Extraordinary Strides
Welcome to Extraordinary Strides, the podcast that celebrates the spirit of running and the inspiring stories of those who lace up their shoes and hit the pavement.
Here, we dive into the heart of what makes running an extraordinary adventure.
Whether you're a seasoned marathoner or just starting out, Extraordinary Strides is your go-to source for expert tips, motivational stories, and the camaraderie of the running community.
Our episodes feature seasoned runners, coaches, and everyday athletes sharing their triumphs, challenges, and the joy they find in every run.
Join us for casual, uplifting conversations that will leave you excited to put on your running shoes and hit the road. We believe that every run, no matter the distance, is a step towards something greater.
So, subscribe now and join our community of runners who are making every stride extraordinary.
At Extraordinary Strides, we're here to inspire, motivate, and celebrate with you every step of the way!
Extraordinary Strides
Shaking Up Fitness: The Power of Micro Workouts during the Holidays
Ready to redefine your idea of a workout? We're about to shake things up with the Sleigh the Holidaze Challenge, launching on November 20th. Think of it as 28 days of festive fun and fitness, designed to slot comfortably into even the busiest holiday schedules.
We're not just talking about traditional workouts here, we're all about micro-movements - small, simple exercises that can be easily integrated into your daily routines.
Doesn't matter if you're hosting, traveling, or just squeezing in some 'me' time - we've got you covered. We're even throwing a special Turkey Trot podcast episode into the mix to keep things engaging!
This isn't your average fitness commitment; it's a community of like-minded individuals ready to motivate and support each other through the holiday season. Join us as we discuss what it takes to "Sleigh the Holidaze" and how to make this challenge a part of your daily routine.
From our fun, diverse workout plans to our engaging kickoff event, we've got a lot lined up for you. Grab this opportunity, sign up here.
Sleigh the Holidaze is more than a fitness challenge - it's about building your resilience, fostering community, and having a whole lot of holiday fun!
Have questions or want to chat? Send me a text!
Join the newsletter list for updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Join fellow pod and running enthusiasts at The Stride Collective community on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
Coach Shelby and Coach Christine welcoming you in and letting you know it's time for French Quick Bites edition, where you can grab your miles with a side of smile, take them on the run midday in the afternoon or maybe a late night snack attack and stay, especially if we're going to emphasize the late night snack attack Because we're gearing up for the weirdest, the funnest, most stressful and definitely the snappiest time of year. That's right. In the US we are coming up on Thanksgiving and then everyone else has Christmas, hanukkah and all the other things, but really just the tip of the iceberg that we don't have here.
Speaker 1:So I get tired just thinking about it, even though, honestly, this is my favorite time of year. I've made no qualms about that. You tell me November, december, and my ears perk up. My costumes come out, the decorations come out, but the days literally are shorter. Thank you, daylight Saving Time, and I'm very proud. I said saving time, not saving time.
Speaker 1:But there's parties, there's dinners, there's travel, there's hosting, or maybe you decide to forego all of that and have some R&R this holiday season. That doesn't mean that we have to forego the fun, though, regardless of what you have in your holiday calendar and I know I've been guilty of it before, thinking okay, if I drop the ball during the holidays, I'll just kick it back up during the new year. But what if we just don't drop the ball at all, at least not until the new year's end? So we took all of that into account to craft our very last challenge group of the year, and we want to put you on the nice list and put you on your list at all during the holiday season, with our Sleigh the Holidays Challenge kicking off on November 20th. Coach Christine, I know I let you go during Halloween that's your favorite and then you let me break out the tinsel for the Christmas holiday, hanukkah season. What are you most excited about to tell our folks about?
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, I feel like if I start doing that, then it's going to become a monologue. You guys aren't going to be able to even follow my thoughts, because there is quite a bit of fun in store. But coming off the heels of the challenge groups that we've had for fall, what really? I think not. I think I know what has been so exciting for me is to see the support and I mean truly the support of the team working together and being there for each other. So, regardless if it was an individual challenge or if it was a team challenge, everyone has been encouraging and thoughtful and supportive and really motivating and inspiring.
Speaker 2:So I think, when you are thinking about this time of year, that's kind of what we want, right, that's what we see on Hallmark movies for sure, that's what it's billing, but that's not necessarily what we feel when we go out into the grocery store or we're going to run another errand. We may feel a little frazzled, we may not feel quite so festive, and that's where I feel like this will be the perfect respite where you're able to get in some me time, some fitness time, a whole lot of self care time, and wrap all that in with an incredible Slay Squad to help you with that holidays. They can kind of kind of make you feel a little bit less than your best, so we're going to make sure that you do so, coach, right out of the gate. Talking about one of our wonderful, wonderful community members, michelle W said that these challenges are so much fun because of the camaraderie, the diversity of workouts and the supportive coaches make them addictive. So, my friends, we have a little bit of candy cane addiction coming your way with this Slay the holidays.
Speaker 2:So, coach, let's get into it. You already said we're kicking off on November 20th. What can people expect You're going to have?
Speaker 1:all the bits and bubbles and bones and beyond, on coding the Grinch, because we could be a little grinchy this time of year, but we're going to turn it around with 28 days of the packed fun, giving nods to Thanksgiving, a Hanukkah Christmas, carving out the youth time. You need to clean all the tinsel and turkey traditions that you may or may not love, but I think, right out of the gate we've done it for all of our challenges. I would probably say it's one of the things we've gotten the most feedback on is the premium podcast episodes and those detailed workouts. We're going to have them for this challenge but of course, again adding that little brunch sparkle, the turkey trot. We've recorded that one and I am excited because not everybody has turkey trots around them and I mean you might not get a free pie at the end but you get a lot of puns. So puns or pie, take your pick.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, that turkey trot is full. It is so jam packed. It is literally like going to your Thanksgiving buffet. Yeah, absolutely yeah. I feel like it was. First of all, it was so much fun to put together in Chit, chat and hear what is coming your way. Guys, we can't wait to share it with you all. Truly, I can't wait to actually listen to it on my Turkey Trot.
Speaker 2:What I love about it specifically is that you're able to treat it the way that you need wherever you're at. So with the holidays, sometimes you're hosting, sometimes you may be traveling, sometimes a little bit of both. Maybe you're having four or five Thanksgiving dinners because you are going to multiple family and friends. So this is where you get to kind of squeeze it and then make it work for you. You can maybe rope the family in with you and take it as a fun walk or run outdoors. You can keep it in your back pocket while you may be grocery shopping. So there's so many different ways of making these premium podcasts work for whatever it is that you need.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. And as we were crashing this challenge, we wanted to be super mindful that everybody's schedules are different. But right out of the gate, let's talk about the first week. Let's talk some turkey, which, yes, that is.
Speaker 2:We talked a lot about yes.
Speaker 1:As funny as it is, though, I'm a vegetarian, so we're gonna say let's talk tofurky turkey. We did get into on our turkey trot, but this week, especially since it's going to be kicking off the week of Thanksgiving, there are again, like you said, travel involved. So, throughout the entire challenge, we have many workouts and micro movements that are gonna make a big impact with little to no equipment, and the best part is even if this equipment is encouraged. Maybe you use the extra can of cranberry sauce that you didn't use on Thanksgiving, because if not, my fave, sorry, I know I'm gonna receive some hate mail with it, but don't come at me with that tofurky cranberry sauce.
Speaker 1:But we're going to have a weeble, wobble workout that definitely can be done anywhere, anytime. Maybe burn your legs a little bit so you don't burn the turkey legs, because, again, we don't need to call the fire department. Let's not get that exciting on the holidays, but going to be able to do this at an airport, maybe in line, maybe, as you're taking some stuff out of the oven for your free meal festivities, no matter what, these micro workouts this entire week are completely doable without having to get on the gross floor at a grocery store or the airport. Yes, that's my germaphobe coming out, but you guys know me, you guys semi-times love me, so there we go.
Speaker 2:Speaking of germs, that is something that'd be taken into consideration. This time of year and going to the gym may not be possible, or maybe you don't want to because you are trying to make sure that you don't get any extra ick that's going around. So, again, these are such a great way of really incorporating a workout and movement and, almost, dare I say, a little bit of bounty breaking in terms of what we think that a workout has to look like, because I think that we pre-defined sometimes that if I'm not going in and getting a workout of 60 dedicated minutes and doing this, this and this, then it wasn't a workout. But we guarantee that adding in these micro movements and finding the way to add a little bit of fun to this workout will absolutely get that burn going. You'll definitely feel it, but also let you know that there are ways to incorporate it even when the day gets busy.
Speaker 1:And I feel like that's feedback that we've gotten time and time again from our training group athletes, our one-on-one athletes, as well as the challenge participants is that's why the ball gets dropped, because we're trying to do it all, we're trying to fit it all in, and so each of these challenge days are gonna be designed to fit in and you can always double up on them, make them a little bit longer, but each of them is gonna give you a reason and concrete ways to get moving without the stress of trying to fit in Again.
Speaker 1:Like you said, those two-a-days, those big, long, hour-long workouts, it's gonna keep you on that consistency train and yes, I'm thinking about the train going around and around the Christmas tree. Again, you guys can tell this is my favorite time of year. And again, fun is where we're leaving, leading this holiday season with the fun and festiveness and maybe having a little bit of fun at some of the fun sayings that we get asked, like what's for dinner? What time is dinner gonna be ready? Did the dog eat the chicken? Did the dog eat the turkey? So we're gonna be having another fun workout. That'll be a little secret of your own to keep you from using the eye rolls as cardio and busting a move instead, and you can tell people about it. You cannot be your little victorious secret of the holidays, if you will.
Speaker 2:Well, with that said, we are very much looking forward to week one and kicking it off with you all, but of course, we're also looking forward to continuing to move that sleigh forward as we go into that week after Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2:That can be notoriously weird because you're still potentially traveling or you're back at work and still trying to figure out how to put the house back together or get the Christmas decorations. You may be you're starting to get a little bit of that panic in. So it feels a little frenetic, and we're going to lean right into that extra energy that you may have in terms of that frenzy and just work it out in a really good way with a little follow La fun fart lick. So it's all about using that energy in a way, with gearing through the paces and enjoying, and of course, we wouldn't have a brunch premium podcast episode without having a whole lot of fun. This work is actually going to incorporate a game for your fart lick. I think you guys are going to definitely enjoy it because we're going to keep the games rolling through, coach, because you also have a way for us to help de stress a little bit. Tell us more about that.
Speaker 1:Yes. So we're going to use a play on my snap thought process and snap out of our minds and our stress with a checklist that's going to be able to be used now only on this day of the challenge, but throughout the rest of the time, giving you that little mental check in break to stay on task and not get frosted with mental fog Because again, coming off of that holiday, going into the rest of the weeks, there's a lot of days off, there's a lot of people out of the office, kids are out of school and it is so easy to slip into that fog and again put yourself last, put what you need to do on the back burner, not just the warmer again holiday fun. I can't help it, they're just so me.
Speaker 2:But going to go ahead and use that snap checklist, snap out of it, refocus on what you need to do and how to stay calm and cool and collected oh, I love that coach, and I will tell you, I feel like this entire challenge continues to build, where I'm getting more and more excited as we continue to roll through it, because, while I do, I don't know and I've now learned a lot about the next week. I am so excited because I feel like not only does it really speak to a lot of your heritage, but it also is a really great way to continue, like celebrating some joy and love, which is exactly what we heard from Kim are during our previous challenges. She actually goes on record to say I love the challenges because they're so positive and encouraging. So, coach, tell us about how week three is going to continue, that positivity and encouragement going all the way through.
Speaker 1:This is going to be embracing eight wonderful days of miracle workouts and mitzvahs. And if you've not been told the term of mitzvahs before, it is a commandment in the Jewish law and it's basically a good deed or a charitable act. So we're going to be turning the mitzvahs outwardly as well as inwardly and making sure that we have multiple days of mitzvahs. Again, good deeds for yourself and others. We can fill our cups, maybe with eggnog, maybe with mannishevot, we don't care what you fill up your cup with, as long as you actually do actually fill up your cup.
Speaker 1:But, we're done with crazy eight workout, which is a play on my 10 by 10 by 10 workout that I've shared before in our challenges Going to be doing eight moves or eight minute workouts. Again, you can stack those up, do it singularly. It's a perfect thing to whip out before maybe your holiday dinner, maybe wrapping gifts. But the fitness cradle, which I don't want to give too much of way, happens to be probably my favorite part of this entire thing, because I don't know, if you know, I play a mean game of cradle.
Speaker 2:I mean, I'm not at all surprised because I feel like it just sounds like something that you could definitely roll on through or spin it's probably the best term but I think that that's exactly why it's so exciting is because again we've termed it micro movements, but really what we call it inside of the group is it's exercise confetti and it's a way to add a little bit of sparkle of movement throughout your day. And you guys have heard us wax puttig about how much we love movement and how it helps with so many different aspects from helping us release Some of those endocannabinoids so we feel a little bit more relaxed, or a little bit of that extra dopamine that sometimes we chase after by scrolling or doom scrolling. So this is a way to kind of as coach already said utilize all of those building tools. So maybe pulling a little bit of that snap from week two into week three to help you snap into movement with a little extra fun and building all those building blocks to not have guilt.
Speaker 1:We can have some guilt, because who doesn't love a chocolate coin? But no guilt will be the motto of this entire challenge and showing up, staying on track, however that might look. Building into our last week, which, by back by popular demand, we are going to be having an incline and hills workout that I would probably say was unanimously everybody's favorite workout from this last challenge. We're going to be changing it up, of course. Yeah, hills and that incline received a lot of love.
Speaker 2:I think what we're hearing time and time again is it? Most runners? Of course, most of us do love to run outdoors but let's be honest, this time of year, even if the weather is absolutely perfect which for a lot of folks it may not be but even if it is, it's really hard to maybe get outdoors, to get in those runs. So we heard you loud and clear you want to take a little bit of that dread out of your treadmill, Make sure that you kind of rise on up and enjoy the challenge above you. So that reindeer rise up inclined is definitely going to help you. Maybe at least fall in love with your treadmill for the day, Maybe, but it'll definitely let you reframe it, which is basically what this week's all about, right.
Speaker 1:Yep, this week is going to be all about rewrapping, refocusing and reframing and flipping the frosty script, raising the anxiety, the feelings of being overwhelmed, and bringing peace and joy in words, allowing us to focus on what is most important. So this whole week is going to be setting yourself up, reflecting again, rewrapping and reframing some of those thoughts that do creep in this time of year as we get closer and closer to some of the main holiday events that we've been wanting and wishing for. Getting into the new year fast and furious and going to bring you on a journey, if you will, to provide some clarity, some joy and a sense of seasonal well-being that, after a long couple of weeks and a long month, is very much needed. Ending with a little karma clean out, because I don't know about you, during the holidays I get a lot of mental clutter as well as actual clutter, and I put some room going into the new year, so I don't feel as weighed down by all of the things.
Speaker 2:I think it will surprise no one that I tend to go straight to the donation piles for a lot of different things during the holidays, because I'm not a huge fan of clutter, so there is absolutely a lot of donating that time of year. Which fills my cup which is what this is all about is finding ways to fill your cup, friends. So again, as Coach Shelby has mentioned and of course I've mentioned this is so much joy. It's so much way of adding a little bit of extra sparkle. But you don't have to believe us, because we had Carrie tell us that she loves the TFB challenges, because Christine and Shelby provide a holistic way to push yourself with a supportive community behind you. I've started and established new habits that have continued post-challenge and I highly recommend for you guys to join on in. So what are you guys?
Speaker 1:waiting for Exactly Again, this entire challenge is a gift to yourself. While we're getting in the gifts for everybody else, we're filling the stockings, we're packaging the packages it's time for you to do something for yourself, and this is a small way to make a big impact. This isn't something you're going to go and buy in a store. You're not going to have to have a gift receipt, because this is going to fill your cup every step of the way, not only with us, but with the supportive community, our daily challenges and, of course, because we love some bling, we love some prizes. We're going to have weekly prizes given to spread the holiday cheer, to make sure everybody gets a chance to feel like they are slaying the holidays away.
Speaker 1:So you will find the link in episode notes. There are only a few more days before we do kick off because, again, this is going to kick off November 20th. So we will be closing the Slay Doors and hopefully you'll be there with us. So make sure to kick that link, sign up, get your spot and, as always, we're here for any questions you may have. We believe that you're on the nice list, but are you going to put yourself on there as well?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. So we're going to go ahead and start yelling onward to our trusty reindeer's. So you be sure to drop into those episode notes. Get signed up before that midnight oil runs out, santa leaves for the North Pole or that Turkey decides to take a break, or maybe an official pardon. So join us again when time for brunch. Long run edition. The episode drops this Friday. Come back for more of those midweek quick bites because we're kicking off our new series. Regardless of when or where, we're going to keep serving up more miles with a side of holiday smiles.
