Amy Bostick Running & Mindset Coaching

🌲This road runner found herself out on the trail today – and she loved it.

I found myself thinking about Laken Riley, a 22-year-old woman who was recently murdered while out for a run.

🏃🏼‍♀️ I often run alone. Training by heart rate means I don’t want to run at the same pace as someone else unless it’s what I need that day. I also enjoy the time I get to think or listen to a thought-provoking podcast while running. I schedule my run into my day based on my availability since I’m not waiting on anyone else.

AND I prioritize the safety measures within my control; I wear a light when running in the dark, when I start a run from my watch, a notification is automatically sent to my loved ones with GPS tracking, I run with open-ear headphones or none at all, I always have my phone on me, and I do my best to be aware of my surroundings throughout my runs.

Taking safety precautions when running will not eliminate all risks. Nothing will eliminate all risks.

AND I refuse to let fear stop me from doing what I love to do.

I also want to stress that it’s extremely rare to be murdered while out for a run.

📊 Based on data from the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System in 2021, only 12% of female murder victims were killed by a stranger. This means we are much more likely to be killed by someone we know. Here are some other statistics:

◼️Nearly 29% of women in the US have experienced r**e, physical violence, and/or stalking by a partner.
◼️Black women face even higher rates of intimate partner violence, r**e, and homicide.
◼️Indigenous women are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault compared to other ethnicities.
◼️Transgender women, especially women of color, are at an increased risk of violence.

March is International Women’s Month and it’s important to remember that statistics can’t be ignored. Violence against women is a global crisis and the data shows it.

If you're interested in learning more, follow Institute for Women's Policy Research

Beautiful run this morning through Forest Park.

You can’t see it in the second photo but the sun had just started to pop out. I haven’t seen it in so long, I forgot what it looked like.

☁️🌥️☀️

Kick off the year with the Joyful Running Challenge!

This 🆓 7-day challenge starts as soon as you sign up.

What's in store:

🏃🏽‍♀️ Start & Sustain: Say goodbye to the start-and-stop cycle. I'll help you weave running seamlessly into your life and build a consistent routine that works for you.

🫱🏽‍🫲🏽 Community & Support: Join a community of like-minded individuals where we celebrate wins, ask questions, and share the joy of running together!

🏆 Goal Oriented Approach: You'll set bite-sized goals to create momentum and celebrate every step forward.

💌 Daily Guidance: Daily emails packed with tips, tools, & resources to kickstart and maintain your running routine.

You are fully capable of incorporating running into your life AND incorporating joy into your running. Let's make it easy and enjoyable together!

Sign up now - 🔗 https://buff.ly/47lm7YM

🏅 New Year = New Goals 🎆

It doesn't matter how big your running goals are for 2024 - injecting joy into your routine is crucial for long-term commitment and fulfillment.

Here are 3️⃣ tips for ensuring you find joy in your running journey this training season:

🎉 Enjoyment Over Outcome - Shift the focus from purely achieving goals to enjoying the process. Every training run will not go as planned - some will feel easy, and others will be a struggle, and that's normal! Don't judge the process based on each run.

🏃🏽‍♀️ Variety in Training - Incorporate diverse and enjoyable workouts. Mix up your routine by trying new routes around town, include interval work, and find social runs.

📈 Celebrate Milestones & Progress - Recognize and celebrate every milestone, no matter how small. Track your progress so you are able to more easily see the improvements you're making week-to-week.

If you're getting stuck in the process or your training feels mundane, send me a message and we can chat about other ways to bring joy into your running journey.

As we embark on a new year, I wanted to say THANK YOU!

I'm grateful for every athlete who chose me as their coach this year.

There are many running coaches to choose from and I'm extremely thankful for those who trusted me to get them to the finish line in 2023.

As we walk into the new year, I'm taking that gratitude with me.

I can't wait to see you crush your goals in 2024. Let's do this!

🍾 Happy New Year 🥂

🏃🏽‍♀️ Running isn't just about the miles 🏃🏼‍♀️

It's about so much more. It's about the moments, growth, victories, and overcoming challenges.

👟 As a running coach, I'm here to guide you on a journey that's not just about the finish line, but about celebrating every step along the way.

🧠🧘🏽‍♀️ During our coaching calls, we carve out time for reflection, a moment to pause and listen to your body and your mind. It's in these moments that breakthroughs happen, goals get clearer, and self-discovery takes place.

🌈💪🏽 Whether it's shaving off a few seconds from your mile time, conquering a tough hill, or choosing to rest when your body needs it - we celebrate every win because they build the road to your bigger goals.

If you've got big goals for 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣ but aren't sure how to get there, let's talk! 📩 Send me a DM and I'll set up a call for us to talk about your goals, challenges, strengths and opportunities. If it feels like the right fit, we can talk about what it would look like to work together.

Runners like forward motion/progress, so taking time to slow down and look back can be difficult - just like learning to slow down on training runs (but that's a topic for another day).

Embracing the future is crucial, but there's power in taking a moment to step back - not to dwell - but to gain insights.

You're not slowing down by reflecting. You're recalibrating. It's the small tweaks that amplify your performance, the lessons from the previous season/year that propel you forward.

For me - it would be easy to look back and simply see what's obvious (and most frustrating), that I missed a PR goal in my spring race and missed my goal race completely in the fall because I was sick.

But that would be selling myself short! I did/learned/accomplished so much this year, here are just a few of my reflections:

🩵 I fully embraced heart rate training and felt the benefits of slowing down.
🏃🏼‍♀️ I was more consistent this year than any year prior, including the off-season.
🏅 I had a blast running races with my friends and got some very cool medals.
💪🏽 I focused on recovery, strength, and flexibility this year.
🙅🏼‍♀️ I, fortunately, did not deal with a big injury this year.

What a difference this makes for our mindset. If I had stopped at what DIDN'T go right, I would walk into 2024 with a very different outlook.

Taking time to reflect and include what DID go right can help you feel more confident to tackle your big running goals for the new year.

With this year ending, it's easy to get caught up in next year's goals and forget to reflect on the year we are leaving behind.

As part of my coaching process, I encourage athletes to routinely reflect on the week prior before we start making plans for the next week.

Why?

Because if you don't take time to learn the lessons available, you won't make progress!

I encourage you to take a breather and reflect on your accomplishments and setbacks this year. Here are some prompts to start with:

▪️ What went well? What did you achieve?
▪️ What didn't work well? What challenges came up?
▪️ What got in the way of achieving your goals?
▪️ What brought you the most joy this year?
▪️ What do you want more of in your running journey? Less of?

I'd love to hear what your achievements and/or challenges were this year! Share below 👇🏾👇🏾 And if you get stuck in the reflection process, reach out to me and I'd be happy to share some tips.

⚠️ NEW BLOG POST ⚠️

If you're stuck trying to set a running goal or not sure how to make your goal(s) a reality, check out my new blog post!

I cover how to set running goals and strategies to help you crush your running goals.

Read the blog post - blog link in bio 🔗

🏃🏾‍♀️Are you ready to make your running resolutions stick?🎯

That's where I come in!

As a certified running coach, here's what I bring to the table:

📈 Personalized Roadmap: Tailored plans that fit YOU, in every way, starting with a clear, specific goal and a strategic plan to get you safely to race day.
🏃🏾‍♀️ Expert Guidance: Providing education throughout training to ensure you're not holding yourself back from your potential.
🫱🏽‍🫲🏽 Accountability Partner: Keeping you motivated and on track.
🧠 Mindset & Mental Strength: Helping you work through setbacks and overcome motivation fluctuations.

Interested in learning more about what working together would look like? Send me a DM 📩 and we can talk more!

New Year's resolutions fail, and they fail often.

But that doesn't have to be you.

Here are some tips on making and crushing your running goals for the new year:

📝 Be Specific: Vague goals make it tough to track progress or make a plan. Begin with a crystal-clear vision of what you want to achieve.

📈 Have a Plan: Without a plan, resolutions often fizzle out. When it comes to running, having a structured training plan can help you crush your goal while doing it safely.

👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏼Accountability: Tell a friend about your goal(s) or join a running group/club!

🧠 Mindset: Running is a mental game as much as it is a physical one. Cultivate a positive mindset, practice mindfulness during runs, and develop mental resilience. You will encounter setbacks and having the right mindset will ensure you bounce back more quickly.

Do you have other tips that have helped you crush your running goals? Share below!👇🏽

Did you know❓Studies show that by January, 43% of people have already given up on their resolutions, and by February, that jumps to around 80%.

Can you relate? I know I can! 🙋🏼‍♀️ For many years I would set resolutions to, "get healthier " or "get in shape" only to find my motivation run out and before I knew it, I was back to my normal habits.

However, once I started running with specific goals in mind, that kept me motivated beyond the New Year surge of motivation.

I've already got a few running goals for 2024:
▪️ 2 (or more) half-marathons in the spring
▪️ Chicago Marathon in October
▪️ Fundraising goal for the Chicago Marathon
▪️ Sub-2-hour half-marathon
▪️ Beat my previous PR for marathon time

What are your goals for the new year? Comment below! 👇🏽