55 results for author: Pavlína Marek

Nutrition for Older Runners with Dietitian Becca Blumberg

Most of us view “runner” as an essential part of our identity. It’s not just something we do. We live, breathe, eat, and sleep for our sport. From giving up Friday happy hour so that we can nail our Saturday long run to early pre-work speed sessions, we make sacrifices for our sport. Often, our social lives revolve around ... More

The Long Run with Coach K: Let’s Go Long!

As discussed previously, the long run is the foundation of your training, no matter the distance of the event you’ve signed up for. In the previous article in this series, we went over all the ways that the long run benefits you, both physically and mentally, and why it’s important to prioritize them in your training. ... More

Top 5 Natural Attractions Near San Francisco

The San Francisco Marathon is classified as a destination race for a good reason. Besides the city itself, there are many natural attractions near San Francisco that runners can visit in the days leading up to and following the race itself. Explore the parks, beaches, and towns locals love! Written by Pavlína Marek Mount ... More

Oh, the Places You Will Go! Green Spaces in San Francisco to Satisfy Your Need for Nature

In comparison to other cities, San Francisco is quite small. Surrounded on three sides by water, the City by the Bay has nowhere to grow, which allows for plenty of green spaces to remain more or less untouched. There are the Marin Headlands right across the Golden Gate Bridge, and many state and regional parks dot the penins... More

Ready, Set, Refuel! Where to Eat After the San Francisco Marathon?

You’ve run your race, now it’s time to refuel. Where to eat after the San Francisco Marathon? Whether you like a good burger, prefer some fresh oysters, or crave the best Japanese vegan food inspired by Zen Buddhist recipes, you’re in the right place in San Francisco. Dive into the food scene of the City by the Bay, dig ... More

Just Breathe! Using Breathing Techniques to Reduce Stress, Run Easier and Recover Faster: A Guide by Coach K

When I relocated from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Front Range of Northern Colorado in 2015, I knew I’d have some adjustments to make in the respiratory department. Living at 5,000 feet above sea level, and regularly traveling to higher elevations to train and race, I could feel the strains on my endurance and pace. What ... More

Cal Calamia Heads to Boston, Open for the First Time to Gender-Expansive Runners

The first winner of the San Francisco Marathon's NB+ category, Cal Calamia, is heading to the world-famous Boston Marathon. A gender-expansive runner, Calamia is one of the thousands of runners who can, for the first time ever, run this course as themselves. Why was Calamia ready to give up on their dream of running Boston? How ... More

The Long Run with Coach K: The Why

Some may love it, some may dread it, but almost all runners will do it: the long run. It's an integral part of many runners' training plans, and although some are nowadays stepping away from the practice, instead splitting their long runs into two sessions, the majority of people training for their goal races will be sacrific... More

Nutrition Science isn’t Rocket Science: 4 Basic Principles to Keep in Mind

Nutrition science is fairly simple. Eat lots of veggies. Eat a wide variety of foods. Prepare your own food whenever you can. Eat consistently throughout the day. However, there’s so much information and misinformation out there, it’s easy to get lost, confused, or forget what you already know. These basics can help get you ... More

Mental Training for Your Best Performance: 3 Ways to Up Your Brain Game

You’re registered for your goal race, and you’ve committed to training so that you can be as prepared as possible to toe the line. You have a training plan to follow and, for the next few months, you'll steadily and thoughtfully increase your mileage for the demands of race day. Heck, you’ve even bought fresh running ... More