You want to get yourself in better shape and feel amazing. You’ve heard about the health benefits of running, and so you want to give it a try. Or maybe you used to run and want to get back into it. Whatever your reasons, running can be a great past-time that helps you strengthen your muscles, help your bones, get your heart working optimally, and feel great!

As part of your motivation, you also signed up for a race – goals can be good after all. But there’s more to training than simply running the distance. But with this mindset, many new runners make mistakes that ruin their first race experience. With the tips below, you can avoid these first marathon mistakes: 

• Inadequate training time: To run any distance, you need to be able to cover the distance. If you’re running in a half marathon or a longer distance, then typically, you would run most of the distance, such as 11 miles, comfortably during training. The problem arises when you don’t run enough longer distances times during your training. This can cause problems on the actual race day because your body isn’t expecting such a workout. Make sure you get enough longer training runs in before the race date so that your body isn’t left in a state of shock on the actual day.
• Ignoring your body: An important part of training is recovery. Though it may sound like a contradiction, you need to run, and you need to rest. This lets your body recover from the wear and tear that running causes. Insufficient recovery time will simply tire you out, making any subsequent runs more difficult than they need to be, and making you cranky too. Therefore, intersperse slow, short running days and no-run days in between your longer runs.
• Lack of proper nutrients and hydration: You don’t want to weigh yourself down with water bottles or food, but when running longer distances, your body needs fuel. You need water because you will be sweating, and you need food to replace the calories that you are burning. If you don’t get enough of both, you will feel sluggish and slow. During training, try out different foods and drinks to see what you enjoy eating, what your body can handle, and what you are comfortable to carry to avoid first marathon mistakes that many make.
• Not having comfy clothing: You may have a favorite race shirt, but is it comfortable? Your shoes are worn – time to get a new pair? You want to be as comfortable as possible on race day, but to know that, you have to wear your clothes on enough training runs to find out. If you need new shoes, wear them on enough training runs to ensure you don’t get blisters. If your clothes tend to chafe you during longer runs, consider anti-chafing cream. It can minimize the friction caused by the clothes rubbing together, prevent blisters, and even bleeding, while moisturizing your skin.

Learning to train properly for a race is a matter of trial and error – you need to know what works for you and your body, and tweak the areas that don’t. By following the tips above, you can prevent or minimize many of the first marathon mistakes that others make so that your first race can be an exhilarating accomplishment. Good luck!

Everyone has a goal this year; whether saving money, spending more quality time with family/friends, quit smoking/drinking, or getting out of debt.  When some of those New Year’s resolutions start to fade, we want to help you keep you focused on what’s important. Getting into shape is, and should always be a priority. 

If you are looking to stay focused on your resolution to lead a healthier lifestyle here are just a few fitness tips to help you keep while managing your busy schedule:  

1. GET MOVING

Engage in fitness activities that will simply keep you moving. Getting in good shape doesn’t mean you have to commit to an intense workout routine. Movement can take place indoors, outdoors and at different paces. Sometimes we underestimate the importance of walking to help get you in shape or even in lowering potential diseases like diabetes and hypertension. People who share the good habit of walking for at least 10 to 15 minutes per day, despite their busy routines, see how beneficial it can be. Check out this article on the secret to losing weight:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/01/the-secret-to-losing-weight-according-to-my-new-high-tech-fitness-monitor-is-wait-for-it-walking/267395/.

2. SIGN UP FOR A RESOLUTION RUN 

This gives you the momentum to reach your goals. Resolution runs give you something specific to plan for and to remain committed to.

If you stay focused on achieving smaller goals first, those will eventually lead to larger resolutions throughout the year. Your commitment will also have an effect on building a larger social circle and setting a good example for your family.  Take a look at why people are signing up for resolution runs: http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Top-5-Reasons-to-Sign-Up-for-a-Resolution-Race.htm . You can find a race that meets your goals throughout the country by using the following link: http://running.competitor.com/race-calendar. 

3. ENLIST SOME HELP

A third important tip to tackle your fitness resolutions is to find a workout that accommodates your budget.

After spending so much money on holiday gifts and trips, the last thing people want is to add another expense to the year’s budget.  Luckily, there are options to save cash while taking advantage of free offers, gym discounts, and nutrition tips.   If you are willing to spend a bit more on a personal trainer, you will have the privacy and comfort in your home by controlling the temperature, the music, cleanliness, equipment and having no audience around. But you can save money by motivating a friend or colleague to split the costs. There is also a cheaper and fun way to workout from home with DVDs that include fitness videos like Zumba for a variety of levels and interests. Zumba fitness is centered around dance and aerobics, heavily inspired by Latin music. The following links contain valuable information on how you can make the most out of your Zumba workouts :   

Tips for Beginners: http://www.livestrong.com/article/259924-zumba-for-beginners/

100 Zumba Workouts Online for Free: http://www.squidoo.com/100-zumba-workouts

Follow the instructor’s steps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rvJQUD5XwY

4. FIND INSPIRATION FROM EXPERTS

Mission sat down with company partner and Olympic Triathlete Sarah Haskins during a training session last year, and talked to her about setting goals and living a healthy lifestyle. She recommends you to get out there, follow your passion, eat healthy, and protect your body. What motivates her is to focus on what needs to be done to achieve a specific goal. Check out at what she had to say below:

Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QhrBVgSUzY

Accomplishing goals : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEybsKNAjc0

Motivation to Achieve Goals: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYbkdsWDWYY

5. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT:

You don’t need to “over-gear” with expensive items to make working out a little more enjoyable and less painful experience. Nevertheless, you need to be aware that one of the most important pieces of equipment to any kind of exercise is choosing the right shoe. If you decide that running is your thing, you are better off with a shoe that provides a firm heel, good support, and lightweight. Also make sure you are using a shirt made of wicking fabric, wicking socks, comfortable tights, and for women, a comfortable sports bra. Check this article for more tips on essential equipment for new runners: http://www.active.com/running/Articles/3-Gear-Essentials-for-Newbie-Runners. Products like anti-chafe are must-haves, especially in humid weather, and now you have the option to prevent chafing using silicone-based creams or sticks that stay in place longer than waxed-based anti-chafing products.

Mission Athletecare has developed an Anti-Chafe formula that outlasts the competition:  http://www.missionathletecare.com/collections/anti-chafe. 

Additionally, having a muscle rehab product in hand will help you get back out there quicker:  http://www.missionathletecare.com/products/max-muscle-rehab.           

So, get your Mission on, and keep those resolutions going all year round!

After returning home from his tour in Iraq, Troy Yocum was excited to begin his next journey knowing full well that it was going to be a very difficult endeavor. He told us, "After my first step I was thinking ... Ok, just about 30 million more of these to go." With every step, he kept one thing in mind: the sacrifices that military families have made and continue to make for our country.

Troy founded Hike for Heroes in 2009. It is a fundraising program whose mission is to increase awareness about the military families who are fighting just as hard at home as they are abroad. In September, Troy finished his most recent cross-country hike. 20 miles a day for 16 months. During his journey he watched landscapes and seasons change, but remained resolute that something must change to help the countless military families here at home.

Last year, Hike for Heroes raised one million dollars for the Wish Upon a Hero Foundation. This year they hope to improve on that and we hope to help. Mission is proud to be teaming up with Hike for Heroes this Veterans Day to support Troy's mission. 50% of all proceeds from our Hike for Heroes Bundle will benefit the military families that Wish Upon a Hero helps support. So far, Wish Upon A Hero has granted over 82,000 wishes and has helped thousands of military families in the process.

When we asked Troy about Mission's role supporting his hikes, he gave us all the details. "When I started using Mission's Max Muscle Rehab I was about a month, month and a half, away from the finish line. My body was spent. I had so many aches and pains in my knees and ankles, I was really doubting that I could make it to the finish line. Mission sent me the Muscle Rehab - an amazing product - and within three days it really began to heal me. I could notice a big difference in how my knees and ankles were feeling. It helped get me to the finish line." Mission's Foot Cream and Anti-Chafe have also accompanied Troy on his travels.

All three products are part of the bundle we are offering today to benefit Hike for Heroes. We hope you'll join us in spreading the word about their inspiring campaign. Says Troy, "A few times a year we celebrate our veterans and Veterans Day is one of the most important days that we do so. This Veterans Day, we call upon everyone to get active to help our military families."

To follow him across the country and, undoubtedly back again, check out Hike for Heroes on Facebook and Twitter. Shortly, they will announce relays being held across the United States. Whether you run, walk, hike, race, or ride, you can help out. We at Mission will keep you updated on the latest news from Hike for Heroes, so stay tuned.

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