How To Find An Exercise That You Enjoy (And That Your Body Likes Too)

BY MARNIE KUNZ FOR THE GOOD TRADE

At my first neighborhood swim team practice, I plunged into the water with dread. My goggles fogged up as I flailed my arms and kicked, trying to push forward in a straight line like everyone else. I tried not to panic as I stopped to lift my head and gasped for air mid-lap. 

When I reached the edge of the pool and emerged from the water, I realized I was the last swimmer to finish. I excused myself to go to the restroom, where I proceeded to hide for the rest of my first (and last) swim practice. I was only 12, but I avoided the sport for years afterward, remembering how embarrassed I felt. From then on, I decided swimming was not for me. Luckily though, I found another exercise I loved: running. 

Kickflip: The Best Zakeke Alternative

By Marnie Kunz for Kickflip

If you’re looking for the best Zakeke alternative, Kickflip is number one. Kickflip is a product customization platform that empowers ecommerce businesses to deliver the best customization options. Kickflip offers beautiful product configurations and extensive customization choices to dazzle your customers. With top-rated customer service and the best product customization platform on the web, Kickflip continues to garner rave reviews and an enthusiastic customer base. 

Two Bags and A Dream

By Marnie Kunz On Medium

When my dog died, I knew it was time to go. I’d been living in limbo for over a year, staying with family in St. Louis while freelance writing, caring for my dog, and also helping with my almost 100-year-old grandma. My grandma passed. I was dealing with difficult living situations, tiptoing around family members suffering from mental illness. I felt gripped by old demons, and slid back into drinking. I went through a breakup, lost my car, and my dog, despite all the surgeries and treatments, died. I was left with a heap of vet bills and was working part-time for a job that didn’t pay. Just when it didn’t seem like it could get any worse, I lost my freelance writing job.

Things were bleak. I felt like a walking country song. Of all the genres, I never got into country music. It was time to move. NYC was calling.

How to Adopt a Pandemic Puppy

By Marnie Kunz for asweatlife

If you’re considering adopting a pandemic puppy to keep you company during quarantine life, you are not alone – there is a boom in pet adoptions during the pandemic. I adopted my own pup during pandemic life and we’ve quickly become best quarantine buds. After all, what better way to social distance than with a furry friend to explore the outdoors with? And who doesn’t want to have a cuddly WFH companion and Netflix buddy for quarantine and chill sessions?

15 Benefits of Organic Food

By Marnie Kunz for RUNSTREET

We all know eating healthy food is an important part of staying active, but what exactly qualifies as organic food, and what are the benefits of organic food? I set out to answer these questions, as well as offer tips for eating organic on a budget.

This Is How I Use a “Run Streak” to Overcome Anxiety, as a Running Coach

By Marnie Kunz For APARTMENT THERAPY

I started my run streak on Thursday and got hit by a motorbike on my Friday run. The driver zoomed through a red light and careened into my right side. I crashed to the ground, ending my run streak, and kicking my anxiety into high gear.

51 Self-Care Sunday Ideas to Recharge Body and Mind

By Marnie Kunz For Runstreet

Whether you need a respite from daily life or a complete reset, I hope my self-care Sunday ideas inspire you to take good care of yourself. With the constant bombardment of tech notifications, social media, and an endless news cycle, it’s more important than ever to take some time to slow down, unwind and unplug. These self-care Sunday ideas will help you take a mental health break and rejuvenate your body and mind.

Three Fall Festivals Sure to Satisfy

By Marnie Kunz For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Cooler temperatures may put an end to summer fun, but fall’s crisp air and colorful scenery offer a different charm, providing the perfect backdrop to a variety of festivals in the Southeast. Whether you’re interested in family activities, cultural enrichment or musical inspiration, this season’s festivals, from Virginia to Alabama and Georgia, are sure to satisfy.

The International Children’s Festival at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va., provides children a chance to learn about cultures from all over the world with music and dance performances by their peers.

My 14 New York Lives & The NYC Marathon

By Marnie Kunz for Runstreet

Since I came to NYC in January 2012 with just two bags, I've moved 14 times in the concrete jungle. I was about to close the final chapter on my NYC life and all its chaos when I began training for the NYC Marathon. It was 2014 and I was accepted into my first - and biggest -marathon - the NYC Marathon. I was ecstatic. I'd run cross country, track and road races all my life but had never run a marathon.

So I set out, despite once again needing a place to live. I began my training in humid August heat, running around downtown Brooklyn. I had an unstable ex stalking me, had lost my job because of him, and was scrambling to find a place to live. But despite the chaos, or perhaps because of it, I kept running.

Three Speed Workouts to Improve Your Race Times

By Marnie Kunz for Custom Performance

Whether you’re training for a spring race or you just want to become a faster runner, these 3 speed workouts will help you crush your goals. Speed workouts are higher intensity workouts than regular base runs and they train your body to run more efficiently. They also improve your leg speed and mental strength, making you run better in races even when things get challenging.