Community Friday’s: Inspiring Runners, Stories, and Fun Finds in the Running Community!
Hello there and HAPPY FRIDAY! Can I hear an amen?! Aside from the usual Friday fun we have going on around here, my sister and I are planning a hangout/sleepover and I CANNOT WAIT. It’s been way too long since we’ve had some quality, one on one sister time and I am eager to talk all night and watch movies together. I don’t know about you, but I love some good quality time and I am eagerly awaiting this weekend. Although I am going to miss Landon (he’s on a guy trip,) it will be fun to spend some extra time with my sister and sister-in law’s.
Today is another round up of Community Fridays! This is quickly becoming one of my favorite posts of the week, because I love sharing the inspiring things other runners are doing in the running community! Who doesn’t love a good story? If you are new to this post, I will give you a little run down. Basically, community Fridays is a day that I am dedicating to the running community. There is something special about cheering others on and sharing good news with other people. Whether that’s an inspiring runner, a good sale on running clothes (who doesn’t love that?!) or an encouraging story, I want to have Fridays be a day of celebration – celebrating real runner’s, real stories, and encouraging others in their own running journey! Fridays are going to be my new, favorite, on the blog, day of the week! SO, if you know of an inspiring runner or an encouraging running related story, or you want to share YOUR running story (and want to be featured!) make sure to email me at coachbethanythompson@gmail.com. I would LOVE to feature YOU!
Alright, moving on, without further ado…community Fridays!
Inspiring Runners
Toni Kengor aka (@toni.hearts.running) This lady truly has been an inspiration to me as I recover from both of my running injuries this summer. Toni is not only a strong runner, but also a fantastic coach and has been battling some tough injuries this summer too. Watching her determination, grit, and positive attitude through all of the ups and downs has been so inspiring to me, on a personal level. Thank you, Toni for your constant inspiration and your relentless spirit. I am so excited to watch this comeback of yours – it’s going to be epic.
Christine (aka @chrissy.nich.runs) Christine is one of Toni’s friends and the co-founder of their joint run coaching business, Relentless Runners. I met Christine, over a year ago, through one of my business courses. Something I’ve admired about Christine is her journey through pregnancy with her second. Guys, this lady ran a HALF MARATHON during her pregnancy (and I am not talking about first trimester, either.) I’ve loved watching her run through her pregnancy and excited to see her get back into competitive running, this new season, postpartum. She was also interviewed on the Today Show about how she ran through her pregnancy, which was so amazing! Keep it up, girl!
Gear/Fuel
NUUN Energy – Okay guys, if you are looking for a delicious post-run beverage, look no further than NUUN. If you haven’t had it yet, you have to try it. NUUN energy are tablets that you can drop into 8-12 oz of water, immediately post-run and get some quick electrolytes and sodium back into your body, asap. They don’t have much calorie content or carbohydrates (so not ideal for fueling through the run as your only choice of fuel) but perfect for a quick post-run beverage. I love the berry, citrus, and lemon lime flavor!
Brooks Launch 4s These are for sure, some of my favorite shoes I’ve ever owned (and I’ve owned quite a few pairs of running shoes.) They are light, supportive, gorgeous, and have kept my feet happy for many miles. I am looking to grab a pair of Brooks Ghost 11s to rotate between, since the Launch’s are a little on the light weight side of things. However, I LOVE my launch 4 (and I’ve heard the 5s are good too) and can’t wait to grab a pair of the 5s and Ghosts 11s. I will do a full review of the Ghosts once I wear them for a few weeks.
Podcast/Education
Chasing Excellence with Ben Burgeon If you are looking for a motivational podcast, look no further. Chasing Excellence is one of my FAVORITE podcasts, featuring elite Crossfit Coach, Ben Burgeon. His knowledge of nutrition, the sport of CrossFit, exercise, and mindset are just fabulous. I always get a nugget of something that I can think about for the entire week, until the next episode airs. You can find his podcast, here.
I’ll Have Another with Lindsey Hein Another great podcast, I love is I’ll Have Another with Lindsey Hein. First of all, I love her voice. She has such a down to earth, personality that I just love. She is also the mother to four young boys and a talented runner, too. I appreciate her interviews with elite runners and love getting the inside scoop of what elite runners think/process/and how they approach their own training! You can find Lindsey’s podcast, here.