Just keep breathing and everything else will fall into place. This helps keep movement in the front of Daisy’s mind.
Daisy is our Market Leader in North Hills and our Saucony expert. She’s been a big fan of Saucony for a long time. She’s also a regular contributor to our posts.
We caught up with Daisy to find out what role movement plays in her life.
How important is it to stay moving? Why do you prioritize movement?
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It’s very important to stay active and keep moving. In my life, I never stopped playing. I didn’t stop at sports.
I started running in my free time. Activity has allowed me to stay involved in the game, whatever the game may be. It’s sort of like speaking a different language, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.
Being active is a way for me to decompress. Some of my best runs have been after a crazy day at work. I would be a lot more stressed if I didn’t have some sort of physical outlet for it.
How do you maintain movement motivation during the holidays?
I always struggle with motivation, no matter the time of year or the temperature outside. But I’ve never regretted working out.
When I’m trying to get out the door and go for a run I take things one at a time. Get dressed (check), pick out my shoes (check), stretch a little (check), warm-up (check). By then, I’m already mentally and physically invested in working out/running. At which point, it’s much easier to get out the door.
How do you stay active indoors?
I have a treadmill for when it’s precipitating (rain is not the most fun in the cold). I don’t love going long distances on it, so I work it into circuit training. That means I will run a little bit. Then I do an ab workout. Then, depending on the day, a workout with various muscle groups. Repeat 3 or 4 times. I modify it every time so it’s never the same workout twice.
How do you stay active outdoors?
Outdoor running for the win! I was always afraid I wouldn’t like running in the cold, so I only started two years ago after a friend told me winter running was his favorite.
Winter was usually my off-season. But I’m so so glad I tried it and stuck with it. You definitely need to dress in layers and warm up inside. A good rule of thumb is whatever temperature it is, add 15 degrees and that’s how it’ll feel when your running.
What is your mantra?
“Just keep breathing.” If I can focus on my breath, everything else falls into place. I sing it like Dory sings “just keep swimming” in Finding Nemo.
How important is it to give during the holidays? Why do you do it? In what ways do you give back?
We partner with Open Table Ministry and collect shoes for them to give to the homeless year-round. I love hearing stories about how much these people in need appreciate a good pair of shoes. A lot of times, running shoes can still have some life in them, even if they are too worn down to run. It’s a great way to better the lives of people in our own community.
What do you love about Saucony?
I love Saucony first and foremost because they provide a consistently great product. Everything they make is amazing. Whether it be their shoes, clothes, or even their socks, you can tell it’s well thought out and implemented to perfection. It’s a brand that takes innovation to heart and is constantly trying to improve and create new technologies to make the run better.
What is your favorite Saucony shoe? Does it vary if you are training vs. competing?
Right now my favorite shoe is the Endorphin Shift 2. My feet are on the more difficult side to fit. I was a dancer growing up and it caused them to become incredibly flexible.
I often find shoes, even stability shoes to be too flexible, allowing my foot to flex too much. But l love how stiff the Shift 2 is. It totally protects my foot and makes my transition from heel to toe faster. This is my long-distance training shoe.
The Kinvara is my go-to racing shoe. It’s light, it’s cushioned, and it doesn’t fight my orthotic. No frills or fancy bells and whistles on this model. With the Kinvara, I can feel the road and feel more connected to the race. It’s also the same drop (4mm) as the Shift, so it doesn’t change my gait too much switching between the two.
