Mar 17, 2016 | Community, Newsletter, Testimonial, Training Advice, Uncategorized
In this week’s update of the #WithoutLimitsChallenge, our challengers Siobhan and Tara talk about their experience joining the Without Limits team and community. Siobhan and Tara are just over two weeks out from the Cooper River Bridge Run 10k and are benefiting from the support of their teammates.
Siobhan Maize
I have really enjoyed joining the Without Limits Team! I have gained so much from the team in just a few short weeks. During the weekly workouts I always push myself more when training with the group. Running intervals with people is mentally much easier than doing it solo. The people ahead of me serve as a ‘rabbit’ and hearing the footsteps of those behind me help me run faster. It’s also a great feeling to be part of the greater Without Limits Community. I feel as though I have an instant group of new friends. We encourage each other at races, support each other on social media, and have a fun time hanging out during workouts. Being a part of the larger running community is so much better than solitary training! Thank you Without Limits!
Tara Marlowe
I have enjoyed being a part of the Without Limits team and community. Everyone is supportive of each other, always congratulating one another and sending each other well wishes before their individual races. It is nice to know that you always have someone to turn to when you have questions about your running, fatigue, injuries, or if you just want a running partner. Everyone in the group is like family, and at the practices they are constantly lifting each other up and encouraging one another to give it that last little push. I have never been a part of a running community like Without Limits, and I must say, it is pretty nice.
Mar 15, 2016 | Community, Newsletter
Without Limits Charleston athletes carried their momentum from January into February. Some teammates had their ‘A’ races of the training cycle and others tuned up for goal races in March. We also welcomed new teammates in February.
At the Save the Light Half Marathon on Folly Beach, Joe Cristaldi ran his first race as a new father and met his goal of running sub-1:40 and placed 3rd in his AG. Anne Wulf ran almost a 5-minute PR with a 1:52 finish. Anne is currently training for the Wrightsville Beach Marathon in March and is on track for a big PR there after a solid first marathon in Kiawah.
February 6th and 7th were dates that Jon Barrows had on his calendar since he started training with Without Limits in October. The Hallucination 24-Hour Trail Run was Jon’s goal race. In his build-up he set PRs in the marathon and 50k as training runs. He worked with Coach Chris on his fitness, his running form, his race strategy, and his mindset to prepare himself for a full day of running. Not only did Jon crush his goals and exceed his expectations, he did so even though the race was cut short by the race director at 16.5 hours due to strong winds and flooding rains. Even so, Jon managed to run 85.5 miles in that shortened time and finished 2nd overall! The event was a team affair as several teammates joined Jon as a pacer or volunteered at the race. Congrats, Jon, the team is proud!
In another trail event, the Almost 9-miler Trail Run, teammate Jacci Patterson was 1st overall female. Jacci is currently training for the Boston Marathon and is thriving in the team environment of group practices.
At the Hilton Head Half Marathon virtual training client Ricardo San Pedro took about 4 minutes off of his PR to run 1:30, place 2nd in his AG, and 17th overall! Ricardo is training for the Wrightsville Beach Marathon in March, where he hopes to run a qualifying time for the Boston Marathon.
Several teammates were in action at the MESSA 8k for H2O on Folly Beach. Coach Chris placed 1st overall, Joe won his AG, Cortez Gonzalez won his AG in his longest race ever, Harry Gregorie was 2nd in his AG, and unofficial teammate Jane Gregorie set another state record for women 80-84 by finishing the 4.97 mile race in just over 1-hour! Anne ran the race as part of her long run workout and still managed to run a pace that was faster than what used to be her 5k pace prior to training with Without Limits.
WOL was represented well at the Lifepoint Race for Life 5k and 10k. The course was tough with mud and soft grass, but we had top finishers in both races. Without Limits Challenger Tara Marlowe was 5th female in the 5k and Christin Newman was 1st female (and 6th overall) in the 10k! Tara is training for the Cooper River Bridge Run 10k and Christin is training for the Boston Marathon.
Here’s to more great performances in March! We will have teammates racing from the 1600m on the track up to the marathon. In addition to races, our athletes are reaching their goals of improving their form, learning about different types of workouts, living healthier lifestyles, and enjoying the journey with teammates.
Mar 7, 2016 | Community, Newsletter, Testimonial, Training Advice
Our challengers are less than a month out from the Cooper River Bridge Run 10k. The Bridge Run will be a test of their fitness and their improvement made during the #WithoutLimitsChallenge. However, this week we focus on the process rather than the end result by asking Tara and Siobhan what they have been working on recently in their training.
Tara Marlowe
Up to this point in my training I have been working on increasing my speed and endurance, and learning to really take in and enjoy those recovery runs. In the past I have always just gone out and ran, and I never really took many rest days to allow my body to recover. With Chris as my coach, I am learning proper training techniques, incorporating fartlek and tempo runs, and learning that recovery runs are important to your training. This month, I expect to really start focusing on pushing my threshold and getting ready for the Bridge Run. The race is only 25 days away and I am hoping to make it my best Bridge Run to date.
Siobhan Maize
During my Without Limits practices I’m working on incorporating speed work into my training. After my injury in October and long lay off from running, I had to add in time on my feet running before adding in any faster speed work. Now that I’m stronger running, I can add in one day of speed or tempo work each week. As I run faster I’m also working on running form and efficiency. My legs (and mind!) are starting to remember what it feels like to run fast! It’s been an adjustment, but a welcome adjustment. It’s fun to find some speed again, but to do it cautiously so that I don’t re-injure myself. Coach Chris has been great about telling me what type of workouts to do as well as what pace to run my intervals. Running with the Without Limits group has also helped me to push myself more easily than I would on my own. It’s been fun getting back into shape with a group!
Feb 28, 2016 | Community, Testimonial, Training Advice
One of the most important things an endurance athlete can do when training or racing is maintain a positive dialogue in their head. There are lots of factors that are out of an athlete’s control, but something we can control is our attitude. This week we asked our challengers if they have any inspirational quotes or messages that help them push through when they want to quit?
Tara Marlowe
“I actually have two little motivational quotes/messages that always help me push through when the training gets tough. The first has stuck with me since my days of playing college soccer. Our team would always order warm-up t-shirts for us to wear on gamedays, and one year the shirt had the phrase ‘Pain is Temporary; Pride is Forever’. This has stuck with me since, because it is very true. When it comes to training there are going to be times when you need to push yourself until it hurts. It isn’t always going to be fun. But if you put in the hard work, you will begin to develop this sense of pride in yourself when you start achieving your personal goals.
The second phrase that keeps me pushing through is ‘You can do anything for two minutes.’ This phrase comes in handy when I am doing speed work or short interval training. I once took a Spin class, and the instructor would often use this phrase. It has stuck with me ever since, and I find myself repeating this to myself in my head when I am training and have just a little bit further to go. I love it! And sometimes that two minutes will turn into three, five, or maybe even ten.”
Siobhan Maize
I have several mantras that get me through hard times while training and racing, one dating way back 15 years ago! When I’m doing a long run or race like an ultra I say ‘I’m in my happy place’ and that always makes me laugh. My friend came up with that when we were training for our first marathon and it lifts my spirits. On faster workouts I tell myself ‘you’re stronger than you think’ because my friend told me that right before a Boston Qualifying marathon years ago. It really helped me push myself when the race got difficult. If I’m getting whiny…I tell myself to ‘suck it up buttercup’ not very graceful but it works! Finally, I often tell myself ‘relax’ which helps me stay calm and not get too panicky about pace and distance. Racing is such a mental race that if you aren’t prepared to combat the negative thoughts that can creep into your mind it can make for a long tough day….
Feb 21, 2016 | Community, Newsletter, Testimonial, Training Advice, Uncategorized
Endurance athletes are creatures of habit. We get in a routine with our training and often forget exactly why we started, or better yet, why we continue to train and strive to reach our goals. Motivations vary from one athlete to another, but it is helpful for every athlete to understand their “Why?”, the true purpose of their training. Tara and Siobhan are about halfway through the #WithoutLimitsChallenge and we asked them what keeps them motivated during their training.
Siobhan Maize
I’m motivated each week to complete all my workouts laid out by Coach Chris because I realize that I can only reach my goals through hard work and consistency. Results don’t magically happen by wishing for a certain outcome. Results come from consistent training. The hard workouts that I’m doing now, will translate to my race goals later on. I’ve learned through the years that I get a huge physical and mental boost from seeing my progress over the weeks. Workouts that were hard for me a few weeks ago feel more manageable now. It’s such a confidence builder. I had such a great long run this week because I felt strong and was able to run longer than I was able to at the start of the challenge. Huge confidence boost! I can’t wait to see how strong I’ll be at the Bridge Run!
Tara Marlowe
“My family keeps me motivated for this challenge. I look at them everyday and want to push myself to be a better me for them. I think about my children when I set personal running goals. I want them to see me working towards these goals, and I want to show them that when you put your mind to something and work hard at it, you can accomplish anything. I also think about my husband while pushing through this challenge. He once told me that my dedication to running and being fit inspires him. I keep that little piece of information in the back of my head at all times. If I am inspiring him, there is a chance that I may be inspiring someone else too, and that is enough to make me keep pushing through.”
