I love running all year long, but you do have to take care of your body differently in the winter weather. It is going to be cold, and as you run, you will warm up. Running shoes with excellent traction are essential. You don’t want to slip and fall because of the conditions. You need shoes that grip well so you can stay upright as you run. It is even better if they are waterproof. Avoid running on ice, stick to cleared sidewalks or snow packed areas. Be aware of possible risks such as uneven sidewalks. You won’t be able to see them under the snow. There can be undetected ice in areas too so b ..read more

Let go of the thoughts in your head about being perfect when it comes to yoga poses. Let go of not being perfect when it comes to how you breathe through those poses. It takes time to master the basics. Be patient and kind with yourself, but also give it 100% to do it correctly. You don’t want to develop bad habits that hinder the value of yoga or bad habits that could increase the risk of an injury. I will be the first to admit that I take extra breaths during yoga inversions. I try to sneak them, but I am sure many others do this too. The goals and practices of yoga though encourage you to d ..read more

More energy, a toned body, larger muscles, and losing weight are all common reasons people set out to create a fitness program that works for them. Everyone has unique goals and abilities. Everyone can’t get into a gym due to schedules. Others feel self-conscious about working out in public. A good option could be a virtual Nielsen Fitness trainer! You can workout on your schedule and from the privacy of your home! I will admit, I was skeptical of this concept when I first learned about it! I found this information during COVID-19 when our gyms were closed. I was doing my best to get ready for ..read more

After finishing her first road race ever at the Moonlight Run, my friend Hayley had the running bug and we signed up for Ladiesfest 8k which took place over this weekend. Last Sunday I made the decision to drop from a marathon to a half in July. This 8km (5 mile) run was just one mile shy of my “long” run scheduled for the weekend. I use quotation marks because my long run last Sunday was 16 miles. I definitely feel like I made the right decision. Anyway, it was an overcast morning and we set off at the top of the hill. I told Hayley how you need to lean forward into hills and let gravity do a ..read more

I was 16 miles away from home. My family dropped me off and I stood alone surrounded by prairies on one side, coulees on the other, and the rocky mountains in the distance. Seven weeks out from my first marathon and I was going to run the longest distance I have done in years. Little did I know this run was going to end my marathon training.  Not one big thing happened on this particular run, it was a build up of many things. My Mindset While anything you do has to do with your mindset, marathon training is extremely mentally challenging. Even if you feel good physically, you spend a good ..read more

It’s June and I am two months away from my race. This has been a tough undertaking, both physically and mentally. I made sure going into this endeavor that I included proper supplementation into the plan. I’m taking vitamin D, Vitamin C, fish oil, glucosamine, probiotics, magnesium, and collagen. In addition to those, I’m working on using electrolyte drinks after my long runs to rehydrate my body properly. Why Electrolytes Are Essential for Runners The electrolytes sodium and potassium regulate your body’s water balance and during pro-longed exercise, we lose electrolytes through our sweat. Th ..read more