Would you rather have a crew that.... Gives you warm water Gives you cold water Misses an aid station Is at every aid station Eats your race food Has your food ready Isn't ready when you come in - OR- Are prepared Forgets your bars Got you even extra bars Sits in your seat Take care of you Tells you you look weak Tells you you look strong Asks you why you are even trying Motivates you Is negative, fearful, or lacks confidence in you? Is positive, loud, cheerful? Now, that is not including some of the honesty we need at times... but lets say we aren't talking about a race, lets say we are talki ..read more

What is your word of the year? Or better yet, what was your word of the year this year in 2023? Do you feel like you "lived" up to it? How often did you have to remind yourself about it? Instead of a rigid resolution, a Word of the Year is your constant (yet gentle) reminder to focus on creating positive change. Use your Word of the Year to help guide your decisions and continue moving towards what you want. Although some indulge in affirmations (which can also be beneficial), the strength and direct, one word combination allows one to accept the guidance with a powerful punch. A Word of the ..read more

The New Year... ah yes, it is coming so fast! How did your year go? Did you accomplish goals? Fall off the wagon? Nail it? Wasn't pretty or perfect but it was a great effort? ....or not so much. Not quite what you hoped for. Not really, sortof, kindof, could have been better? ,Let me ask you this, what was in your control and what wasn't in your control? Because there are things we can change and things we can't. We can't change this past year's events, but we can make changes for a better new year. Changes that are in our control. "If you don't change something, nothing will change." ,What yo ..read more

W.I.N. "What's Important Now..." or "What I Need" or "Who I Need" Winning isn't just about gold medals, prize money, or bragging rights. Winning has to do with how it affects one's heart. We've probably all made it to the top one time or another, only to feel a different feeling, the feeling of emptiness. Why is that? Yay.. and congrats to Suzi Collins for doing the 50 mile RRR Why do sometimes we face these struggles, challenges, and choices and "win" the career promotion, or the race, or the title...yet still feel empty? Could it be because it wasn't important now? Could it be because it ..read more

One more. One more step, time, push-up, sit up, ride, run, ONE MORE. One more. One more to improve. One more to succeed. One more to be the best you can be. Let's consider the power of "One More" in our own worlds. How could one more "x" help you reach your goals? Make you a better person? Or my favorite, inspire others to also rise up? You see, when we challenge ourselves to one more, we don't just help ourselves, it helps us to be stronger, smarter, more disciplined to help others. Not only that, those that see this power of "one more" from you, will be inspired to go for the "one more" in t ..read more

Rugged Running/SheRUGGED Newsletter Coaches Blog/Tips Success & Inspire Stories Healthy Recipes Events across the U.S. and Online *Coaches Blog/Tips- God’s Got Me… By: Michele Yates Why so much bad? Why so much challenge? Why not a little more good than bad? Pictured: Coach Michele Yates and daughter Maya- Keystone These are the questions I find myself asking nowadays to God. Can we please have a little more good in the world to outweigh the bad and motivate us a little more? One may misread this as wavering faith but have no doubt that my faith is still in God and I do believe “God’s G ..read more

Heat Hacks and Race Rage... here comes summer and your guide to beating the heat on those long training days or races! Photo by: David Wiskowski HOW TO SURVIVE THE HEAT Hydrate and fuel BEFORE you go out to train in the heat. Be prepared. Take hydration and electrolytes with you. Invest in a hydration vest, handheld water bottles, or a belt. I recommend ULTIMATE DIRECTION for those needs. Salt stick salt tabs and GU Energy gels work well for electrolytes. (contact Michele for more structure on running/training race nutrition). Stay cool- try to pick shady/tree covered routes or those that lo ..read more

Feeling a bit bolted down from reaching your potential? Is your mindset fixed? A fixed mindset means you believe intelligence, talent, and other qualities are innate and unchangeable. A Growth mindset means you believe intelligence and talent can be developed with practice and effort. You may recognize some of these characteristics of a FIXED MINDSET Believe intelligence and talent are static. Avoid challenges to avoid failure. Ignore feedback from others. Feel threatened by the success of others. Hide flaws so as not to be judged by others. * I see this as "SETTLING"... Never settle in a r ..read more

How To Choose The Right Training Program In a world with numerous training options to choose from, there is no doubt you have some overwhelm. From standard programs to different inclusive/exclusive personalized programs which one is the best fit for you? I can’t speak for every coaching business but here at Rugged Running we have 3 main options. Standard (still holistic but basic and best suited for the go getter or experienced) Semi-Personalized (holistic with your particular schedule in mind) Personalized (holistic, full length videos, individualized to your schedule, nutrition needs, gait ..read more

Ever seen a house built on sand? I bet you can guess what happens! So whether we are speaking of life or running or anything for that matter, we all know it is wise to establish a strong, stable foundation. Yet, some pay the high price for skipping or skimming over this part, or half heartedly doing it. That price typically results in injury. Sometimes a very serious one or those that accumulate over the years due to lack of maintenance. If we have a house for years, there will be some fixing up, attention, and care needed in order for it to remain sturdy. So why do we passively ignore this ..read more