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COACH MARGARET DUBLO
Coach Margaret Dublo was born and raised in Grafton, IL where she currently resides with her husband, Chad and son, Samuel. Margaret is a graduate of Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville and works full-time as a Project Manager at a software development and telecom auditing company.
Margaret has always been athletic and played many sports throughout junior high and high school. She currently competes in many races throughout the year and recently ran the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in Orlando, FL. She was a participant in Team Challenge for the 2012 Half Marathon in Napa,CA and then went on to coach the Team Challenge St. Louis team for the 2012 Las Vegas Half Marathon. Besides running, Margaret also enjoys cycling, traveling, rafting and hiking.
COACH MENTOR ANDREA SPIESMAN
Andrea Spiesman was born in Boise, Idaho and spent her childhood years in different locales throughout Idaho, Montana, California, and New Mexico. Andrea has been married to her husband, Jon, for 14 years and they have three children. There have been quite a few household moves during their marriage. Andrea and her family moved to Webster Groves, MO last July after living in Switzerland for three years and are now ready to put down some roots! Andrea and her family enjoy hiking, bicycling, skiing, and traveling together.
Andrea discovered her love of running at an early age and has never looked back. She ran cross-country and track in high school and also at the collegiate level for one year before enlisting in the US Army - where, as you might imagine, she also did a lot of running. She ran on a relay in the Big Sur Marathon in 1995 and has also run many 5K and 10K fun runs and races in the last 20 years. Last April Andrea ran the 20K de Lausanne - her longest race distance to date. She is looking forward to completing her first half-marathon (21K) in Chicago on June 8th and to helping others to do the same!
Team Challenge National Head Coach Dave’s May Tip
Stress + Rest = Success. Hard work is important, but it’s the rest after that work that allows your body to rebuild and adapt itself into a fitter, faster you! In addition to getting enough sleep every night, do everything you can to enhance recovery. Eating enough carbs (and some protein) after workouts, drinking enough water, immersing or showering your legs with cold water for a few minutes after workouts, and treating yourself to an occasional (or more frequent!) massage are all ways to enhance recovery.
Team Challenge National Head Coach Dave’s FAQ
Q: I’m not currently running or walking more than a mile or two at a time a few days per week. How will I be able to finish a half-marathon?
A: Your coach will design a program for you based on your current level of fitness, whatever it may be. You’ll gradually build your mileage over the course of the coming months until you can walk or run (or with a combination of walking and running) a ten-mile workout. From there, well over 99% of our participants complete their half-marathons.
Q: What kind of shoes do I need?
A: Everyone has different feet and biomechanics. The staff at your local running/walking specialty store will be able to fit you for these needs, as well as your mileage level, and the surfaces on which you train. To find a local specialty store, head to www.runnersworld.com/store-finder
Q: What’s a “GU”?!
A: “Gu” and other sports gels (PowerGels, Cliff Shots, Hammer Gels, etc.) are concentrated forms of carbohydrate about the consistency of honey. They are an alternative to sports drinks and are designed to provide athletes with energy for endurance activities. Each gel contains about 100- 110 of concentrated carbohydrate. Many half-marathons will provide gels in the later stages (around mile 10) to give runners and walkers an energy boost for the last few miles. Although they are generally pretty easy on the stomach, especially when taken with water, it’s always a good idea to try gels several times in training first before using them on race day.
Q: I had to miss three days of training. How do I make up the lost days?
A: You don’t! If you’ve missed anything less than a full week of training, just jump right back into the schedule. If you missed more than a week, talk to your coach about modifying your schedule to get you back on track.
Q: My fingers swell during my training walks. What’s going on?
A: Your heart beats harder and faster when you train, so blood is sent more forcefully to the extremities. Muscle action helps to return blood back to the heart, but many walkers don’t pump their arms very much when they walk (they should!), so blood pools in the fingers. Swollen fingers are more common with changes in temperature, during pregnancy, and when electrolytes are out of whack. Clenching and unclenching your hands, or shaking them over your head will help to pump the blood out of your swollen fingers.
