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

Metabolic Efficiency: Improve Fat Burning, Endurance and Prevent Bonking

I first shared a story about metabolic efficiency in 2014, as I watched a fellow runner slowly transform her body. After listening to her talk about struggling with weight despite…

Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon Review and Race Recap

Welcome to another sunny day in California! After coming out in March to preview the Santa Barbara Wine Country race course and tell you a bit about why Santa Barbara…

Race Swag We’d Rather Have

What is the best race swag you’ve ever received? Very few runners say it was their race shirt, with the exception of those races we worked so dang hard for…

New Balance Beacon Review

In my previous life I was an eCommerce and technical consultant for Fortune 500 companies for a decade. One of the coolest projects that I had the opportunity to work…

Race Pace Envy: Stop Judging Yourself By Their Speed

Do you often describe yourself as a slow runner? Do you then judge your runs based on all those Instagram posts? Here's what you need to know.

3 Intuitive Eating Tips: Practical Ways to Get Started and Stop Counting Calories

Calories In < Calories Out = Weight loss. The formula seems simple enough and so for anyone who has undertaken a weight loss journey it starts here, but eventually it’s…

Secrets to Preventing Workout Acne

As a long time athlete and runner for MANY years, workout acne prevention has been something I’ve paid a lot of attention to. I learned that what to do post…

Why Runners Make the Best Employees

Running pretty much makes you better at life. I have no statistics to back that up, but I’m quite certain it’s true based on the amount of time we spend…

Counting Macros and Running: How IIFYM Running Ratios Workout and Are they Right For You?

Have you ever noticed body builders frequently throwing around the term IIFYM? They usually do it on days where you see them eating a burger or ice cream or well…

Santa Barbara Wine Country Weekend

Race vacations are one of my guilty pleasures. I may not spend money on fancy shoes (running shoes don’t count) or party dresses and we aren’t people who eat out…

How I Justify My Premium Running Gear

Woah those shoes are how much? Me, every time I look at what people pay for high heels that make my toes ache and my calves scream for relief…and likely…

Cancun Wellness Getaway: Le Blanc Spa Resort

Falling asleep by 9 is my norm at home, so the initial idea of a Cancun getaway seemed like a poor fit. Until winter kicked in and I thought, yes,…

5 Ways Triathlon Training Can Help You Run Faster and Longer

Over the years, I’ve had the honor of attending the Ironman Championships in Kona. Watching these incredible athletes, swim, bike and THEN run a marathon, I’m always amazed. Somehow doing…

I Tried B12 Shots and Here’s What Happened

Have you heard about B12 shots for energy? I remember living in Miami and people would just rave about having a shot and suddenly bursting with energy for the rest…

Slow Cooker Vegetable Lamb Soup

Confession. This was supposed to be chili. Well the recipe wasn’t supposed to be chili, but what David asked me to make was chili. In fact, he went so far…

DNA Testing for Healthier Living: Does it Work?

We’ve all seen the commercials about finding your ancestry thanks to DNA testing, but we have a whole new world opening up with fitness DNA. This has been on my…

Shut Down the Negative Voice on Your Next Run

You’re out for a run and then you hear it – that voice. You turn up your music, but it’s still there. The voice that tells you that you can’t…

Sleep: Why Runners Need It and How to Get More!!

Sleep is the one component not listed on marathon training plans that should be! You get up extra early to fit in the miles and slog through sprints when you’re…

Healthy Shrimp Recipe: Easy One Sheet Dinner

We’ve established previously that I’m all about easy meals…but easy meals that are healthy! Since my parents tend to be the one’s I test these things on, they’ve had a…

A Year of Running After Knee Surgery

Whhheeeewwwww this year packed quite the punch, as I had the opportunity to remember exactly what it feels like to be a beginner all over again! I had a choice…

Overcome Your Top Running Excuses

Each time I tell a non-runner about my running, my face lights up and I get all gushy and excited like a love sick teenager, which ALWAYS provokes a response…

ASICS GT-2000 7 Review

Sponsored by Zappos, all opinions are my own. You might not know this, but it’s thanks to my friends at ASICS that I had a chance to train for and…

Runner Pays $410 for Banana

Have you seen the shirt “this is a lot of work for a free banana“? It cracks me up every single time. Then I started to ponder it, as one…

Psychology of Running: Incorporating Mental Marathon Training

You won’t find mental training on your plan. It’s not 10 reps of 30 seconds with 1 minute of rest. It’s rarely something that is specifically prescribed because it feels…

3 IT Band Strengthening Exercises

You know I’m dedicated to fixing your IT Band, right?! It’s why I created a whole 70 page ebook about how I resolved it permanently for myself and others, for…

Is Running Fun? Do We Really Enjoy Running?

We talk a lot about the pure satisfaction of crossing a finish line and knowing you’ve achieved something you once thought beyond reach. We see the big smiles of #medalmonday…

Is Lake Powell Resort Worth It?: Boat Tours, Hikes and More

If you’ve spent any amount of time on Instagram, you’ve probably come across Lake Powell Resort and the surrounding areas. Instagram seriously knows how to take my wanderlust from around…

Omron Tens Review: Avail Wireless TENS Device

In that first post, I talked all about what transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation does, who should use it and why. Today I’m talking more about the specific at home TENS…

TomTom Runner Watch Review

I get asked frequently about which GPS watch I wear and the truth is that I rotate a lot..but one that you’ve seen on my wrist for at least 4…

Long Beach Half Marathon Race Review and Report

Hellllloooooo from sunny California. Really I could not have timed this trip any better, as the first sightings of winter seem to be hitting Denver. What can I say, I…

Salzburg, Austria: Cycling, Hiking and Gelato

Wind in my hair, sunshine on my face, feet on the pedals….WHAT? Don’t I mean feet on the ground, like running? Well there was that too, but first I have…

Slovenia: Ljubljana and Lake Bled

If you missed Croatia Part 1 and Plitvice Lakes, you gotta start there! It was a stellar part of our trip leading in to the time in Slovenia, which makes…

Secrets to Fully Experiencing Plitvice Lakes and Zagreb, Croatia

If you’re finding this post before my first one with details on everything you need to know about a Croatia vacation, be sure to check it out! I also talk…

19 Croatia Travel Tips Before Your Next Trip

These Croatia travel tips are perfect for anyone heading to this European country. Croatia is a truly stunning country with a beautiful Adriatic coastline, 1244 islands, incredible cities, and breathtaking…

It’s All Hard Sh**: Time to Embrace the Hard and Potential Failure in Life

Funny story. Well not the kind that will have you peeing your pants funny. But none the less, one that you’ll probably nod along to and go yup, we kinda…

Ragnar Colorado: Our Adventure and Race Review

We did it!! Ragnar Colorado: 200 miles, over 30 hours, 2 vans, 12 ladies. Our goal was only to have fun and there were moments of oh crap this is…

7 Rules for a Legendary Relay Race

Have you ever run 16 miles in a torrential downpour in the middle of the night on the side of a state highway in a strange city? Yes, after running…

7 Hilarious Porta-Potty Stories Only Runners Will Understand

It’s the early morning moment we all dread, stepping in to a dark start line porta-potty, breath held and praying for the best. Will there be toilet paper? Will it…

Create an Instagram Feed People Want to Follow and Take a Better Running Selfie

“Does someone follow you around to take your photos?!” This is possibly still one of my favorite questions received {thanks Terese}. I love that people have wondered for awhile now…

8 Things I Was Totally Unprepared for When I Started Running

Shoes on. Laced up. Door locked. Watch on. Start running. That’s all it takes right? Well it’s probably all that it should take, but I quickly found in 2002 after…

Ragnar Relay Race Common FAQs and Team Names

After writing about both Miami to Key West Ragnar Relay Race, the Colorado Ragnar Race, the Wild West Relay, the Palmetto 200 and the Race to Kinvara, I’ve gotten a…

Confessions of a Sugar Free Failure

Update: This post is 100% honest and to help you not feel alone. I’ve now figured out how to get control of sugar and I’ve shared that here >> I…

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!