We've been asking our community to tell us their top sources for getting tips and advice on their favorite activities. Can you guess the most popular answer?
Social groups!
Whether its running groups, team mates, friends, or family, the majority of FitMyFooters are talking to their networks when they have questions about performance in their industry.
At FitMyFoot we're so lucky to have an amazing network of inspiring athletes, professionals, and innovators. We wanted to start sharing their stories and lessons learned, and build our own #KeepGoing network where we can share and learn from each other.
Over the next few weeks we'll start featuring these awesome #TeamFitMyFoot members, so you can hear their stories.
Meet Jen, Travis and family
Aside from being avid runners themselves, Jen & Travis are also hosting the Step by Step 5K this weekend in Canton, NY, benefiting Autism Speaks.
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What activities do you like to participate in and how did you get started?
We are both distance runners and also participate in several other sports (hockey, volleyball and golf).
Travis was a cross country and track runner in high school, but had taken several years off from running before starting again in 2013.
For me, Jen, running actually started as a way to lose baby weight after the birth of our son. I actually registered for my first half marathon without being able to run a mile! Now I’m training to run my first full marathon this fall.
What are you training for? Do you have any specific goals, events planned?
Our son, Parker, is on the autism spectrum and running is one of his therapies. Running helps him focus and keeps his energy under control. For this reason running has turned into a family thing for us. We try to pick races that have kids’ runs attached to their main events so that he is able to participate. He will also be running his first 5K this summer! Our daughter is still pretty young but we can see her starting to show interest in the sport as well.
We’re both gearing up for the Chicago Marathon in October. We’re participating as charity runners for team Up! With Autism Speaks. Jen is also running Ragnar Adirondacks in September.
Do you have a mantra or particular inspiration that keeps you going?
Our son has turned into our major source of inspiration. When he was diagnosed with autism, we knew his future was still boundless. As he’s grown, we’ve seen him continue to learn, strive and achieve so much despite his diagnosis. He has inspired us to keep going and keep pushing towards our own goals in life, to continue to set a great example for him to follow.
Do you have a piece of advice or lesson that you have learned that you would like to share?
Travis works 10-hour days and is away from home 12 hours a day (including his commute) so our training schedules have to be planned in advance. This often means a lot of treadmill miles and running at odd hours (sometimes the middle of the night depending on his shifts) so we really have to be committed to our training to make it work, even when it’s tempting to skip runs or workouts due to a crazy schedule.
What do you do to keep your body healthy and injury-free so that you can #KeepGoing?
We’ve both had our fair share of being sidelined with injuries, so we’ve learned how important it is to focus on cross-training and recovery. We like to try different workouts that keep cross-training fun, and make sure to prioritize stretching and foam rolling as well. We also have really started to focus more on our nutrition as well.
How has FitMyFoot helped you to #keepgoing?
In addition to running, Travis spends the majority of his day in work boots that are not overly supportive or comfortable. FitMyFoot insoles have made a major difference in how his feet feel and have helped with the foot pain he had prior to wearing the insoles.
