to do list it can be tough to find the time for regular exercise you do at other times of year. But you don’t have to make exercise an all-or-nothing proposition. Moving every day—even for a few minutes—will give you the energy and clarity you need to stay on track. You can split up your workouts into shorter sessions and still get the benefit. Research has shown that splitting a 30-minute workout into three 10-minute sessions delivers the same benefits.
Challenge yourself. You don’t have to set an audacious goal to keep yourself on track. Start small by tracking your steps on a daily basis, and challenging yourself to move just a few steps more each day. Just download the Movecoach app and sync your favorite training device, and your daily steps will automatically upload into the Movecoach app. As the steps add up, you’ll be earning milestones and cool rewards in your company challenge. Learn more about syncing here.
Create some accountability. Fitness is funner with friends. Invite a friend to join the Movecoach challenge (Click here to learn how) and meet up for regular movement breaks throughout the day. Go on a lunch-break walk, or set up a walking meeting. Plan to meet a friend for a morning workout. It’s much tougher to press the snooze button when you know someone is waiting for you. Use these tips to encourage friends to move more with you.
Eat well. Eating is probably the trickiest terrain during the holidays. So many treasured holiday traditions revolve around meals, dishes, and desserts, and it can be difficult to avoid indulging. You don’t have to endure the season feeling deprived. Just pick your spots. Enjoy the one to two dishes you really love in reasonable portions, and buffer the indulgent foods with whole healthy foods like fruits, veggies, and whole grains, that nourish your health and give you the energy you need to move more.
When you’re pushing your body farther and faster than it’s gone before, details matter. Neglect the seemingly small things—nutrition, recovery, and sleep—and you could set yourself up for a setback. As you prepare for the J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge, here are some tips to help you stay healthy, get fit, and ready to run your best when the starting gun fires.
Sleep. Sleep deprivation can impact performance and raise your risk of injury. Studies have shown that sleep provides a critical opportunity to recover and heal from tough workouts, and get stronger. It’s the time when the body repairs strained tissue and regenerates bone and muscle so you get stronger. Plus it helps stave off weight gain. Sleep deprivation signals the body to produce more ghrelin—the hunger hormone—and less leptin—which signals that we’re full.
Warm up, cool down, and stretch. Take time before your workouts to do a dynamic warmup routine—watch videos of the moves Movecoach recommends here—to increase running efficiency and range of motion, and decrease risk of injury. These moves will help make you stronger, and prepare your muscles, bones, and joints to push on the final stretch to the finish line.
Hydrate. Studies have shown that even mild dehydration has been shown to make even easy runs feel difficult, and and impair your ability to run at an even pace. Sip small amounts of water throughout each day so that you start each workout well hydrated. Be sure to rehydrate after tough workouts to help aid recovery. When it’s hot outside, or if you’re a particularly salty sweater, reach for low-calorie sports drinks to help replenish your carbs and electrolytes. How do you know if you’re well hydrated? Do the bathroom test. If your urine is pale yellow, then you’re well hydrated. If it’s darker – say the color of apple juice – drink more. If it’s clear, back off. Use thirst as your guide; experts have established that thirst will guide you to water when you need it.
Listen to your body. Training for a race should help push you out of your comfort zone, but it shouldn’t feel like torture. Some muscle soreness and achiness is normal after pushing yourself farther or faster than you’ve gone before. Rest and cross-train with non-impact activities when you need to. It is far better to take one day off of training to give your body a chance to recover, than to run through pain and turn a minor irritation into a full-blown injury that sidelines you for weeks. If you have pain that persists or worsens as you run, see a medical professional for an evaluation.
We’re looking forward to taking the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge SFO with you on September 7. You can see more training tips here. And be sure to look for us on race day. Click here to get to know the Movecoach Team!
