Name: Neely Spence Gracey

Occupation: Distance Runner

‘Since using ithlete, having data to scientifically support my efforts has allowed me to come back from surgery without any setbacks and has me in the best shape of my life!’

I am a 25 years old professional distance runner training in Boulder, Colorado. I have been competitive on the National scene since the 8th grade. I graduated from Shippensburg University in 2012 and have 8 NCAA Championship Titles.

My motivation to start using heart rate variability (HRV) started after I had knee surgery last March, and in the rebuilding from that time off I wanted to be able to track how my body was responding to the workload. My massage therapist recommended I track my HRV as a useful training tool, so I looked into the options and came across ithlete.

Since using ithlete, having data to scientifically support my efforts has allowed me to come back from surgery without any setbacks and has me in the best shape of my life! ithlete allowed me to stay healthy and progress accordingly by providing the feedback regarding my HRV and central nervous system fatigue. When I get sick, I utilize my ithlete to help know when my body is recovered.

The biggest benefit to me since using ithlete has been staying healthy and knowing when to back off or when to push more. Using the information that ithlete provides me has meant I am able to see trends. For example, I moved to Colorado two months ago so adjusting to the difference in altitude wasn’t easy, I relied on my ithlete data to prevent over training. Being consistent with training is key, and knowing when and when not to push is critical at any level. Using ithlete has allowed me to learn more about myself; travel, lack of sleep, bad diet and anxiety all affect my ithlete score. Knowing this, I am able to plan accordingly based on my schedule and also adjust training if I need to.

Find out more about me and follow my story at www.neelyruns.com