Hi I’m Coach Amanda Brooks!
I created Run To The Finish as a place to support the middle of the pack in enjoying the run regardless of pace back in 2012. Since then it’s grown in to a great community and a resource that’s updated weekly to help you hit your goals!
Why?
Because it’s exactly what I was missing when I started running.
Like so many runners I spent my early days of running looking at my watch and counting calories. Numbers. I was obsessed with those numbers because they seemed to be the one’s that mattered to everyone around me!
My Run Coaching Qualifications
You’re not an elite runner able to dedicate all your time to training, reading the new research and figuring out what will ACTUALLY work.
That’s why I’m here!
I do the research. I’ve got the certifications. I test out the new gizmos. So you can spend your time enjoying the miles.
- Certified Running Coach from United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy
- Certified Ultra Running Coach from United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy
- Certified Personal Trainer with Sport Nutrition from ACE
- Over 28,000 miles run myself
- Over 500 hundred runners coached 1-1
- Created a team of running coaches to help with different goals
- Thousands of runners coached through our group programs
- Over 2000 researched articles on running written
- Continuing education through courses like Dr Stacey Sims Training Athletes in Perimenopause and Menopause
- I LOVE RUNNING. Which means I am always reading, learning and discovering new things to share.
I believe that every runner is different and requires a program designed around their life, their body and their goals!
My story continued….
By my late 20’s my body let me know this was not sustainable. I stopped producing estrogen. I was working 80 hours a week in a corporate job that I once loved, but suddenly felt overwhelming alongside this crazy new business that I was developing.
In 2012, I made a massive mental shift and with it my entire life changed! I was ready to create a life that I couldn’t wait to get out of bed to live.
My journalism degree was dusted off and put to work as I started taking Run To The Finish from a blog to a website filled with truly useful information for runners. Learning what we could do to prevent injuries, enjoy our runs more and see food as fuel to hit our goals!
I write like I would speak to one of my athletes.
I understand what they’re going through because some where since 2002, I’ve probably made a similar mistake in my own running! Which lead me down a rabbit hole of research to do better and see what would help others.
My Coaching Mission
I want us all to think beyond the clock.
To love the run for what it gives us.
To love our bodies for what they can achieve.
To take the extra few moments to keep us running injury free and happy.
In fact, that’s the major portion of the first 1/3 of my new book! Run To The Finish: The Everyday Runners Guide
I know what it’s like to fake knee pain to get out of running or hear someone say they crave vegetables and think “they’re batty”!
That’s why I’m sharing my story, running tips, recipes for runners, workout ideas, motivation, expert interviews, travel, adventure, joy and LIFE all of which is geared to help:
- How to prevent the most common running injuries
- Become one of those crazy morning runners
- Confidently run alone amidst sometimes scary news
- Learning to balance running and strength training
- And taking advantage of running retreats to meet others just like us!
In the beginning of my healthy living journey, I knew only that running made me joyful so I just kept doing it.
In the years that followed, I expanded my horizons and realized that active living in general makes my life full and fantastic.
Which means now you’ll find me doing A LOT of wellness travel, kayaking, indoor climbing, golfing, or just finding ziplines in the middle of Colorado!
I’m always ready to try new things and share them here…sweaty, goofy details and all.
Amanda Brooks Media Features
Over the last decade, Run To The Finish has shown up in a lot of places!
But here are a few of the most fun one’s!
Book Related:
– 20+ Podcasts about Run To the Finish: The Middle of the Packers Guide to Training
– Featured by Runner’s World as a Must Read Book of 2020
– Featured by Runner’s World as one of the must listen to podcast episodes with Rambling Runner
– Featured by the only Finnish running magazine (and that’s not a pun!)
Contributing Writer:
Runners World Magazine, MapMyRun.com, MyFitnessPal.com, MindBodyGreen.com, CraveLocal.com, TheActiveTimes.com, BiteSizeWellness.com
Often Quoted by:
HuffPost, Runner’s World, MyFitnessPal.com, MapMyRun.com, Money.com, Sparkwellness and others
Featured on:
Under Armour Women’s team, Greatist’s Top Fitness Bloggers, Women’s Health Magazine, featured in Self Magazine, Women’s Running Magazine Blogger on the Run, Fitness Magazine The Fit Stop
I’ve also appeared on a number of running podcasts which you can find here.
Speaker:
Multi-stops on the Run To the Finish Book Tour, Denver Bloggers Conference, Find Your Influence, Food Entrepreneur Summit, Social Media tips at Travel Conferences, Fitbloggin, Healthy Living Summit, Puerto Rico Marathon Expo, New Media Expo
AMANDA C BROOKS BIO
An only child raised in Kansas City, I played every sport under the sun, but was frequently told I stunk at running and even in to college people commented on my “baby fat”.
Once I realized I wanted to FEEL differently about my body, I began to make small changes that I could maintain for life and as a result my body and mind started to change.
{Read about my 35 lb weight loss to fitness journey.}
Running was an integral part of my weight loss journey, but not simply because it involved burning calories!
After my very first race {a half marathon in 2002}, I found within myself a new deep sense of pride and I wanted to feel that every day.I’ve never been terribly interested in racing because that creates a pressure around running.
I simply run 40-50 mile weeks because I can and I want to…that’s not to say that I haven’t raced and enjoyed many of these experiences!!
You can read all of my race reports and find out which one’s I really loved on my Race Reports page.
Writer At Heart
I graduated from Mizzou in 2003 with a degree in Journalism which was fueled by my desire to follow my passion of writing.
Instead, after college I found an amazing job with a company that allowed me to spend 9 years developing my analytical thinking skills by providing online consulting services to Fortune 500 companies around the US.
Then in 2012, I decided to make a change for my health and pursue blogging full time.
Shortly after graduation, I also met my husband. We were married in the world’s weirdest weather horrifying ceremony on March 29, 2008 and as with everything in our marriage he taught me how to roll with the punches and keep on laughing.
I helped him start traveling around the world per my passion and his job moved us right out of KC to Miami Beach in 2008! Then we moved on to Orlando and finally we’ve jumped to Denver, we hope for a long haul.
The best part is making new friends in cities all over the country.
My Goals
I have so many goals and so many hopes for life, but more often now you’ll see that I’m chasing a feeling over a time on the clock.
My primary life goal is to continue growing every day in to a better person and as Oprah would say “live my best life”. And if you’ve read my book then you’ll know #BQby80.
During different points you may see goals to hit a certain time or complete a certain race, but those are secondary to enjoying each moment, traveling the world, loving my husband, being a great daughter, being good at my job and laughing…lots of laughing.
CONTACT AMANDA
I love hearing from you so please reach out at any time: contact Amanda Brooks — sorry yes it’s a form, I get so many spam emails that’s the only way to keep my sanity.
You should join me on Instagram here – because I’m there…a LOT
You should follow me on Twitter here
You should follow me on Facebook here – because there’s great community connections
You can also watch me on YouTube
If you’re looking for a coach, checkout the online coaching programs!
