Books To Buy This Holiday Season

 

If you are new to this blog, welcome! If you are a frequent reader, thank you for your continued passion for all things nutrition, health and wellness. It's crazy to think that I have been blogging since 2007!  Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to write three fitness/nutrition-related books.  Each book was a labor of love. Words are powerful and it can be difficult to get the right ones on paper to appeal to a mass audience. Writing a book can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience but it isn't without challenges.  Essential Sports Nutrition was my very first book. When a publishing company reached out to me to write this book, a long-time dream had been fulfilled. I put so much time, effort, brain power and research into this book as I wanted it to be perfect. I was then asked to write The 365-Day Running Journal. While this book was not as scientifically in-depth as my first book, the creative process required me to think differently when creating the content in this journal. Athlete to Triathlete was a challenge to write. With so many different opinions, thoughts and practices on triathlon training, nutrition and racing, I found myself putting in more time and energy into this book than I had originally planned. But like the other two books, it was worth it when the book finally went to print.  I realize this is a shameless plug to promote my own books for holiday gift giving but as a reader of this newsletter, there's a good chance that you (or someone in your life) could benefit from one (or all) of these books.

Essential Sports Nutrition Order HERE. Sports nutrition is a vital element for reaching peak physical performance. To maximize workouts and athletic ability, Essential Sports Nutrition offers the most up-to-date nutritional guidance along with delicious recipes to make eating right for an active lifestyle, easy. Essential Sports Nutrition is a user-friendly reference on fueling to meet your fullest potential. Essential Sports Nutrition teaches you how to nourish your body for energy with: A nutritional overview that includes new research on sources of nutrition and components of an ideal diet. Nutrient timing that teaches you what and when to eat before, during, and immediately after exercise for the best results. 24 recipes for before exercise or competition, during and after exercise, plus recipes for rest days.

The 365-Day Running Journal  Order HERE. Whether you’re aiming for faster time, longer distance, or just to have more fun, this journal supports your journey as a runner. The 365-Day Running Journal lets you log your runs so you can follow your progress week-to-week. The modern design and compact size makes it easy to write down location, time, weather, and distance for each run. Stay motivated with a list of your goals, races, and personal records. For casual joggers or ultrarunners alike, this running journal reminds you that it’s not always a race―but simply about doing what you love. The 365-Day Running Journal includes: Flexible dates―It’s no problem if you need to skip a week―the dates are left blank, so you can log at your own pace. Going strong―Get a pick-me-up with 13 monthly essays on motivation, body image, running form, and more. Practical tips―Weekly tips and fun facts help you improve your running skills and take care of your body.

Athlete to Triathlete Order HERE. Maybe you love to run, swam competitively in high school, or enjoy riding your bike. Perhaps you’re looking for a fun, new athletic challenge? Whatever the case is, you’re in the right place. Athlete to Triathlete delivers the ultimate triathlon training plan for Sprint and Olympic races to help you gain the fitness and confidence to complete your first race―and enjoy doing it. Transition from a single to a multisport athlete with advice on everything from injury prevention and mental fitness to pro tips for mastering each sport. The up-to-date information and expert guidance make your training journey and race day experience safe, fun, and memorable. This triathlon training book includes: Triathlon 101―All the triathlon-specific information you need to know, including helpful features like gear checklists, transition tips, and race day rules. Training beyond the basics―The chapters provide simple-to-understand details on training fundamentals, stretching exercises, and advice tailored to runners, cyclists, and swimmers. 12-week training plans―Follow a detailed, day-by-day training plan for either a Sprint or Olympic distance race.

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Also, for a delicious Chia Energy Ball recipe, be sure to check out our latest newsletter HERE.

One week until my new book releases!!

I'm super thrilled to announce that we are just one week away from the release of my new book The 365-day Running Journal. I can't wait for you to get it in your hands so that you can start logging your workouts while staying motivated with lots of inspiring quotes and tips. 

I'd like to extend a huge thank you to the following professionals who reviewed my book.

"The 365-Day Running Journal is flawlessly designed to encourage an individual to document their running journey. The uniqueness of this journal is the expert advice provided by author Marni Sumbal who is a nationally recognized sports dietitian, coach, and athlete herself. Marni provides the reader with helpful tips each week followed by a section to comprehensively document details of the workout. Throughout the journal Marni gives advice on how to develop a training plan, provides up-to-date nutritional guidance, and tips to prevent against injury. The weekly and monthly tips found throughout the journal are essential in keeping the runner motivated while setting a positive trajectory for long-term success in training, health, and happiness in sport."―Caitlin Glenn Sapp, PT, DPT, owner of Crew Racing and Rehab

"Marni has done an exceptional job at creating so much more than a training journal. The key quick tips, inspiring quotes, and specific running focused information makes it easy to stay motivated, properly fueled, and injury free while seeing the miles add up! This journal can help any runner turn the 'run happy' dream into a reality!"―Kim Schwabenbauer, MS, RD, CSSD, NASM-CPT, USA triathlon coach and founder of Fuel Your Passion, LLC

"Marni’s passion for running well is contagious. In The 365-Day Running Journal, Marni has written a wonderful book that runners of all abilities will appreciate. The journal creates a place for runners to reflect on their training, nutrition, and how they feel each day and week to safely progress their running for their individualized needs. Marni’s pro tips and motivational quotes are just the thing to help foster consistency for excellent runs."―Scott Kaylor, PT, DPT, SCS

"For most, if not all runners, consistency of training and longevity reign supreme. To this end, developing rock-solid habits, executing workouts, and keeping tabs on your progress is essential. To accomplish this one needs a simple, practical resource that also reminds athletes of their successes along the way. Unsurprisingly, Marni Sumbal delivers that and much more. If you are looking for a no-nonsense approach for yourself or friends, who enjoy running, this is long overdue resource. Enjoy!" ―Chris Johnson, MPT, MCMT, ITCA, Zeren PT & Performance - Owner and Director

For more tips, quotes and educational material, don't forget to reserve your copy for the September 24th release (don't forget to gift one to a new runner friend).

Click ➡️ to pre-order: ORDER HERE.

The 365-Day Running Journal - a look inside

We are getting close to the release date of my new book "The 365-day Running Journal." With only a few weeks to go, I wanted to share a few snippets of educational material that you can find within the journal to help you get more out of your exercise regime. While this book is called a running journal, you don't have to be a runner to log your workouts, record your milestones and maintain motivation through inspirational quotes and tips.


Cross Training
Running more doesn’t always lead to running better. Although a certain amount of training stress and specificity is needed for training adaptations, running harder, longer or more often is not the answer. As with any type of sport, there are potential side effects to the age-old “more is better” myth. To reduce the chance of an overuse injury, you need to let your run-specific muscles heal. Cross-training can be defined as engaging in different types of activities from your main sport. Since running is full-body, load-bearing activity, cross-training lessens the corrosive nature of moving your body in a forward motion. When you aren’t running, strengthening and recovering your running-specific muscles will help you maintain better form for your next run-specific workout. Although it’s tempting to credit running improvements to hard or long running, to stay healthy, you need to be open to supplementing your run training with other activities. 

Warming up/Cooling Down
Warming up is one of the most important aspects of your workout, yet it’s regularly overlooked and undervalued. Although it’s tempting to skip your warm-up to jump right into your workout, you are missing out on the only time to prime your muscles, tendons and joints to do their job more effectively.  When you are sedentary, your muscles are at rest. Only about 20% of the blood pumped by the heart is directed to the skeletal muscles. For your muscles to work optimally during exercise, you need to gradually increase your heart rate to start pumping more blood to the muscles. In other words, when you warm-up, you are literally warming up your cold muscles. 

Equipment 
Starting from the ground up, the most important item is a quality pair of running shoes. With so many brands out there, visit your local running store to get a free gait analysis with the help of a qualified shoe expert. Don’t make the common mistake of selecting a shoe brand based on design and color. Based on your running gait, fitness level, past injury history and fitness, your shoe expert will consider the appropriate cushion level, arch support, upper, midsole and shoe type for your needs. Keeping in mind that shoe sizes vary by manufacture (and shoe model), it’s important to have both feet measured. Because your feet swell during the day, try on shoes at the end of the day. Lastly, shoes should be snug but leaving about a half inch of extra space in the front of the shoe will allow your foot to comfortably move without rubbing.

Designing a training plan
There are many ways to train for a run event. A training plan takes away the guessing so that your workouts are organized, systematic and personalized to your specific training objectives. A training plan will help optimize performance over a specific period, while reducing risk of injury, fatigue and burnout. Not discounting your goals, a well-structured plan should be adaptable, factoring in time constraints, travel, environmental factors and unexpected life situations like injuries, events and sickness. Although a coach can help you become the best version of yourself, the idea of hiring a coach may seem a bit daunting, expensive or unnecessary at this point in your journey. While having a coach is not a requirement, an effective training plan is a must. Here are a few tips for designing your own fully customizable workout schedule.

Sport Nutrition 
There will come a point in your athletic journey when your daily diet will no longer provide all the energy that you need to support your workouts. Failure to nutritionally adjust to an increase in training volume and/or intensity increases the risk for injury, sickness and burnout. Sport nutrition recommendations can be confusing as most tips conflict with healthy-eating advice. For example, many people run in order to lose weight. Asking an individual to eat before a morning run may conflict with the belief that a fasted workout will burn more body fat. Additionally, nearly all sport nutrition products – like gels, energy chews and sport drink powders – are loaded with added sugar. And as we all know, our society already has a problem with over-consuming sugar-sweetened beverages. However, the nutrition consumed before, during and after specific run training sessions is designed to support your training sessions, whereas your daily diet supports your workouts and your overall health needs. 

Click HERE to order for the September 24th release date. 

Running Journal Giveaway!!

A big thank you to Meg and Kelly with Fillnow Coaching for hosting a giveaway for my new book "The 365-Day Running Journal." Check out their Instagram to read the many inspiring responses of how others would use this journal for health, wellness and fitness. If you are interested in hosting a giveaway to help me promote my new journal/book with your athletes/community, just send me an email.

I just realized that I never selected a winner for my last giveaway on August 28th, so I'd love to give you one more opportunity to select your favorite running store for a chance to be entered in the giveaway for my new book.

When it comes to running gear, we love to shop local.

Spending money at your local running stores helps keep the money local. They also take up less space, and make less waste. Not to mention, they usually buy locally and live locally. Lastly, your voice gets heard. If there is something you want to see sold in a store, or you have a problem, the owner/staff truly care what you think and what you need. For a local run store, their entire business revolves around the fact that you are their customer and they want to do right by you.

Comment on my Facebook page (pinned post on the top of the page) and tag your favorite local run store (don't forget to share the location - city/state) and I'll randomly select a winner. You, and a run store, could receive a free copy of my new book "The 365-day Running Journal."

For more tips, quotes and educational material, don't forget to reserve your copy for the September 24th release (and gift one to a friend). Order HERE.

Your best run tips for beginners!

Running, like any other individual sport, teaches you many life lessons. It's simple, and yet deceptively complex.

People run for different reasons, such as weight loss, health or stress relief. Running doesn't discriminate. With every run, you're presented with a new challenge, a time to reflect and an opportunity to problem-solve. It's your cherished "me time," a way to run from, for or to something. It connects you with your community, helps you explore nature, inspires you to travel the world, and temporarily removes you from the stresses of life.

The confidence and feeling of accomplishment from any type of run will carry over into your daily life, reminding you that you have the strength to conquer anything that comes your way. Running is the ultimate badge of perseverance.

More than just a blank space to document your training miles, the 365-day Running Journal is designed to teach you more about yourself as you give meaning to your life as a runner.

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Thank you to everyone who entered my last giveaway on Facebook. What GREAT tips!! Here are your best running tips for beginners.

• Enjoy the process! Embrace every improvement and celebrate each one! 
• Don’t get so bogged down in perfection that you miss the progression! Your body is a beautiful gift ❤️full of potential and ability! Have fun!
• It’s ok to walk, or to stop and recover during a workout, or take a whole day off. It’s starting again and moving forward that matters.
• Increase weekly mileage slowly to minimize injury and wear the right shoes! 
• Slow down, higher cadence.
• First, invest in quality running shoes, preferably fitted by a knowledgeable and experienced runner!
• The first mile is always a lie. Do what you can to get through it. The motivation will follow!
• Consistency is key. If we only run on days we feel good we will never make progress. 😎
• Run the Mile You are In.😃 
• Take it slow! Making sudden changes are a recipe for failure.
• Comparison is the thief of joy. Run your own race and don’t compare your journey to others. Find your running tribe and embrace them!
• Walk if you need to. Short stride, fast feet.
• Don’t stress over pace, heart rate, etc...just get out and have fun!
• Find yourself a good group of like minded people and train together as you can motivate each other as you will not all have a tough day at the same time! Running with friends is so much fun! Also you can challenge each other to slowly increase your mileage and help each other get out of your comfort zone a little bit more every run. And believe that “yes, you can run little farther and harder every time”... run happy ❤️🏃🏼‍♀️❤️
• Focusing on a distance can be really overwhelming, especially if you've never run before. Instead break it down further. Try starting out with two minutes or five minutes, whichever sounds more doable, and then every couple runs try to bump it up by thirty seconds.
• Don’t rush the process. The shiny things will come. Focus on nailing the basics
• Just get moving! If you’re training for an event like a 5K or a 10K or half marathon and are following a plan, remember that something is always better than nothing when getting out for your workout! If your day gets hectic or you run short on time it’s always better to do something Compared to just throwing in the towel on that days work out.
• Buy a good pair of running shoes and good socks that fit well and it may take a few times to figure out which pair are the best for you.
• Have fun and don’t take things to seriously. 
• Run and walk easy enough so you'll want to run again the next day. 
• Strength training is as important as the miles you put in. 
• Make your Easy Runs “EASY”!
• 1. 😊Pick a goal and a coaching program (couch to 5k, couch to 10K, etc.) and STAY CONSISTENT. Don’t get ahead of yourself, don’t make up workouts, just follow the program. 2. Create sustainable habits: warm up, cool down, stretching.
• Consistency is key. 
• Less is more. Focus on strength and fundamentals before distance.
• If you remember the “why”—the “how” is easy. 🙏🏻
• Every run is not a race! It's ok to be slower today than you were yesterday. With consistency over the long term you will get faster and suffering will become optional.
• You CAN run for “fun,” or just the simple joy of moving your body. And you are a runner if you run, even if you’re slow or just want to go for an easy run.
• Enjoy being outside and relish it as your “me” time. Focus on the adventure/path you’ve chosen for the day and take in all the beautiful sights, sounds, and feelings.
• You don’t need fancy gear or gadgets to start running - just a good pair of shoes and enjoy each step of the process.
• Run well before you try to run fast.

For more running tips, motivation and education, don't forget to reserve your copy for the September 24th release of my next bookThe 365-day Running Journal. Click HERE to pre-order.