RunToTheFinish

Online Running Coach | Running Shoe and Gear Reviews

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

How Many Calories Should a Runner Eat?

Should runners count calories? After all, doesn’t a long run = license to eat. Whether that statement is actually true or not, it’s absolutely the mindset I hear more often…

How Quickly Do You Lose Fitness: Bounce Back from Missed Runs

An all too common question for running coaches is what to do when you have to miss some training days? Or more common yet wonder how quickly do you lose…

The Year That Almost Wasn’t

One of the few times each year I write a post without worrying about SEO is my year in recap. Why? Because it’s FASCINATING to have these since 2007 to…

Snowshoeing for Beginners

Do you ski? A natural first question when someone finds out we moved to Denver. Nope. However, I’ve fallen in love with snowshoeing for beginners and that’s my way of…

Coros Pace 2 | Budget Friendly Running Watch

This year I’ve slapped a wide variety and brands of running watches on my wrist to cover thousands of miles. Coros Pace 2 is a new budget friendly running watch…

Runner’s Body | How to Have More Confidence

As runners and athletes, you probably follow bloggers and social media personalities who love to post motivational “fitspo” messages on the regular, am I right? And, of course, that means…

Polar Vantage V2 Review

In the last year, I’ve tested a number of Polar watches including the Pacer Pro, M, the V and now the Polar Vantage V2 review. The Polar Vantage V2 is…

Blood Work for Athletic Performance

Could a blood test for athletic performance help to prevent injury? Keep you from getting sick race week? A look at why it matters

Cold Weather Full Body Warm Up: Get Out the Door Faster

A full body warm up isn’t just a nice to have, come winter is a MUST do for runners. Having a little trouble convincing yourself to get outside in the…

I Am Not a Jogger (Despite What Any Race Photo Shuffle Might Say)

I am a little embarrassed to admit this, but at an event someone said to me “oh you’re the jogger” and my brain went bananas. In that simple statement, I…

Runners Nutrition | January Run Club

In January our Virtual Run Club is exploring all you need to know about running nutrition, whether your goal is running for weight loss or just fueling appropriately to perform!…

Hilly Race Training Tips and How to Manage Pace

A hilly race requires a different training strategy and a different plan on race day. Not just gentle rolling hills, but one’s that have a known name like Boston Heartbreak…

Probiotics for Women: Running, Weight Loss, Health!

Probiotics for women have gained a lot of media attention thanks to folks like Jamie Lee Curtis in her yogurt commercials (tell me someone else still remembers those “gotta go,…

Skechers Running Shoes Review | Comparing Models

Over the last 8 months, I’ve had the opportunity to put in a good number of miles in a few different Skechers running shoes and it’s time for a review…

21 Endurance Quotes to Help You Push Through

We joke about the plethora of quotes on social media now, but the truth is the right endurance quotes at the right moment can be exactly what you need to…

9 Jogging Tips | Comical Running Stories to Learn From

We hear friends running stories of hitting the wall, massive blisters, lost toenails and ohhh the chafing, but something deep inside tells us “that won’t happen to me”. Let’s say…

Virtual Running Club | Hitting Goals Alone Together

An online running club or a virtual running club might not be exactly what you had in mind for training this year, but what if it’s exactly what you NEED…

Cortisol and Exercise | Impacting Sleep, Weight Gain and Adrenals

You’ve cranked up your training from half marathon mileage to run your first marathon or maybe your 20th, either way you’re putting in the miles, making great food choices {minus…

Tips For Running Together (No frustration or fighting, just fun!)

Are you a couple that rarely fights? Try running together…someone gets frustrated, someone gets tired, someone huffs and puffs till they blow your little house down. All right not all…

Plank Benefits for Runners

Do planks make you run faster? I say this is debatable, but without a doubt working your core makes you a more injury proof runner. I DO NOT believe that…

Running for a Cause: How to Raise Funds

In nearly 20 years of running, one thing I’ve not done is running for a cause. Meaning raising big money to be part of a charity group. I prefer races…

23 Bestie Quotes – Honoring Our Running Buddies

National best friends day sounds like the perfect time to give a shout out to a great running buddy who has helped you through those painful long run miles, talked…

Benefits of Thinking like an Elite Runner

Want to blow your PR {personal record} out of the water? Me too!! While I have no intention of working my way in to the elite coral {though I did…

Exercise with Knee Pain? What You Can Still Do

If you’re a runner, surely someone in your world has commented about how bad the sport is for the knees. While knee pain is common among runners, running isn’t inherently…

Why Do I Run Slower on A Treadmill? Why is it Harder?

Those who have been around these parts for awhile, know that I love treadmill running. It’s a fantastic tool for so many reasons and since I’ve talked ad nauseam about…

8 Things Upping My Running Game Lately

In the early days of blogging (hello 2007), I used to do more personal posts, sharing my training logs and took part in weekly themes like Friday Favorites. I never…

Cookies & Cream Recovery Smoothie – Vegan, GF

While I’m not one who loves to cook, I am a runner who spends a lot of time learning about how nutrition can enhance performance and one of those big…

Are You a Fitness Snob? Fitness Obsessed? Or Just Right?

Years ago, an article in Women’s Health magazine caught my attention and has stuck with me because well it labeled me as a fitness snob! I understand the idea they…

Best Running Injury Prevention Exercises

Nearly every runner has been through an injury, which makes the average non-runner believe that you simply can’t enjoy this sport without hurting yourself. As though there are no running…

Diet Cults Review – You are not what you eat

BAM talk about an in your face title! Doesn’t it immediately make you want to jusify why your way of eating is actually really amazing?! The best way…possibly THE way.…

20 Healthy Salads Ideas for Lunch | Easy At Home Recipes

I used to think the only way to get a delicious quick healthy salad for lunch was a trip to the Whole Foods salad bar. Anyone else ever feel that…

Loosen Your Hips to Lose the Belly

While researching stretching for runners, I learned a crazy fact that some stretches to lose lower belly fat are what we’re already doing in our workouts. It’s important to note…

9 Solo Running Tips and Benefits

Need to work on your mental game? Running solo tips and benefits that will help you to embrace the miles without a group.

Why We Need Running Now More Than Ever

Why do you run? Why in the face of life issues do you feel compelled to lace up and get out the door? Why when there’s no race on the…

Race Cancelled: What to Do Now

You’ve been training for months with a singular focus on crossing that finish line. You managed not to develop an injuries. You squeezed in runs when it was raining, when…

Things to Do In Jaco Costa Rica

My third time to this beautiful country brought me to a new location and left me, like you, wondering what is there to do near Jaco Costa Rica. Unlike some…

Run To The Finish Book Tour and Podcasts

That’s right friends this show is going on the road!!!! The Run To The Finish Book Tour is taking shape and I can’t wait to meet so many more of…

ASICS GEL-Nimbus 22 Review

Sponsored by Zappos, all opinions are my own. In my last ASICS review, I gave you some insight to my previous history with the brand, which is to say they…

30 Tips to Enjoy a Magical RunDisney Race

While living in Orlando for 3 years, I received a lot of comments that I needed to try runDisney races…but I admit I never did! Yet, so many of you…

Common Running Injuries | Guide to Recovery and Prevention

While I am NOT a physical therapist or a sports doctor, I spend a lot of time researching common running injuries and talking to the experts to help my athletes…

Ragnar Sunset | What You Need to Know About the Newest Relay

What the heck is a Ragnar Sunset? Are we just starting our relay at night to prolong time in the darkness?? Nope, exactly the opposite in fact. We’re going to…

Merrell Trail Glove Review

If you’re in the market for a minimalist shoe, you might have come across the Merrell Trail Glove and wondered if they really know what they’re doing when it comes…

7 Secrets to Break Through

Feeling stuck? Discover which of the 7 most common runner issues is holding you back in this free program. Videos, interviews, workouts and more!