That’s right, 2020 is just around the corner and we’ve been busy getting ready to provide you with great events in the coming year. To get things rolling, registration for the 32nd edition of the People’s United Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relays is now open. And we’re planning to provide you with a few more tools and lots more ... More

Massage Therapy For Runners: Injury Prevention & Increased Performance The Strains of Running Running is a very linear sport. Unlike other activities where the body moves through all planes of motion (twists, squats, spirals) the body is only propelled forward; arms moving up and down, hips in minimal flexion and extension. Because of this, the fascia (connective tissue supporting the body) begins ... More

Forget about the warnings of “winter is coming;” winter has arrived and with it, frigid temperatures and shorter days. I don’t know about you, but when the temperature drops below freezing and daylight hours are at an all-time low, the urge to hibernate strikes and my regular motivation to run is nearly impossible to muster up. However, as much as ... More

In Vermont the last few months of 2018 included a friendly visit from Old Man Winter and we are confident there is more inclement weather to come in 2019. For many it is also the start of a new training cycle and winter weather running is just part of the fun. Below is a list of tips on staying safe ... More

This soup is a fantastic way to fuel for a run or post-run refuel.You can make this soup with any color cauliflower; we like using purple because it adds color to an otherwise dreary time of year. This is technically a vegan recipe but can be adapted to suit all tastes. Special Equipment High-Speed Blender Ingredients 1 Medium head of Purple Cauliflower, cut into ... More

Thank you to all who joined us for our kick off to Rdy2Run! In case you missed it, listen to our discussion by clicking on the video below. We go through defining what our Rdy2Run Coaching & Training program is, meet the coaches who will help guide you to the finish line, give tips on how to get started with ... More

Registration is now open for the 14th annual Half Marathon Unplugged presented by Switchback Brewing. Mark your calendar for Saturday April 11, 2020, click the registration link, make that commitment to yourself that 2020 is your biggest year of training and racing yet and that all your pr’s better watch out because here you come!  On the operations side, after 8 years with start ... More

Let’s suppose you have been following your training plan loyally and are excited about getting to the starting line of the big race fit and healthy. With one fell swoop you become sick or injured and require time off from training to rest and rehab. Now, without getting into the particulars of your illness or injury, let’s suppose you are ... More

For the first-timers, there was shock and awe on each face as they were told to leave their phones at home during runs. For many of the kids, this is the first time being a part of a group like this; the first time training for a run as long as this. SKIRACK made eased away much of the first-day jitters ... More

I feel it’s important to start off with full transparency; I am not a runner. Yes, I run…a lot and I love it, but I still find it hard to put myself in the category of “runner.” That’s because I used to hate running. To be fair, I sucked at it. I grew up playing team sports and absolutely dreaded ... More

**Disclaimer: I am an employee of People’s United Bank – the title sponsor for the Vermont City Marathon. Opinions and views that are expressed here, and in each entry going forward, are mine and in no way should be construed as those of the company** ***Additional disclaimer: I don’t know that I necessarily need to have that first disclaimer, but I ... More

Training Tip I’ve received questions related to how fast workouts should be run during marathon training and “should I run faster on my shorter runs, than my longer ones?”Pacing is one of the toughest things to master, even with all the electronic gadgetry available. The reason I say this is that even though heart rate monitors and GPS watches have permeated ... More

It's All in Your Head Don't Fall Victim to "Bonking" In the dark ages of marathoning, it used to be that a runner’s energy supply came from what he/she had consumed (carbs) in the week leading up to the race, and was supplemented during the race by consuming some type of Gatorade-like sports drink. Many runners, me included, would carry pieces of ... More

A few weekends ago I attended a coaching clinic in New York City along with 26 other coaches from all walks of life and coaching experiences. Throughout the clinic we were given runner case studies then asked to break into smaller groups and come up with training plans which best matched the runner’s background and goals. As you can imagine, ... More

I saw a blog post on the VCM website this week from an “elite” runner who was struggling with his running.  The writer commented about how the fun had been missing from his work-outs.  As a result, he felt as though he was floundering with his training.  I’m not in the same place as this person, but I have had ... More

This week, I successfully completed my longest run ever--a 2.5 hour jaunt that I honestly wasn’t totally confident I’d be able to do. While training, I’ve treated my long run days like I used to treat race days. I’ve been extra particular about what and when I eat, how much I sleep, what I wear, and what time I head ... More

Hello all. It’s Ellane! The past two weeks of training for weeks 13 &14 have been busy. Week 13 started off with more gains and positive vibes. Thinking nothing can stop me, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Week 13 So, here it goes. I injured myself in the most ridiculous manner. Seriously, as much as we love the people, pets, ... More

Ellane Hello, it’s Ellane. Week 15 is done. Between running, meetings, crazy weather, and Villainous Vixens Fundraisers, it has been one busy week!I woke up with a headache that quickly turned into a migraine. This migraine lasted all day which made my long run a no go. My body decided that it had enough by the end of the of the week...and ... More

Ellane Hey there everyone, it’s Ellane. It’s Week 3 of training! As I think about the week it starts something like this: Cool, an extra rest day in training this week and less overall miles. I have a head cold, which sucks, as controlling breathing when running is pretty important. Okay, so I am going to take an extra rest day and start ... More

Ellane Hello, it’s Ellane. Week 9 was full of blisters. I thought I had the blister stuff under control--not so much! I wore the wrong socks (they were still athletic running socks just not the right ones for me), ended up with a quarter sized blister on my Achilles and also on both my middle toes. For me, I need to ... More

Ellane Here! Hello, all. Hope you are well. Let’s talk about week 12 of training. I started the week on a high note as I had PR’d in my long run at the end of last week. I was feeling confident in all the training I had done and that I was on the right track.This momentum carried through the week ... More

For years, the venerable long run was the single most important staple of any marathon training program. The physiological benefits are well documented, but there is the added psychological benefit which comes from asking your body to accomplish something it may never have done before. The idea of completing your first 20-miler brings with it much apprehension, but also much ... More

The important take away is to try and truly carve out time to just relax – Sunday afternoons after my long runs was a good place to start for me! One way to tell how your body is coping with stress is to do this simple heart rate check: As you first wake up in the morning, check your heart ... More

I hate being sick. I know that seems like a silly statement. I mean, who really likes being sick? Sure, it’s a great excuse to lie on the couch and binge a really trashy TV show, but that’s hardly enough to compensate for the agony of dealing with the sneezing, coughing, body aches, stomach issues or whatever else might ail ... More

As I sit at my desk and look out the window at the season's first real snowfall, I realize it won’t be long and we’ll be in the new decade...2020! So now you can insert the usual laments like; where did the time go, when did I get so old, and the classic; this is the year I’m going to ... More

These muffins are a fantastic snack or post-run refuel.  I put a little dab of nut butter on them or just eat them plain.  The quinoa is a great way to boost the protein and fiber content of everyday baked goods such as these muffins.This is technically a vegan recipe and does contain gluten, but can be adapted to suit all ... More

We are a little over a month away from the start of the New2-26.2 training program. As such, you might be asking yourself, "how much running should I be doing?" If you are not having that inner dialogue with yourself, then I would strongly urge you to start having the discussion! Base mileage is the number of total miles you run ... More

Okay, your alarm goes off at 5 AM (or earlier) and you hit the snooze button. There you are, lying in bed in a state of semi-consciousness and running through the list of reasons to get up (or not get up), throw on your winter running clothes, put on your reflective vest and headlamp and head out the door into ... More

Mother Nature sure is putting us all to the test this week, and we are getting lots of questions about running in the cold. How cold is too cold? How long can I stay outside? What do I wear? These decisions are personal, and I don't think there is one right or wrong answer.  It has taken me years to ... More