We talk a lot out getting out of your comfort zone at Poppy Sports. And for one month we challenged Team Poppy Sports members to think outside of their comfort zone and raise the bar on their approach to training. 

We all get into a mindset of 'this is how I train', or 'this is what I am capable of,' and the general routine of life that keeps us on a daily trajectory.

It's hard for any of us living in this modern, crazy world to take the time to step back and evaluate how we are approaching our athletic goals and dare to change things up a bit. 

The 'Up Your Game' Challenge was a call to Team Poppy Sports to allow themselves the time to evaluate their training, what their goals were for the season and to challenge themselves to raise the bar for a limited period of time and make the results. 

Change is Good, Change is Hard

Getting out of your training comfort zone can mean different things to different athletes.  It can be as simple as increasing the load, adding in speedwork, focusing on your weakest link, taking on better recovery or focusing on nutrition to fuel better.  

For three of the athletes at Poppy Sports, they decided to take on what many of us dream about and opted to train like a pro Ironman athlete for a week!  We had the fortune to have pro Ironman Linsey Corbin share a typical training week and once we'd recovered from the shock of what a pro athlete achieves in a week, it was onto practical matters.

Prepping for Train Like a Pro Week

Between the three of us we have three careers, six children and more than a handful or Ironman races under our belts.  

Despite being official rockstars (at least that's what we tell ourselves when we're feeling overwhelmed) taking on the training level of a pro athlete made even our peak weeks of Ironman training look like child's play.  

It takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to get the finish line in an Ironman. The village had to come into play for a week of this level.  With reduced work, laundry (yessss) schedules, food prepped, more sleep planned, the week commenced!

Linsey Corbin's Ironman Training Plan

Learning from Pro Ironman Athletes

What turned into a 30-odd hour Ironman training week was an eye-opener.  We approached the week basically as our own Ironman Training Camp - something we've each aspired to doing once a season - but one that took place from home. 

All in, we enjoyed and learned from the challenge of a huge, training load increase.  None of us got injured (one of our main concerns) and the physical challenge of the week, left us feeling both accomplished and exhausted. 

• What stood out to us age-groupers was the number of two and three session training days. That's where us mortals differ in both stamina and time. We learned the most from these days and had the most to gain from them.
• Having taken on peak training weeks before, this week took that to a different level.  Each of us were stretched out of the comfort zone and a new approach to a peak Ironman training week. 
• In a single 24 hour day with our workload on top of training, getting enough rest bordered on the impossible. Short term, getting to bed earlier was a joy - but difficult to sustain over an entire week. 
• Fueling the training for a week was a challenge with multiple training sessions a day on top of working and family responsibilities. You'd think eating would be easy, but not when you have to digest in time for the next session and fit in two or three meetings and catch upon emails and etc. etc. etc.  
• Practice makes perfect though and by mid-week we were all on a better cadence with the timing of food and more or less constant consumption of calories did the trick - but that took a lot of advance preparation! 

Training On

While it was unsustainable to train like Linsey Corbin longer than a week - because, guess what - we're neither Linsey Corbin nor pro athletes.  However, we will take from her training load and apply aspects to our own peak training blocks going forward.

One of our goals at Poppy Sports has always been to provide Team Poppy Sports members access to training camps. However, we are aware of the barriers for many women to leave the everyday for a week-long experience away from home.  

Our goal is to build and adapt this concept of a training week into a practical application for age-groupers in a way that works for the working woman athlete.

Stay tuned!

In the mean time follow Poppy Sports on Instagram to watch our every day adventures as women athletes.

What is the Poppy Sports mission? Empowering women through sport.  

What is The Ironman Foundation's Women for Tri Program about? Growing and supporting women triathletes.

It's a match made in heaven!  

We were so happy this week to learn that the Team Poppy Sports Member's Club was selected as a 2018 grant recipient from The Ironman Foundation's Tri Club Grant Program managed by their Women for Tri initiative. 

What are the Women For Tri Grants

Women For Tri is a program of The Ironman Foundation launched by Ironman in 2015. 

The program works to increase female participation at all levels of triathlon and seeks to identify and diminish primary barriers to entry and mobilize triathlon advocates to encourage and engage female athletes across all race distances and representing all athletic abilities. 

Since it's beginning, the Women for Tri program has awarded over $183,000 in grants to triathlon clubs supporting female participation initiatives.   

And that now includes Poppy Sports folks!

Supporting Women Athletes

Poppy Sports will continue to champion the transformative power of sport and its impact on the lives of women. It's in our DNA.  

We go beyond the obvious health benefits, and support the empowerment, confidence and leadership skills that being a committed athlete builds.

We firmly believe in paying it forward to others as part of our mission. What we have learned from our cumulative years as athletes at Poppy Sports - the strength of character, endurance, long term goal setting, being role models for other women and our children - is what we impart to the team.

Time and time again, we hear women putting their aspirations on the back burner to serve others, and we totally understand that.  We offer through the team and the Poppy Sports programs, practical ways to merge both without losing your sanity.  

Sanity?  Yes, you'll leave our programs with your sanity intact and a clear actionable ideas of how you can achieve your athletic goals.

Poppy Sports Member's Club Events in 2018

Community

With the 2018 grant support from Women For Tri, we will be able to expand our community evenings in Colorado, inviting guest speakers to share their expertise. 

These speakers will range from women-focused triathlon and run coaches to other inspirational women who have conquered the challenges that we all face as modern women; time, focus, conflicting priorities and society's expectations of women.

Expos and Events

We'll be out and about this summer.  Look out for the orange Poppy Sports tent at triathlon expos around Colorado.  We'll be talking about the Membership Program and how we can be part of any woman's journey to the start line of a sprint through Ironman.  Whatever the distance, whether age grouper or pro, we all face the same challenges as women.

Team Poppy Sports Scholarship

We are so fortunate and excited to be able to offer a scholarship to one lucky lady to be part of Team Poppy Sports for a year. We will be announcing how to apply in the coming months. 

Follow us on social media @PoppySports for all our grant-supported events and announcements.

International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. 

Amazingly, International Women's Day has been observed since the early 1900s. Knock me over with a feather, but who would have thought it’s been observed for so long?

In line with the true meaning and celebrating International Women’s Day together as a sport-focused company, we called on our tribe of women triathletes and posed the question, ‘which women athletes have inspired you and why?’

When you stop for a minute in our crazy women’s lives to think of who have been there inspiring us throughout the years, we all probably have a few powerful female role models who touched us personally. 

And so we present here, the amazing stories of women inspiring women on this International Women’s Day.  

It's our day in history, ladies. Rock on!

Nicole Jonas, Indiana > April LeMieux

Name: Nicole Jonas, Indiana

What type of athlete are you?: Marathoner (just looking into tri, but haven't done one yet)

Which woman has inspired you?: April LeMieux

Why does April inspire you?: April is a great example of an overcomer. After a lumbar fusion in 2010, ongoing bouts of rheumatoid arthritis, and a variety of other health issues, she still gets out there and runs. And it's not just the running, but the quantity and quality of it. 

She regularly runs ultramarathons and trail races, and and has many times won her age group in shorter races. She is working on qualifying for Nationals. I've watched her have to pull out of races last-minute due to her health, only to get back up and get out there again as soon as she recovers. 

This girl does not give up! That's an inspiration.

How has April inspired you? I met April through our shared membership in Hogwarts Running Club, when our respective houses were paired up for a challenge race. She and I were partnered up to encourage each other throughout the online race, and we both discussed dealing with various health issues and how to get past them (I was racing with an undiagnosed stress fracture at the time). 

I noticed how encouraging she was to all runners, no matter how new or advanced they were. And even though she was highly competitive with herself, she always made sure to make room for people just starting out in the sport. It's definitely the attitude every athlete should have, and it's part of what makes our sport so special. 

I have tried to keep this same attitude myself as I started leading a local running club, by making it our policy that no one runs alone, even if that means someone (often me!) has to drop back a speed group for the day to run with a new member that doesn't have a partner. We are all in this together.

Gina Ostrander Cornell > Amy Downs

Name: Gina Ostrander Cornell

What type of athlete are you?: I am on my sixth attempt for Ironman - IMCOZ I finished in 17:30:33

Which woman has inspired you?: Amy Downs

How does Amy inspire you?:  Amy survived the Oklahoma City bombing and her story is about living as much as it is about triathlon.

Amy has inspired me just with her message of looking at life differently. Her message is fitting to triathlon or athletics as well as daily living.

She was the FINAL finisher at IMAZ in 2017 with minutes to spare. She's a lovely soul! I've never met her in person but she's just one of those people who you like immediately because of her spirit.

NOTE: Check out this amazing interview with Amy Downs on Ironman

Joy Place-Kranefuss > Lauren Opipari

Name: Joy Place-Kranefuss

What type of athlete are you?: Runner - marathon, half marathon and shorter distances. Recently I have gotten into triathlons and plan to do a 70.3 this August. But mostly I love running. 

I’m an Angel for MyTeamTriumph. We help our Captains finish races from 5Ks to Half marathons and sprint/Olympic triathlons

Which woman has inspired you?: Lauren Opipari

How does Lauren inspire you?: My friend Lauren has cerebral palsy. I met Lauren when she was a student at the school where I teach. Lauren inspires me to run more because she can’t and I get to act as her legs so she can race like I do.

At the Boulder Sunrise Sprint Tri this past summer I was there to act as a Sherpa. All day long, she’d look at me and let me know that she wanted me to be on her team. Just like she wanted me to push her in the Hot Chocolate 15k the year before. Lauren wanted me to be on her team. I told her I hated swimming BUT for her I’d try to do my first triathlon.

So I trained and completed my first on my own so I knew I could race with her for the Boulder Sunset Tri. Unfortunately the night before the Boulder Sunset, Lauren got sick. So here I am today still training for triathlons so I can race with her this year. She is totally my inspiration. I love training. But I love training knowing that she’s going to be able to race with me! She helps me be a better person!

Cheryl Johnson > Tara Davis

Name: Cheryl Johnson

What type of athlete are you?: I'm an Ironman 70.3 triathlete, marathoner, and pathetic swimmer!

Which woman has inspired you?: Tara Davis

How does Tara inspire you?: I was in a bad accident in 2013 in which Tara brought me back to life with her motivation....

I watched her when I couldn't move, I watched her when I couldn't walk, and I watched her while I relearned everything.....long story but it's not about me it's about her Tara Davis I chase her speed in running and cycling ....she is humble and kind!

She is true and believes in me when I wanna quit!!!! I have no quit in me because of her.....i have accomplished two full 26.2s, one Ironman 70.3, and hopefully a full Ironman because of her! How?  Because she is Tara that's how:)

Nadya Dhadiala > Haley Chura

Name: Nadya Dhadiala

What type of athlete are you?: Geez,, that's a tricky one. Well, I take that back, that is it - I am the weird athlete. I am 6 times Ironman, but I am also an ultra-runner and long distance swimmer (like 4-12 miles swims) . Recently I started tapping into cold water swimming. Overall it looks like I am doing things which not many people do. It does goes about training and non-training-related activities.

Which woman has inspired you?: Haley Chura

Why does Hayley inspire you?: Haley was my coach for 3 years. During all those time she was "getting me" more than anybody else around did. Her absolute brightness of character and her pure loving point of view for all things around and for all athletic endeavors including is so charismatic and so much coincides with what I love about life and sport.

Seeing her in real being like at the whole next level of human being development is truly inspiring for me , helps me to thing we all have our unique sparks and athletic talents and we should go for them "ALL OUT" (from our workouts).

How does Haley inspire you?: When I learned about her first time when looking for a coach here in Atlanta, I was totally amazed by how cheering and laughing and just happy person she is, and by how focused she is top most best at her athletic area of life as well. The combination of these two is so rare. She cheered on for all of my crazy training ideas!

"- Can I do 12 miles swim with having just average max 10K swim volume in 6 months and then do Ironman Louisville 4 months after that? " - YES!

"Can I do Leadville 100 mile run and 100 miles 4 months before that for training purposes and 7 miles swim 4 weeks after 100 miles run and Ironman Chattanooga after that in fall all while having busy work schedule and travels? " - YES!

She would direct me wisely , but she pulled the best out of me with every single "crazy" idea . This itself , this belief she had that these crazy events combined together are possible for me, was my inspiration from her side. And with all of that she helped me to keep tapping into the best version of me I didn't know I would be otherwise.

And then through the course of 1 year and then 1 more year I see her going through impossible - that bike crash and her comeback to podium like 9 times a year at Ironman and Half-Ironman events as a Pro? That was mind blowing!

And all of that - done with huge giving back to her community of athletes - she is teaching swimming, she is a coach for other absolutely smashing outstanding athletes I know : seeing the real result of her work in real life for real people is absolutely inspiring as well. I want to be like her when I grow up :) 

NOTE: Read Nadya's blog post about Haley here

Elizabeth Spitz > Andrea Lytle Peet

Name: Elizabeth Spitz

What type of athlete are you?: A triathlete

Which woman has inspired you?: Andrea Lytle Peet

Why has Andrea inspired you?: Andrea was my college roommate. She is a 36 year old female living with ALS while completing triathlons, half marathons and marathons. She inspired me to complete my first (of now many) triathlons in 2016. You can read more about her at http://TeamdDrea.com.

Andrea Lytle Peet was diagnosed with ALS in 2014 at the age of 33, less than a year after completing 5 triathlons, including a 70.3-mile half Ironman.

Remarkably, she has continued to participate in races. Since diagnosis, she has completed 3 triathlons, 4 half marathons, and 3 marathons. Her goal for 2016 is to do 12 races on her recumbent trike, each in honor of someone with ALS who has inspired her.

Karolina Hjelte > Kelly Lang

Name: Karolina Hjelte

What type of athlete are you?: A triathlete

Which woman has inspired you?: Kelly Lang

How has Kelly inspired you?: Kelly Lang is my biggest inspiration for doing tris. I wouldn't have dreamed about trying to do a tri before she convinced me. I have so many examples from social media and online interviews she's done with Ironman etc. She has inspired me in life as a female role model since I was 11 years old.

When she met her boyfriend some years ago as he was coaching her and some of her coworkers, she got really into tris and encouraged me to try it out too. She invited me to come watch her do her first European Ironman 70.3 soon after her very first Ironman 70.3 in California. I loved watching her and her boyfriend compete and they both convinced me to do a tri.

I got an entry level road bike and signed up for a local sprint. She wanted me to join the Women For Tri FaceBook page and she encouraged me the entire way leading up to the race and congratulated me after I had finished my first tri. I then watched her race at the 70.3 World Championship in Austria and THE Ironman World Championship race in Kona along with Moira and Kyrsten that year.

While her boyfriend and I cheered for her on that magical course, he convinced me to sign up for a HIM. (The video clip of it is sooo funny. My reaction was to laugh at the suggestion.) They both convinced me to do more tris, so the following season I did another sprint and an olympic as well as a half marathon, along with the usual 5 and 10k races I've done since I was little, before watching her boyfriend and some of the fabulous women from the FB page compete in Kona.

By then, I had already signed up for my first full marathon and was inspired to sign up for my first Ironman 70.3. I finished both races and signed up for this year's races right afterwards along with a second Ironman 70.3 as well. Then Kelly and her boyfriend decided to sign up for the marathon I'm doing next month, so if they start too all three of us will be doing the same race on the same course.

To think I wouldn't have done anything longer than a 15k race and never would have thought of doing a tri if they hadn't convinced me. Sometimes all you need is some (or lots of) encouragement from some awesome super athletes.

After five tris and currently signed up for 2 more Ironman 70.3's I guess I can call myself a triathlete now.

More Inspirations for International Women's Day

Name: Jessica Cooney 

My BFF and training partner Kelley Stanley. She is relentless, overcomes any challenge and is a mom, nurse, triathlete and the most calm, composed, and kind person I know. And she completed her second ironman even though she started puking early on the bike and continued through the entire race!!! Finished literally dragging herself to the line with 1 min to spare!!! we call her a mental giant!

Name: Alyce Edwards

Anna Dave Staples was my inspiration to get into the sport. When this 60 year old woman is training for an Olympic distance and says "if I can do it then you can do it". Without her I wouldn't be into it now.

Name: Megan Ray Malanga 

My friend and former track mate Maria. She's a retired DEA agent (worked Miami in the 80's), in her mid 50's and crushes all of her races. Always on the podium. Suffered a near fatal bike accident a few years ago, but survived and came back stronger. She's truly my hero!

Name: Anna Taranenko 

Sara Randolph, San Francisco chapter leader of California Triathlon. With the full time job and 4 kids she is killing it!

Name: Beth Wenger 

My friend and high school classmate BethAnn Telford is that voice in my head that says "never give up because anything is possible." She has been my inspiration for years! BethAnn is an endurance athlete and 12 year brain cancer survivor who has dedicated her life and athletic pursuits to raising awareness and funds for much needed research for finding a cure for brain tumors, particularly in children. 

She has raised over $835,000 for brain cancer research so far. Two of her biggest athletic accomplishments are completing the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, in 2012 and the World Marathon Challenge--running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 consecutive days --last year.

At Poppy Sports we are plant-lovers.  I might not be fully plant-based (cappuccinos are in my repertoire and always will be; I am a Euro after all!) but most of my diet is now plant based.  Why?  In a nutshell, my energy levels are so much higher and that translates to a better work/life/sport balance.

I thrive not only on plants, but on learning (especially podcast-based on long runs) and here is a summary of the great books, cookbooks and podcasts that particularly support plant-based athletes.

I'll keep updating these resources, so keep checking back!

Plant-Based Cookbooks

VB6: Vegan Before Six by Mark Bitten

A great introduction to moving to a plant-based diet if you are contemplating the switch.  This bestseller focuses on eating whole food plant based before dinner, and healthier versions of your more traditional meals for the evening meal.  Great tips throughout.

The VB6 Cookbook by Mark Bitten

A companion to the VB6 book with over 350 recipes for healthy vegan meals during the day and what the author named 'flexitarian' dinners at night.

A great resource for those beginning to introduce a more vegan approach to your nutrition.

The Plantpower Way: Whole food and plant-based recipes and guidance for the whole family by Rich Roll and Julie Piatt

We have more people to feed other than just ourselves!  The PlantPower Way offers practical advice (and recipes) to bring your family on the plant-based journey too.  

It might not always be perfect, 'Mom, it do NOT like this!' but this book does offer practical advice to help all your family have a more open approach to a more veggie-filled plate.  Simplicity is at its core, and we like that!

The PlantPure Nation Cookbook by Kim Campbell

Over 150 plant-based recipes again, based on the documentary film PlantPure Nation that highlighted how plant-based nutrition impacted a small town in the rural south.  

Every recipe comes with a photograph, which we love as cooks and for quick browsing to find what you need.  The book includes good advice on how to build a plant-based pantry and breaks the recipes into meal types and snacks. It also - importantly includes spices, toppings, marinades and dressings; an important step of adding amazing flavors to any plant-based meal.  

My fave:  Black bean and rice burgers.  Easy, delish, quick and baked, so no messy frying pan - that has my vote.

The China Study Cookbook: Over 120 Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipes

This comprehensive cookbook has over 120 whole food plant-based recipes and has sold over 850,000 copies.  The China Study was the most comprehensive nutrition study ever conducted revealing that following a plant-based diet leads to optimal health with the power to halt or reverse many diseases.

Learn more about The China Study featured in the documentary Forks Over Knives available on Netflix. Author Leanne Campbell is the daughter of the author of The China Study T. Collin Campbell.

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Best part of Veganomicon?  The authors include menus for every occasion which makes thinking outside of the traditional entertaining box much easier to digest (pun intended!) 

Add to that, the collection of super-quick meals to get onto the table and 'into your belly' in under 45 minutes.  What it lacks in pretty food photography, it makes up for ease of use and offering very practical ways to eat plant-based. 

Inspirational Books from Plant Based Athletes

Finding Ultra by Rich Roll

An inspiring book from author (and podcaster - see below) Rich Roll who went from overweight lawyer to living a plant-based lifestyle and a ultra endurance athlete.  You will walk away from reading his story believing everyone has the power to transform your life on every level

Eat & Run by Scott Jurek

Probably one of the most famed plant-based athletes who was before his time.  For nearing two decades Scott Jurek has been one of the world's most impressive ultra marathon runners who also happens to be vegan.  With recipes at the end of each chapter (the vegan chili with bulgar wheat as the 'meat' substitute is amazing - I know, I eat it every week) Jurek challenges us all to expand our food horizons.

Podcasts on Plant Based Lifestyles

The Rich Roll Podcast

Vegan athlete Rich Roll touches on many different subjects in his long-form podcasts. Many of the episodes touch on nutrition and living a plant-based lifestyle and what that means for a person and their larger circle.  Listen deeper and you may find yourself expanding your horizons in other areas of your life as well.  

I love tuning into this podcast on long runs; some of them 'run' up to two hours.  Highly recommended.

Documentaries

Forks Over Knives

The ultimate documentary to the health reasons for adopting a plant-based diet. This documentary showcases scientific studies that have proven the benefits but met with negative feedback from the food 'establishment' who appear to put profit before public health. 

As the documentarian covers the science and research, he puts himself on a plant-based diet and sees the impact on his health over a period of several months. A must-see for anyone considering the science behind being vegan.

Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue

A pratical documentary made by the Forks Over Knives team that follows Rip Essentyn, former pro-triathlete and firefighter at the Engine 2 station in Austin, advising families on the basics of eating a whole-food, plant-based diet. Offers practical advise on how to eat #plantstrong

Vegucated

Vegucated is a guerrilla-style documentary that follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks and learn what it's all about.  Amazing to see some transformations and the struggles they all face at points throughout the journey.  Small spoiler here; the results are varied!  

Food Inc

An unflattering look at the US's corporate controlled food industry.  Enough said.

These books, documentaries and podcasts just scratch there surface of resources available to athletes interested a more plant-based approach to nutrition and the benefits of such.  We'll keep adding to his list as we research more, but this is a great list to get you started.

Comment below and let us know your favorite go-to resources.

Giving Back to Women & Girls

Earlier this year, we had a wake up call at Poppy Sports.

We'd taken part in the March of Women in Denver and know, as women, we all have a bigger story to tell.  We saw over 100,000 women from all walks of life, coming together for the good of our gender. 

This event really hammered home to our team our mission of empowering women through sport, continues to be more important than ever. 

Every day, we focus our mission on helping active women to be healthy in mind and body. We are fortunate to be who we are and so in 2017/8 we want to pay it forward to the next generation of badass women and help those who need it most.

EMPOWER Bracelets by Poppy Sports

We are proud, excited and just a little bit giddy to launch the EMPOWER bracelets by Poppy Sports.  

20% of profits from the sale of each bracelet will be donated directly to one of four organizations that support women and girls.  

We've chosen each organization carefully based on empowerment and giving a supporting hand to women and girls who really need it.

The Organizations We're Supporting

• GIRLS ON THE RUN: Getting girls running together.  Girls' participation in sport drops dramatically when puberty hits. Girls on the Run helps to get them enthusiastic about running and the running lifestyle before then, to help them make it through with running as part of their healthy lifestyle.


• DAYS FOR GIRLS: Every girl, every day, period. Girls miss school merely because of their period.  The number of days and education missed due to limited access to sanitary wear is unforgivable in our world. Days for Girls provides sustainable sanitary wear on a global scale to keep girls in education.


• GIRLS INC: Inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold.  If we are to have a strong generation of girls after us, they have to hear that they are strong and smart and bold from as many channels as possible.  Girls Inc does just that, supporting the next generation of girls to have a bold voice of their own.


• DRESS FOR SUCCESS: Empowering women to economic independence. Dress for Success provides women with confidence, self esteem and the clothes they need to succeed in a professional setting. 

How can you EMPOWER?

When you purchase an EMPOWER bracelet, you have the option to choose one of the four organizations.  

Chose your preferred color and organization and we'll take care of the rest. 

Perfect Holiday Gifts for Women & Teens

Make this year's gift giving meaningful and give a bracelet for every women and girl on your list. Each bracelet comes wrapped in a unique Poppy Sports gift box containing a special message about the organization you chose. 

The EMPOWER bracelets can be gently squeezed to fit even the slightest of wrists, so equally perfect for teenagers and tweens.

It's time to give back, and the holiday season is no better time to spread love and empowerment far and wide.

The Poppy Sports WeeklyPlanner

Even for the most organized and motivated of people, prioritizing and time management can be a challenge. When you have a clear idea of the most important goals of the week, then it's easier to avoid those things that can distract us.  This is where a tool as simple as a weekly planner really comes into its own.

So you can get a grip on your week, and make sure that your athletic and training goals stay on track, download our weekly planner and plan to run your week before it runs away with you.

Write it down, give it importance

It's been proven time and time again, if you write something down and/or 'book' a meeting with yourself for your training sessions, treating them with the same importance as you would a check in with your boss, the better chance they will not fall off your day's schedule.

The goal of committing to using a weekly planner is a start to remind yourself of what is important to you.  There will never be enough hours in the day to do everything you want or need, but putting what is most significant to you at the forefront is a great step to making forward progress.

Embrace a new approach to your time to plan your week, and your athletic goals will come.

Stop ruminating, start doing

Think of all the mindless ruminating you do every day; what to cook for dinner, who you need to remember to call/email, the minutiae of daily management that clutters your day.  

Now imagine, these are all in your planner.  You don't need to worry about what it was that was in your head, so you move onto being more productive with your day.  

More productivity means you have a better chance of that training time for YOU.  Click below to get our full weekly planner with tips and motivation to rock your week.

Meditation on paper

The act of writing something down somewhere has its merits; after all people have been putting their thoughts down since before the invention of paper.

Although we live in a world of electronics, it appears paper is still here to stay and journaling has become more than a collection of thoughts.  It's almost turning into another form of meditation; a quiet space where you can process the day that has been or the day that is to come.

When a pen and paper is not enough

Notebooks are abound in the Poppy Sports HQ.  There has been much strategic planning, note taking, and life goals written down in them there pages.  However, sometimes we all need a little guidance along the plan of life.  Enter The Daily Greatness Journal - a fabulous discovery from the team that brings you Poppy Sports.

The Daily Greatness Journal is as practical as it is inspiring.  Over 400 colored pages features a planner (undated so you can start anytime) as well as a plethora of other tools to support your path to leading a more mindful life.  

What's inside the Daily Greatness Journal 

Over 450 full color pages in the Daily Greatness Journal give you a comprehensive, and beautiful approach to life planning.  Not only practical for the usual daily logistics, the journal poses the bigger questions to hold you accountable to life beyond this week's calendar responsibilities. 

• Day-to-a-View Planner
• Comprehensive Goal Planning System
• Gratitude Journal
• Weekly, quarterly and yearly check-ins
• Weekly and quarterly goal planners
• Inspirational Quotes
• Appointment planner
• Life clarity worksheets
• Prompts and reminders for staying on track
• Undated, so you can start anytime

Why are we endorsing the Daily Greatness Journal?

When we came across the Daily Greatness Journal, we all agreed it would be supportive tool to bring to Poppy Sports - especially to our monthly accountability posse - Team Poppy Sports.  

We mentioned the notepads in our office - we had one for planning, one for personal stuff, another for doodling.  This journal brought all those together in one place. It was magic.

Now if you have a notebook addiction problem, then we cannot guarantee this journal will solve that! But we can guarantee - if you commit to it - the process of the journal will raise your life game.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Feel overwhelmed?  Then let the Daily Greatness Journal reveal where you are over-scheduling.
• Consider yourself lacking direction?  Then allow the journal to lead you down the path of self discovery through the life clarity worksheets.
• Need more manageable goals? Set them and learn how to be more present so you can actually achieve them
• Want to develop a more mindful life? It's hard. Don't expect it to be easy with the pressures of a modern life.  The practice of the Daily Greatness Journal allows you to make time for the practice of mindfulness through its guided pages.   That, my friends is priceless.

Check out The Daily Greatness Journal 

At the recent BlogHer conference, Donna Orender moderated a panel about the important role of women athletes in inspiring and empowering women and girls.

Given our mission at Poppy Sport is empowering women through sport, we were groupies in the front row, thrilled to see this topic front and center at a national level.

There were some inspiring women in the panel line up:

• Donna Orender:  Founder of Generation W, a platform connecting women and girls


• Gabrielle Reece: Pro-volleyball player and first Nike endorsed woman athlete Gabrielle Reece


• Laurie Hernandez: 2016 Rio Olympic medal winning gymnast


• Jessi Miley-Dyer: Women's Commissioner of the World Surf League


• Dani Rylan: Founder and Commissioner of the National Women's Hockey League

Are you an athlete? The heart of an athlete

That was the question first posed by Donna Orender to the audience. A few of us raised our hands. I threw mine up and gave a woo hoo.

Not thrown off by the lack of hands Donna went on to add that she played in the NBA not because she was 6ft and statuesque, but because she had the heart of an athlete. The kind of heart that is determined, focused, embracing, strong, and the kind that doesn’t shy from hard work.

She then posed the question again; do you consider yourself and athlete now? The majority threw up their hands.

How sport influences self esteem

Each of the athletes in the panel shared a commonality to their experiences being involved in sport. 

Self esteem.

The self-esteem was brought on by being strong, passionate and involved in something bigger than themselves. 

Whether it was a team or an individual sport, it didn’t matter.

Sport can shape girls with life lessons and in a world of oversaturated media, every girl needs more insight at a younger age to discover who they are, their strengths and their fortitude.

Peak Performance

We can all use what we know as athletes to be peak performers in other aspects of our lives. It’s well documented that athletes have a specific insight into long term work. You can be a high performing athlete without a work ethic that leads you there.

When we encourage girls to stay the long course and be part of an athletic journey, we are showing them the way to a stronger life and growing into women they can respect.

‘You don’t have to act like a man to be a badass woman’

Decades ago, women were written off as men-wannabe’s if you were an athlete. 

The moderator Donna Orender agreed. 

Using the example of the NBA, she commented yes, male NBA athletes are amazing and should be celebrated for their talent and strength. Just like WNBA athletes should also be celebrated not compared with the NBA stars. 

Every gender of athlete deserves the merit of being celebrated for how they are.

Gabrielle Reece had a great comment about women not needing to act like men. 

'As women, we are blessed with not only power, but femininity, love and strength. She reminded everyone that you don’t have to be act like a man to be a badass woman.'

Pressure is a privilege

Billie Jean King made these words famous when she declared ‘pressure is a privilege.’ This phrase came up a lot at BlogHer. I liked to think of it as the unofficial motto of the weekend.

Serena Williams (yes, that Serena Williams) mentioned it too in her session where she talked about her career.

As athletes we have all had a moment where we question our sanity as we’re on a start line or feeling overwhelmed by the endeavor we have taken on.

It serves us to remind ourselves that we are privileged to be in these situations; and amongst those who push us to challenge who we are. 

These are experiences that women a generation ago never had the chance to experience.

From now on, I am owning this phrase as my mantra before every race.

How we inspire young girls

Every time we lace up the running shoes, take a girl to watch pro women athletes, we are inspiring them.

Olympic medal winner Laurie Hernadez dreamt of becoming a gymnast after she watched a performance on television.

If you cannot see it, you cannot dream it. This is especially true of lesser-covered sports like surfing.

So we challenge you to expose as many girls in your life to as many sports as possible.

This very weekend I am going to watch a ski jumping competition (in July, I know!), because why not?! Do some research, find some sports – be it live or on You Tube, and let them see women in action.

Using Social Media for Good

Social media gets a bad reputation a lot of the time. But let's focus on how it can help.  Girls now have access to amazing roll models that can inspire them every day.  Celebrate that with them.  Allow them (if age appropriate) to engage in real conversations with their sports idols as a means of aspiration and you never know, they might answer back.  

Even as an adult, seeing real time how my own sports idols work their tails off to be where they are, has allowed me to see that they 'suffer' just as much as I do; they just do it faster.  

Sport as the game of life

As women, every one of us can all learn from sport. The main takeaway from the panel was that women are strong; women are really powerful.  

And the more we talk about the strength of women, the more we champion us and our peers, the better chance we all have of leading the next generation on every level.

Cheers!

Melanie

Runner’s World Magazine has arrvived in my mailbox for years and shamelessly I devour their words - hanging on to one of the last bastions of printed media.

What I admire about Runner’s World is how they are navigating the print/online equation and I think it’s only made the content in the magazine even better.

For many of us running is about more than just training programs and PRs. Runner’s World has embraced this, with each issue featuring a long form written piece contemplating the bigger question of what it is to be a runner.

The Story of Runner Amy Frohnmayer Winn

This month was no exception. Runner’s World chose to feature a beautifully written piece by John Brant about runner Amy Frohnmayer Winn.

Amy was one of five children, three of whom suffered from a genetic condition called fanconi anemia (FA) a recessive gene disorder that causes fatal bone marrow failure and rising to uncurable leukemia. Amy ran. She didn’t run for PRs or glory, she ran because of what it gave her in the moment.

Amy and her family witnessed losing two of her siblings to FA and Amy was under no illusions of what her life’s path would be. She embraced that with a fortitude that many of us can only admire.

We are huge advocates at Poppy Sports that life ‘takes a village’; we all need a support crew, our own personal aid stations as we navigate whatever life and sport throws at us. Amy’s family were nothing short of amazing for her, her siblings and for the community of people with fanconi anemia.

Her mother became one of the leading national advocates for research through the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund they founded in 1989 and through the National Bone Marrow Registry cofounded by her father . Through the research the fund has allowed, FA sufferers have more options to call upon.

If you read anything today, put aside 30 minutes and head over to Runner’s World and read the story of runner Amy Frohnmayer Winn. 

You’ll appreaciate every day you get to lace up your running shoes. 

The start of a new year is a perfect time for athletes to set goals for the next 12 months.  You've already seen the end of the pervious race season, the holiday season is behind you and it's time to refocus on what is ahead for the year.

Endurance athletes are known for their structured and methodical look at the world. After all, you can't just decide to do an Ironman one day and knock it out the park the next week!

Goal setting, planning and managing training time is commonplace among athletes, and for that we should all give ourselves some credit.  

According to Leonie Dawson 80% of people give no thought to goals at all.  That stat alone just blows me away.

Hit restart

January 1st is usually a quiet day, sleeping in and starting the year slowly.  

However, this year, I forewent the usual party heavy New Years Eve celebrations this year and decided to commit to a swim challenge on 01.01.17.  Ten thousand meters broken into 100 x 100m.  

Why?  I want to change up my life and business considerably in 2017.  Starting off with a bang was a way to shake things up from the moment the year started!  

I've set in motion a different start to the year, to give me a better chance of the goals I've set. 

Refer back, reflect, and plan ahead

If you're ready to move forward with your year ahead and whether or not you wrote down any goals during 2016, take the time now to think about what you achieved.

1. Did you have a specific athletic goal?
2. Was your time management a positive or negative?
3. Did you have any unexpected 'wins'?
4. How did you approach nutrition during the year?
5. How was your ability to balance family, work and sport?

The key to setting your intentions for the year ahead is to be able to look back at your accomplishments, reflect on them and then set the bar higher for the next year.

January Challenge

Every month we set a new challenge for Team Poppy Sports members.  This month we'll be contemplating a perfectly planned 2017 based on our reflections on last year and what lofty goals we have for the twelve months ahead.  

If you'd like to join us on this journey and have an accountable partner for your goals, check us out at Team Poppy Sports. 

We're here to be your partner in sport!