 Dear Running Niche Friends,
Our Lydiard trained runners were out loud and proud at two races recently. The Chain of Rocks 6K, organized by Spewak Racing, was a great time with proceeds benefiting the City Athletic League. In the team competition,  Team Running Niche took the crown this year! Here's the joyful group after the race.
Also, a shout out to Adam Walker who won the overall GO! St. Louis Marathon and then also won the GO! St. Louis Half Marathon in 1:09:09 the next weekend.
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Focus On: Amelia Garcia
Amelia recently ran 3:38:40 in the GO! St. Louis Marathon, a PR by 14:00. This didn't happen in one training cycle. Here, in her own words, is her experience: "I haven't always enjoyed running. One time, my husband and I went for a run, and I was so winded by the time I reached the end of the block that he said, 'It's okay, running isn't for everyone.' Little did he know, but he ignited an internal fire within me." I started training for half marathons and my goal every race was to run faster than the previous race.  Running plans from the internet hung on my bedroom walls and I would cross off my daily miles. A few races in, serious burn out and injuries interfered with training and I couldn’t stay healthy from start to finish on these plans. A very good friend of mine, Michael Roy, had just completed a successful Lydiard training cycle so he sent me to Running Niche to see Bob and Jennifer. And that’s when I started to see progress. Since starting the Lydiard system, I have completed 4 training cycles and have seen vast improvements each time. Each marathon race had a specific goal: to finish (4:20), to run the entire race without walking (4:08), to break 4 hours (3:52), and to qualify for Boston (3:38). My times in the half marathon have also improved from 2:21 to 1:42 since using the Lydiard training cycle. Friends ask why I continue using this plan and my answer is always, “Because it works.” Without scheduled workouts, it’s easy to skip a day or to run less than you plan. With Lydiard there are no excuses. The program works because of the necessary training phases: aerobic base building, hill strengthening, anaerobic development, integration, and taper. You are given a detailed workout description each day. I always know how many miles to run, how long it will last, and what my heart rate should be. Then Bob gives feedback---there is always something to improve on and I appreciate the positive comments thrown in every now and then. Each cycle safely develops you as a runner and you will see results if you stay consistent and follow the plan. “Will I use the Lydiard system again?” Of course, because I still have goals! Postscript: Amelia is on her way to Boston in April 2024. She’ll focus on improving her half marathon time this fall then turn her attention to training for Boston.
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 5 Year Anniversary: Boy these first five have gone fast!
It seems like yesterday that we opened our little shop on Manchester Ave. in The Grove back in May 2018. Here we are today closing in on five years and in a new location with double the space! Our community is very uplifting including our 55+ Team Running Niche runners who we coach using the Lydiard System to our fun Wednesday night group runs.  And who would have thought we would earn Top 50 Best Running Stores in America 3 years running now! These five have been a wild ride. Who knows what the next five will bring but we promise you we’re going to keep on doing what we do here at Running Niche. We plan to celebrate our five years on Saturday June 3. More details to come but we’re sure it will include a group run that morning followed by refreshments. Watch our social media for more info as we get closer.
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Upcoming Event: Nutrition for Women Runners Discussion
 Are you a woman interested in optimizing your nutrition? Join us on Sunday May 21 at 4:30 PM for a discussion on proper nutrition for running led by Marie Harla, RD, LD of On Track Nutrition. We’ll learn and chat about sports nutrition and hydration in Fueling for Life and Performance. We’ll cover foundational topics including tips to prevent under fueling, hydration basics, and how to build balanced meals and snacks. Ready to level up with your nutrition? We’ll also talk about ways to improve your gut health and discuss how alcohol impacts training. Click here to RSVP: https://nutrition-for-women-runners.eventbrite.com
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 New Product
A couple new shoes hit the shop recently. Both are neutral, well cushioned training shoes with very different fit and feel. The ON Cloudsurfer is new from ON while the Asics Cumulus 25 is an update on a classic.
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Group Runs
 Join us every Wednesday at 6:30 for a 3-mile group social run/walk. Every second Wednesday of the month will be our “Beer Run”, featuring a cooler stocked with beverages for some post-run social time. All paces are welcome, runners and walkers. Generally, 35-50 folks come and there is a wide variety of paces. We put folks into groups such as 7:00 pace, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 and walkers.
To register, please click here: https://runningnicherunclub.eventbrite.com
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Happy Running!
-Jennifer and Bob
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Running Niche — (314) 405-8006
1601 Tower Grove Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110
Monday 10am – 5pm, Tuesday – Thursday 10am – 7pm, Friday 10am – 6pm
Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday 12pm – 4pm
www.runningniche.com | runningniche.com/shop
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