We're nearing the finish line of my first time coaching RunClub+ with my local Fit4Mom franchise "West SFV."
To what extent have you met your RunClub goals?
I would say 2 out of 5. I initially summarized my goals "Keep up with kiddo. Slim down. Balance mood." In longer form, I said "I joined RunClub+ because my kid loves to run and momma's gotta keep up. Also, I feel I've tried every workout that Fit4Mom offers to slim down and I just can't seem to lose the weight I gained while breastfeeding. I've had success with running in the past so I wanted to try it again. Plus running is a great mood balancer for me."
I did experience an initial dip in weight during week 3 of the program, which was good because I had been training for already 16 weeks by then and I was starting to get depressed that it wasn't working. But I've gained back a bit and hit a plateau now it seems. I'm not too upset about it because it seems like my panniculus has shrunk. I feel so grateful for that. It seems like the fat above my belly button is still pretty dense, but at least I can feel like I've made some progress. The C-section scar was such a source of unhappiness for me, having less of an overhang in that area makes me so happy.
Strangely, my mom rage kind of got worse during the program, especially in weeks 2 and 3. I think it was stressful adding "one more thing" into my weekly routine. I felt pressured to do my runs while still doing all of my regular job and my tasks at home. It was hard to balance. Maybe the running has given me more energy, but rather than feeling centered, I felt really off balance. I didn't feel grounded, I felt like I needed more support to keep everything in perspective.
Which components of the program supported your progress? (Select all that apply)
Daily reach-outs (WhatsApp), Weekly emails, Recipes, In-person group runs, Client guide, Weekly running journal, Coach's YouTube videos, Coach's texts/emails, F4M on demand, F4M in-person classes, The finish line (LA 5k).
Obviously, for me, I took advantage of all these components. I think the training plan was the #1 most valuable. I used the client guide a lot, very often, when thinking about what running gear I needed and the warm-up and cool-down. I never used the weekly running journal, but instead kept my own journal in a Google sheet. I enjoyed making the YouTube videos, I enjoyed sending the daily reach-outs. I enjoyed reading the weekly emails, and I did try all of the suggested recipes.
It was stressful for me to plan and execute the in-person group runs. I felt insecure about the warm-up and I worried a lot about the route being stroller-friendly and how to keep a group of women together when they run at different paces and have different training goals. But I think I did benefit from participating in the group runs, they encouraged me to run faster than I would have alone. I did use the "on-demand" workouts by Fit4Mom, but it wasn't essential. I did 3 workouts from the Fit4Mom on-demand and 6 from my own library. I did attend weekly Fit4Mom in-person classes, so that was definitely essential for me.
I'm really looking forward to the "finish line." I wouldn't say I'm not nervous at all. I'm nervous. I feel extra pressure that I won't be able to run the entire time. I feel like we might all get lost and separated from each other. I want to get finish-line photos of each finisher with their medals, and I'm not sure it will be possible.
What about RunClub+ surprised you or did not match your expectations (whether positive or negative)? You can share your general reflections here.
I was surprised that I asked my husband to rearrange his schedule to accommodate my workouts. I was surprised that he said yes, okay. I'm surprised I could stick with my plan and keep at it even when I got sick or didn't feel like it or when we had lots of rain this year. I was surprised that my participants hit a slump mid-program but are trying to finish strong. I'm surprised they want to do it again, even though they weren't engaged steadily throughout the program.
I am surprised that I actually enjoyed participating in the daily reach-outs, and it felt like Fit4Mom was reaching out to me, too. I hope the other sessions go as well as this one did. I'm not sure I could have created that content independently, even though I did create some original content.
- Week 1 Homework https://youtu.be/23DpBu4txrM?si=0foCPnfJJUyC2xWP
- Route Planning https://youtu.be/An6d_B6uesE?si=4rn6BmXUMLmQQYVU
- Strava Beacon https://youtu.be/xTb_wBuZ1_8?si=q_Bl9IFCuTLBl1pY
- ABC Quick Check https://youtu.be/V6sjDntlZj4?si=7GveTt536VVQ8NSL
- Slo Mo Jump https://www.tiktok.com/@hamerk02/video/7339262637168954666
- LA Big 5k Course https://youtu.be/uK_jnZRleKY?si=6qWT8j9lt76815es
More specifically, what suggestions do you have to improve session 2 (April, May, June)?
Maybe a video about Cycle Syncing (adapting your training schedule to your menstrual cycle).
Maybe a tutorial video on Fitbit or Samsung or Garmin or NikeRunClub Apps.
Maybe a tutorial on how/why to do a magic mile and how to determine what walk-run interval to use. And how run/walk might help you go faster.
Maybe a video on Acceleration Gliders (AG) or Cadence Drills (CD). Or what is the purpose of the sprints? Or why are some days "easy" and some "steady" and some are "tempo." What is active recovery and what is not?
I would like a tutorial on how and why to keep a training journal. I could be more organized in keeping and sharing the routes on Google Maps, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. According to "Half Marathon: A Complete Training Guide for Women" by Jeff and Barbara Galloway these are some parameters you can include in your training journal. I also added suggestions from my aunt Anne.
- Distance
- Temperature
- Pace
- Route
- Time of day
- Heart rate (pulse)
- Humidity
- Running time (duration)
- Elevation change (ft)
- Walk/run frequency
- Special segments (hills)
- Company (friends)
- Terrain (trail or pavement)
- Overall vibe (1-10)
- Yucky or Yummy breast milk?
- Empty or full stomach (time since last meal)
- Nutrition during training segment
- Fluid amount during / after
- Bowel movement / GI distress?
These are the pieces of data that I collected this time. I only added Route/Course after the fact.
Conclusion
I am happy, I love my Brooks Ariel shoes. I got two new sports bras from Freya and one from Enell. I think it's important to continue to support the milk makers. I got a Muzen portable speaker, because I saw one rollergirl had one at CicLAvia and it was incredibly small and light while being incredibly loud, but maybe I should have gotten the Noxgear one. I got myself a massager, which I tend to use on Friday after my long run while waiting for my kid to finish his 50-minute speech therapy.
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