Montaño - Feel-Good Fitness Fun Workout Challenges to Inspire Your Fitness Streak

Table of Contents

Focused on cycling, triathlon, running, swimming, and nutrition/diet, VeloPress books help athletes achieve their goals of going faster and farther. Preview books and contact us at velopress.com. Distributed in the United States and Canada by Ingram Publisher Services The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows: Names: Montao, Alysia, author. Title: Feel-good fitness: fun workout challenges to inspire your fitness streak / Alysia Montao. Description: Boulder, Colorado: VeloPress, [2020] Identifiers: LCCN 2019058089 (print) | LCCN 2019058090 (ebook) | ISBN 9781948007030 (paperback) | ISBN 9781948006194 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Physical fitness. | Running.

Classification: LCC GV481 .M626 2020 (print) | LCC GV481 (ebook) | DDC 613.7dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019058089 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019058090 Art direction and interior design by Vicki Hopewell Cover and interior photos by Jeff Clark / Pixel Peak Cover design by Megan Roy v. 3.1 A note to readers: Double-tap on illustrations to enlarge them. After art is selected, you may expand or pinch your fingers to zoom in and out. Challenges
KICK-START YOUR RUNNING RESOLUTION
MAKE-IT-FUN PARTNER SERIES
FIT IN FITNESS
SUPPORT YOUR RUNNING HABIT
EVERYBODY NEEDS A STRONG CORE
STIR-CRAZY CIRCUITS
PUT SETBACKS IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR
PUSH YOUR LIMITS
LEVEL UP YOUR RUNNING
12 HOLY DAYS & 8 CRAZY NIGHTS In my experience, most of us know we should work out, and many of us even want to work out, but we have no idea where or how to begin. What if I dont belong to a gym? But I dont have much time! I guarantee that if you can start a program and stick to it, you will begin to want more. Fitness doesnt need to be a burden.

Done right, a healthy, fit lifestyle doesnt have to cost a lot or put you in a pain cave being fit can feel good! As a mother and an athlete, I want to be better and I recognize that means I need to practice every single day. I want to model for my kids what it looks like to be fierce and resilient. Now, Ill be the first to admit I am human and, like anyone, my motivation can wane, but I know that if I can get one foot out the door the other will quickly follow and my children will see that mama also has rough days but she doesnt give up. I know that once I get started I will start to feel better. On days when it is just straight torture, I think about how much better I will feel having fought through a mentally tough day. Barring sickness, exercise is a great mood booster.

Once you start sweating, those endorphins start working their magic. Your body wants to work for you. Its time to begin thinking about how you move through everyday life, and commit to moving your body so you can be better. Fitness is a great metaphor for life. It is a space to challenge yourself, to reach a goal, to hit a PR, and to progress in ways big and small. Whether you want to become a better runner or just start running, the big idea here is growth.

Lets not settle for more of the same. If you have reached a plateau physically or emotionally, lets take on a new challenge and see what happens. But Im not a runner! I may be an Olympic middle-distance runner, but I wasnt born with a passion for running. What I did have right from the start was passion to move, to push myself, to feel the adrenaline. I always enjoyed being able to take on a challenge, and figure out ways to become better, to overcome weaknesses, and get after my goals. Through this process I developed a hard-core passion for movement.

I love how movement helps me carry on through my daily life with energy and pride. I love how movement also shows me that I am strong, I am resilient, and I have the tremendous ability to persevere and to overcome obstacles. I have the ability to take a challenge head-on, knowing it isnt going to be easy, but knowing the hard-fought effort is worth it. The great thing about running is that it is so accessible. Find yourself a good pair of shoes, a watch, and a foam roller, and you are all good. Run repeatedly and you just might start to feel truly free, like you can fly.

Its not a speed thing; its all about moving athletically, and all of the feels that come with that. Move better, run better In track and field, we spend a lot of time working on agility and quickness. Activation drills and strength training play a huge role in the training and preparation of professional athletes, and I credit this work with keeping me relatively injury-free. Among distance and recreational runners, this kind of work is often overlooked in favor of higher miles. I regularly encounter runners who tell me that they dont spend time in the weight room. Running puts forces on your body that pack a punchalmost three times your body weight.

What makes us think that we dont need to pick up a weight, use a band, or do the work that will make us better runners? If you want to improve efficiency, speed, and endurance, if you want to run stronger and farther, this is an investment you can take to the bank. Do the work and you can build from a place of balance, rather than waiting for the chain to break and then trying to get back to balance. USE WHAT YOUVE GOT! Everyday items like countertops, beds, couches, desks, window ledges, and sturdy chairs double as awesome, immensely practical exercise benches. Knocking out some incline push-ups? Grab a surface thats at the height you need, and get to it! Even now, most of the workouts I do entail activation drills. After all, we need to prepare our bodies to move. Imagine your morning without a coffee, or being woken up and immediately expected to perform at your best.

Warming up prior to a workout, doing activation drills, is like communicating to your body, We are about to do a little bit more, you cool? Get it done and you can hear your body say, Yeah, lets do this. You need your body to work with you, not against you. Naturally, your body will move better when its warm. Temperature mattersa cold rubber band can snap if you dont take the time to warm it up and restore its elasticity. Treat your body to a warm-up every time you work out.