Friendly Influence

1996 Fort Collins Varsity Team - 2nd place finisher in the Colorado State 5A division race

SNAPSHOT

Join me for track practice.

DIGGING DEEPER

It was a friend that brought me to running.  She wasn’t a runner or even an athlete.  I don’t know why she even wanted to join the middle school track team.  I was not an athlete either.  Since my family was in a constant state of change and my father was parenting on his own, sports had not been an option.  The extent of my athletic experience only entailed winning the elementary school field day races once a year. 

Middle school track in Fort Collins, Colorado was only 6 weeks long with just a few meets.  It only took that one last race where I was flying through the finish line to capture my heart.  When the fall cross country season came a few months later I quickly lined myself up to run on the high school team.  Running in the shadows, I was the most wide-eyed, innocent, quirky little girl with a bit of pudge and not real running shoes. I tagged along on a team that had a serious history of winning and a coach that took us to the podium at state meets.  

Start line focus

While riding to the first cross country race, the fast girls pulled a prank by convincing me that gullible was not in the dictionary.  With that same innocence, I accepted the pointing out of the race course thinking I would just be following all the jerseys in front of me.  The JV race gun went off and I dashed out to the front.  No one stepped ahead of me.  In the lead, I took the wrong turn and was guided back by the spectating parents.  A lesson I would never forget as I became the course strategist on all my racing teams.  To the surprise of my team, I finished with a win. 

During the next practice, the varsity boys walked by exclaiming, “So, you are the one that won the girls' JV race.”  I blushed as bright as my red trimmed glasses.  I knew the joy I felt while running was worth being watched. It was the beginning of a love for running.  

My future was altered by a friendly invitation. So I encourage you to reach out to a friend and experience a new endeavor together.  You may help them find their love.

SOLUTION

Come along side of me.  Together we explore.

1996 Fort Collins High School's winning teams

Beginners Welcome

My friend Ashley leading the Coach 2 5K team at a local race.

SNAPSHOT

Shelly’s Original BIG THREE for Beginner Runners

DIGGING DEEPER

Follow these three beginner runner tips to reach 30 consecutive minutes of running.  After coaching over 100 beginner runners through walk-run programs, these are the keys that have rang true through the years. Trust me.

The original Couch to 5K team. Suzanne, Donna, and Lisa inspired and entertained me during every Tuesday adventure.  Thanks, Girls!

RUN SLOW - Be able to talk while running. Chat with a friend, take in the scenery, and breathe deeply as you run comfortably. You need to go the distance, not a fast speed.  Once you can run an entire 5K distance then you can work on speed.  However, until then just the act of running will improve your overall fitness and speed.

RUN EVERY OTHER DAY - Don’t run every day! Your body really does need a day of rest to adapt and prepare for the next run.  On your days off from running take a brisk walk for 30-60 minutes or perform 20 minutes of body weight strengthening. Beginners should be cautious of the wear on the body when running daily, which can lead to injury. Again, once you can run an entire 5K distance, then you can work in consecutive days of running training.

Training partners become forever friends. Catherine, Donna, Lisa, Donna, Colleen, and Shelly

RUN WITH OTHERS - Running can be a wonderful time of social activity, even if only once a week.  The group run can give encouragement and inspiration to reach your goal. Often runners get lost in the conversation and forget that they are running.  Training partners don’t even have to run the same speed.  The faster runner runs ahead until the walk portion, at which they circle back around to meet the slower runner for a few moments of talking and encouragement. Make a new friend and starve off loneliness and add in accountability.

Keep these keys in your back pocket and reach your running goals!

I recommend the Couch 2 5K plan. There is even an app!

SOLUTION

Enjoy your journey across the mountain in front of you.  Surprise yourself.

We finished!

Passing on the Joy of Running

Set aside your usual view of children running.

SNAPSHOT

Freedom is key

DIGGING DEEPER

Let your child run throughout their day.  When there are safe sidewalks, trails, or fields, let them surge ahead of you: exploring the environment and how they body moves.  

Don’t force children to run at an even pace for long periods of time.  I am jealous of children’s intuition of when to start and stop running.   While in the mode of running, they will slow to a walk when the body signals a need for rest.  Then once the pain has gone, they will dash off for the thrill of movement and discovery calls.  There are times in our adult training that this technique is advantageous. Let children benefit from interval training and encourage them to listen to their body.

Out of the box running

They will follow you.  If you enjoy running, they will want to enjoy it too.  That is if you encourage their curiosities. Let them bike along side of you and talk to them about their interests: growing your relationship.  Before they are tired, stop by your house or car and encourage them to leave their bike for a super short run with you.  I mean REALLY short run.  Just wet their appetite.  Go back to your house before they can get worn out.  It is ALL ABOUT ENJOYING the movement of running.

Perseverance is a developed mature characteristic that needs experience as a background. Often parents will point out that their child doesn’t know how to pace themselves: slowing down so they can go for a long distance.  It is important to remember that these are children, they have not developed the characteristics of patience and perseverance.  When they mature, so will their running. Their sprinting is not wrong.  It is good speed development, which is best built during childhood.

The joy of flying

Patience as a parent will pay off in the long run. My oldest son did not run his first 5K race until he was 11 years old.  After signing him up for the usual kid race, he asked why I had not signed him up for the 5K. “My friends have run a 5K.  I can do it,”  Sam proclaimed. After years of my patience, Sam chose the challenge of racing 3.1 miles.  He ran the race by himself and was proud of his own accomplishment.  At 14, he continues to enjoy runs throughout the week and has a healthy relationship with running.  Most importantly he can use running to be physically and mentally healthy into his adult years.  Let your child choose their challenges.

Pure Joy

Here are two ways to put running into your family’s life.

TREE TO TREE

In a group of 2 or more, find a field, forest, or playground.  Select a starting location (tree or another landmark) and gather as a group.  The first runner runs to a different tree of their choice.  They call out, “Go,” and the group races to the tree.  Once everyone is joined back up at the new location, a different runner is sent off to find the next tree.  This continues until everyone has been a tree selector and usually lasts several rounds.  It is important that the tree selector has the freedom to select any tree they want, even if it is 10 feet away.  Most will shoot for the farthest tree trying to out do the others.  What is great about this game is that the race to the tree varies depending on the who is racing and the distance that is run.

RELAYS

Kids love relays, especially if there is some type of baton to pass off between their teammates. You only need two people to do a relay, so loosen up and count yourself as one.  Create a course that goes over, under, or around obstacles.  Keep mixing it up between rounds of races.

You can't make me! If you have a child that won’t run. They just look at you and shout, “No, I don’t like it.”  Then start with walking.  Build up their fitness with inquisitive walks.  Then after a few weeks of walks, try a walk-run routine.  A walk-run routine for you, not for the child: be the example.  Start with 5 minutes of your usual inquisitive walking, then tell them that it is your time to start running. Only run for 30 seconds, then walk for 1 minute.  Return back to them during the walk breaks and continue your conversation. They will get so curious about what you are doing and want to join in.  The key is to not suggest or expect for them to join you, just accept their choice. Add in, “You are welcome to join my walk-run routine. I like to spend time with you.”

When children are done running, be done.  Don’t push them into pain or boredom.  They are not mentally strong enough to endure.  Let them be a kid.  A playful joyful, inquisitive kid.

SOLUTION

Let them run

A simple frisbee game elevates the heart rate and challenges the body.

Chasing Dreams

SNAPSHOT

Chasing coaching dreams

Quicksilver Running Team before their one-mile time trial on Monday.

DIGGING DEEPER

On July 24th I completed the USATF Level Two coaching school in Indianapolis, Indiana. Months of studying and testing prepared me for the lecture hall where I received another six days of knowledge from expert running coaches. (Yes, six days away from my family. They SURVIVED, perhaps even THRIVED.)  The coaching school provided an extraordinary opportunity to learn from the coaching masters.  One of the coaches presenting was Mike Smith, the West Point Academy Cross Country coach.  His focus on core strength and base fitness was intriguing.  When I returned, my training partners quickly wanted to know all that I had learned, but not even a long run was long enough to share the depth that I received from the week of lecturing and testing (98% average grade).  You can be grateful that those jewels will be leaking into my future blog posts.

A sense of accomplishment overwhelmed this mom of 4 kids.

My absence from blog posting resulted from an increase in opportunities. In order to solidify my newfound knowledge, I am observing the national record-breaking Shenendehowa Girls Cross Country coach, Rob Cloutier. Check out his blog here.  Many new clients have contacted me and I am grateful for the chance to guide them in their running journey. They range from beginners to busy moms to under 20-minute 5K racers.  The four runners that I guide daily through online training have been crushing their records. It has been a thrilling last 3 months.

A much needed weekend away in the Adirondack Mountains cultivated the opportunity to move the swirling thoughts in my head to written blog posts.  I will be releasing them weekly.  The seven prepared posts will range from my original beginner tips to how to balance life, which is mind changing.  

Lake George on a windless day, peacefully delightful

Scroll down to the bottom of this page and subscribe to my blog to receive the Tuesday morning post in your inbox.  Take the opportunity to share the Running Coach Shelly blog with your friends.  You will know why when you read my future post, Friendly Influences.

SOLUTION

Chase dreams until they become reality.

Happy Racing

SNAPSHOT

Keep your eyes off the finish line clock

DIGGING DEEPER

Although it is advantageous to select a finish goal and work towards that desire, when you put all our focus on the finish line time you create unneeded anxiety. Don't put yourself through the stress of whether you will get that wished upon time or place.  Those are outside circumstances that you have very little control over.  

However, you do have control over the elements within training and racing.  Focus more on the strategy that will get you to your desired goal.  That training could include consistent weekly training, nutritious meals, and injury prevention strengthing.  These elements prepare your body for the desires race goal.  

When the race starts, keep your mind on the elements that you can control: controlled even start, hard mental push through the middle, and belief in yourself has you dig deep to give it your all in the last meters.  

These accomplishments will be what you are really proud of when you look back at the race during your cool down.  The finish time and place will be more of a reflection of preparation and hard work.  

There will be races that everything clicks and you fly through the race. Those are great but are few and far between.  Then there will be ones that you stuggled but are proud of your hard work and finishing attidude. This is a demonstration of character and patience.

SOLUTION

Set your vision on the elements that make up the goal and your heart will be happy.