Unique Running Goals

Hey there, I am a little late sitting down to chat, but I am ready! This week has been interesting in many ways, but mostly in a unique new addition to our No Finish Line Fitness clients. I will get to him in a bit, but I first would like to chat about the past few years and a couple of new and unique clients. We have been in the coaching business for 15 years now and we have coached various runners, ranging from beginners to marathoners (to include getting people qualified for Boston). However, last year we took on two new clients who presented different goals than we had in our previous 15 years. Richard, reached out in early 2024 through our No Finish Line Fitness website (https://www.nofinishlinerunning.com/index.html), asking for help with his 2024 goal, which was to run 2,024 miles for that year. I understood the significance of his goal but was skeptical.

Capability and Enlightenment

Hello and Happy Friday, These past 12 months have been a monumental battle in my fitness. During the previous 24 months I was solely focused on my wife’s cancer treatment and ultimately her final days. Obviously, I have no regrets setting aside my life for my wife and her battle, but after she went home to Heaven, I eventually had to face a much less fit Mike. The scale number was considerably higher, and my cardiovascular system was lacking. In conversation with my physician, she talked about my elevated cortisol levels from the stress and how it impacted my weight gain and other health factors. While she may have been accurate, if I am honest, I would say poor eating habits and sporadic exercising played a large role. For sure, I am not second guessing a difficult time, but I needed to improve. The journey back has been difficult and enlightening. Difficult in that my motivation has been lacking in daily consistency and enlightening as to the changes in my cardiovascular fitness.

The Coach is Back

The Comeback It has been a few years since I last posted a Coffee & Chat. I have thought many times of getting back at it but was not there yet. I guess my life’s journey has brought me back to this weekly blog. Why am I back and do I really have anything worthwhile to chat about? Both are great questions, and I only have an answer to one of them. I feel strongly about the state of running and fitness in general and my many years of experience have me more than ever wanting to provide some insight. Whether it will be worthwhile is up to those who stop in. Hopefully the insight will motivate or at the least give people something to think about. I believe my prospective and my passion will connect with most. Previously I posted every Sunday, however in my comeback I will be posting each Friday, and will also be posting a short video along with my chat. Without giving a full account of life between my last chat and present day, I will provide some details.