Extraordinary Strides

Summer can feel like it should make fitness easier, but the reality is the opposite: aggressive heat, heavy humidity, pop-up storms, travel weekends, later dinners, and the kind of schedule blur that turns one late night into three. I call it the summer fitness trap, and if you’ve been stuck in the “I’ll restart Monday” cycle, this is your reset with a plan that actually fits real life. We build a summer minimum you can keep even on messy days, using the good, better, best approach and “exer...

Welcome to Day 4 of Mayday Miles: Trail Buddy Thursday. ✨ Today is all about movement plus connection, because support makes consistency so much easier. Your mission: add intentional movement with a little connection. Walk or run with a friend, text someone before or after your workout, post your check-in, share a photo, cheer someone else on, or invite a friend to join. Moving solo? That still counts. Add connection through encouragement, a shoutout, or your check-in. Today’s add-in: add sup...

It’s Day 3 of Mayday Miles: Wind-Down Wednesday. ✨ Today is your permission slip to let your body and mind exhale. Your mission: add gentle movement, mobility, or recovery. Try a recovery walk, stretching, yoga, foam rolling, mobility work, or a few easy movement snacks throughout the day. Today’s add-in: add stress release. That could be breathwork, meditation, journaling, a breathing break, quiet time outside, legs up the wall, gentle stretching before bed, or choosing the lower-pressure ve...

Day 1 of Mayday Miles is here! ✨ Today’s theme is Mayday Mission, and we are starting exactly where we are. Your mission: add 10 to 30 minutes of intentional movement. Walk, run, run-walk, stretch, strength train, dance in the kitchen, or sprinkle in exercise confetti throughout the day. Today’s add-in: choose one thing you want to add this week to feel more supported. More water? More protein? More sunshine? More movement? More recovery? More consistency? More connection? More grace? Check-i...

Your toughest mile rarely needs a lecture. It needs a voice that cuts through the noise at the exact right time. Coach Christine sits down with Emily, co-founder of the Hollarhype app, to talk about what happens when encouragement stops being a post-run comment and becomes real-time support that lands in your ears mid-hill, mid-workout, or mid “I might quit.” Emily explains how Hollarhype works: you go live before you start, your people get a notification, and their short voice messages str...

What if collecting your stars didn’t require juggling hotel hunts, expo lines, and start-time puzzles? We sit down with Destiny2Sport founder Victor Ortiz to unpack a smarter way to run the world; from Berlin’s fast streets and Chicago’s walkable logistics to New York’s electric maze, Tokyo’s quiet precision, Boston’s legendary grind, London’s all-out roar, and Sydney’s shiny new major status. As a former soccer player turned triathlete and marathon tour operator, Victor shares the practica...

Sydney Marathon beckoned as the newest World Marathon Major, and I couldn't resist answering the call after earning my six-star medal in Tokyo. This Australian adventure would become my seventh major—a milestone I never expected to reach when I started this journey. The electric atmosphere at the expo set the tone for the weekend, with volunteers and organizers proudly showcasing Sydney as the latest "world wonder" in the marathon circuit. Abbott created special photo opportunities for seven...

Jet lag isn't just feeling tired—it's a temporary circadian misalignment affecting hormones, temperature, digestion, and athletic performance that runners feel particularly strongly. • Endurance performance depends on precise timing of biological functions that get disrupted during travel • Core body temperature minimum sits 2-3 hours before wake time and is key to understanding light exposure timing • Morning light moves your clock earlier, evening light moves it later • Delay path (treatin...

Coach Christine shares how she tackled Sydney Marathon training during a chaotic summer filled with caregiving responsibilities, relocation, and constant travel, discovering that romance novels became her unexpected training partner and source of resilience. • Trading structured training schedules for flexibility and adaptability • Finding companionship in audiobooks during solo runs in unfamiliar places • How to pair different types of runs with the right audiobook experiences • Reviews of ...

The countdown to race day brings a unique cocktail of nerves, excitement, and questions. What's really happening to your body during taper? Should you squeeze in one more long run? How do you handle those phantom pains that suddenly appear? Drawing from decades of experience and my personal journey completing all six World Marathon Majors, I've created the ultimate 30-day race countdown guide that transforms pre-race anxiety into your secret weapon for success. This comprehensive roadmap bre...

Summer running presents unique challenges, but with Coach Christine's comprehensive survival guide, you can transform these obstacles into opportunities for growth and resilience. • Protecting yourself from bugs with appropriate repellents and permethrin-treated clothing • Conducting thorough tick checks post-run to prevent complications like Lyme disease • Avoiding poisonous plants by staying centered on trails and wearing protective clothing • Applying and reapplying broad-spectrum sunscre...

A true Disney fairytale unfolded at this year's Run Disney Springtime Surprise weekend, as Cole orchestrated a finish line proposal to Ashley that will leave you believing in happily-ever-afters. Their story perfectly captures why Run Disney events are so much more than just races – they're moments where memories are made, milestones are celebrated, and sometimes, lifelong commitments begin. Cole shares every heart-pounding detail of his proposal planning, from timing the ring delivery perfe...

Ever wonder what it takes to run 300+ marathons in full costume? Meet Charlotte, the runner who's redefining what's possible in both endurance and race day fashion. Charlotte brings a refreshing perspective to ultra running that blends serious mileage with joyful celebration. Unlike many elite runners, she didn't start until her mid-30s after making lifestyle changes for better health. What began with simple run-walk intervals around her hometown loop evolved into an extraordinary journey th...