Pittman Fit

Uffda!!! What a day! Everything got twisted upside down with a sick kiddo, but we managed to get through. It’s crazy how three hours of sleep can literally ZAP you to nothing. 😬🤣 I practice what I preach so today’s hard workout was traded in for a short recovery session. I was running on empty! 😬

It stinks to miss those hard sessions because I reallllly enjoy them, but I have to take care of my body. Remember that life stress and training stress are still STRESS on the body. If you’re going through a hard day, week, season, you gotta recognize that your body is going through a lot too - and give yourself some grace. 💕 Cheers to unplanned rest days and putting our overall health first!

Do you ever struggle with unplanned rest days or recovery weeks?

PS. I’m not from MN, but it’s been my favorite word ever since going to college there. 🤣

🚨How to improve endurance performance with strength training!

First understand that there are three main factors that determine endurance performance:
1) VO2 Max
2) Threshold
3) Exercise economy

There is little research indicating that strength training directly affects your VO2 max or your lactate threshold. Strength training seems to have its biggest impact on that last one - your exercise economy. 💪🏼

Strength training improves exercise economy by:
🔹Increasing tendon stiffness of the muscles.
🔹Improving maximal strength.

Increased stiffness and improved max strength allow you to move at the same relative submaximal velocities without getting quite as fatigued as you would if you were less economical. So if you are a runner, becoming more economical will allow you to run at the same speeds you are used to running at, but with slightly less effort.

This is why it's important to PERIODIZE YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING and skip the high reps all year long. Although there is a time and place for muscular endurance (15+ reps) and hypertrophy (6-12 reps), The majority of lifting as an endurance athlete should be focused on muscular strength and power (3-5 reps). Especially in season. 🙂

Another benefit of strength work that I have to mention: reduction and prevention of overuse injuries. If you can train healthy and strong, you can obviously perform better.😉

Do you program max strength and power into your year?

PS. If you want my strength workouts, check out my run and strength app (link in bio).

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but your path doesn’t look like anybody else’s and that’s ok. 💕

I confess, it’s been tough sometimes to see other athletes with more time to train (or so it seems). But that just means I’ve kept my growth slow and steady… while working full time and raising little humans. 🤪 And that’s exactly as it should be FOR ME!

We are all on different journeys and we simply can't compare our path with the person next to us. Drop a 💙 below if you feel me.

Spent the morning on the trails for a couple of hours. 💕 I hit a few muddy spots - as you can see - but it wasn’t too bad. Logged over 12 miles and 1600+ elevation. Just enough to fill my heart. 😅 The weather is warming and daylight savings is just around the corner. I’m here for it!☀️

I have learned that with the warmth also comes the critters. Pretty soon we will be back to dodging snakes on the trails and picking up morning spiderwebs. I’m not a fan of those! 🐍🤪

It’s been only 18 months of trail focused training and racing for me, but beside the snakes - I’m enjoying the transition a lot. 🤣It’s much different from Ironman training. And very different from just logging stroller miles (which I focused on for 6 years with my babies). All in all, I’m enjoying the process and learning new things on this trail running journey!

I still run roads the majority of the time due to schedule, but weekends are trail time. 🙂 Do you enjoy getting out on the trails? Or are you more of a road runner? I’d love to hear!

💔Today is the 2 year anniversary of losing my dad. Truthfully, it still hurts like hell. Such a HEAVY load of grief. It feels like eternity since I last talked to him, laughed about the kids, and shared pictures. “Bonjour! Zoom today?”, he would say across the miles. He was a part of my every day and then in a second he was gone.

Every birthday of my kids, or my own, every anniversary, every holiday…. I think of how my dad would love to be here with us. I think of how he’s missed all these special moments, my kids growing up, and more.

If you’ve lost a parent, my heart goes out to you. I’m so sorry, friend. It’s heart breaking being fatherless. My messages are always open if you need someone to talk to. Even if it’s just a “me too”… 💔 The grief is heavy, but don’t try to hold it all on your own.

If you still have your parents, hug them, tell them you love them. Life is too precious and short.

Miss you, daddy. Always and forever. ❤️

💔 Today is the 2 year anniversary of losing my dad. Truthfully, it still hurts like hell. Such a HEAVY load of grief. It feels like eternity since I last talked to him, laughed about the kids, and shared pictures. “Bonjour! Zoom today?”, he would say across the miles. He was a part of my every day and then in a second he was gone.

Every birthday of my kids, or my own, every anniversary, every holiday…. I think of how my dad would love to be here with us. I think of how he’s missed all these special moments, my kids growing up, and more.

If you’ve lost a parent, my heart goes out to you. I’m so sorry, friend. It’s heart breaking being fatherless. My messages are always open if you need someone to talk to. Even if it’s just a “me too”… 💔 The grief is heavy, but don’t try to hold it all on your own.

If you still have your parents, hug them, tell them you love them. Life is too precious and short.

Miss you, daddy. Always and forever. ❤️

Long training run today in the warmer weather! Spring is coming soon and I’m here for it! 🌸 The goal today was supposed to be a 3 hour endurance run, but I called it early due to not feeling 100% (kiddos are battling some sickness and it’s been a little rough for us all). I still got in a solid training week of 52 miles and 5000 feet of elevation tho - I’ll take it! I typically track my training volume by time and not distance (for a variety of reasons), so I don’t usually see the distance til the end. Do you use time or distance for your training sessions? 👇🏼

Oh, and only 14 weeks til my next 50k. It’s getting real! 😱

I’ll be frank…. As a kid, I used to think I was going to be a hockey player when I grew up. I played hockey for about 17 years (swipe right to see my old hockey goalie pics 👀🙃). BUT then I discovered my passion for endurance sports after college and I fell in love. 😍We’re all constantly rewriting our story, friend, and this is your Saturday evening reminder that you can rewrite your story, too. How has YOUR story changed over the years?

I want to let you in on a little secret… 😏

From the outside, it might LOOK like most of my health and fitness habits are pretty dialed in. But this wasn’t something that happened overnight. Just like you, it took me time to figure out what “worked” for me. And it’s always a work in progress. Basically, it goes like this:

When I notice something that makes me feel better, I start doing it – a little at a time until it becomes part of my routine. (sounds so simple right?!)

For example, I noticed my body felt a lot better when I did mobility in the morning and before workouts. I also noticed that I slept better if I didn’t snack at night and sipped chamomile tea instead. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Both really little things, but I paid attention to how they made me feel.

I find it funny when people tell me I’m so disciplined … because to me it doesn’t really feel like that.

It’s more automatic than anything else – because I’ve created these simple habits.

What’s ONE habit you have that helps YOU feel better every day? Getting out in nature, going for a run, stress management down time, etc. Whatever it is, please share. I love hearing about this!

Let me know in the comments! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Woohoo! 🎉🥳 13.1+ miles on the trails today (I put the + because my watch always shorts me on distance 🤣). Total run mileage this week ending around 51, which is high for me as I hit up 50k training.

I am REALLY enjoying my training right now. I loved the season of stroller runs and short workouts right after my babies were born, but getting back to endurance training and racing is tons of fun to me too!

Remember that life - and training - ebbs and flows. There are times when training fitness (and sleep) are low. Especially with parenthood. 🤪 But we just gotta do what we can during those times. This means giving our best for the season we are in, refusing to compare our journey with someone else or even our past selves.

As my little ones transition out of baby and toddlerhood, I honestly feel better physically so training is becoming more manageable - although we are still working on the sleep thing 🤣. All this to say that a 50+ mile week for me is a lot, but I feel great and I’m very thankful.

Keep your eyes on your own journey. Celebrate YOUR wins. And give yourself grace when you need it - which is probably a lot more than you think!

Happy Sunday! 👟💕👟💕

🔥STRENGTH TRAINING FOR ENDURANCE ATHLETES. Save this post to come back to as you plan out your race schedule and goals with your strength work. Swipe right to see 👀 all five. 👇🏼

🏃🏽‍♀️There are FIVE PHASES of Strength for Endurance Athletes 💪🏼 Each one builds upon the other and are beneficial in your programming. Here they are:

Anatomical Adaptation: Lays the foundation. Decreases the risk of injury and increases bone strength, stability, and proprioception. This includes very light weights and basic movements. 12+ reps. 30 sec rest. 3-8 weeks.

Hypertrophy: This is muscle growth. Depending on the athlete's goals, this is usually where an athlete puts on some muscle mass , definition. 3-5 sets of 6-12 reps. Rest 30-90 sec. 6-12 weeks. Side note: this is mostly what athletes do.

Max Strength: This phase increases the work capacity of muscles to allow you to have better results in your sport. 2-6 sets. Less than 6 reps. Rest at least 90 sec. 6-12 weeks.

Sport specific: Event specific metabolic and sport specific strength training. Includes technique work. Sets, reps, rest vary. 4-6 weeks.

Maintenance: Keeping the gains and continuing to build. 2-6 weeks

I’m now in max strength phase and then will focus on sport specific maintenance before my big race.

The KEY is to fit your strength work phases WITH your run training. You should not be in hypertrophy focus all year long if you’re training for a race.

Do you fit your strength work to your endurance training to maximize your performance?

I was a vegan for 7 years. And then I ate bacon for a year. I was soooo involved in church in my 20s and then I spent time away from the church now in my 30s, digging into spiritual one on one time with God and me in nature… just healing. 💕

I played ice hockey growing up and in college . I also have a heart for those in pain. I wrote music for years and recorded my songs for fundraisers for those needing help.

I spent years thinking I'd be independent and free as a traveling gypsy... 💃🏽 and now have a family of six with ROOTS down deep. I worked hard for a salary for years...and then I started my own business.

I completed 3 Ironmans and 8 marathons in my twenties. And then I had babies and took time away from racing for 6 years.💗

My point is that the magnificent beauty of this life is that it is OURS. Whatever we want it to be. We are free to CHANGE anytime. We don't have to BE someone or DO something just because people say we should. We can change and make this life whatever we want it.

With bacon or without. Traveling solo or with a family. Tough on the ice or crying over a piano. With a boss or being your own boss. Ironman or stroller running mama. Whatever you want to be.

Don't get put into a box of thinking all you HAVE TO do and SHOULD do because of the way things were in the past.

Grow. Change. And just do YOU. 👊🏼

Woohoo! First gravel bike ride for me today and I’m definitely a fan! I loved being able to hit up the mud and pretty much any surface - soooo fun! I wasn’t sure I’d be into it as much as road cycling because I love to go fast on my tri bike, but this is fun in a totally different kind of way.

The only cons: mud in mouth and some crazy dogs. But we can work with that. 🤣

Have you tried gravel cycling? I’d love to hear your take!

It's not about being perfect. We will have good days and bad days. We will have weeks when we can hit every workout. And weeks when we “life happens.”

We will miss workouts. And have bad workouts. But we will get back up and try again.

That's the KEY ----> We keep on trying.

Keep showing up, even when we feel defeated. Because we know THAT is where change happens. It's not about perfection. It's about consistency.

This is my self talk to encourage and motivate during a hard time. 🫶🏼 I share because maybe you need it with me too. After a long week with kids home from school due to a winter storm my workouts have been not as on point as I like them. And to be honest, my sleep has not been as good as I wish it was too. 🤪

But it’s times like this we have to remember: We will never be perfect. We just keep getting up and doing our best. 💕

Taking time for mobility on the mat is one of my favorite things. I love being able to have time to move my body and feel good. Are you with me? Something else that is helpful for a healthy lifestyle - specifically for treating athlete's foot - is . If you have athlete's foot and want to feel good and confident in the gym, this is for you! Lotrimin Ultra® Athlete's Foot Cream with No Touch Applicator cures most athlete's foot between the toes with only 1 week of treatment. It's also easy to take - slips right into your gym bag - and is mess free with the no-touch applicator. Purchase Lotrimin Ultra® today to too - link in bio!
Use as directed.

A race isn’t run in one day. It’s the months and years leading up to it that get you to that finish line.

Ten mile run in the bank today doing max effort intervals uphill. Call me crazy, but I LOVE this workout. 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️

Here’s what I did today:
25 min Run
1 min @ VO2max incline w/ 1 min Recovery Run
2 min @ VO2max incline w/ 2 min Recovery Run
3 min @ VO2max incline w/ 3 min Recovery Run
4 min @ VO2max incline w/ 4 min Recovery Run
4 min @ VO2max incline w/ 4 min Recovery Run
3 min @ VO2max incline w/ 3 min Recovery Run
2 min @ VO2max incline w/ 2 min Recovery Run
1 min @ VO2max incline w/ 1 min Recovery Run
25 min Run

I used to hate intervals, but now I love them.
Do you like hills and speed work?

Congrats to my husband on his trail marathon win yesterday! 🎉 With over 7000ft of elevation gain on technical trails, it was a tough race! I am so proud of the athlete and coach that he is. Even more so, the man he is to me and our family. 💗

And fun fact: I take credit for bringing my sprinter/CrossFitter husband into tht world of endurance sports. 😂 Swipe right to see what he was like when I met him during a CrossFit workout 👀👀 —-> to today. I went to a few workouts years ago and got the best thing for me… and then left. Yup.You’re welcome, babe. 😘🤣

I'm so thrilled! My app is now LIVE and available for YOU! Link in bio! You get a 7 Day Free Trial (and only $14.99 a month after that). This has been a goal of mine for a long time - the opportunity to offer MY own workouts for an affordable price to more people - beyond my group coaching and personal coaching.

These are my workouts, designed to help you get fit and strong. I'm not posting workouts like "b***y builder 101" because that's not how I roll. I'm not a fitness model. I'm a fitness trainer and endurance coach. I have a huge passion for helping others to feel their best by getting stronger mentally and physically. This is fueled by the impact that fitness has had on my life personally.

The app will always be evolving; I upload new workouts often - beginner to advanced. You can choose between just doing a workout or starting one of my programs - like my 6 Week Run & Lift Program, which was designed for runners wanting to change their body composition, get stronger, and push themselves with speed work. If you are a beginner, try my 5k Beginner Program or my 14-Day Quickstart Program (perfect for those coming back after time off too!). I even have a 4 week triathlon plan with lifting available too.

There's so much more to share with you and lots of cool features in the app that I know you'll love, but for now I just want to say THANK YOU for all the love and support over the years in sharing my workouts and asking for more. It means the world to me.

Link to sign up in bio. I look forward to hearing feedback as you crush your goals! See you there! ✌️

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! We wish you so much love, joy, health, abundance, connection, and peace today. 🎄🫶

Ten mile run in the cold today. 🥶 Not gonna lie, my heart is not into winter training, but I’m doing my best. 🤪 My motto for the winter is always, “get through it” and do what makes your heart happy. Easy enough, right? 😉

Do you enjoy winter training? We are expecting zero degree temps here for Christmas. So yeah, I am looking forward to the treadmill. 🤣

The holidays can be hard, especially after loss. This will be our 2nd Christmas without my father. To be real, I still haven't learned how to do life without my dad. Every day hurts. I miss talking with him. I miss having someone to check in with me, to ask on life and the kids. I miss the way holidays and birthdays used to be for us. And so much more. 💔

My dad has left an emptiness. And there’s no way to fill it. There never will be. And that reality is hard.

The guidance I was given by my doctor during some really dark days was:
1) keep moving and
2) keep going to therapy.
I have continued with both. I also took anti-depressants for 6 months to help with intense darkness. There's no shame in taking medicine and it was helpful for me for a time period. I share all that in case someone else is struggling and needs to hear it.

If you find yourself in a dark time right now, please know you are not alone. Whether it is grieving the loss of a loved one, the winter blues, being far from family, all of the above like me or something else entirely different, the holidays can be a very hard time. 😔

If you’re able, try to keep moving in any way you can each day. Do something you WANT to do - that's the key. Don't feel like running? Don't. Go outside for a walk instead. Or maybe a bike ride. It doesn't matter. Do what sounds good to you and keeps you moving. Even if it doesn’t fit the “training plan”.

Just focus on five minutes at a time with your activity. I often tell myself, “just five more minutes”, but end up doing more. Some days just getting started is the hardest part. Remember that.

If you can sleep, sleep. And try to give yourself kindness with your nutrition. Our bodies need all the love they can get when we are hurting.

Also, seek help if you need it. Therapy has been a huge help to me. I think it can benefit EVERYONE.

Don't be afraid to take medicine. It can help you get back to yourself.

I know this is not the typical running/training post from me, but I just wanted to share in case someone else needed to read it.

One day at a time… keep on keeping on. 💗