By: Amy Bortnick

Lately I’ve been writing a lot about my motivation and inspiration for running but what’s motivation without action right?

So back to the marathon training…

The official start of my 18 weeks of training leading up to the race on October 16^th begins next weekend with a 10 mile run. BUT before I begin to really pound the pavement I got to get the right gear, a concept that if you saw my old running shoes you would agree never took priority in my life.  This all changed when Cara Brue, consultant for both BEDA and Charmed City Run explained to me that part of being a great athlete is having the right gear.

Why would Cara know?  Well because she is a great athlete, in fact in two years Cara has competed in 15  races that have  mainly focused on the Mid-Atlantic, but have also taken her to National Championships in Kansas City, MO in 2006 and Portland OR in 2007.  She currently competes in the 25-29 year old age group  at the age of 25, achieving All American status for the 2007 race season.  She was training for the Olympics when she decided her love for her family and passion for BEDA took priority, which lead us to cross paths.

Cara and Charmed City Run believe in giving back to their community, their motto is “Live. Give. Run.” Charmed City Run  has donated donate over $125,000 to charitable causes annually through the events they own and manage and they donate an additional $300,000 annually. When Cara found out I was running a marathon to raise money for BEDA she was more than willing to help! She took on the roll of my NEW RUNNING COACH and Charmed City Run sponsored me with new running shoes. More than just providing with new running shoes Cara explained to me the importance of having right running shoe for you foot and stride if your going to be training and competing for a long race.

Charmed City Run takes an interest in their clients by fitting them for the prefect pair of running shoes for the runners, foot type, stride, and the event their training for. This is because Susceptibility to injury is associated with how your foot strikes the ground and thus how your foot strikes the ground should determine the right shoe for you foot. Cara watched me run on the treadmill with a camera that zoomed in on my stride and determined I had a neutral stride meaning I need a shoe that does not get in the way of how I run naturally.

Keep reading for more on my training with Charmed City Run and Cara, fundraising with BEDA, and Nutrition with RBA !!!