In honor of Mission athlete and expectant mom, Sarah Haskins, we asked one of our other Mission moms to write her secrets to keeping on pace...

Enjoy!

When you have children, you feel like you’re always running around – to daycare or school, to work, to the grocery store, activities, friends, appointments – it doesn’t stop. But as tiring as it feels, it still doesn’t replace the need for actual exercise. For those busy moms who have considered starting or returning to running as a workout, it may seem impossible – but it isn’t! Here are some secrets that other running moms keep under their hats: 

• Quality not quantity: You have a busy schedule, so chances are you won’t be able to leap into running marathons from the get go. So when you run, go for quality, not quantity. Go for long runs when you can, but when you can’t, focus on speedwork or hill work to work your muscles and lungs in a short amount of time. A little goes a long way.
• Make the time: It may feel like you’re running around doing something for everyone else, but you need to make time for yourself. Carve out even 30 minutes several times a week to focus on running – someone else can make dinner, fold laundry, or maybe they can even come with you! Maybe you have some time in the morning or during lunch. Slowly work it into your schedule and it will get easier to manage.
• Do what works: The treadmill. A gym. Going around the block. Finding a running partner or group. Listening to great music. Invest in good running shoes, or use anti-chafe cream to keep your skin comfortable. There are many options to get you out and running, so try them all. You need to do what works for you so that you can go for runs and keep at it.
• Keep it enjoyable: Running is hard work, so why make it harder than it needs to be? For example, listening to energetic tunes can help give you motivation. Wearing your favorite shirt can make you feel attractive. Using water resistant sunscreen can protect your skin without slowing you down. Running along pretty routes can keep it interesting. The more you like running, the more you’ll do it.
• Just run: Cross country skiing is a good workout. So is cycling, swimming, Pilates, yoga…but if you want to get better at running, then you just have to run. You can add in other activities, but don’t substitute them for running.

If you want to run, then there’s only one thing you can do – run! For busy moms, it can be difficult to get the motivation to pound the pavement, but with the right attitude, equipment and skin saving accessories like sunscreen and anti-chafe cream, as well as dedication, it can be done. And once you start, you’ll be glad you did.

They're tough to come by, but once you find them, you're good to go ... and go and go and go. What are we talking about? Gym bag essentials.

Finding products that work for you is key to staying on track toward achieving your goals - whether they be completing your first race, staying healthy through the playoffs or something as commonplace as staying protected while you and your family exercise outdoors. Part of the reason Mission appeals to so many different people is because our products address various components of the training process. They help you protect, perform, and rehab. Depending on your specific needs, you can browse our products by any one of those three categories. 

We highlighted a couple of go-to fan (and athlete) favorites:

For protection, we've chosen a fan favorite: the SPF 30+ No Sting Face Stick. In fact, just a couple weeks ago, we had a Mission user check in over Twitter from the Cayman Islands. She is an Ironman triathlete and runner and while training under the tropical sun, she's choosing Mission. She's in good company too. Sergio Garcia - our resident golfer - uses it every time he's out on the green. So, if you're putting in miles outside, or just spending time in the sun, our sun (protection) products are athlete approved, and available in varying SPFs and applications.

For performance, we went with a lesser known product, with an equally impressive fan following. 5 Hour Anti-Chafe Creme. If you missed our blog post on Sarah Haskins from earlier this year, she candidly gushes about how Anti Chafe has saved her from saddle sores and blister hickeys (on her way to World Championships and Olympic Games, of course!). If you're running, biking, swimming, and everything in between, Mission's Anti-Chafe stands up to your crossover ways.

And finally, when it comes to rehab, you've got to show your feet some love. We recommend our new Athlete's Foot Rehab Spray. It is clinically effective to cure and prevent most athlete's foot. It relieves itching, burning and cracking while absorbing sweat and fighting odor. You know, a bunch of our athletes are quite vocal about keeping their feet looking fresh. Dwyane Wade has traded jabs with Skip Bayless about manicures and pedicures; Serena even has her own nail polish line. To keep your feet happy and healthy, look no further than Athlete's Foot Rehab. (Dare we say, a perfect stocking stuffer for the person in you life who's always on their feet!)

This holiday season, we're doing our best to make finding gym bag essentials easy. All of the products listed above are featured in gift baskets designed by our superstar athletes themselves (and offered at a great value!). To take a look at who likes what, you can browse all of the kits here. And, if you're in love with a product and want to share where you've been using it, shout us a holler. It's always fun to hear from fellow athletes on a Mission.

Happy Holidays!

After this past Sunday’s win at the Castello Masters, Sergio Garcia took a convincing step back towards the top. It was on this very course, where his father is still a club pro, that El Niño began playing golf at the age of three. Now, just three days ago, his decisive eleven-stroke win has propelled him back into the world's Top 50. Many may remember his breakthrough performance in ‘99, at the age of 19, when he finished second to Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship. Read more about Sergio's victory on ESPN

Since partnering with Mission Athletecare, Sergio’s input has been instrumental in developing and field testing products that help protect golfers and enhance performance at every level. In addition to enhancing performance, Mission products support rehabilitation. To make sure he's rehabing as best and as fast as possible, Sergio says he loves to use Mission's Max Muscle Rehab. "It helps me recharge my muscles, get good energy and be ready for the next day." What do the upcoming days have in store for him? We're hoping a Major. Or two.

Learn more about what Sergio uses to win

From a young age, we teach athletes to take care of their bodies. Stretch. Exercise. Eat right. Don't smoke. Unfortunately, research suggests that many of these athletes aren't doing one of the simplest things they can do to take care of their bodies; use sunscreen.

Most sports are played outdoors in direct sunlight, and a significant amount of a person’s total sun exposure occurs during childhood and adolescence. Studies have linked this exposure during early life to increased incidence of both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer in later life. In addition, several studies have noted an association between outdoor sports activities and skin cancer.

The primary tools of prevention against skin cancer and photoaging are sunscreen and avoidance of sun exposure. Photoaging refers to the damage that is done to the skin from prolonged exposure, over a person's lifetime, to UV radiation. Although avoidance is most effective, it is not practical for those in outdoor athletics.

A recent article published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology by Dr. Brian B. Adams, Associate Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Cincinnati, suggests that as much as 85% of collegiate athletes are not using sunscreen to protect their skin. College athletes participating in outdoor sports are exposed to the sun for extensive periods of time, often during peak hours of ultraviolet radiation, nearly every day during their active season. In the study, athletes sighted a variety of reasons for not using sunscreen, including lack of availability, laziness and not understanding sunscreen was needed for their skin type. We can do better.

To keep it simple, do this: buy your sunscreen, and buy a lot of it. Keep some in your gym bag, your locker and your car. If you are going to be outside, take 1-minute to protect your skin. You'll be glad you did.

Mission was founded by a premier group of world-class athletes, all of whom work closely with our company to develop products that solve problems unique to athletes. This brand new Athletecare™ category provides clinically-proven solutions to people with active lifestyles.

Mission has rolled out five new suncare products this summer; No Sting Sunscreen SPF 30+ Facestick, Sun Defeated™ SPF 50+ and 30+ Continuous Sprays, Kids Continuous Play™ SPF 70 Spray, and Ultra-Sweatproof Sunscreen SPF 30+ Lotion. Our Suncare products boast broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, are sweatproof and waterproof, loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, and are 100% free of parabens.

Gear up for summer. Shop our online store or visit any of our retail partners.