VIDEO RECAP
- always have a drink ready for after your hard workouts / races with combo of carbohydrates and protein.
- take it within 30min of finishing your workout to take advantage of the recovery window.
- use the next hour to focus on rehydrating and eat a post workout meal.

VIDEO RECAP
Watch this weeks video to hear more about the following:

CONNECT

• ERIN SCHRAUWEN & HANNAH BIRTHDAY SONG & WISHES :) ​

COACHES NOTE

• Busy is a decision

LEARN

• CREATING A TO-DON’T LIST

MENTOR

• POST RUN NUTRITION VIDEO - dial in your recovery nutrition / habits HERE.

GROW

• Read Hannah's thoughts on CHANGE.
  
  

MOTIVATION STATION

• It's a very troubling time in the world so this week I have chosen a reading called Respect Life as something to think about. xo

VIRTUAL WEDNESDAY & VIRTUAL SUNDAY RUN INSTRUCTIONS

• Video HERE.

HASHTAGS / BONUS CHECKMARKS
- Create you "To-Don't List". You don't need to share it with anyone. It's the honour system. Take a few minutes to identify what things you need to let go of in order to become more productive, successful or feel better.
​
- Sunday FB Watch Party - music trivia / karaoke with Steve & Rene @ 8:00pm.
- tag photos with #EarnYourCheckmark / #PaceTrailRuns / #ToDontList / #RespectLife / #GetTheVertBeforeTheVertGetsYou

It's really easy to blow off stretching after your run. Often we are already thinking of the next place we need to be or what we have to do and stretching post-run seems to be the first thing we dismiss.

When it comes to injury prevention, it's really important to maintain and/or improve mobility. The best way to do this is through consistency. Just like improving your endurance or speed - you have to do it regularly and balance it with rest.

One of the easiest ways to introduce more mobility into your weekly routine is to think about stretching as part of your run. For example, if you have a 45min run on your training plan for this week, schedule 60min so you have time for your post run stretch. If you only have 45min in total, schedule 40min to run and choose 2 target areas to focus your post run stretches on... such as tight hamstrings or quads. 

It's easy to say you'll stretch when you get home or fire up that 60min yoga class on your down dog app, but often we are more distracted when we get home and it's less likely you'll fit it in. That's why this week's learn section is all about making stretching part of you run. So make it a goal to stretch after every run starting this week. Even if it's only 5min and you'll start to see how much better you feel, or gain awareness on areas that need more attention such as foam rolling or making a massage appointment. 
​

We're approaching the 2nd half of the clinic and workouts are getting jacked up, distances are being pushed and the challenges keep coming! When you're healthy, it's easy to neglect the really important components of being an athlete... the strength work, rehab, stretching and foam rolling.

This is a great reminder to get back to basics and "do the little things"...

- Pilates, yoga and core strength.
- feet and ankle exercises.
- cross-train. Add variety to help build physical strength and endurance but also to help keep your mental outlook from burnout and boredom.
- lower your stress by accepting change and breaking down the next steps to help set your mind at ease.

I know a lot of people are sitting more than usual right now and working or socializing on computers so I thought I would start with a great desk/cat/cow stretch you can incorporate in-between your computer sessions:

1. Desk/Cat/Cow: Sit in a chair and scooch it back far enough from your desk that when you place your palms flat on the desk, the heels of you hands are close toe the desk's edge. Sit up straight and tall, tuck your chin, then round your upper back. Hold for a few seconds, then reverse it; press your chest forward, raise your head and let it fall back as you arch your upper back. Do ten reps.

2. Side bend reaches: Sit up straight and tall in your chair. Cross one arm over your body and grasp the side of the chair. Raise the other arm and bend to the opposite side. Hold for thirty seconds to two minutes. Switch sides. 

"Tight is when getting your body (or parts of your body) into a certain position or moving in a particular way is more difficult than usual"

I see all the elevation gains you're making on your runs these days, which is so awesome! I wanted to include a few of my fav's that I do while watching Netflix or when I get up in the morning:

3. Quad Stretch on a bench: Facing away from a bench, bend one knee, and place it on the floor in-front of the bench. Place the other leg - bent at a 90 degree angle - and foot flat on the floor in futon of you. Raise your upper body until you feel a good stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold for thirty seconds. (I use my couch instead of a bench)

4. Wide-legged hamstring to one side stretch: Separate your legs wide (about double shoulder-width apart), toes pointing forward. Hinge forward and, if possible, touch the floor. (If you can't touch the floor, rest your hands on yoga blocks or upright books). Walk your hands over to one foot (or shin) until you feel a good stretch in the back of your leg. Hold for thirty seconds to two minutes. Switch sides.