Running is hard. For those of us racing couch to 5k’s, marathons, or even triathlons and ultras, we have all butted up against the difficulties of motivating ourselves to run, to get that split time, and finally toe the starting line.
Whether we are new to this sport or have multiple marathons under our belt, it helps to find other runners who are going through the same thing. I tend to find inspirational runners on the Internet who may be professional, but use their running careers as ways to motivate and influence others to do their best.
Here are some of my favorite blogs of runners!
Tina Muir of Running for Real: This is definitely more of a women-focused blog for runners of all speeds distances, and goals. Tina is a Saucony-sponsored Great Britain Olympic hopeful who races the marathon and has a PR of 2:36. She focuses on being REAL – which includes her love of chocolate and candy, her nine-year long struggle with Amenorrhea, and her journey through mental and physical training. She was formerly the host of Run to the Top podcast, but in the last few months, she has gone off on her own and started her own coaching company with her husband called Running for Real. This includes honest, from-the-heart articles, training tips for running workouts, racing, and strength workouts, and a long list of amazing podcast interviews with professionals in the sports community. There are recipe ideas, and tips on how to balance running with family life. Tina is real, honest, raw, and a great motivator for women runners.
Anna Weber of Go Big or Go Home: Anna is a Michigan City native and now lives in Indianapolis with her new husband and a group of foster dogs. In 2015, Anna took a leap and changed her life. She left her PhD course to train solely for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the marathon. The leap turned to be the right choice, and she qualified for the trials with the time of 2:38 in LA. She then joined Oiselle’s Haute Volée team, accumulated other great sponsors, and competes in local races in the Midwest. She now coaches and freelances on the side, while training for races from the 5k to the marathon. She is a strong, amazing runner who trains hard and motivates her readers to do the same. She blogs about her workouts and real-life issues, like nutrition and planning a wedding. Her professional website is here.
Hal Higdon: If you are a runner in Northwest Indiana, then you have heard of Hal Higdon. Known for his running, coaching, and available training workouts, Hal lives and breathes running. He currently lives in Long Beach, Indiana, and though very private with his appearance, Hal’s Facebook page and website is always bustling with latest running tips, articles, and Q&A sessions. He posts a “TIP OF THE DAY” focusing on topics from “should children run road races” to “what types of injuries are unnecessary to suffer from.” His training workouts for half and full marathons range from The Novice 1 Plan to Intermediate Plans, to Advanced Plans. He offers Boston Marathon specific plans, and links to purchase his running-based books. I know my mother has a copy of one of his books that is around 10 years old, and she still uses it. Why? Because Higdon’s plans are timeless, and straight by-the-book. There are no frills, just hard-core training to get your next PR!
We may not be anywhere close to the level these runners are on, but it is still nice to look up to someone who has taken their love and passion for the sport and turned it into a lifestyle. They use their wins, loses, strengths, and weaknesses to help their audience achieve their own goals. For me, I look to these runners to get ideas, get motivation, get inspired to work hard and race hard. Read their archives, try out some new running plans, and hit the roads!