Run With Coach Fischer

Disclaimer: I received an entry to DC™ Super Hero Run  to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a  BibRave Pro  ambassador, and check out  BibRave.com  to review, find, and write race reviews!    Whenever I find myself in a situation I'm not overly familiar with or am feeling awkward I think about this scene from the movie Talladega Nights... For a little context, I usually do not find myself in novelty races with costume contests, themes and tutus. I'm not a serious 5k racer and I can't remember the last time I specifically was training to run a 5k PR (college, maybe?) but throughout the years I've maintained an ability to stay competitive in local races hovering around the 20 minute range but within the past year or two I think I've lost my drive to have any sort of structured running plan. I still run six days a week but I don't prioritize workouts or mileage (this was a crazy year professionally) and have started to prioritizing li

Disclaimer: I received an entry to Cellcom Green Bay Half Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a  BibRave Pro  ambassador, and check out  BibRave.com  to review, find, and write race reviews!    Another weekend, another half marathon! In my true nature I have taken on more than I should have this time of year - we're now entering competition season with track, field trips, lesson planning and head coach duties are piling up so why not add two half marathons within two weeks of each other to that? With that said, I just couldn't pass on the opportunity to represent BibRave at Cellcom, especially now that I am an official resident of the Fox Valley. I can now say the Cellcom Green Bay race weekend really lived up to its reputation. Here's my full recap: Course I was slightly surprised at the amount of time I felt I was running uphill in the half marathon course. I wouldn't classify this course as hilly but there were plenty of gentl

Disclaimer: I received an entry to Christie Clinic Illinois Half Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a  BibRave Pro  ambassador, and check out  BibRave.com  to review, find, and write race reviews!    Overall the Christie Clinic Illinois marathon weekend was an excellent experience. The expo, races, support and spectators put on a well organized event. Here is my recap from the weekend: Expo/Packet Pick-Up The Expo/Packet Pick-Up was a breeze. Both were held in the Activities Center of the University of Illinois so there was plenty of parking. The traffic was well directed and although the road closures were slightly confusing, getting around was very intuitive and well-marked. The stadium is built to accommodate masses of people so there were plenty of places to park. Packet pick-up went quickly and the Expo had many booths set-up with vendors and sponsors of the race. Course The half marathon course took some big loops around the city and arou

Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Christie Clinic Illinois Half Marathon to review as part of being a BibRavePro.   Learn more about becoming a  BibRave Pro  ambassador, and check out  BibRave.com  to review, find, and write race reviews!   The fall is ending, another cross country season is wrapping up and I'm remembering what it's like to have time to myself and with my little family, so naturally I decided to add a Spring race to my schedule! I'll be running the Christie Clinic Illinois Half Marathon at the end of April 2022 in Champaign, IL. The course comes with a total elevation change of 50 feet (flat!!), aid stations every couple miles and entertainment along the course. The race supplies a goodie bag with a medal, foil blanket and gender-specific crew neck t-shirt. All great things which I'm hoping will lead me to a new half marathon PR! While a flat course, pace groups and well-stocked aid stations are all helpful, the real PR maker is going to be in

Having a period is an inconvenient thing and the enticement of full ultimate Godly control by using hormonal birth control methods (like the pill) has been a life saver for some women. Knowing EXACTLY when your period will come, lessening the worse parts such as bleeding and cramping, and even for some completely getting rid of it. When you are planning an 18 week training cycle why would you not want to have that certainty and control? A while ago I wrote another blog about periodization for your period and how you can actually work with your cycle to take advantage of times of the month where you can really amp up training and other times where you need to back off and focus on recovery. Read all about it here .  When searching the topic of hormonal birth control and athletic performance there surprisingly was not a lot of information available. I could find information about types of birth control, side effects, effectiveness, but nothing on how it might affect your athletic perform

Disclaimer: I received an entry to Grandma's Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a  BibRave Pro  ambassador, and check out  BibRave.com  to review, find, and write race reviews!   If you read my earlier blog about my initial Grandma's Marathon ambitions you might have noticed how I was headstrong and ready to commit to setting a new PR and redeeming myself from my failed attempt at 3:20 during the Milwaukee Marathon. I was ready to go until life set in and I just didn't have the heart to put into the training that I needed to make 3:20 a reality. Before I go into that journey I'd like to recap my race weekend for anyone interested in how it actually went! I had the opportunity to run Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN through BibRave. This was my FIRST in person race with the team and I was so excited to have the opportunity to do so. I joined BibRave in the winter of 2019 planning my first race with them to be in Milwaukee in