Hello Runners!
Since I last wrote a lot has happened in and out of my life as a runner, and I’m so excited to be writing about it! First of all, school started this week and it’s exciting to be back on campus. I also started working at Runners Roost mid-July, which has been a really cool way to expand my familiarity with the running community in Fort Collins! As some may have noticed, I have also started taking some NIL (Name Image and Likeness) deals promoting certain products on Instagram, which is a cool and easy way to earn a little extra money. My running-specific updates include a fun little road race- the Mountain Avenue Mile- which I competed in on August 5th, my team’s camp and a return to organized practices and competitions! Peeps- so much exciting stuff, thinking about the next few months gives me butterflies because I am so in love with this fall already!!! Life is good.
Anyway, my classes are looking pretty interesting so far! I am really happy that they are starting to become a bit more honed in on what I’m interested in journalism-wise. One of my favorites so far is social media management, where I’ll learn about the other side of how social media works-- instead of from a consumer’s point of view, I will study the patterns and analytics of how social media is used for different means of communication in the workforce, socially, and for marketing purposes. I think this could be great for the blog and also for any involvement I am going to have in Runners Roost’s communication and social media, which would be awesome.
Runners Roost has been a blast so far. I have met so many awesome runners, triathletes, and other cool people both on our staff and that come through the store. I love first, getting to nerd out about running shoes and gear. I also love talking to high schoolers or other collegiate runners about their goals and what they like about cross country and trying to pass on any pieces of advice I might have. On the flip side, I also love finding someone who’s getting into running and needs that extra “I know it’s hard, but you can do it!” I myself am also inspired by people’s stories and listening to trail runners talk about their 5 hour run or triathletes talk about their 100 mile bike ride. Lesson learned is that a lot of people are out there doing cool shit in Fort Collins.
Some of the NIL deals that I have done so far include Olipop; a healthy soda company, and Simple Mills, a gluten free healthy snack company. I found these partnerships through a platform called 98 Strong which helps connect student athletes to brands. After I review and accept the partnership I get some product sent to me which I then sample and create content for. After my content is approved I post and get paid and get more products sent! Even though it’s not a super substantial payment, I’ve decided that posting on social media is worth it to me, and it can help pay for something like a sports massage which I plan on adding in every few weeks! NIL has been really cool and I hope to get more into it.
The Mountain Avenue Mile was a fun event sponsored by Runners Roost and put
on in downtown Fort Collins. There was an elite race that had a lot of cool semi pro and amatuer women as well as a couple of my teammates in it! The race was at the end of one of my biggest mileage weeks to date, totalling around 70 by the end of the week and included a 9 mile pre race day. That being said, I went into the race feeling pretty tired but wanting to run in a fun atmosphere and enjoy my favorite race distance! I ended up placing 3rd in 4:56. It felt harddd and I think my legs might need to be reminded how to run that fast again come track season… But right now it’s cross country time!
Colorado State had our pre-season team camp last week for two nights in Winter
Park. This included bonding and team building activities, some beautiful runs, and lots of mass food prep. CSU has had a very old team with recruiting being difficult during the COVID years, but one thing that has made me super excited about this year is all the new freshmen and transfers coming in to fill out the younger portion of the team! My hope is for them that as they settle into the team, school, and their new lives in Fort Collins in the next few months not only feeling welcomed, but celebrated for all they bring to the table. So, hello new peeps and I’m so happy you’re here! We were all able to be vulnerable about our struggles and triumphs over the years as runners and people; I came away from the weekend feeling so supported and in awe of these women I call my friends.
Besides all these amazing runners coming back together again, we have some really big and exciting goals for the season. We hope to be a top-10 team at NCAA’s and prove some rankings wrong! Although I was very new to the team last year, I can feel a different sense of determination amongst the group and think that we are capable of something really special… stay tuned!
As far as my running goes individually-- I can say with confidence that this is the fittest I’ve ever been! It’s been fun to have things go so well. I am handling mileage with a lot of consistency, am loving long runs (as per usual), and am feeling very strong in workouts. This year I am really looking into what can make me that 1% better, whereas last year I was just hanging in there for XC season, getting familiar with a new program and getting to know myself as a runner again. Now I am taking care of my body and have fortunately been able to follow a plan with very little modifications needing to be made, compared to last year when I dealt with a nagging foot injury and a mysterious abdominal pain.
I am comfortably hitting 75 mile weeks and doing 15 mile long runs which is something I’m really proud of! I’ve also made hills my jam this summer to do my best prep for cross country… We have some hilly courses on our schedule! First up is Saturday September 3rd in Cheyenne, WY. While we will be doing normal mileage and training through this meet, it will be a blast to lace up some spikes and put on our uniforms to go run with my friends!!!
Blue Oval Podcast: Watson to Boston College, UNC's Upside and Potentially Underrating Colorado State
Here is a link to the Blue Oval Podcast from the Stride Report publication, which reports on NCAA track and cross country. At time stamp 17:50, they talk about how they feel like CSU may have been underranked. This gives a great analysis of the stats from the last cross country and track season's, but they don't have a way to know just how fit and ready we are, giving us even more of an edge.
Recipe: Banana Ice Cream
This recipe was used a lot over the summer! A healthier and lighter alternative to ice cream for when you need a sweet snack to cool you down. I add all of these ingreadients to a blender to mix, usually the measurements are a pretty rough guess. Here is my favorite flavor combo from the summer!
- 2-3 fronzen bananas
- 1/2 cup fronzen strawberries
- 1-2 spoonfuls peanut butter
- 1-2 spoonfuls cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup milk
In conclusion, exciting things up ahead. More to come.
Happy running,
Anna
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