RUNNING & WALKING GROUP COACHING!

Spring training begins Feb. 24th!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

 

GROUP WORKOUTS & COACHING

  • Weekly Saturday group workouts rotating each weekend between different quadrants of the city.
  • Pace group mentors for runners, walk/joggers, and walkers! Find your pace with us!
  • Weekly email with workouts and guidance.
  • Guest speakers.
  • Member shirts and a free pair of socks from our sock sponsor!
  • BONUS! Program completion medals! New members can earn the bling! All members, new and returning also get the extra lanyard pins for every session you complete!
  • Exclusive discounts to races and Foot Traffic stores.

VIRTUAL WORKOUTS & COACHING

  • Receive weekly emails and a training plan for the season.
  • Separate virtual pace leader to check in with virtual members.
  • Exclusive race and store discounts.
  • Free technical running/walking socks, member shirt.
  • BONUS! Program completion medals! New members can earn the bling! All members, new and returning also get the extra lanyard pins for every session you complete!
  • Train on your own with expert guidance and motivation!
  • Access to coaches with questions or training tips.
  • Stay motivated by following along with the group training and setting goals with others!

YOUR COACH! Nikki Mueller

 

Coach Nikki didn’t discover her love of running until she was almost 30 years old. Since then, she has run several marathons, 50k trail races, and many other distances as well. She became a certified running coach thru the RRCA and she is also a certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor. 
She got her start in coaching after she had her children and decided to teach stroller fitness classes to new and expectant moms. From there, she built her own business as a running coach and a fitness trainer, primarily working with women. She enjoys the community that is built thru running and fitness.
She is a native Oregonian who loves to camp with her husband and two boys. She loves animals, thriller novels and movies, and writes for a running blog. 

 

WE MAKE CALCULATING PACE EASY!

Pace is highly individualized, but sometimes you just need a simple assessment to get you started. But sometimes you just gotta get started and make it easy at first. Here’s our suggestion to get you going before the season starts:

  1. Find a course that is exactly a mile long and pretty flat (4 laps on a track works, of course!
  2. Warm up for about 5 minutes with active stretching and a light walk or jog.
  3. Time your mile and try to keep it at a pace where you can have a conversation the whole time with someone (or if you’re alone, sing a song quietly under your breath for the entirety of the time).
  4. Plug your mile time in the calculator below, pick your distance goal, and you’ll find a pretty close estimate of your time!

Have questions about Womens Academy?

I can't make the first meeting or I may miss some early workouts or even the goal event. Is that a problem?

Nope! The first day is a fantastic time to get acquainted, but the workout is brief and you’ll be able to pick up where we left off the next week with little problem. The rest of the workouts are absolutely imperative to your success, but we all miss a few weekend because of tough schedules every now and then. You will get weekly workouts emailed to you, so you can always do some on your own! And the final event…well, you can choose any event to work towards! The events we chose just happen to be great for first timers.

Where and when does this program meet?

FTU meets pretty much most Saturday mornings at 8am. We meet ALL over the Portland/Vancouver area and alternate locations each weekend so you don’t get bored with the same course over and over again and it keeps it interesting. We usually rotate between each Foot Traffic store location so there is a bathroom and coverage in bad weather. There are optional group workouts during the week around Portland, but the workouts we give to you are meant to also be done on your own during your busy work week.

I have NO idea what pace I am. How do I know which group to join.

Use our pace calculator above and follow our step by step instructions! Or just wait until our pace evaluation day during the program. Pace groups are not set in stone and we usually expect your to switch pace groups up or down as needed when you settle into a rhythm during the program. We have tons of pace groups and it is expected that you will start in one pace group and switch to a different one after a few weeks of training.

Which pace groups do you usually have?

These can adjust based on on the pace of our membership each season, but usually we cover: Running groups: 8 min miles (sometimes faster if it’s needed!), 9-10 min, 10-10:30, 10:30-11, 11-11:30, 11-12, Walk jog groups: 2-3 different walk jog combo groups with varying paces based on membership. Walking groups:  14 min. and under, 15-16 min., 16-17, 17 and over.

I can't run the whole time, but I'd like to try. Is there a jog/walk combo group?

YES! We usually have 2-3 different walk/jog pace groups with different walk/jog ratios and different paces overall. We adjust these a bit to accommodate our members each session, but you’ll find something that works for you! Something for just about everyone!

Do I have to attend every meeting? I'll be gone on certain weekends?

No! We understand that we all have busy schedules and family and jobs often take priority. This program is meant to compliment your busy life, not become another source of anxiety. Most of the workouts you can do on your own. Of course, the more meetings you make, the better success you’ll see!

Can a friend show up with me the first day to see if they like it and pay afterward?

Absolutely! The first day is a TON of fun and a great way to find out what you’re in for! If they decide that it’s not what they’re looking for, no problem! But we think they’ll like it!

Are there weekday workout options?

YES! They are not mandatory, but we STRONGLY encourage you to look at the group workouts at the bottom of this page and join fellow members there.

I'd love to find training partners from this group. How do I do that?

We LOVE the sense of community our program provides and we want to encourage that. As a result, we HIGHLY recommend members join our Facebook group to post their progress, look for training partners, post pictures, and ask questions. We can’t give everyone’s email out, so this is the best way for participants to communicate outside of the group in a safe way. In addition, we work on facilitating communication at the meetings as well.

My friend has much more/less experience than me. Do we start at the same mileage?

Everyone starts each workout together so we keep everyone sticking together no matter what your background is. However, each course will have ‘loops” or “butterfly” routes that allows those with more fitness background to continue farther based on their ability. But all pace groups stick together for the first “loop” or section of the courses!

How do I find out what mileage to do each week? How do you contact me?

You will receive a weekly email with a detailed workout summary with EXACT workouts you need to train at. The email will also remind you about where we’re meeting the next weekend and what the mileage/topic/course will be as well.

I'm not getting the emails. Help!

Email systems don’t always like new email senders, so emails can often end in spam folders or just be hidden altogether. Here are the steps we recommend you follow. 1.) Click here and just add your email again, just in case you accidentally marked us as spam in the past. 2.) Do a SEARCH in your inbox versus just checking spam folders. Look for “ftu” or “foottraffic.us” as key words. 3.) Call the store or email us and let us know if these aren’t working!

MORE ABOUT FT WOMEN’S ACADEMY

Introducing the most established and popular all-women’s training program in Portland! ALL abilities of runners and walkers are welcome to join. Whether you are a woman just trying to start to get active again or you are looking to improve upon your existing fitness, the Foot Traffic Women’s Academy is for YOU! Women of all abilities and ages will be represented in the program and joined by “pace mentors” and coaches for all paces. The program emphasizes developing lifelong running and walking habits, while also helping women meet performance goals. The women’s training program partners with local businesses, fitness professionals, dieticians and physical therapists to help members navigate the world of fitness. With an overall “wellness” focus, this training program goes beyond simply training for a particular event and is a great opportunity to meet with like-minded women to start or maintain a healthy lifestyle. The weekly weekend meetings include tips and discussions from dieticians, trainers, physical therapists, and representatives in the running & walking apparel and footwear industries.

The women’s training Academy serves all levels and abilities starting at age 18 and up to seniors and will have motivating mentors of all ages and running and walking backgrounds. Membership includes a free super-cute women’s specific shirt, professional coaching both for runners and walkers, tons of free gear and exclusive discounts on related gear, organized weekly meetings, as well as weekly schedules delivered via email for each pace group’s specific workout to do on your own. What really separates this program from any other is the unparalleled camaraderie of an all-women’s environment discussing topics and issues of the utmost importance to women of all ages. We can’t wait to see you there, so register now and bring a friend!

Sincerely, The crew at FTWA

Feel free to send an email here to our wonderful coach, Nikki Muhler with any questions about Women’s Academy!