HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY AMAZING, GORGEOUS HUSBAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALEX FLEMING!
I read. Like, a LOT. Like, A LOT a lot. Anything that excites me, I save to my weekly Nuzzel newsletter, then agonize over which to keep and which to cut since Nuzzel only limits me to 10 articles. Just because I couldn't fit it in doesn't mean it isn't worth reading!
I've been thinking about you all week and hope you enjoy the newsletter as much as I enjoy creating it! If you want a little MOAR, the outtakes are below!
xoxoxoxo
Coach MK
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Lady Business
This by Gretchen Reynolds was SO GOOD I shared it on Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook as soon as I saw it, so figured it would be superfluous to put in my Nuzzel (but can put everything in my outtakes!)
Skip to the section about her injury. Colleen is getting a LOT of coverage lately, not just because she’s pretty (I'm sure it doesn’t hurt though). She gives GREAT interviews and has a lot of interesting things to say.
https://www.womensrunning.com/2019/03/get-inspired/what-gets-mile-champ-colleen-quigley-pumped-to-race_101011
This is worth a read, I pulled it ultimately because I figured you’d already seen it. It’s a good sign that sponsors are thinking beyond podiums, and I hope this trend expands.
Maternity leave for pro athletes can be a tricky concept, as few have a singular income source and most contracts are centered around performance expectations. This piece is thoughtful and nuanced and I appreciated it.
Mental Health
I sat through this panel at #SSAC19 last weekend and managed to keep my mouth shut. I get ANGRY when people demonize social media. It’s a tool, a super awesome tool, to build a brand as well as an audience that professional athletes can leverage during their careers and while they transition into new careers. Social media isn’t the problem these athletes are facing, but if their usage signals a bigger issue and triggers a conversation I’m HERE for it. Banning social media doesn’t address much less fix the core issue and Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner, seems to get that. #hopeful
There is no such thing as a healthy addiction, you guys. “Exercise addiction is sometimes joked about, worn as a sort of badge of honour to show your drive and passion. However, I recently researched this subject in depth, questioning 255 amateur endurance athletes and interviewing eight of those at risk of addiction. The stories they shared showed it really wasn’t funny. Especially when we discovered that, for athletes doing longer distances, for every 10 marathon runners, four of them are at risk of exercise addiction.”
https://www.athleticsweekly.com/performance/athletics-mental-health-addicted-to-training-1039921325/
This is probably one of the best choices I've ever made for my mental health: eating the same meals over and over. Makes meal planning stress-free and simple!
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/03/eating-the-same-thing-lunch-meal/584347/
Injuries
Few running injuries come out of nowhere; most are a slow burn like you see here:
"It starts with a little pain, barely worth mentioning. After the run you forget about it. “How did the run go?” “Fine.” Next day, same pain, but is it worse now? Skip a session, take it easy instead, but the pain remains and it’s definitely worse now. A full rest then. Remembering the stretching and strengthening that you’ve been neglecting."
https://www.fastrunning.com/fast-10/2019/kris-jones/an-all-too-familiar-story/23465
More inspiration for injured runners...
https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a26738352/amanda-phillips-olympic-marathon-trials-qualifier/
Inspiration
THIS IS JUST AWESOME AND I LOVE IT. “I want food and I want to sit.” AMAZING.
https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/arkansan-with-cerebral-palsy-aims-to-set-half-marathon-record/1824155815
If you want to see where things ARE improving for women, look no further than distance running:
https://www.womensrunning.com/2019/03/news/what-runners-should-celebrate-on-international-womens-day_101037
New Canadian marathon record set in Nagoya last night:
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/sports/national_sports/vancouver-s-rachel-cliff-breaks-marchant-s-canadian-record-in/article_314c4af1-6b56-5128-a2da-199d13c94c4a.html
This is just LOVELY:
https://spikes.iaaf.org/post/fred-kerley-my-aunt-and-me
Training
If ever I assigned you jumping rope, you’re welcome. It’s a badass workout.