Seattle Fitness Blog

Preventing or Recovering from IT Band Syndrome

March 28, 2026/in Running, Stretching, Warm-up Exercises/by Stephanie Long

Have you ever felt a sharp or aching pain along the outside of your knee during a run or workout? If you’ve felt this pain, it could be Iliotibial Band (IT) Syndrome, one of the most common injuries in people who exercise regularly. With the right approach, you can manage and prevent IT Band Syndrome. Read more

How to Maintain Your Fitness While on Vacation

March 21, 2026/in Travel/by Rachel Carey DeBusk

You love to do your workout thing, whether it’s endurance focused like running, biking or swimming, or strength oriented like a gym or at-home weights routine, or yoga or conditioning classes. But then it’s vacation time and, while you do love a good vacation, you’re a little worried about that fitness you’ve been building. How can you maintain it? Won’t you lose it all if you don’t stick with your steady every day workouts? Let’s take a look at this with a fitness coach, shall we? Read more

Four of My Favorite Back, Hip and Ankle Mobility Exercises for Hikers

March 7, 2026/in Hiking, Mobility Exercises/by Rachel Carey DeBusk

With our mostly meh skiing season this Winter in the Seattle area, thoughts turn to Spring hiking. Trails are already opening up and clearing of snow. Are you ready? Hopefully, you are building your core, hip and leg strength. As a precursor to that, attend also to your mobility! Why is this so important? Well, think of it this way. You won’t be able to use your strength (or even build effective strength) if you don’t have full range of motion at your joints. The way to ensure that range of motion is to address your mobility, joint by joint. Read more

What Causes a Side Stitch When Running?

February 27, 2026/in Running/by Stephanie Long

Nothing kills the runner’s high faster than that sudden, sharp stab on your side. You’re crushing it on the road, or treadmill, focusing on your pace and form, and then you have to stop and clutch your side because of the sharp pains you feel. Slowing down to walk can feel really defeating and like your body is betraying you, especially if you’re training for a marathon and want to get a certain amount of miles in. Whether you get side stitches frequently or occasionally, learn about the causes behind this frustrating, workout-stopping pain. Read more

Skip the Parking Lot Drama: Your Guide to Transit-Accessible Trails and Ski Resorts in Washington and Oregon

February 20, 2026/in Hiking/by Elea Carey

Picture this: It’s a gorgeous Saturday morning, you’ve been training for weeks, and you’re ready to tackle that trail you’ve been eyeing. But when you arrive at the trailhead, the parking lot is completely full. Cars are circling like vultures, people are parking illegally on the shoulder, and your hiking time is ticking away. Sound familiar? Read more

Hit Fremont for a Cinematic and Creative Workout Neighborhood

February 14, 2026/in Walk/Run Neighborhood Series/by Rachel Carey DeBusk

Let’s drop in to another great Seattle neighborhood and scope out its amenities for fitness, recreation and active living. Hang on tight, friends… we’re going to Fremont! Read more

How to Recover: Learning from the Pros

February 6, 2026/in Running/by Sarah Crane O'Neill, MSW, LICSW

A Story

On a chilly, very early September morning in 2024, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, 31-year-old Tara Dower was sitting in her tent. It was 3 am. Her best friend was spoon-feeding her breakfast, to conserve Tara’s energy. Today, Tara would run about fifty miles of the Appalachian Trail. She’d done the exact same thing the day before, and the day before that. Tara was determined to run the entire trail, which stretches almost 2,200 miles from Maine to Georgia, in record time, raising funds and awareness for Girls on the Run. And she did. On September 21, 2024, she completed the trail after nearly 41 days, averaging 53 miles a day, breaking all previous records. Read more

Hiking Beautiful Devil’s Bridge Trailhead in Sedona

January 31, 2026/in Hiking/by Stephanie Long

As a native Seattleite who moved to Scottsdale a little over a year ago, I know how hard it can be to find a hike that’s not muddy and rainy, so I didn’t hike as much as I wanted to when I lived there. Plus, I need the sun and because it was frequently overcast, it was hard for me to be motivated to hike, so one of the things I wanted to get back into was hiking when I moved, and immediately bought hiking shoes! I started doing small hikes in Scottsdale, but knew I had to get out to Sedona and see the area. For those of you yearning for a sunny desert hike right now, you can get it in Sedona. Here’s my account of a beautiful hike there. Read more

Can You Run a Race in a National Park? Yeah, ya can! Check Out 5 Gorgeous Ones

January 16, 2026/in Running/by Rachel Carey DeBusk

Are you planning your running year, AND also your travel year? How about putting them together and doing a half or full marathon in or near a national park? Makes your running experience just that much cooler and memorable. And when your run is done, spend a couple of days getting to know a beautiful natural treasure. Read more

What is Nordic Walking? Benefits & Techniques

January 9, 2026/in Walking/by Stephanie Long

People are used to walking to burn calories, but what if you could take your cardio up a notch and burn even more calories? You may have noticed people walking through the park with poles that look a lot like ski gear, and are wondering what they’re doing. This workout is called Nordic walking. In this post, we’ll explain where Nordic walking originated from, why it’s so effective for your cardiovascular health, and techniques to get the most benefit out of it. Read more