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Chicago’s Shamrock Shuffle: A Spring Racing Tradition
The unofficial start of spring racing in Chicago There are some races that simply feel like the start of something, and for runners in Chicago, the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle is exactly that. Held every March, the Shamrock Shuffle has become an annual rite of spring in the city. First launched in 1980, the…
Trying Super Shoes: Are They Worth It?
If you’ve spent any time around runners lately, you’ve probably heard people talking about super shoes. These high-tech racing shoes, typically built with ultra-light foams and carbon plates, are designed to help runners go faster and run more efficiently. Over the last few years they’ve completely changed the racing landscape. In fact, at the Chicago…
What I’m experimenting with this month: using a plyo box for strength workouts
For Christmas, my husband bought me a plyo box for our home gym (which is really the guest bedroom). I was looking for something new to mix up my strength workouts, but it needed to be simple, easy to store, and not too expensive. Throughout January, I’ve been using the box in almost every strength…
How to Prime Your Environment for Better Habits
I was listening to a podcast yesterday during my strength workout, Diary of a CEO, where Steven Bartlett was interviewing James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits. I read Atomic Habits a few years ago and found it incredibly helpful. It’s one of those books that quietly changes the way you think, rather than shouting…
Why I’ve decided not to run a spring marathon (and why you might want to take a break too).
2025 was a really fun year for running. So many great things happened. I trained consistently throughout the year and focused on improving my general health and strength. I found a good rhythm and stuck with it – and consistency really feels good. I ran three races, all of them marathons. I’ve never run three…
Why I Bought an Indoor Bike (and How I’m Hoping It Helps My Running)
I just bought myself an indoor bike. I’ve never owned one before, but I’ve been looking for something that would give me a solid cardio and strength workout without the impact of running. As much as I love to run, I’m very aware that I should find an additional form of cross training that I…
Essential Philadelphia Marathon Race-Day Tips
Before I ran the Philadelphia Marathon, I spent quite a while online searching for race-day tips. There were a few nuggets of advice out there, but I still found myself with plenty of questions when race day arrived. So, I thought I’d contribute to the collective knowledge by sharing my own top tips – just…
Is the Philadelphia Marathon Flat? My Race Day Experience & What to Expect
The Philadelphia Marathon was my “A” race this autumn, and I’d been looking forward to running it ever since I discovered that its medal contains a little ringing bell! I’d heard from friends that the course was flat, fast and ideal for a PR, and given how much I like Philly, I couldn’t think of…
Highlights from Chicago Marathon Weekend 2025
The Chicago Marathon is my favourite race in the world. Even when it doesn’t go perfectly, I still love it. I’ve now run Chicago seven times. My first marathon was in Chicago in 2012, my marathon PR is from 2014, and my return to running after the pandemic was in the city in 2023. Each…
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