Author: alexandriawill

alexandriawill

Travel Items for Runners – International Edition

September 19, 2022

I am headed to complete the 6 world majors marathons: Boston, Chicago, New York, Tokyo, Berlin, and London. Being a marathoner, I use races as an excuse to travel the world but also, it’s rather safe for me to do so. If you are like me, as runners, we travel quite a bit. Traveling can be taxing, so it’s important to plan to ensure you are rested and comfortable on long-haul flights. No matter how much you’ve traveled, I can say it’s both thrilling and scary when to travel overseas for the first time, especially for a marathon or race. Going somewhere completely new, different, and foreign is endlessly exciting but can also be scary. Couple this, traveling by air and not preparing in advance can lead you to all kinds of headaches once you have arrived. That’s why it’s important to plan and prepare for flights and gather items to help alleviate the stress. So here are my travel items for traveling internationally for world majors like Berlin, London, Tokyo, and more. Must-Have Travel Items for Runners – International Edition [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8ZWQhziMLw[/embedyt] You can also check out most of the recommended items on my Amazon Store Front.

Fall 2021 Boston Marathon

October 21, 2021

So if you are reading this, you already know what an honor it is to attend the Boston Marathon. It’s the Olympics for any marathoner and often a dream race. Being a person who has gone a few times and even ran part of the course, no one so far has ever experienced it in the Fall, virtual and fewer attendees than before. There are a lot of changes that have been made since I have arrived. Besides it being a larger airport, it’s a lot of changes that have been made from where you can eat to just picking up a car share ride area. I hardly saw the usual sea of Boston and race jackets as I usually saw. I got excited to see a few on my flight from DC, but we didn’t high-five each other or anything before. The mood was different. The SEAPORT! I stayed at the seaport area, which was once where they had the expo. I like the seaport area, but it was much less busy clearly than I remembered. With no expo at the convention center and most people not staying there, it was just a regular weekend, and many were in for other things going on in the weekend, such as the Red Sox and Celtics games. This allowed me to at least find a place to grab some food, but like with anything, I recommend always making reservations because the seaport is the new up-and-coming district now. For Saturday, a significant change is my favorite 5k. I am not a fan of 5ks, but once I ran the Boston 5k, it was the Boston of 5ks. Folks are racing and all; it’s also my slowest 5k because I took all my race pictures, and you get on the actual course its self. This year, there was no 5k, which felt weird. But in the change, there was a lot of progress as BAA helped support the local chapters of black men run and black girls run, Boston in their first shakeout run on Saturday morning. This run was more like a historical tour with stops and information on various historical moments in Boston that have impacted African Americans. For example, many affluent African-Americans in the early 1900s were only affluent due to working around the tin. On the surface, this sounds great, but it was only because the owners and companies would hire blacks. After all, they were cheaper labor than any other race. These low-paying wages for blacks were considered high for them during this time, thus changing the lives of many families. Shopping on Boyselon and Runners Things From the expo to the runners’ lounge, I think the most significant change we’re seeing is the reduction of people there. I was able to make it through the expo and most lines without a wait on Saturday morning. I went to Tracksmith, Lululemon, and even the Nike store to enjoy recovery items, commemorative items, and lots of shopping because why not. We were able to meet up with many other folks in the area and grab a bite to eat to watch college football. The weather was perfect and excellent, and everyone was chilled. This didn’t feel like race weekend as most people were just there on a regular weekend, and the lines weren’t as crazy as usual. This was positive because I’m not too fond of lines and got the experience a lot that I missed before. However, I was sad because I thought about the amount of money lost during the typical Boston Marathon weekend for many local businesses. That evening, I ate with the Garmin group of ambassadors and team at Joe’s, which is very popular and by the start line. We had a great time, and I was able to help the Garmin team during their first time at Boston with where to go and what to do. This felt more like a business meeting, one of the most significant aspects of going to Boston. There are many brands there, so this week is an excellent weekend for networking and showcasing to both domestic and international people. It’s easy to catch coffee or schedule meetings to discuss business plans, which I did with Garmin for 2022. Sunday Shakeout Sundays are filled with everyone’s shakeout runs. Let me be honest. There were a million more shakeout runs, and all of them started close to the Fan Fest area, close to the finish line. From iFit hosting aerobic and yoga classes outdoors to the Boston pioneers and even Garmin hosting shakeout runs, Sundays are filled with tons of them. Frankly, I was tired of shakeout runs, so I did my usual and took pictures with everyone and met many people in real life. We also went to attend prayer over athlete services but could not do so as they were turning people away for the first service. In the past, there was always room at the first service, so that I would go to that. This is the first time I have seen them turn away people before they start service too. They did an impromptu and prayed over us outside. I loved this. We were able to say safe and still have a prayer. Prayer is needed no matter if you are running the following day or in your life. Black Boston Marathoners Event The event was a crazy one. We have grown this event from just a handful of people to a waitlist of over 60 people. We had a news crew and a room full of first-time 6-star finishers and sub-3 athletes. The shirts were a hit as since we weren’t able to deliver them to the Boston team locally to wear that weekend, we could give more to each person who attended. Adriene, who founded this meetup, will be announced as part of the new induces to the board of the BAA, which is a significant milestone. She continued to thank Brooks

Sports Bra Tips For Runners

April 29, 2021

The most important gear you need for running is your shoes. If you are a woman, add a sports bra for you. If you struggle with finding a sports bra for running, I am here to help share a few tips.

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Garmin Fitness Tools To Keep You Healthy

March 14, 2021

For me, I have embraced measurements and tracking. I am not a numbers person by nature, but I have become very goal-oriented. As a marathoner, I learned a valuable lesson and embraced the belief that “What isn’t measured cannot be changed or evaluated.” To change your lifestyle, it’s essential to look at habits. Habits are the cumulation of repetitive patterns, so we must substitute or break them to form new ones. Changing To A New You With The Right Tools Tracking and measuring your habits is easier when you have the right tools. Whether you plan a new year’s resolution or make an immediate life change, here are three easy tips to help you change into a new year with the right tools. Tracking Your Full Measurements Most people have a love-and-hate relationship with the scale, but if you want to change and improve your health, you must be aware of your weight and overall body composition. Looking back year-over-year, I weigh just about the same, but my body composure is very different due to the impact of the pandemic and my training. The Garmin index scale allows other areas of your physical composure to be tracked and adjusted, such as muscle mass and bone structure. Additionally, it syncs seamlessly within the Garmin Connect App. Simplify Your Habit Tracker When tracking and making new habits, it’s crucial to keep things simple. You can be overwhelmed with writing something in a journal or have too many apps to update your daily log. This is why I love the Garmin Connect App, which keeps everything within one app. Everything is within one app, from the scale to my Forerunner 945, which has unique connectIQ apps that help me keep track when away from my phone. The Connect App also directly connects with other apps like Strava, Tacx Trainers, and Apple Health, so whether I am cycling, logging my water, or weighing myself, having one app to save everything allows me to focus on being more mindful. Train to Your Beat There has been an increase in heart rate training from classes like Orangetheory to training plans focusing on heart rate zones and lactate thresholds. While the running pace stays the same, heart rate data will adjust and change based on my training and condition, making tracking a helpful metric. The HRM-Pro™ heart rate monitor transmits real-time heart rate data, whether swimming or on other fitness equipment. It’s neither bulky nor interfered with a sports bra or other clothing. Additionally, the HRM-Pro™ includes running dynamics that can help you improve your form. I like to think of this as a digital coach that adjusts and knows my every move. It also helps to track and monitor all the data for training metrics and overall physical and mental health.

Orangetheory Black Members and Coaches

June 3, 2020

I am about to hit my 1 year anniversary at Orangetheroy, which I cannot believe! Man what a year! I adore running but I cheat on it with Orangetheory but the reason I loved it was because all my fellow black running family started doing it. Each day, we talked about how OT was taking our soul, which to be honest is everyday. It became a fun virtual bond that made me excited to go each week and mostly we saw the results in our training and running. With today’s movement, I wanted to highlight and showcase black coaches, owners and members of the OTF family. This is a growing list but I think it’s great that we get to know them and collectively connect. I have directly spoke to OTF and am committed to making the OTF and running community more inclusive. I have a few ways for you to get connected and involved. 1) Fill out the form and share if you want to be featured 2) Use the hashtag #BlackOTF and the feed will continue to populate 3) Share ways you want to see OTF increase and change with me. Let’s make this an All Out effort to continue to grow and make a change. Black OrangeTheory Coaches Brittany Mhammond Airek J. Green Tiffany Levy DJ StaiSean Black OrangeTheory Members Alex Williams Kelli Boyer Alex Williams Kelli Boyer Orangetheory Member Handles Alex – www.instagram.com/alexandriawill Kelli – www.instagram.com/run_pretty/ Orangetheory Trainer Handles https://www.instagram.com/brittanymhammond/ https://www.instagram.com/staisean/ https://www.instagram.com/ronaldcharleschavis/ https://www.instagram.com/trainwithtiff/ https://www.instagram.com/greenair6/ Black OTF Feed #BlackOTF Want to Be Featured? Submit Your Info Here!

3 Safety Items for Beginner Runners

May 31, 2020

No matter if you are starting on your walking journey or an expert marathoner, safety is not something that should ever be taken lightly. Weather you are running solo or just walking and exploring the city anything can happen. As runners it’s essential to be mindful in these times to be prepared for the unexpected. Here are a few easy safety items I highly recommend for runners, no matter if you are starting on your walking journey or an expert marathoner. 3 Safety Items for Beginner Runners RoadID A few years ago, I went down in the Boston Marathon, and I remember parts of it. I do remember them looking at my bib and attempting to find my emergency information. I couldn’t remember phone numbers and much except that if they called my mom, she would freak out, and I wouldn’t go down until my coach said so. After I recovered from this DNF of being sick, hyperthermia, and a plethora of issues I discussed in my Boston Marathon recap, I realized how important it would have been for me to have my road ID. it’sIt’s a small id that you can wear 24/7 with medical and emergency contact information. I have worn one, for now, two years and it gives me comfort to know should anything happen to me, just stop my Garmin and call this number. 🙂 There are a couple of different options. You can add the id to your current Apple or Garmin watch or have it as a cute separate bracelet. In the photos I am showing both, one on my Garmin and the other is on a separate bracelet. I like both options but often they have specials on different styles and colors. I was able to grab the limited cobalt blue edition, which pairs nicely with all the blue colors. Road ID CODE :ALEXANDRIA10OFF | SAVE $10 OFF Runner’s Pepper Gel Spray Sabre is one of the most popular brands when it comes to dog repellent and pepper spray. They have a bunch of tactical and safety items for runners in particular. I am a fan of their Pepper gel for runners, which is compact and also can be worn on your hand or arm. The gel also is perfect for windy conditions so that it doesn’t accidentally spray back on you as you spray it. There are other options like alarms and such but this is just essential list and one of my go-to’s for everyone. This adjustable hand strap pepper spray fits right into your rigorous run while keeping you safe and protected. This SABRE runner pepper spray is full strength and guaranteed for reliable takedown power, and the 3-in-1 formula is a winning combination. Powerful lab-formulated pepper spray is combined with CS tear gas to enhance facial burning, plus a UV marking dye helps law enforcement identify the suspect. Garmin Emergency Assistance Alert If anything should happen when you’re on the go, activating the assistance feature will send a message to your emergency contacts immediately with your location. You also have the option of selecting this yourself if you need help too. Think of it as the bat-signal but to your emergency people. You find out more information on the Emergency settings on the Garmin Safety options.

The Truth About Being a Black Runner #RunningWhileBlack

May 6, 2020

A black unarmed man, who is a runner, was gunned down in broad daylight by two white men. In this video, I shed light of what it’s like for most black runners in today’s time and our fears.

Top 5 Supplements for Plant-Based Diet

March 15, 2020

Ever since I learned I was 200+ pounds and blood pressure was high, I’ve made serious changes to how I choose to feed and nourish my body. I focused only on decreasing stress, sugar and increasing sleeping mostly, which resulted in losing almost 30 pounds within two months. One area that was stressing me was lack of vital supplement of nutrition to my diet. For years, I have always purchased from a variety of sources and stores such as Amazon, Wholefoods and many retail stores, which was confusing, time consuming and ran into many issues. Instead, I now purchase directly through Amway. I loved being a customer so much, that I partner now directly with them. Below are my top five supplement for my plant-based diet, which aide in my weight loss and keep me fueled each day. Before you purchase any items, continue to support me by signing up for a free customer account. This also allows for me to help share great savings such as free shipping, discount and more through out the year exclusively to you. Once you sign up, by clicking Register then Become a Customer, then come back and click to shop. PS: I won’t email you or anything, and it takes just 60 seconds to do so. Before purchasing signup for a free customer account Click Here To SignUp Women’s Daily Vitamins Instead of buying individually up a multi-vitamin, vitamin D, magnesium and having a series of other supplements, I normally have every day. Instead of buying from multiple sources and outlets, I now am able to purchase my essential vitamins within one transaction but also have it in one packet portability. This pack includes the following vitamins for $1 a day! Vitamin D, Calcium and Magnesium Daily Multi-vitamin Hair, Skin and Nails Concentrated Fruits and Vegetable If you are a male or want an alternative one with Omegas included try the Men’s Packet. Similar to the Women’s Daily but instead of Hair, Skin and Nails it includes a daily Omega. Purchase Daily Women’s Pack Purchase Daily Men’s Packet Meal Replacement Shake I have always had a shake in the morning for weight loss. It helps fuels my day and is portable no matter where I go. I start my morning with water and a shake on my way to work but when at home, I add some of it to my daily green protein smoothie, which contains water, bananas, greens and frozen berries. Purchase Meal Replacement Shakes Immunity Supplement When traveling, I would always get sick especially when traveling to marathon. I have a series of items that I always use and take including immunity tonic. With immunity pack or tubes, I am able to travel and keep my immune system up to combat any other diseases. I prefer the liquid form but the pill version is also a great option. Purchase Immunity Pack (Pill) Immunity Twist Tube (Liquid) Multi-Purpose Wipes This isn’t a traditional nutritional supplement, but does affect your ability to intake nutrition. With diseases everywhere, I am always wiping down the office, seats in airline , my hands and everything. While soap and water are great, I sometimes am not able to get to them so I use the wipes. No phosphates, chlorine or other unpleasant ingredients, so it’s safer for the environment too. Purchase Multi-Purpose Wipes Hydration Drink As an athlete, I am always about staying hydrated. With summer months or longer workouts, I make sure to stay hydrated and replenish my body’s lost minerals with a hydration drink. Even if you work from home, you will be amazed at how easily you can be dehydrated as well. Being portable and having it easily on the run or in my gym bag. This is a great option for or runners, athletes, and anyone who wants to replace electrolytes and minerals without ingesting artificial colors and sweeteners. Purchase Hydration Supplements

Bras Brunch and Run Recap

March 9, 2020

Spring 2020 – Bra and Brunch Recap We kick off the first Saturday of Women’s Month with me for my 4th #brasandbrunch with @rei and @brooksrunning! This year, you all were in for a treat as attendees were able to get their first hands on the new Brooks Run Dare collection and I personally took everyone on an easy run/jog on a beautiful trial. These RunBras are created for just us runners in mind. I’ve got various sizes and includes the larger cup sizes. REI took care of the food in making sure we had something for our tummies and setup this super cute outdoor section so we could truly experience and enjoy nature. I shared the importance of the basics and how with running it is important to know your sports bras and running shoes are the foundations for success. Everyone was able to try on the new Glycerine shoes as well as test out the bras. Checkout the photos below and if you missed it, I have tons of upcoming events, sports bra guide and much more on the site. Bras, Brunch & Run Photos

Brooks Hyperion Elite Line Review

February 29, 2020

I had a lot of chatter on Facebook about the Brooks Running Hyperion Line, particularly with its release during the Olympic trials and the elite runners running in them. So with anything, I had to stop and chat finally about these shoes I have had since last year. So, I had a few minutes to review some of my notes and share about the shoe. As always, I am a Brooks RunHappy Ambassador, but my views, opinions, and such are my own. I keep it real. Brooks Hyperion Elite & Tempo Running Shoes Honest Review and Thoughts About the New Elite Shoe First, things First. The Hyperion Elite sold out within an hour or two. Yes. These are sold out. So if you were looking for a hookup, keep that moving. …. At this time, I’m unsure of the next release. It might be a minute to see how those who have this first batch respond. Higher demand for the shoe often pushes up production. Who are the Hyperion Elite Shoes For? Hyperion Elite is For Elite Runners… End of Subject. Thanks for Reading. .. This shoe is not for everyday runners like myself. In short, unless you are training to BQ (Boston Qualify) or regularly BQ, leave this shoe alone. For real. It’s a 300+ shoe. That’s like a a 6 month supply of Chipotle. The Hyperion Elite is not for training but specifically for race day. The Elite was designed for a maximum of 100 miles. Less depending on the runners’ weight and built. So in short two races and they are done. Yep! I won’t spend time on this review discussing the shoe’s detail, foam and all that jazz. The site does a great job of doing that so I am going to keep it on the things most folks aren’t discussing and give other insight into it. Wait !The Shoes You Have Are All Black, but They are White and Yellow Online? I have a black unicorn version because I’ve had the shoe since last year when I went to Brooks Headquarters for their Innovation Summit. All the more reason why you should be keeping up with me on the IG. Due to a nice embargo and me not trying to get sued, all you saw was a group pic of us in the shoe and no up close pics. They had just finished the color of the shoes during that time; thus, why we don’t have them in white and yellow. Also, it’s hard to keep a secret about shoes when you have pictures of bright white shoes with neon yellow in them for 30+ people. The Hyperion Elite Have Been Around For A Bit For Real? While at the Innovation Summit, we worked out with them and knew about the shoe in Boston when Desi won Boston the previous year. We couldn’t take pictures of the shoes that she signed, but if you ever visit HQ, they are there signed, and you can compare. The shoes we have in all black are the same that Desi and Shaddy ran in for Boston 2018, aka the Hurricane, Tsunami, hail, and my DNF year. (If I had the shoe maybe I would have finished too. But hey…) They are all black. She spoke about having brand new shoes on that year and never wearing them before. They were delivered the day before the race to both runners and the rest you can find out on Google. The color scheme is now white and yellow because of the Spring colors, and the focus on how “looking good” affects us as runners. A good outfit can boost our moods basically, so the shoe has a little style as a result. What Does the Hyperion Elite Feel Like When Running It feels like walking on air but curved. It sounds weird, but if you look at the pic, it’s shaped in a bow or C shape. This helps your naturally his the ground in a more efficient state with stability that’s natural to you. Instead of forcing you to spring, or run a certain way, The shoe and Brooks in general, are helping the body guide into a natural pattern to you. This is seen in the elite shoe but also all shoes. Their marketing has shifted to “guide” and “what’s natural” to you. For elites, this is the same. This reduces injuries and causes you to be a more effective and efficient runner. How Light Is Hyperion Elite and Tempo Shoe? It Looks Heavy My phone is heavier than the Elite running Shoe. I have an iPhone 10. That’s the best way I can describe it. The Hyperion Elite Shoe Compared to Other Shoes I’ve seen a side-by-side comparison of elite runners in other shoes versus running in the Elite. It was eye-opening and clear as day on the benefits of the shoe. You saw how unstable a lot of different shoes made the runner, and eventually, this instability is what causes a lot of injuries and or weakness in the runner. While we aren’t elite athletes, we can always learn. I highly recommend this for all runners to do because you can see visually how much energy is lost and the instability one has without the proper shoe. Most running shoe stores offer this. If not, you can record yourself on a treadmill and see how your form is when running on different shoes. So what about the Hyperion Tempo Shoe? Is that a good purchase for me? This shoe is a training shoe for elites but I can recommend it for those who want a super light training shoe and are faster runners in general. The Hyperion tempo and the entire Hyperion line are all made to wear without socks so keep that in mind when buying. The sizing is about 1.5 in difference for most. So I wear at 9.5 and I have a size 8. It fits like a glove and rather breathable.