There’s a limit on how many grocery bags you can carry from your car to the house. (Though my pinky is stronger than I thought!)
There’s a limit on how fast you can drive a car—even when there’s no police in sight, as Dimity recently relearned. (Dang those hidden cameras!)
There’s a limit—thankfully—on how many Hershey’s Kisses you can eat before feeling slightly ill.
And while you might feel like your running has a limit—I’ll never get faster than a 10:00 mile; I’ll never break 2:30 in a half-marathon; I’ll never truly be able to call myself a runner—the truth is, your potential has no limits.*
*Provided, of course, you stay accountable and motivated; train smart; refuel with nutritious foods; don’t skimp on sleep; keep injuries at bay; and otherwise remain on track.
That little * actually has huge significance. Because what often limits you isn’t the goal —your best 10K or half-marathon, in this case—but all the factors that subtly undermine your focus. Arctic blasts that send you deeper under, not out from under, the covers on a dark Wednesday morning. Fifth-grade math that suddenly becomes your homework and gobbles up your allotted treadmill time. A kiddo with the flu, who generously shares it with you, totally derailing your training. A nagging knee that gets angrier with each mile.
The AMR Nuun Year: No Limits Challenge is here not only to mitigate all those pesky factors, but to also push your limits in a gentle, firm way—and no, that’s not an oxymoron.
Through a comprehensive 15-week training program from January 26 to May 10, we’ll support you from your first mile through the finish line of your strongest 10K or half-marathon ever.
Here’s how:
☆ A mother-runner-friendly training plan. Designed by Coach Christine Hinton, the genius behind the popular and successful plans in Train Like a Mother, the 15-week plans are (much) more flexible than our hamstrings:
Each week, there’s a workout you can bail on, if need be, and one that’s integral for your success. There are two flavors of plans: 10K and half-marathon.
☆ An amazing community. Once you register for the Challenge, you’ll join our private 10K or 13.1 No Limits Club on Strava, a running app for smart phones. The members of each club are fellow Challengers following the same plan: As you log your miles and chart your runs, you’ll also cheer each other on, ask and answer questions, and maybe bitch a little bit about the workouts. (If you don’t have a smart phone, you can still join the party by accessing Strava via computer.)
☆ Accountability galore. Every morning, you’ll get an email from TrainingPeaks, which has today’s—and tomorrow’s—workout. (Read: no the-dog-ate-my-training-plan excuse.) Or you can view the plan, upcoming workouts, or your past accomplishments on the TrainingPeaks website or free mobile device app. Also, on TrainingPeaks, you can download your runs, slice and dice your miles, and see your limits surge higher and higher.
You’ll receive a weekly Challenge newsletter in which we preview and explain the upcoming week of workouts, as well as have a Q+A with Coach Christine and gear giveaways galore. (Note: If you’re a paper person, you can easily print out the entire 15-week plan from TrainingPeaks.)
☆ Entertainment and expertise through your miles. During the No Limits Challenge, we will release three bonus podcasts available exclusively for Challenge participants. We’ll field your questions—nothing is too basic or TMI—prior to recording, then answer them during the shows, with the help of a variety of experts.
☆ Mother runner training secrets. We’ve got a few surprises up our PDF sleeves, which we’ll roll out regularly during the Challenge. Think: accessible strength-training routines; tasty and nutrition recipes; time-saving workout tips.
☆ A sweet finishers’ package. Each participant receives a No Limits participant tee and medal, mailed in early May. T-shirt specs: Flattering scoop neck. 50% polyester, 50% cotton. Women’s cut and sizing. Available in sizes XS-4XL. Here is a size chart to help you with sizing.
☆ Oh, and the best swag bag ever! In the first or second week of the Challenge, you will receive a package stocked with training essentials, including a tube of Nuun, 24-pack of GU, Balega socks, and Hyland’s Homeopathic Remedies. Plus UD products!