Here at Movecoach, the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge San Francisco is a tradition that we look forward to each September. Though we walk and run at a wide variety of paces, as we prepare together as a team—celebrating one another’s successes, and commiserating about setbacks—we forge bonds that wouldn’t have been possible during regular office hours.
Meet the Movecoach team, and be sure to come say hello on race day!
Let Movecoach design a training plan for the event that’s personalized to fit your current level of fitness, and workout schedule. Click here to learn more.
Tom McGlynn, Founder and CEO 
Movecoach CEO and founder Tom McGlynn will be running in his eighth Corporate Challenge. “I love lining up just before the gun and seeing former colleagues, friends and other runners,” he says. His race goals: to run faster than at least 1,000 runners who are 20 years younger, then dash back to the course to finish with Movecoach engineers, Charles and Aaron. Like so many Movecoach Challengers, for Tom, running means way more than anything that could be measured on a finish-line clock. He relies on running to manage stress and think more clearly. “If I don’t run, I’m completely non-productive and often times unbearable for co-workers and family members,” he says. “Running literally keeps me going.”
Cori Tresser, Head of Marketing
This will be Cori’s fifth year in the Challenge. She’s aiming to get to the starting line—and the finish—feeling fit, fresh, and running her best. But even beyond the finishing times, she loves the benefits that a regular exercise routine bestows. “Exercise— whether I’m doing my Pure Barre Class or running outside for a few miles— makes me feel wonderful,” she says. “I usually feel like I can do anything after a good exercise session (that only lasts about 20 minutes).”
Aaron Bentley, Application Engineer
Aaron will be participating in his first Corporate Challenge. He started walking last year with his fiance, Cristina, when they adopted their dog Zoe. Now he cherishes that time to unplug from work, and reconnect. “It’s a time for me to unwind with Cristina and our dog, Zoe,” he says. “It gives us time to talk about our days without the distraction of technology.” Aaron plans to walk the event, finish in under an hour, and meet some Movecoach clients along the way.
Sarah ran the Corporate Challenge for the first time last year. Her favorite part is the finish line. As a night owl, she especially appreciates the fact that the race occurs inthe evening—those are rare!
She’ll wait to set a goal until the week before the race, “when I know where the summer training has taken me,” she says. Sarah loves the spectacle of large running events. But she also enjoys how training helps her discover and explore new places she’s never been before. “I like to create new routes for either a run or bike ride and find new scenes and places that I otherwise may not come across,” she says. “I also like to create GPS art. Completing the picture will definitely keep me going!”
Brett Miller, Director of Business Development
Brett will be participating in his fourth JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. “My favorite part of the event is meeting lots of other people from different companies who are working towards making fitness a part of their lives,” he says. “Through our clients, Movecoach has a ton of employees participating. Getting to meet them, and hear their stories is a great part of the event.” Brett’s goal this year: To have fun and feel like he performed well.
But like so many Movecoach participants, the real rewards come on the way to the starting line. “When I can consistently get out for a 30 to 60- minute run, lots of other things start falling into place,” says Brett. “ I get time to clear my head, my body feels better, and I start to see real improvements in my running too!”
Ashley Benson, Head of Product
Ashley will be running in her fourth JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. “My favorite part of the event is the camaraderie and team spirit that the race inspires amongst the Movecoach team,” she says. Her goal: to contribute to a mixed team title, and to be among the top female finishers in the race. But running holds so many rewards, even beyond the finish line, namely, “the feeling of accomplishment when I’ve achieved a goal,” she says. “ It’s addicting!”
Charles has completed the event twice before. For him, the event presents a great opportunity to see the scenic lower part of the city that he doesn’t get to see during his normal workday routine. The time he puts into working out on a regular basis gives him a strength and resolve that shines into so many other corners of his life. “Finishing a workout—regardless of how you feel—builds mental toughness,” Charles says. “And that’s always in demand.”
The JP Morgan Challenge San Francisco is Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 7:15 PM. For all the details about the event, click here.
A lot of people put off pursuing a goal, waiting some time to materialize when work is calm, home life isn’t hectic, and there’s plenty of time to train. Not Shanley Roach. She trained for Grandma’s Marathon, even as she navigated a major life change and a move. “My training wasn't perfect, but I trusted my body and just went for it come race day!”
Name: Shanley Roach
Major milestone: I recently just ran my very first marathon, Grandma's Marathon, whoohoo! It was amazing and so much fun and I can't wait to run my next marathon!
What is the secret to your success? Persevering through whatever comes at you in life. A major lesson I learned is that your training is not going to be perfect. Life throws things at you and it’s okay!
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? In the month leading up to my race, I graduated from my undergraduate college, moved cities, and started graduate school. I didn't train to as much mileage as I had hoped to do because of all this, but I still tried to run what I could leading up to the race and never gave up even when I didn't think I would make it to race day.
What is the most rewarding part of training? The moment that I increased my weekly training pace. I always considered myself a slower runner, so nothing felt more rewarding than realizing I could bump up my training pace. My long runs were still the same speed, but I was able to run faster during the week and feel comfortable with it. It was a major high point of training!
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Just keep running. And also do some lifting. Your hamstrings, knees, and IT Band will Thank you.. Make sure your quads and hamstrings/glutes are proportionate in their strength! And Foam roll every day because it seriously will makes a difference after only 2 weeks.
Don Craig didn't even start running until he was in his late 30s, and ran his first marathon when he was 45. In just five years, he's finished four marathons and qualified for Boston twice, including at the 2017 Houston Marathon. Now, he's headed for the 2018 Boston Marathon, which falls on his 50th birthday. He's also aiming for a sub-3:20 finish at the New York City Marathon in December.
"There have been times I've looked at my Runcoach plan for the week, especially in the last third of the marathon training, and told my family 'I have no idea how I will do that,'" he says. "But when I do, it is an amazing feeling of validation of the work put in to that point."
Don Craig
Sport: Running
What is the secret to your success? The most important has been finding a plan and sticking to it, almost religiously. The Runcoach program has given me the variety and challenge needed to get me to not be stagnant. But also, there is not enough said about visualizing your success on race day. For my first BQ in Fargo (my 2nd full marathon) I had visualized the clock reading 3:22 as I came down the last block. I thought of that for weeks. Sure enough, I turned the corner that day and saw the clock ahead and it said 3:22.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Life is the biggest obstacle. With a family, a demanding job, travel, and spouse, just like all of us, getting in the hours is tough. I've learned I do best if I get up at crazy hours (like 4:30 am) so I can get 'er done before the rest of my life has to begin. When I travel, the first thing I check is what running gear I will need, even before the work clothes. And I hold myself accountable. If I decide to sleep in when I was supposed to run, then I fit it in later that day. Sometimes that means I am now running in hot humid conditions or it’s snowing (it's Boston), but that is my self-imposed punishment.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Set high goals. Everyone thought I was nuts setting a goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon, since I was 45 years old, and had only run one full marathon. Now my goal is a sub 3:20 marathon in NYC in November and to BQ in Boston on my 50th birthday. Set the goal, set the plan and execute. Anything is possible.
Have a running story to share? Click here for details.
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With our system, you can design a training plan that's customized to fit your current level of activity and fitness. Get started with just 5 easy steps.
1. Identify yourself. Go to the Settings, and identify what kind of athlete you are.
2. Plug in your goal. On the Goals and Results Page, select “+NEW GOAL."
3. Tell us about a racing history. Click “+NEW RACE” and plug in a recent race time.
4. Design your workout schedule. On the Schedule & History page, tell us about how much exercise you’re currently doing, and tell us when you’d like to workout and rest.
5. Sync your activity tracker. Movecoach syncs with many popular activity trackers. When you sync your service, and your miles will automatically be uploaded to your Movecoach log. Movecoach syncs with Garmin, Strava, AppleWatch, RunKeeper, Fitbit, Nike+, and Jawbone. To learn more, click here.
Even if you’re not competitive, there are many good reasons to sign up for an organized event.
1. Ease your jitters. Most races—especially 5-Ks— are community-oriented events with runners and walkers of all abilities, ages, and levels of fitness. They provide a very supportive low-pressure setting for you to get a sense of what racing is all about.
2. Check out some new territory. You’ll get a chance to check out new parks, trails, and fun running routes that you might not otherwise discover. Exploring a new setting is a great way to avoid boredom and burnout.
3. Meet other runners. Chatting with others makes the miles roll by much faster. Races are opportunities to meet people with similar interests and fitness goals. You might find that friends and coworkers you already knew, love getting outside to run too!
4. Test yourself. Use a race to establish a baseline of fitness. Enter a race every four to six weeks to track your progress, and determine whether you need to tweak your routine. Plug in your results to the “Goals and Results” page, and we will design a plan that matches the level of activity and fitness you have now. The plan will gradually ramp up mileage and intensity so you can unleash your fitness potential.
5. Get your speedwork done. Have a hard time getting yourself to do speedwork solo? Sign up for a race instead of your weekly track session. Once you register, you’re less likely to blow it off. Plus, pinning on that number, and joining the pack of other runners will give you the adrenalin rush you need to push yourself farther and faster.
Remember, in addition to a personalized, training plan, as a Movecoach participant you'll access to expert coaches certified by USATF, USAT, and RRCA. We’re here to answer your questions about training, nutrition, and technical issues.
Any questions? Contact us.
Bryan Veal
Sport: Marathons
Major milestone: I have completed 40 marathons over the past 18 years.
What is the secret to your success? Finding something I enjoy, and having dear friends to run with.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? About 1.5 years ago, after dramatic energy loss in marathon about 1.5 years ago, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. It's been very hard since to find strength after around 15 miles and my times have dramatically slowed. But I still fully train and have finished 6 marathons since then.
What is the most rewarding part of training? Being with friends of 13 to 14 years. Almost 1 year training with Runcoach and it has been my best resource in 18 years of marathons. It's consistent, fit to my goals, balanced, well rounded, well supported. Mostly it's always there.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Find the joy and accept yourself.
Have a running story to share? Click here for details.
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Cassandra Wilson knows that the rewards of moving more transcend any single workout.
“I am stronger, I have greater endurance, and I’m proud of all that I’m investing into my fitness while still feeling like I’m being a good mom, wife, and employee,” she says.
In the Spotlight: LinkedIn
Cassandra Wilson
Sr. Program Manager, GTO (HR)
Favorite Fitness Activity: TRX classes and walking in the park with my family
What is the secret to your success? Signing up for workout classes and blocking the time on my calendar. It reduces the number of excuses I have and the classes keep me motivated.
What is the biggest obstacle to moving more and how do you overcome it? My biggest obstacle to moving more is a shortage of time. I set a goal to attend one workout class a day, Monday through Friday, and I sign up for the classes by Sunday night so that the time is blocked on my calendar. I try to do mornings so that I keep evenings for my family and unwinding after work. As long as I don't have to take early meetings, it works well!
What is the most rewarding part of this challenge? The most rewarding part of this challenge is seeing myself make progress and stick with it! I can go up more flights of stairs, take longer walks with my family, carry my son around for longer, recover much more quickly from my workouts, clock the best time in my TRX-Circuit class, and, most notably, run the Bay to Breakers race this year with my best time ever—even after 3 weeks of not working out. I feel so much better and see results in my workouts as I add weight and improve my form and bounce back by lunchtime after working out really intensely in the morning.
What advice would you give to your fellow challengers? My advice is to keep trying and don't be afraid to adjust your goals if you need to.
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In the spotlight: Shea Companies
Catherine Tinerino Moore
IronOaks Fitness Center/Front Desk
Shea Homes
Favorite Fitness Activities: Walking, Golfing, swimming, yoga
How did you start? I completed a marathon when I turned 50. I did it as a walk/run and completed it in six hours. I now exercise about 6 days a week, and I work with a Personal trainer for an 1 hour once a week. I now practice yoga 2 to 3 times a week, and golf 2 days a week. I'll do intervals, alternating between running and walking. I had a fear of water, so about four years ago I learned to swim and now I swim laps 3 to 4 times each week. Swimming, has really help me with my golf. Yoga has helped me focus and relax.
What’s the biggest obstacle to moving more and how do you get over it? The biggest obstacle is time. So, I just get up earlier, and fit it in.
What is your feedback on the Movecoach experience? Movecoach pushes me to do more. I now swim some extra laps, now I jog a little longer, just to get to my milestone.
Share your movecoach success story here!
Click here to join the Shea Moves 750,000-Mile Challenge
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Jorge Cortes
Major milestone: I qualified for the Boston Marathon with a 3:27:12. (The qualifying standard for my age is 3:40).
What is the secret to your success? Set goals that are realistic, but aggressive. You have to push yourself.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Time commitment. I always found excuses why I could not do it, and thought I did not have the time. I made the commitment to myself I would find the time, and I do. It’s up to me if I want to waste my time in other things. We always do, so it is a matter of priorities.
What is the most rewarding part of training? Overcoming difficulties. The success (beating your time, runs in perfect conditions, etc) are easy. I like it when it is hard, when I am tired, when you go against the wind or the heat or the humidity, and you still complete your training.
What advice would you give to other members of the runcoach community? Invite others who are not doing it!
What feedback would you offer on Runcoach? I love it. I started running in 2014 and Runcoach, which I found when I registered for the Houston Half Marathon. I went from being in no shape, and having zero experience, to running marathons the next year, then qualifying for Boston. Thank you!
We're proud to be the Official Training Partner of the 2018 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon! To learn more, click here.
