Having searched years for a truly successful fitness routine, I kept finding my performance peaking or plateauing . Whether I was exercising alone, at local gyms, or with personal trainers, something was holding me back. I was often cast as a body type, or told I was just a big guy. I felt as though I was being fed excuses for why I wasn’t successful instead of being motivated to really make progress with my athletic goals.
Formula ended this trend. Not only was the support and motivation incredible, I found myself treated the same as world class athletes and weekend worriers alike. I never considered myself a runner, or someone who enjoyed group classes, but found myself addicted to not only the results I was having, but the community and new friends I had found.
Ann works on the all important mental aspect of running as well. Phrases like “get comfortable with being uncomfortable” and “stay relaxed up top” have a way of getting rooted in your mind so that you can pull them out later during hard runs and races. Just last November, for instance, I PR’d in a 5k after five years of running 5k’s. What makes Ann’s approach even more effective is that she is both an accomplished coach and runner. She really knows what she is talking about when she creates a custom training plan, which includes a weekly pattern of easy miles, quality workouts, long runs, and time for recovery.
The combo of the training plan and the classes did wonders for my running performance. My long run pace improved by over one minute per mile faster. Hilly routes that used to fill me with dread became easier and more manageable. Running friends commented on my pace and my improving performance. I’ll never be fast but I certainly got faster and stronger.
“That is when the light came on and I reached out to Ann as I knew she not only would be a great motivator, supporter, and running buddy, I felt that I had the flexibility to try something new and mix up my training a bit. I not only had Ann beside me in my early morning workouts at the track and around Charlottesville, I added another element into my training and incorporated a couple fitness classes a week at Formula.”
Emily provided a non-judgmental space to discuss both my goals and my obstacles, and the plan I came up with to achieve a better balance is effective, yet easy to work into my daily routine. No matter what your personal goals might be, I would highly recommend working with her and seeing how health coaching can give you the tools to feel your best both physically and mentally!
It’s easy to get in the mindset of just “getting through the miles” when marathon training. What that sometimes leads to for me is sloppy form. Strength training has made me more aware of the muscles I’m using when I’m running and has reminded me to use muscles that I wasn’t. Because of this I simply feel stronger and have more fun. - Ashley Twiggs, currently training for her 2nd marathon
The classes challenged my running capabilities and for the first time ever I felt like I was running efficiently . . . I learned that each exercise and each movement had a reason behind it and my speeds improved as I went to more classes. I moved out of the post-college fitness slump and can now say I’m probably in the best shape of my life.
It has almost become cliché to say that runners should strength train. So then I ask, are you a runner who is strength training consistently (2-3 times a week)? If the answer is “hmmm, no,” you might not fully understand all of the amazing benefits we get from strength training. Let me break it down for you.
This year, I ran my second race and completed my first Tough Mudder - both things that were out of the question a few years ago. I feel stronger, and more confident in what my body is capable of. Most of all, I have energy. I am up at 5:00am to make it to class (a wonder in and of itself, for me!) and feel energized and ready for the day afterwards.
Incorporating consistent strength training into my training as a competitive runner is a relatively new development. Anybody who's talked training with me recently knows how adamant I am about the importance of strength training for runners, but I had to travel a long (and occasionally painful) road to obtain that knowledge.
As I was improving my strength and endurance, their guidance in the classes made me realize that I also needed to work on my form and my focus. Within one month I was participating in up to 5 classes each week. 4 months later I feel like I've gone back to the person I was years ago, when running and exercise made me feel confident, fit, and energized rather than exhausted and unhealthy.
I was sure that there was another level I could get to if I could dial my nutrition in further. So I decided, in the interest of science, to put myself through a pair of hard workouts on the Woodway; the first I would do having eaten “whatever I wanted” the night before, and the second having followed a day of dietary prescriptions from Ann.
Hey gang!
If you've been to one of our classes, you know we aim to improve your strength, stamina, and function while having some fun along the way.
Lately, I've been having a lot of discussions with our clients about how to incorporate Formula classes into their training for upcoming races, so I wanted to summarize my recommendations here.
When last we left our young hero, Ken was jogging around Central Park before the dawn and gearing up to run a 5K in Richmond. He’d been training with Ann for six weeks; according to her it takes three weeks for a true bump in fitness, so he’d banked enough time and training to go up a couple of levels.
