Which ZOOMA Training Program Should I Choose?

Hello all runners and run/walkers,

I am very proud to be your coach for the ZOOMASeries and am here for ALL of you. The programs we designed are for all levels; from beginner exercisers to those more experienced runners wanting to break their time goals!

I have trained thousands of women runners and I always get the same common question: What program should I follow? Well, what are your goals and where are your fitness levels now? If you are starting from scratch and have never run before, then I suggest you follow one of my beginner programs. If you have been running for a while now and really want to improve your time, try one of the more advanced programs.

The best part of this opportunity is that this is your goal and your training. You can always try one program and then after a few weeks if it is too easy or difficult, simply send me your progress through the “askgracie” section and I can help you decide on how to progress accordingly. Any distance is possible if you commit to the training and stay consistent!

This is what ZOOMA is all about: YOU and improving your running ability.

I would like to encourage everyone to ask me a question about training this week through the ZOOMA Trainer. The Trainer is free! Register at http://races.zoomarun.com/train.html to access the "askgracie" space. Please allow 48 hours for me to answer all questions as we travel a TON with my sports apparel line, gracie’s gear. (www.graciesgearandtraining.com)

Gracie’s Gear is changing the way women work out and what we expect from our workout gear! We are proud to announce that Big Peach Running Co and Phiddipies in GA are now carrying our line. Please enjoy the experience and check us out!!!

I look forward to working with all of you these next few months,

Coach Gracie

Some Things Never Change (and Some Things Do)

Last Saturday morning I arrived at my old high school track around 7:30 am. It was my high school cross country Alumni Run, an annual tradition in which I had not participated since it was a required event for me and my teammates. Every year I receive a notice in the mail inviting me to participate and asking for a donation, and although I usually happily donate, I never attend. This year, I happen to be in town during the Run and decided to revisit old memories.

Only three of my teammates were there as alumni participants, and we all lined up on the start line behind the mass of student runners for the short two-mile event. We chatted and cut up just like old times – only this time, most of us are wives, and a few of us are mothers. Still, as we toed up to the line and waited for the starting cannon to fire, I felt like a nervous high school athlete, eager to impress my coach and to keep up with my talented friends.

The cannon fired and we all jumped… then, sprinted off from the start. These girls lied about what sort of shape they are in! I thought. I prayed that sanity would creep back in and the pace would slow. It did, thankfully, but I still felt good. I stayed on the shoulder of a girl, now a wife and mother, who during our day held the school record in the two-mile distance. We chatted, but mostly we ran. We scampered down and up through muddy ditches. We hugged the fence by the baseball field. (Remember speeding up past the boys as they practiced?) I started to feel the old familiar burn in the pit of my stomach somewhere around the 2.5 mile mark.

I passed two student runners, struggling with their breathing and their mental toughness. They still don’t know how much they really have in them, I thought. I felt almost as if I was looking back in time at myself. If I only knew myself then like I know myself now, I thought. I passed on the outside with a word of encouragement.

Finally, the sprint to the finish. I lengthened my stride and finished with a slightly negative split. Afterwards, my old high school coach congratulated me on a good race… in front of everyone. I was on cloud nine.

Funny how some things never change.

Running Away from Home

As we near the end of the summer, everyone tries to squeeze in last minute vacations. Sometimes we have to pick up our training and take it with us.

The last two months, I have been traveling so often that I have been able to do only one weekend long run on my home turf. One Saturday, I woke up, scurried around the dark to find my running shoes, and tiptoed out of a beach house full of my sleeping friends for a solo 7 mile run. Once out on the roads, though, I was certainly not alone. I passed couple pushing jog strollers. Older couples strolling hand in hand. Families on bikes. I felt like I was part of a special club that knows the early hours of the morning at the beach. Despite the heat and incredible humidity (even in the early hours of the morning), I had a great workout. I returned to the beach house to smiling friends bearing coffee and blueberry pancakes. To me, the perfect start to a beach vacation day.

Another Saturday morning, I found myself in Austin, Texas, there scoping out potential venues for the ZOOMA Austin 2009 event. I set out early and parked near RunTex. From there, I found the Lake Austin trail and ran with the crowds of other active Austin-ites and their dogs. RunTex puts out water at a certain point for any-and-all who are thirsty. I saw Desiree Ficker training with two friends.

Yesterday, I ran from my mother’s house in an old neighborhood whose sidewalks I used to frequent quite often, when I lived at home so many years ago. A Team In Training group was stationed at a location about a mile into my run, and they invited me to join their water break – “The bar’s open!” they called out. I made a couple other friends, too – also out running solo and looking for some conversation to break up hour-plus long runs.

It’s funny how running makes you part of a community, wherever you are. To me, that’s part of the fun of running away from your home course. You feel like you are able to touch the energy of a place and experience its flow while cruising through its streets. I never travel without bringing my running shoes with me. To me, there’s no better way to experience a place.

Kristin Armstrong on Running Skirts

Who says you can't look and feel pretty while running?

"I believe that a woman is even more powerful when she feels pretty."... And we agree!

Check out Kristin's article on RunnersWorld.com:

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-369-371--12796-0,00.html

Why I Run

Welcome all Zooma Runners and Run/Walkers!

First off congratulations on starting or continuing the journey of being a runner. Running is one of the most difficult yet amazing sports out there. It demonstrates a true athlete....it is so individual, uses every muscle in your body, and test all limits!

Everyone has different reasons for running: stress relief, convenience, good at it, the sense of accomplishment, social aspect. I started running at the age of 11. I was in the 6th grade and joined our track team. From there, I went onto to high school and found my sport. I ran very competively in university in Louisiana and ran long distance on a scholarship. We would train 3-4 hours a day...it was my life.

After college, I went onto running for fun and trying out these half marathons and marathons that I used to think were CRAZY!! Now that was amazing! The only difference was now with my career, I didn't have all this time to train. Soon I realized balance and running and decided to coach new runners and share my passion for balanced running. What is balanced running? I define balanced running as running and resting throughout the week. Your body needs rest and rest is one of the best preparations for your Zooma race.

Now as a mommy, entrepeneur (I am founder of gracie's gear--new functional line for you!--gotta get some at The Big Peach), running coach, and wife, my running needs to be very balanced. I run for many reasons: I am pretty good at it, I love the early morning runs that start my day, I love the way it makes me feel and look, and it is very healthy to stay fit. I find with running as part of my exercise routine I am a better entrepeneur, coach, mother and wife. As moms we tend to put ourselves last on the list...well my goal was to take some personal time for myself and that is exercise. Even on those tired or stressful days I make myself go out there and do strength, walk, or go for my run. Sometimes I take my daughter in the jogger (now that is a workout). Taking your kids at a young age really makes them enjoy this time with mommy.

As your Zooma Coach, I encourage you to ask me any question realated to running and training. I have coached for 9 years, I have my undergraduate and graduate degree in exercise science and I truly LOVE LOVE motivating and guiding women to be there best! Whether you are brand new to this sport or are an amazing runner. We can and will take you to the next level! Join me on this Zooma journey in Atlanta.

Keep movin'

Coach Gracie