Nothing motivates us more than hearing the inspiring stories of other runners. Monica recently caught up with Andrew Nigrosh, a friend from college who has been reading our column and decided to give running a shot. The 22-year-old has been braving the winter weather in Manhattan to get in better shape and he’s loving it! What inspired you to start running? I just moved to NYC after graduating college and apparently that makes me an adult. Part of what that means for me is taking better care of my body. Another part of it, equally if not more significant to the point, is the body image …

Falls Church couple Monica Boland and Aaron Alford chronicle their return to a running lifestyle. The third week of January is a critical time in the life of New Year’s fitness resolutions. For the first two weeks of January, gyms, pools and running paths are crowded with a sudden influx of strangers, the ‘resolver’ crowd. We’ve all been one! In years when we didn’t need to make fitness resolutions, we skipped the gym and the pool until mid-January. By then, the inevitable attrition begins to kick in. The crowds begin to thin back to the old familiar faces and by the middle of February the …

Christmas is just around the corner and we all know what that means: last-minute shopping, endless holiday parties, traveling, entertaining out-of-towners and copious amounts of delicious food. Make running a priority during the holiday season and we guarantee it will make a difference in your life. Whether it helps you unwind after a stressful day of shopping or makes you feel more confident about the holiday treats you’ll be enjoying over the next few days, the impact of running around the holidays is always positive. Here’s a list of local runs and races to keep you fit and healthy over …

As temperatures drop and cold weather hits, staying motivated to run outdoors can be tough. For those of us who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, our energy levels dwindle by the time the workday ends. It’s already dark out and our bodies trick us into thinking it’s time to hibernate. We often feel tempted to succumb to the comforts of home, but we’ve trained ourselves to keep that thought in mind while we’re working out. It’s our treat earned at the end of a great run. Here are some basics to our winter training guide to help you remain active during chilly winter months so that you’…

In the event of a zombie apocalypse, do you think you would survive? After crossing the finish line of a zombie-infested 5K and obstacle course race last weekend, there was no doubt in our minds that we are survivors. We completed the first-ever Run For Your Lives race in Darlington, MD with our friends Valeria, Katie, Amy and Lindsey. We spent two months training for the race with the girls, alternating between long trail runs and intense fitness runs. Two nights before our race, we ran a seven-mile loop that included all of the major monuments around the National Mall. We felt ready to run …

Ethan Hoskins-Propst is a family friend and one of our favorite running buddies. The City of Falls Church resident is a sophomore at George Mason High School. Aaron: The first time I recognized that Ethan was interested in running was when I saw him race in the kids’ mile at a Halloween 5K in Fairfax. He was all elbows and knees and his shaggy hair seemed to have a life of its own as he galloped along. Like most eight-year-olds, he was fascinated with trying to discern exactly who was watching him run. More than once he went around corners with his torso and legs working in different …

The cooling weather and shortening days have hardened our hearts against running on roads and pretty much any other paved surface. The promise of fall foliage and insect-free running inspired us to find new trails for fall and winter adventures. We thought we knew all of the local trails and spurs, but a few minutes of online searching revealed some pleasant surprises. Cross County Connector: One look at the map and we knew that we had utilized only a fraction of this resource. The Cross County Connector uses the Difficult Run Trail to tie into a series of trails and parks that stretches a …

As a part of our training for the inaugural Run for Your Lives 5K (a zombie-infested obstacle course race), we have joined forces with a group of friends to enhance our chances of surviving Maryland’s first zombie apocalypse. While the number of friends that have joined our weekly trail run has varied, the range of running experience has not. We are a wildly mixed group ranging from a new runner and yoga fiend to an ex-trail running addict. Our first few trail dates were typical mixed-group trail runs. After a few miles, we were strung out over several hundred yards of trail. Despite the …

We are often asked the rhetorical question, “Why would I run unless I’m being chased?” Normally, we would take the opportunity to explain all of the amazing benefits of running. But as of today, we’ve readjusted our mindset. We’re ready to run for our lives. We just registered for the first ever zombie-infested 5K obstacle course race. For 3.1 miles, we will try to escape from the running undead while navigating a series of 12 obstacles at a secluded campground. We may not succeed in protecting our brains, but we’re all invited to a sweet after party where survivors and the infected can …

It’s race day! If you’re like us, those three little words often conjure up images of speed demons competing for first place in the Marine Corps Marathon or the never-ending thump of tired feet on unforgiving pavement. We try mightily to shake these images from our minds and remember that racing can be fun and interesting. In fact, our approach to racing is a bit different than the norm. We don’t see it as a competition. We see it as an opportunity to build mileage, train and have a good time. That isn’t to say that we haven’t trained with a certain time or other goal in mind. But right now, …

In the past few months, we have received several questions from readers. For this week’s column, we thought we would feature one reader’s questions that highlight common concerns of new or returning runners.  I love the new column and I had a couple of questions for you guys. I’ve had some chronic back and shoulder pains the past couple of years due to stress and terrible posture and I feel the extreme need to get fit and put everything back in balance. I participate in intermediate yoga occasionally but that’s about it and it’s definitely not enough exercise. Coupled with my own desire and …

Our goal for the past six weeks has been to build a solid mileage base. Mission accomplished! We have proved to ourselves that we can beat the heat and frequent case of the blahs after a long day at the office to get out on the trail. We’re feeling pumped and ready to move onto the next challenge. We are now at the point where we feel comfortable picking up more miles and putting together a training plan. As we gear up for a higher intensity running schedule, we are discussing all of the necessary steps that need to be taken. On a particularly splendid run this week where we both felt clear-…

We live in an age saturated with talk shows and self-help books that malign parents in every way possible. We respectfully disagree with the zeitgeist. In addition to being wonderful parents and role models, fathers can also inspire and encourage a love of fitness and an understanding of what it means to “age successfully.” Here’s the totally unbiased story of two incredible fitness dads. Aaron: My father likes to say that he taught his children “by his example.” In other words, he aspires to live what he preaches. Boy, did he ever! He’s been preaching and practicing fitness for all of my 36 …

The hardest part of running is the simple act of getting out the door. Once you’ve made a conscious choice to peel yourself off the couch and hit the trail, things start to look a little different. About three miles into an evening run last week, we felt sweaty, tired and overheated. Oppressive heat, gnats and the occasional mosquito should have been sufficient to send us home early. Instead, we decided that our conversation deserved an extra mile to ripen to its logical fruition. At the end of the run, we ran into a friend that is recovering from a serious injury. In full earnest, we …

Monica: Two years ago, I would’ve rather been caught dead than seen mid-run by the object of my affection. And yet, there I was, running uphill in 90-degree weather with sweat dripping down my beet-red face – and Aaron just so happened to pass me in his car. I nearly died. Before I could speak, he had parked his car, put on his running shoes and finished climbing that monster hill with me. We had only been dating for a few weeks. Aaron was training for an ultra-distance trail race right before we met, put on hold due to an injury. I, on the other hand, had run off and on but never more than …