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

Why Running a 5K Could Result in a Marathon PR

Endurance or speed that seems to be the option for most runners. I fully admit to running distance because I’m not a speedster! But what if we would improve in…

Peanut Butter Addiction Support Group

WARNING THIS IS NOT AN ANONYMOUS GROUP…join at your own risk. You might be an addict if… you feel like crying when the jar is empty. You might be an…

An Running Knee MRI Mess: 12 Tips for Running Without Drugs

Oh my God, I can’t be that person who starts saying “I used to run, but now my knees are bad.” I’m sure it’s wrong that this was my first…

High Fat Diet for Endurance Athletes: Why Keto Is Gaining Traction

When I originally began sharing research about high fat diets for endurance athletes in 2014, it was still a bizarre concept that left most saying, no, no no. {myself included}…

Xango Juice Review and Free Samples

The Mayo Clinic is using Xango Juice in a current study to determine the long-term benefits…Drew Brees drinks it and the infamous heal your body Dr. Oz says it’s one…

Run Mindful Retreat: What Happens on a Running Retreat

Initially I was going to break this down by day, but do you need to know every second?! No. What you want to know is what were the runs like,…

A Trail Running Retreat for Every Runner

Is a trail running retreat right for you? What should you expect? Will everyone be pro’s and is it only for experienced trail runners? All things that were running through…

LHR Training Results: Maffetone Method Half Marathon

I’ve talked a great deal about why Low Heart Rate training has worked so well for my body and how it lead to a 4 minute half marathon PR. But…

True Life: I’m Married to a Runner

It’s 5AM on Saturday, you roll over to discover nothing but a dent in the pillow next to you, do you know where your spouse is? If they’re a runner…

The Colorado Fit Life

It’s Saturday morning, the clock blinks 4:55 and though you don’t need to get up yet, you can’t stay in bed. There’s a sky filled with pink swirls coming soon,…

Running Skin Care: Banish Blisters, Chaffing, Burns and More

We frequently caution about areas like improving your form, strengthening your hips and of course finding the perfect running shoe. Dissecting every minute detail of how to improve our run…

Cacti, Mountains, Sun and Fun: 4 Phoenix Hiking Trails

Brown, dry, brittle, sandy….that’s Colorado currently and what I envisioned we’d encounter in Phoenix. Once again, I was pleasantly wrong. Instead of lying around our hotel pool for three days…

Love Bites: Hazelnut Banana Protein Muffins

The calendar doesn’t lie, Valentine’s Day is approaching whether we’re ready or not. Browsing the aisles, nothing really seems interesting. Does your husband really want a wooden Love sign? Do…

Are You Limiting Your Success with Your Thoughts?

Dreaming big isn’t the issue when it comes to how to achieve goals. You’ve visualized yourself crossing that finish line, arms thrown up in the air triumphant smile or looking…

Are You Picking the Right Race for Your Goals?

When it comes to enjoying race day, nothing matters more than picking one which truly aligns with your goals! Maybe you want to run somewhere exciting, fresh, new? Maybe you…

Heal Your Knee, Hip and IT Band through the Gut: Crazy, But Scientific

You know I like talking digestion right? It’s the unsung hero of healthy bodies!! I was reminded of that again in Costa Rica chatting with so many who had found…

Life Lessons Running Over 20,000 Miles Has Taught Me

Question…why does every year have to be bigger and better than the last? Personally, I’ll admit that if 2017 stayed on par with the fun, love and miles I enjoyed…

A Runner Walks in to a Gym

Stop me if you’ve heard this one… A runner walks in to a gym, buys a membership, scopes out the weight room and then heads outside for a run, never…

Costa Rica Adventure Challenge: Climbing, Rappelling and SUPing

If you’re jumping in here, part 1 talks about this retreat and the hikes, along with links to more photos! This running retreat was about so much more than one…

Costa Rica Adventure Challenge: The Trails

Bear with me friends as I find my footing around this story. It’s not as simple as I went to Costa Rica. Beautiful. Fun. The end. It’s complex with emotions…

Embrace the New Year’s Gym Rush: Beginner’s Need Support

I’ve been saying this for years, but you know they say you have to repeat things at least 3 times for them to sink in so I figured why not…

You’re Never Too Slow, Old or Fat

“Sorry I’m so slow.” “I don’t know if you want to go with me, I’m slow.” “Just a warning, I might slow down.” Like an ear worm of a song…

Top 5 Running Books to Skyrocket Your Motivation

It’s darker, it’s colder and I don’t know about you, but that’s when I pull out a good book to boost my motivation. I know reading is sooooo old school.…

Acorn Squash Fries: All the Flavor Sans the Fryer

I had a really insightful post on running today, but can I be honest…comfort food sounded much better after the emotions of the last 24 hours. Instead of eating our…

TomTom Spark 3 Review

We know that I’m a huge fan of a good GPS watch and also SUPER PICKY. I’ve tested so many different watches now, pitting Suunto vs Polar vs Garmin, but…

Slow Cooker Harvest Chicken: Housewarming Hostess Hacks

For everything there is a season… Sure I could mean the crisp air, the bold leaves, the pending snow, but I don’t! In my early 20’s it was bridal showers,…

Why the Last Finisher Matters Equally: Ironman Kona

What would a recap of my Hawaii experience be without some of the Ironman stories that melt your heart, break your heart and head out to get your heart pumping.…

Oakley Radar Pace: Never Check Your Watch Again

The streets are quiet. The moon shining a sliver of a path along the sidewalk; just enough to keep you moving, but cautious. And then you wonder “what’s my pace?”…

Hawaii: 30 Second Recap

Have you ever looked around in amazement to find yourself wondering “how is this my life?” I do that a lot. Then I say all my gratitudes because yes, I’m…

Colorado Autumn: Golden Moments + Home Camping!

In between the moments of mud and frustration on our non-camping adventure, we spent a lot of time ohhhing and ahhhing over the Aspens dripping in gold. Like a finely…

Your Cheat Sheet For a Healthy Home: Must Have Products for Allergies and More

After 3 months of dating, David started looking for a house…presumably with the assumption that we would someday live in it together. So off we went exploring with his fresh…

Confessions of a Distance Runner

The mind of a distance runner is a wonderful and terrifying thing {sounds like a Willy Wonkaism}. Some days I think we’re just a big ball of emotions that’s only…

Bite Size, Grab and Go Healthy Foods: Muffin Tin Recipe Round Up

It’s back to school time. I know this not because there’s a child in my house, but because I find my high school neighbor rubbing sleep from his eyes, climbing…

Triple Your Energy, Lose Weight and Clear Up Your Skin: Improving Digestive Health

Have you ever wondered if your lack of energy, frequent colds or mood could be related to your digestion? No? Then you haven’t been to a holistic doctor! Those of…

Maffetone Marathon Training: Fat Loss and Speed without Fatigue

What if marathon training didn’t leave you feeling like you needed a nap every day of the week? What if long runs didn’t make you so ravenous you cleaned out…

7 Savvy Practices of Olympic Winners That You Can Use

I’m kind of obsessed with the habits of elite runners. In my wildest dreams I don’t desire to compete with them. Except once in a dream where Kara, Shalane and…

What To Do With Nearly Bad Bananas: A Runner’s Dilemma

I have a “no freggie left behind” policy in this house. Which is to say that EVERY fruit and vegetable will find a way to be used before it goes…

Copycat Vegan Flourless Whole Foods Tahini Cookie

Some lessons I learn the easy way…others I learn through repeated “oops“. Each time I decide I’m ready to clean out the sugar in my diet, I  stop stocking up…

Why I’ll Be Using Core Stretches to Flatten My Abs

The free 30 day ab challenge is winding down for those who started with me! I’ve heard from many of you that the moves are killer and you’re loving working…

3 Meal Planning Methods: Which One is Right for You?

Have you ever noticed that our gym loving friends tend to be much more detail oriented when it comes to meal planning? They have 6 meals mapped out each day,…

Accidents, Altitude and Attitude

The sweet smell of summer is in the air and I know this because D has been using Kleenex to the point where I’m wondering how we can buy stock.…

Mouthwatering Cashew Cream Mushroom and Onion Tart: Vegan, Gluten Free

A few years ago I went strict no dairy and no eggs, it was step one in healing my digestion. Within a few short weeks, I noticed a big difference…