Since the last news letter, several new clients have joined the RunnerDude's Fitness Family including...
Matthew Halip, a 22-year-old senior at Guilford College, contacted me back in September about training for his first marathon. This was not just any marathon either. This was the North Face Endurance Challenge in San Francisco. This is a very challenging course that has an elevation gain of over 4,500 ft!
I worked up a running plan for Matthew and then we set to work on building even more muscular endurance to help get him through this tough race.
He completed the marathon in early December and did an awesome job!
Not only is Matthew a full-time student at Guilford college, he's also a member of the Men's Lacrosse Team. I asked Matthew how running plays a part in his busy life. He said...
"Running to me has always been so much more than just
'staying in shape.' With all the complications that come with class, work, and lacrosse practice; running has been the one aspect of my life that I have full control over. There isn't anyone telling me to work harder, study more, or sprint faster. The only noises I hear are the sounds of my breath and my feet hitting the pavement as I make my way down a long road or a rocky trail. It's become a way for me to unwind and relax after a long day. Some people turn to poetry, painting, or reading, I prefer to strap on my shoes and go for a long run."
Ziad Fleihan joined RunnerDude's Fitness back in the fall to train with his girlfriend Kathryn Van Sciver for the North Carolina Half-Marathon. (Check out Kathryn in the
last newsletter.)
Ziad and Kathryn both completed the training for the NC half and did an awesome job in the race, each breaking their projected goal finish times! Now they're both up for more. Kathryn is training for the Myrtle Beach Half and Ziad is training for the Tough-Mudder 10-Miler.
The Tough-Mudder isn't your typical 10-mile race. This
course has 25 physically challenging obstacles to tackle during the race! Ziad will be running the race as a part of a team comprised of his old college buddies. To prepare for the course, Ziad is coming to the studio twice a week for upper-body/core and lower-body core circuit training. It's great working with Ziad. He's like a sponge soaking up everything I give him and wanting more.
Ziad's family owns the awesome Ghassan's restaurants that are an institution here in Greensboro. Ziad is the general manager and his job has him constantly on the go. He's realizing how good health and fitness are a vital part of keeping a balanced life. He's recently lost quite a bit of weight and is really making fitness and good health a part of his everyday routine. Go Ziad!
Michael and
Lori Stevenson recently joined RunnerDude's Fitness each coming twice a week for training in the studio. Mike comes early in the morning and Lori prefers the afternoon or evening, but both are giving it their all while in the studio and doing a great job!
Michael and Lori are both runners and hope to join the group training for a half-marathon in the near future. Newlyweds, Lori is the Director of Retirement Operations and Business Development with Compass Financial Partners in Greensboro and Michael is the Director of Business Development at Pilot Financial Advisors in Greensboro.
Tommiann Hill is a lady on a mission. She's on a quest to run the
26.2 with Donna Marathon in Jacksonville, Florida this winter.
26.2 with Donna The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer is the only U.S. marathon dedicated solely to raising funds to end breast cancer.
Tommiann is a breast cancer survivor herself and she's one tough lady. She drives twice a week from Reidsville to the RunnerDude's Fitness Studio for upper-body/core and lower-body/core circuit trainin
g and then also many weeks makes it to the weekly group tempo and long runs.
To hear Tommiann talk, she's no runner, but this lady is making quite the comeback. She's steadily gaining overall muscular endurance and her pace is picking up nicely each week. She is definitely the runner. Tommiann has a wicked sharp sense of humor and I look forward to training with her each week. It's such an honor to be a part of helping her train for 26.2 with Donna.
Ron and Callie Uptain are one of three husband-wife couples coming for training at the studio. They're an awesome couple, full of energy ready to take on anything I give them. They come twice a week for a full-body workout.
Ron's not new to RunnerDude's Fitness. He's participated in the half-marathon group training when he trained for the Austin Half-Marathon last year. He's currently training for the 2012 Austin Half.
Ron and Callie are both busy professionals as well as new grandparents. Between work-related travel, work itself, and visiting their three kids (and particularly their new grandson in Arizona), they still find time to keep fit.
Ron and Callie are perfect examples that you can be just as fit in your 60s as you were in your 30s. You rock guys!
Martha and Mark Whitman. Is this a groovy couple or what? I first met Martha when she joined my fitness walking group at Volvo. It was awesome watching Martha get bitten by the fitness bug and make such awesome progress throughout the program. Martha was a part of a handful that made it to just about every workout/walk. Even when it was bad weather, she would do her walk/workout on the treadmill in the Volvo Fitness Center.
Martha and her husband Mark, have started coming once a week to the studio for a full-body workout. They are doing great!
Sally Marion discovered RunnerDude's Fitness through Ron Uptain. They were in the same Off'n Running running group. Sally comes twice a week to work on upper-body/core and lower-body core strength. Sally is a ball of energy even at 6AM in the morning!
Even when Sally had an issue with her Achilles, she didn't let it get her down. We modified her training, she when to the sports doc, and she hung tight during her recovery time (with no running). It was hard, but she toughed it out and is back at it, going strong.
Sally's family owns and operates Marion Tile & Flooring in Pleasant Garden.
Anne Barnhardt is a busy, busy lady as an interior designer at Barbour Spangle Design Group, but she's finding the time to squeeze in personal training in the Studio at RunnerDude's Fitness. She's also a runner, having just recently completed the Blue Ridge Relay with a group of running buddies. In case you're not familiar with the Blue Ridge Relay, it covers about 208 miles spanning the Blue Ridge and Black Mountains through Virginia and North Carolina! Anne's goal is to get stronger so she'll be primed to start training for an endurance run soon.
Like Tommiann, Anne too is a breast cancer survivor.
Anne Barnhardt is a mentor for breast cancer patients in the Guilford County area. Anne works with Alight a breast cancer charity that supplies information for patients going through breast cancer in all aspects where to find answers and help with their diagnosis.
Craig Spinale, who works at Novartis, joined the RunnerDude's Fitness Group Trianing to help him prepare for the NC Half Marathon.
Craig trained hard and did an awesome job in the NC Half. He's been bitten by the running bug, and now has a hunkering to go 26.2! He'll begin training for the Country Music Marathon in Nashville at the end of December.
The current beginning running group is doing an awesome job! They're just about to being the last run/walk increment (14-minute run:1-minute walk for 2 cycles) before the last week of the program when they'll do their first 30-minute run with no walking. I'm not worried about this group at all. Just come out to the new stretch of greenway behind Rice Toyota on Tuesday or Thursday night around 7:45 and you'll hear Gloria Refinati belting out a Michael Jackson song on the last leg of the run. That's how strong they are.
For information on the next Beginning Running Group that starts on January 10th, click on the picture below.
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| Fall 2011 RunnerDude's Fitness Beginning Running Group |
The RunnerDude's Fitness Group Training Program had 20 runners training for various half and full fall 2011 marathons including the inaugural Rock-n-Roll Savannah Half and Full Marathon, Chicago, Marine Corps, Outer Banks, Beach to Battleship half and full Ironman, Cannonball Half Marathon, Battleship Half Marathon, and the North Carolina Half Marathon.
All the runners did an awesome job with their training and really took to heart the RunnerDude's Fitness mantra "Trust. Believe. CONQUER!" I'm so proud of their growth as runners and their commitment to their training and each other. Awesome group!
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| Part of the RunnerDude's Fitness Half & Full Marathon Training Group |
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| Race Time with the "Dudes" |
The beginning running and fitness walking programs at Volvo are going strong! The second round of programs just wrapped up. With this last round, a third group--an intermediate running group--was added.
In January 2012, RunnerDude's Fitness will add a 10K and Half-Marathon training group as well as another Intermediate Running Group. The Beginning Running and Fitness Walking Groups will begin again in the spring.
Just recently the last Beginning Running Group and Intermediate Running Group ran the Reindeer Romp 5K in Jamestown, NC as the culmination to their training and as a celebration of their accomplishments. They did an awesome job!
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| Volvo Beginning Running Group |
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| Volvo Intermediate Group Volvo Fitness Walking Group |
Thanks again for all the continued support! If you know of anyone interested in personal training or in need of a running coach, be sure to send them my way. And, don't forget about the referral program. When a friend, family member, or colleague that you've referred signs up for a service or program, you receive 20% off a future service or program and your friend receives 10% off!
Thad McLaurin-Owner/Trainer
Certified Personal Trainer:ACSM, NPTI
Certified Running Coach:RRCA, USA-Track & Field
PS: Please feel free to forward this email to friends and family by using the "Forward Email" link at the bottom of this email. And, if you haven't already, be sure to join the RunnerDude's Fitness Fan Page on FaceBook.
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