About the Author

Amanda Brooks

I am a running coach with over a decade of experience helping thousands of runners to achieve their goals from running injury free to crossing that marathon finish line with a PR. I've run over 28,000 miles in my own running journey since 2002. Run To The Finish is my place to share that love and my deep dive in to researching all things running. I hold multiple run coaching certifications, as well as a personal training certification. But it's my ongoing desire to learn and progress as a coach that has allowed me to help runners from their 20's through their 70's! More ways to connect with me:

Amanda Brooks

7 Best Electrolyte Tablets (Easy To Use Hydration)

There are an almost endless number of electrolyte tablets and hydration options. Here’s why these seven, recommended by a coach, are best.

Running with Asthma: 15 Must-Follow Rules for Staying Safe

Running is excellent exercise. For people with asthma, it's even more beneficial. But there are 7 rules you need to run asthma attack-free.

How to Train for a Marathon With A Busy Life

How to train for a marathon when your life is already filled with other things that must be done…it’s a super common question when we start out. Because we all…

12 Clever Healthy Hotel Room Hacks

I. Travel. A lot. In fact, we were living in a hotel room for 4 weeks when I first wrote this, which could explain the bizarre periods I used in…

Honest Daily Harvest Review: Is It Worth It for Runners?

An inside review of Daily Harvest menu, taste, price, sustainability and more. Decide healthy prepared meals are worth it for your nutrition.

How to Lose Body Fat: What I Wish I’d Known Before Attempting to Lose Weight

Want to lose body fat in a healthy, sustainable way? This article has everything you need to know, including 15 tips to help you get there

Marshall Fire – Boulder County

The Marshall Fire in Boulder County was one of the most devastating in state history. Here's our experience and ways you can help

Peroneal Tendonitis: Runners’ Treatment and Prevention Guide

Have pain on the outside of your ankle? It could be Peroneal Tendonitis! A complete guide to understanding, treating, and preventing it.

2021 Another Year of Building

I started this blog in 2005 technically, but I’ve been posting at least 3 times a week since 2007! While now 95% of what I share is educational, once a…

Garmin Forerunner 55 Review vs 45 vs 245

When I’m asked about the best GPS watch for beginners, I almost always point to the most basic Garmin Forerunner. Currently that’s the Garmin 55 (or it’s predecessor the 45).…

8 Half Marathon Race Day Tips to Improve Your Day

Ask any experienced runner for their best race day tips and it almost always includes “don’t start too fast” and “don’t try anything new on race day”. While those two…

Running in Bad Air Quality and Smoke from Fires

Can I run in the smoky air? How are you dealing with running in smog? What are my options for running in bad air quality? These questions are filling my…

Yaktrax Review: Are Yaktrax good for running in snow and ice?

Running in the Kansas City winters and now since 2015 in the Colorado winters, I’ve had my fair share of slips on the ice. Which lead me to testing out…

Best Trail Running Watch – Comparing Top Models and Features

There are a lot of GPS trail running watches on the market, and choosing the right one can be overwhelming. In addition to typical features like tracking pace, distance, and…

Trail vs Road Running: Can You Love Them Both? And the Treadmill too!

It seems blasphemous to tell my trail running friends that I love my time on the road and probably worse to tell my road running friends that I cherish my…

Your Beachbody vs Peloton Overview: Which is Right for You?

If you’ve found that working out from home has lead you to fall in love with video led workouts then you might be debating Beachbody vs Peloton as two of…

Buy the Perfect Treadmill with These Six Steps

After testing 75 treadmills in one day and being listed as a treadmill expert on Treadmill Reviews…I feel qualified to provide you a treadmill buying guide. It’s all about knowing…

How to Run On a Treadmill And Treadmill Workouts for Beginners

Treadmills are a phenomenal training tool! Whether you’re new to running, a long time runner, avoiding some ice or just need an easy safe place to go this treadmill training…

30 Day Core Challenge | Abs, Glutes and Hips

30 Day Core Challenge | Abs, Glutes and Hips THE SECRET TO RUNNING INJURY FREE… is just 10 minutes a day. 4.8 (937 runners) Grab the course now before prices…

Daily Harvest vs Splendid Spoon – Differences, Menus and Cost Comparison

Which of these plant based meal delivery services will best fit your needs. Looking at the big differences of Daily Harvest vs Splendid Spoon

How to Clean Your Running Shoes

I’ve been on a gear testing streak lately, which lead to 4 new pairs of running shoes that are white or probably some fancy color like ecru or eggshell. They…

Unique Gifts for Runners and Triathletes

Whether you have a runner like me who spent part of last year overcoming an injury and doing our best not to whine about the lack of endorphins, or simply…

Are Meal Delivery Services Worth It? Comparing Costs and Cuisines

We’re not talking about DoorDash, but a true service that delivers a set of pre-packaged meals to you every single month. They can range from plant based to heavy on…

Is the Treadmill or My Watch More Accurate?

Is the Treadmill or My Watch More Accurate? You’ve just plugged away for an hour on the treadmill with a great run and when you finish there’s the distance shown…

Best Compression Socks for Running

Compression socks, usually made of 80% nylon and 20% spandex, conform snugly to the feet and calves reducing movement of the muscle during impact and increasing blood flow to the…

9 Types of Runners: Which One are You?

Can you categorize runners? Are there really specific types of runners? OF COURSE! We’re all weird. We’ve all got some major quirks, but we definitely start to fall in to…

22 No BS Marathon Training Truths

Like most runners, when I started I swore I’d never run a marathon. A mile was a struggle, what crazy person would submit themselves to 26.2?! The truth about running…

Balance Trainers | Are they Worth the Money?

Have you send friends standing on a wobble board at their desk? Or perhaps a squishy disk while doing a workout? What’s the deal with balance trainers and which ones…

How To Run A 5K In 30 Minutes

Finishing a 5K in itself is a great achievement, but I know that for many running a 5K in 30 minutes or less is a big goal. It’s a big…

How To Tell If Running Shoes Fit Properly

One of the first pieces of gear we need to upgrade is our running shoes. We often start with whatever is available and quickly realize that the right, high quality,…

How to Become a Running Coach

Learn how to become a running coach and turn your passion into a full-time business with a guide from someone who's done it.

Celebrating 40 with a Colorado Bucket List

In just a few hours, the sun will rise on my 40th birthday and let’s be honest, doesn’t a birthday like this inspire a must do Colorado adventure list?! For…

T25, P90X3, PiYo – Can it Improve Your Running? Beachbody Comparison

I love watching the Beachbody Program infomercials while I’m on the treadmill. Is that really weird? Yes? No…admit it. It’s weird, but we do weird things to survive long treadmill…

Running Weight Gain | Why You Might Not Be Losing

Marathon training seems like it should be a great way to lose weight. Why is it then that many runners gain weight? It’s not because running will inherently make you…

Best Trails Near Denver and Boulder

Since moving to Colorado, one of the most frequent questions I get from those who will be visiting is what are the best trails near Denver? It’s important to know…

Low Heart Rate Training | Virtual Run Club

Our Virtual Run Club is exploring all you need to know about Low Heart Rate Training whether your goal is learning how to do easy runs easy enough, increase your…

Top 5 Sports Nutrition Books

While my book can get you through all the key areas of training, it’s not designed to be a top sports nutrition book. That’s because I’m not a Registered Dietitian…

How Long do GPS Watches Last

Our running shoes have a lifespan of around 500 miles…or less. But how long should we expect our GPS running watch to keep on ticking? Our watches have become such…

Steamboat Springs Summer To Do: A Long Weekend Itinerary

After 4 days in Steamboat Springs, we still felt like there were more trails to explore, mineral waters to soak in and food to be licked from our fingers. For…

Female Athlete Triad: What Is It? Why do so many experience it?

I want to start this post with a really important message: the female athlete triad is not a given for runners. It’s not an inevitable thing that’s going to happen.…

How Long Between Half Marathons

You’ve crossed the finish line and are already considering your next race…or perhaps you accidentally stacked your race calendar and now it’s time to figure out what to do between…

Why the Runners Nod Matters

In those first years of running, I could have told you a lot about my shoes, not because I’d yet made my way in to a running store to find…