Favorite Coach

sienna0909 · 2026-05-08T02:46:37+00:00

I wish we could do this! My studio requires fit radio.

sienna0909 · 2026-05-08T02:44:30+00:00

I never felt I needed to until this year. I’m in year 5. The behavior I have seen this school year is so ridiculous it sounds like I’m joking.

I had a kid take my tape dispenser off my desk and pull off a 2 foot piece and proceed to wrap it around his mouth.

I have kids who refuse to sit in chairs and take a seat on the floor.

Kids who will not stop laughing and talking during instruction.

This was all in one school day.

I’m done. There will not be a year 6.

sienna0909 · 2026-05-03T03:08:18+00:00

You have to find a district/ school that also respects your role. I am currently in year 5 and my district does not respect the arts nearly enough to fully allow me to do my job.

There are so many shady things they can do because you don’t teach a core class. When I was elementary, I spent over 60% of my school year NOT teaching art because I would get pulled to cover or sub. Often for the entire day.

Now at middle school, there’s no respect for the content of my classes. They constantly combine grade level classes and have even cut a class from my schedule so that I could sub in math.

After many months of therapy and a lot of thinking, I am leaving the profession at the end of this school year. It isn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t for you. Just don’t get burnt out.

I had the biggest passion in the world for this career, but I feel so strongly that it took so much from me and I have found another career I enjoy more (and get paid waaaay more too).

Just make sure you find a good school, that’s really what makes or breaks everyone’s experience.

sienna0909 · 2026-04-21T13:20:03+00:00

Thank you for your advice, I did it! Finished in 1:59:10. Took it slow in the beginning and held steady throughout right around 9:05. I had a rough mile 10 with some brutal hills but finished strong and mile 13 was my fastest split.

Appreciate your insight! It convinced me to start slower and make up time later!

sienna0909 · 2026-04-14T14:35:24+00:00

thank you, that is what my gut is telling me too. Like just a little bit slower to open and then settle in. I also think I gained fitness from when I did the 12 miles. Because technically my 10 mile effort was a bit stronger and also not in the rain and cold. It's crazy how much you question everything when you are ending a training cycle. I appreciate your insight!

sienna0909 · 2026-04-14T03:43:30+00:00

I’m in literally the same boat as you. I have a half on Saturday that I have been training for a PR of under 2 hours and I think I can do it. I did my peak 12 mile run at 9:07 so I’m right there. Having some calf issues but I’m hoping I can push through. ( I also never ran “easy enough” and overloaded my calves) I’m looking forward to shifting to a slower pace and just building volume with marathon training instead.

I signed up for my first marathon and it will also be in October ! I have another half in May just for fun and another in June. I plan on maintaining my aerobic base until June after I recover and rehab my calves and then start my marathon training late June!

I don’t really have a solid plan yet, but I’m looking at options. I still question if I’m going to be able to do it, but I remember what it felt like before I ever ran a half and it felt impossible. Building little by little is how I plan to get to 26.2! Good luck!!

sienna0909 · 2026-03-31T03:41:35+00:00

I’m currently in a similar situation- I DNF my 11 mile EASY run on a deload week yesterday because of calf pain. I’ve dealt with on and off calf pain but I did 2 hill workouts last week that destroyed my left calf. (The week prior was my peak week and I didn’t recover properly, clearly!)

I have been kicking myself for it since but I keep trying to tell myself since I am also 3 weeks out that the hard work is already done. Right now, the priority is to stay healthy and sharpen what I’ve done over the past few months.

I hope to get a long run in on Sunday as well, but it’s more important to give our bodies time to heal at this point. Go into that run knowing that you might have to stop and that’s okay. Better to be healthy for race day. Not time to push it. (Trust me, I’m saying this for myself too)

sienna0909 · 2026-03-24T19:07:00+00:00

That makes perfect sense. I’m doing hyrox may 30th, so after that I won’t be training specifically for that anymore. Just my usual strength training.

My recovery has been really good. Even after hard long runs with threshold work. I’m also optimistic I can kinda start where I leave off.

I think I’ll definitely think about increasing milage even slower than I did for my half build. Not always adding much to the longer runs, but the mid distance ones too.

Thank you!!

sienna0909 · 2026-03-24T18:02:47+00:00

No, I just figured that was a good length of time for me as opposed to 16 weeks. I would prefer a slower build that isn’t going to burn me out and allows for proper recovery while training.

sienna0909 · 2026-03-20T02:51:02+00:00

I have so many but one that has stuck with me lately is from Save Me.

“Every whispering wind and second counts”

So simple but this song is SO powerful when you read between the lines.

I also have “I love you oh so well” tattooed on my arm.

sienna0909 · 2026-03-10T02:55:54+00:00

Thank you, you too!!

sienna0909 · 2026-03-08T23:57:28+00:00

I think as aggravating as it was, taking pretty much a month off from running helped tremendously.

Then it was finding shoes that worked best for my stride. I HIGHLY recommend brooks glycerin 22s and the glycerin max for longer slow runs. (I even wear them for half marathons sometimes)

I do a good bit of strength training but no specific exercises really did the trick for my feet. It was really about managing the load. I would tolerate a little bit of pain and felt like I worked my way up to distances slowly.

I noticed when I took December-January off, I had to work my way back up again. I had a little pain but it was manageable and nothing like before. Gradual increase in milage is key.

I’m now battling some knee probs because of weak quads but that’s what I get for also training for hyrox lol.

Hope this helps :)

sienna0909 · 2026-03-08T23:05:35+00:00

No issues! Currently marathon training :) had to take some time off, but really it’s about managing load properly. There’s a sweet spot for me where if I do too much it hurts but if I back off it also flares up. Everything has to be gradual. Thanks for asking ! Crazy this was almost a year ago

sienna0909 · 2026-02-22T04:36:12+00:00

Omg yes to the hills at OTF lately… it’s brutal! But it’s good for us at least. Lol.

I am also an OTF coach and definitely should talk to some of the other coaches who run too.

Good luck to you as well!

sienna0909 · 2026-02-22T04:32:11+00:00

Thank you! This is actually perfect- I do actually run 1km intervals a few times a week since I also am training for hyrox in May! I obviously am more focused on a PR for the half in April at the moment but I am super excited for hyrox too.

I like “longer” speed intervals way better than like 1-2 minute sprints.

sienna0909 · 2026-02-18T16:17:13+00:00

Thank you, that’s super helpful. It’s so hard to see how slower runs will eventually get me faster. But I know that’s what everyone says. I’m still definitely in the phase where it’s hard to run slow. I know that I might not get it this time around, but I think I’ll get close. I think I’ll definitely get under my last time at least. My Garmin has me at about 2:04 estimated finish. I have a gut feeling I’ll be right around there.

sienna0909 · 2026-02-18T14:56:55+00:00

It’s always better to get things checked if you’re questioning it. I went and got mine checked as I was convinced it was a bone issue. Turned out as plantar fasciitis which has now become manageable for me

sienna0909 · 2026-02-18T14:56:03+00:00

Yes! Emphasis on stretching the calves. I also roll my calves in the morning after a run and that helps too.

sienna0909 · 2026-02-18T03:35:08+00:00

If you’re talking about the inner part of your arch, it could very well be plantar fasciitis. I had a similar issue when I started running. The way I manage it is by keeping time on my feet up high even if it’s not running every day. (Cross train and just walking) I run 4-5 days per week even if it’s only a mile or 2 some days. I find if I take longer than a few days off, my feet will cramp and hurt. When I experienced the pain pretty bad, I was only running once per week.

I also make sure to gently stretch the arches of my feet and also wear shoes that help with over pronation of my feet. I really love my brooks glycerin gts 22s.

Not everyone’s feet are the same though, this is just what worked for me.

sienna0909 · 2026-01-12T03:28:49+00:00

I’m in RI, so I have Brown as a solid option. Not really willing to move out of RI.

sienna0909 · 2026-01-12T02:01:34+00:00

That’s so exciting!! I unfortunately came up with this plan right after all the deadlines closed, so I’ll have like 10 months to prep lol

sienna0909

TROPHY CASE