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maggieflanaganjpgMaggie  Flanagan

Major milestone: I completed my first Marathon—the 42nd Marine Corps Marathon.

What is the secret to your success? Perseverance

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Injuries. I spent tons of money on [doctors]! Illness in the last month leading up to the race meant no training and changing my goals. I switched my race goal. I focused on just finishing, instead of the time goal that my training had indicated was achievable.

What is the most rewarding part of training? The workout sessions that I was able to complete with others. Solo training is such hard work!

What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Train with others.  Complete all your workout sessions - including strength & conditioning.Be realistic about what you can achieve, but don’t be afraid to change if life gets in the way.

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Name: Rosaleen Dillon


rosaleen dillonMajor milestone:
I finished the 2017 Dublin Marathon in 3:57:32. At the end of June I signed up with my 6 brothers to complete the Dublin Marathon. When I entered my 10-K pace, the estimated time was 4:17. I'm glad to say, that with the help of Runcoach , I finished in 3:57:32. (Thank you Runcoach!) So next year, a 3:55 for BQ [Boston Qualifying Time] for Boston is within my reach!

What is the secret to your success? Stick to the plan, be patient and commit to it.

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Believe you can! One day, something just clicked, I felt terrible at warm up, but the big workout ended up being the best!

What is the most rewarding part of training? Seeing the improvements and knowing you CAN make it through.

What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Get the daily reminders. It helped keep me focused. But knowing my weekly schedule helped me arrange my runs with work, kids, etcI loved when my schedule adjusted when I reached a new level of fitness. It gave me encouragement! Also, the coaches are always there to answer questions and give encouragement.  I signed up for Runcoach so that I can keep training. I'm not able to train with a club and Runcoach has helped me in every aspect.

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rc success mitch gottlieb_smallMitchell Gottlieb

Major milestone: Marine Corps Marathon finisher

What is the secret to your success? Make a plan and stick to it.

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? At 55 years old, it was a challenging age to pick up running and decide to run a marathon. Running in the Marine Corps Marathon helped to inspire me on my runs and having my wife push me out the door Monday mornings really helped as well.

What is the most rewarding part of training and the race? Finishing was very rewarding. Running in snow and rain and the look on people's faces as you run by in shorts with a big smile always pumped me up.  Race day was an emotional day. It was 9 days before my 56th birthday. The Marine Corps Marathon honors all Marines who have served to defend our great nation. During the race we ran through Washington, DC and Arlington, Virginia. Running past monuments and buildings with such history was uplifting. Running through a sea of photos of our fallen soldiers lost in too many senseless wars was heart wrenching. Marines lined much of the course and I tried to shake hands and thank as many as I could.

 It was special to have my family cheering me on from multiple locations along the course. They have supported me for the last six months of training. They motivated me on days when I did not want to run, They worried about me when my long runs ran too long and always tried to get me to stretch. 

The most amazing part of the the race was the final .2 miles. Running up the Marine Corps War Memorial hill with cheering crowds and finally passing the finish line. My medal was presented to me by a Marine and finished off with a salute. I was not sure if I should return the salute but did my best after running 26.2 miles. It was a day I will never forget. I'm already looking forward to another marathon.




haleycarwile Haley Carwile

Major milestone: 2017 Marine Corps Marathon 

What is the secret to your success? I followed my Runcoach MCM training program from start to finish -- over 787 running miles!  My secret to success was never giving up.  Even if I had to set my alarm for 3:45 AM to get those long runs in!

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? One week before my race, I sprained my achilles tendon doing a recovery run on the treadmill.  I had never injured myself before and had no idea how it would impact my race.  I rested, iced, and took over the counter painkillers all week and set a personal goal to run the race as best as I could.  I used mental toughness to get through 26.2 miles with an injury.

What is the most rewarding part of training? Seeing results! (I was able to run a 7:30 mile by the end.) Always having something new to try (great workout variation), I loved receiving new workouts each week, and watching the logged miles get higher and higher! Runcoach was amazing through my entire training process.  

What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? You are strong.  You are tough.  Stick to the training and TRUST it! 




rc success_haroldpizzettaName: Harold Pizzetta

Major milestone: I qualified for the Boston Marathon!

What is the secret to your success? Using Runcoach took away the need for me to stress over how to and how much to train.  Runcoach allowed me to focus on enjoying running and racing.

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Like many, self-doubt and an injury along the way creates a real risk that i would give up on the marathon distance.  My IT band required me to ramp down my running twice while transitioning from half to full.  During the second episode, I was sure that I was not going to achieve marathon distance.  Following the Runcoach schedule brought me back and fully prepared me for the marathon. 

What is the most rewarding part of training? I think back to the transition from half- to full-marathon training.  I was absolutely intimidated by the thought of several 20+ mile Saturday runs.  But, little by little, Runcoach added miles and I held on for the ride.  Reflecting on how far I have come keeps me motivated.

What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Rest days and easy runs are requirements, just as much as hard workouts and long runs.  The easy runs helped my up my miles per week without serious injury or over-training. 

Anything else you would like to share? As much as I hate to admit it, I think the speed work suggested by the training plan made a great deal of difference.  Those workouts are the most difficult for me, but worth the effort in the end. I have emailed Runcoach for support and suggestions on a few occasions.  Each time, the support was terrific.  In particular, I got some good advice on adjusting my schedule to deal with an injury.



In addition to helping your company reach its Challenge goal, you can provide a powerful example of how moving more can benefit the mind and the body. Invite your coworkers to join the Movecoach Challenge. Once 5 coworkers you invite join, we’ll send you your Movecoach Ambassador gear.

On your mobile device:

1. Tap the Me icon (on the bottom-left corner of your phone screen).
2. Select "More."
3. Select "Invite Coworkers."
4. Send your coworkers an invitation to join Movecoach.

From the web, on a computer:

1. Login.
2. Click on the arrow next to your profile photo on the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
3. Select "Invite Coworkers" from the drop-down menu. 

Click here for tips on how to help a coworker start exercising regularly and stick with it. 

Any questions? Contact us.




Mike Portman ran a blazing 2:53 in his first marathon this year. Now, he's using Runcoach to train for California International Marathon and the Boston Marathon. And he's set his sights on a sub-2:50 finish.


Mike PortmanName: Mike Portman

Major milestone: I finished my first marathon in 2:53 at the 2016 Chicago Marathon. 

What is the secret to your success? To treat training like it is a 24/7 job. That means running, strength, good nutrition, hydration, sleep, and trying to keep your life as stress free as possible.

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Trying to prioritize what in my life is important that can be delayed till the training program is over. When the volume gets very high I focus on the big things that always need to be taken care of (such as work and family). Other things (like my social life), I push back till my racing has calmed down.

What is the most rewarding part of training? The satisfaction of getting the work done day in and day out.

What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Stick to the plan, but don't be religious about it. The plan itself is solid but training is organic. If you can't hit certain splits, distances, or times once in a while don't be too down on yourself.  Just do what you can day to day and the results will follow.

Anything else you would like to share?  I’m training for the California International Marathon and then the Boston Marathon. Hopefully both will be solid PR's from Chicago! This plan for CIM has been lot harder than Chicago's but that's probably because now I know what I can do and so far my form is coming along. I’m definitely way more prepared than anyone I know currently training for that race. I’m hoping to go sub 2:50 and right now I think that's doable with 10 weeks to go.




In the spotlight: Visa Moves 300,000 Miles Challenge
Stephen Tsoi-A-Sue
Stock Plan Analyst/Human Resources

mc_success_stephenFavorite Fitness Activity: Rock Climbing and Bouldering

What is the secret to your success? Finding an active hobby. That way it feels like you're having fun and not exercising.

What is the biggest obstacle to moving more and how do you overcome it? The biggest obstacle to moving more is finding the time. It's easy to get caught up with work and life in general. I consider my future health and see my actions now as the foundation for a long happy healthy life. With this in mind it's always a priority to get out and do something.

What is the most rewarding part of this challenge? Running more often. I started running again around April of this year, and usually run two to three times per week. I was really into distance running in the past but stopped for some years. It feels good to get back into a rhythm again. I was training for the San Francisco Half Marathon. I was doing runs on my own but the Wednesday runs hosted by Movecoach kept me on track and motivated me to keep training.  I am not training for any events right now but I would like to do another half marathon next year.


Share your Movecoach success story here! 

Click here to join the Visa Moves 300,000 Miles Challenge!

Download the Movecoach Moves Visa App for iPhone or Android.



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stepsrunnerWhen you’re pushing your body farther and faster than it’s gone before, details matter. Neglect the seemingly small things—nutrition, recovery, and sleep—and you could set yourself up for a setback. As you prepare for the J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge, here are some tips to help you stay healthy, get fit, and ready to run your best when the starting gun fires.

Sleep. Sleep deprivation can impact performance and raise your risk of injury. Studies have shown that sleep provides a critical opportunity to recover and heal from tough workouts, and get stronger. It’s the time when the body repairs strained tissue and regenerates bone and muscle so you get stronger. Plus it helps stave off weight gain. Sleep deprivation signals the body to produce more ghrelin—the hunger hormone—and less leptin—which signals that we’re full.

Warm up, cool down, and stretch. Take time before your workouts to do a dynamic warmup routine—watch videos of the moves Movecoach recommends here—to increase running efficiency and range of motion, and decrease risk of injury. These moves will help make you stronger, and prepare your muscles, bones, and joints to push on the final stretch to the finish line.

Hydrate. Studies have shown that even mild dehydration has been shown to make even easy runs feel difficult, and and impair your ability to run at an even pace. Sip small amounts of water throughout each day so that you start each workout well hydrated. Be sure to rehydrate after tough workouts to help aid recovery. When it’s hot outside, or if you’re a particularly salty sweater, reach for low-calorie sports drinks to help replenish your carbs and electrolytes. How do you know if you’re well hydrated? Do the bathroom test. If your urine is pale yellow, then you’re well hydrated. If it’s darker – say the color of apple juice – drink more. If it’s clear, back off. Use thirst as your guide; experts have established that thirst will guide you to water when you need it.

Listen to your body.  Training for a race should help push you out of your comfort zone, but it shouldn’t feel like torture. Some muscle soreness and achiness is normal after pushing yourself farther or faster than you’ve gone before. Rest and cross-train with non-impact activities when you need to. It is far better to take one day off of training to give your body a chance to recover, than to run through pain and turn a minor irritation into a full-blown injury that sidelines you for weeks. If you have pain that persists or worsens as you run, see a medical professional for an evaluation.

We’re looking forward to taking the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge SFO with you on September 7. You can see more training tips here. And be sure to look for us on race day.  Click here to get to know the Movecoach Team!



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