How I distract myself when running/racing gets really tough plus our date night.

Brooke got new pajamas (from Costco of course) and she decided she wanted them on starting at 4:50 p.m.

You should have heard the giggles and singing and seen the dancing that accompanied the first few minutes of these pajamas being on her.   She probably learned the song and dance from me from the times I put on a new pair of running shoes.

I get it Brooke.

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Andrew and I went out for our date night.  He has gotten really good at taking selfies since he met me.

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We went to Tucanos for dinner and it was fabulous.  They have the best salad bar, grilled pineapple and mango cod ever.

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We walked around the shopping mall for a little while and then went to The Chocolate for a barely cooked cookie with vanilla bean ice cream on top.

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We continued our discussion on where we want to go for Christmas.  SO many places we are so excited to see and now we just have to narrow them down somehow.

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We listened to this song on repeat too… it just came out and it is amazing.

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And then we picked up the Brookie!!

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Ways that I distract my brain from thinking about quitting when it gets tough during a run:

**I love focusing on the things that do not hurt.  Maybe that is my left elbow, my back, my ears, my shins… whatever it may be.  If I am in a race and constantly thinking about how tired my quads are or how my calves are cramping then I will definitely slow down but if my brain focus is going towards all of the things that feel great (or even partly great) then it makes the tough times easier.

**I pump my arms faster/stronger.  I don’t do this at the beginning of a race but most definitely when my legs are spent (towards the end of a race or workout)… for example:

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When I put my focus on pumping my arms faster/more intense my legs follow without me even thinking about it.  It just happens.  I go from thinking constantly about how “my legs feel dead” to  “pump those arms and don’t stop pumping them.”

**I repeat to myself ‘I am comfortable.’  I don’t know how bad I struggle with anxiety or if it is normal or anything like that but I do get into times during a race or hard time that anxiety hits.  My brain goes a million miles per hour and I worry that there is no way I can finish but I have learned to calm my self down whenever that does happen.  I just repeat to myself over and over again that I AM COMFORTABLE.  I am fine and I’ve done this a million times before.  The more I tell my brain that I am comfortable the more my body believes it.

**During the St. George Marathon this month I reminded myself when I got tired that it sure could be worse and that made me realize that I would finish.  I thought about my Tucson Marathon where I couldn’t hold down anything during the entire race and walked a good portion of the last few miles because my body felt so awful.  Remembering that I didn’t feel even close to as awful as I did that day kept me from quitting/slowing down.

**I compare hills to trials.  There were a few years in my 20s that I had some heck going on (I’m probably dramatic but it was beyond hard for me) and I compare those hills to life trials.  I remind myself that if I was able to get through those trials then this hill was nothing.   It proves to me that I can do hard things and that emotionally I am tough and that can help me to climb those hills.

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**It always gets better.  Always.  When the miles/speed/incline gets really tough I remind myself that it always gets better.  During a marathon I experience such a wave of emotions and usually each emotion lasts a few miles or less.  There are peaks where I feel like death and then many times that I feel fine or great.  I go through each of those emotions many times over the course of those miles and I always do so I have PURE EVIDENCE that it does get better.  And sometimes it doesn’t get better until the finish line but it is better and reminding myself that it will get better makes it easier to keep going.

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Last important matter to discuss this morning.  I get a hard time from loved ones because of the fact that I would choose a Milky Way over every other Halloween treat in the bowl.  I’m constantly told that Snickers are soooo much better but I don’t really even like those that much.

I would love to hear your opinion on the Halloween candy matter:

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A) Candy Corn

B) Reese’s

C) Snickers

D) Milky Way

E) Fruity variety of candy

F) Tootsie Roll assortment

G) Other ______________

What do you pass out for Halloween?  What is the best type of Halloween treat to get and the worst? How do you distract yourself when things get really tough during your race/hard run? Do you get most excited about new running shoes or a new running outfit? 

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76 comments

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B is there any other question I got lost after the candy question

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Well since no one in the fam wants those Reese’s you can just slide them over here :D

I love your running tip about focusing on things that don’t hurt. I have never thought about that but I love it and will definitely use it in my next race!

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Candy corn is so addicting! We haven’t seen your candy corn + peanuts concoction this season!

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Reese’s pumpkins are awesome. And that dessert! I want that on my birthday. Looks so good!

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I’m definitely all about the Starbursts and Jolly Ranchers!! I don’t like chocolate, though, so my Halloween candy selections are quite limited.

When things get tough in a race, I try to remind myself that it’s only a short portion of my life, and I am fully capable of enduring it. I like your strategy of thinking about the things that don’t hurt, so I am definitely going to have to try that!

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I don’t eat candy that often but I am 100% with you on the Milky Way. I loved them as a kid, that and 3 muskateers. I loved your ways that you get through the run. I am going through some health issues and stress right now and I think those apply to any struggle!

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I’m with you, Milky Way is way better than Snickers (I don’t really love them either). But if I had to choose from those, Reese’s would win most of the time.
My running shoes are wearing out and the thought of getting new ones definitely makes me want to do a happy dance!!

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We don’t get a ton of kids to our door at Halloween (we’re in a pretty rural area, and a lot of the kids are older and don’t go door-to-door anymore), and I have, um, trouble, not eating all the candy! So a few years ago we started handing out packs of gum. The kids we do get seem to like it, because it’s different, and I don’t just mindlessly consume it.

I love almost all the candy you posted! Not a candy corn fan, but everything else looks delish! We take our kiddos to “Trunk or Treat”, where about 50 cars back into a circle at the church parking lot and the kids trick or treat from trunk to trunk. The local first responders come out too, so the kids get to hang out on firetrucks and police cars. It’s so fun, and the candy is almost an afterthought, because the kids are so excited about everything else. If they handed out treats like you posted above, though, I’d be rolling up in a costume myself!

I get new running shoes every couple of years, but I LOVE new running outfits. Sometimes I think that’s the only reason I keep running – for the clothes! :)

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Brooke’s pjs are the best!!

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Other: Midnight Milky Way!!! I get excited when my kids get these trick or treating! I try to convince them that they should give them to me!!! And candy corn is just gross!!!!!
Shoes! But at this time of year a new jacket! Or leggings! It’s a toss up, haha!!!!!

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YES to this. love regular milky way too but midnight ones are amazing. Also I am allergic to peanuts so I may be a bit biased ;)

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I eat candy based on mood… If I’m feeling something chocolate, definitely D. If I’m craving salty/sweet — then it’s B.

But sometimes I crave the kind of chewy candy that sticks to your teeth and has a super toothsome feel — so then I reach for a box of Dots/Swedish Fish/Sour Patch Kids.

Am I the only one like this? It’s so hard for my hubby because I don’t have a “favorite” candy, instead I have a “candy of the moment”! LOL

We’re terrible — for Halloween, we’ll buy one of those big variety bags with a bunch of different candies and Pick out our LEAST favorites (Hubby hates HATES –HELL HATES — Whoppers, so we pick those out. I don’t like the bitterness of dark chocolate, so we pick those out, etc…). Then we give tricker treaters our REJECTS! Is that terrible or what??

In fact, we are often so anxious to make sure to be rid of all our reject candies, that we give out fist fulls to each tricker treater — the last kid we see gets the rest of the bowl!

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G.) ___All of the above___! But if I HAD to pick one, I’d go with the tootsie roll assortment!

I don’t know what kids are and aren’t getting for Halloween these days but I remember getting those Necco candy rolls that were the worst!

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B & D – any day, all day.

One thing that I did my last marathon was reminded myself how many miles I had trained – it was over 550 during the official “training period” – that definitely inspired me to finish another 26 – that’s less than 5%!

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Candy choice: Reese’s all the way. The best Halloween candy is (aside from Reese’s) mini candy bars. The worst is Tootsie Rolls – they pretend to be chocolate, but they’re not.

When I was about 10, I had a horrible bout with migraines that lasted six weeks. I remember my mom sitting with me and she pulled out a ruler and told me that the ruler was my whole life. Yes, the situation you are in may be awful, but it is just a speck compared to your whole life and it will soon be a memory. That stuck with me and I think about it every time I’m going through something tough. Certainly marathon training is a very different kind of tough – but when I ran my first marathon, I kept thinking about how proud I would be and how accomplished I would feel later that same day.

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DOTS! Love those things….

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Thank you for this! I read your blog every day and am running my first marathon in 12 days…mentally I’ve psyching myself out and needed this list of how to distract myself for those tough miles. I feel more motivated than ever to tackle the Marine Corp Marathon now! Thank you! :)

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I’ll be there too!! It’s a fabulous marathon!#

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Have you tried the Milky Way Simply Caramel? OMG!!! I’m with you, Snickers don’t do much for me.

I’ve been using your trick of “pump your arms harder/faster and your legs will catch up” for quite some time now. :)

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B – Reese’s. There is no question. Candy corn is awful!

Also Snickers over Milky Way, and Baby Ruth over al of the above!

Definitely most excited about new shoes. There’s nothing like that fresh new bounce!

I need to work on focusing on other things. Usually, I try to distract myself with the view. My races are typically along the beach at sunrise so I just try to focus on those, and how amazing it is to be alive, etc. Usually works a little bit :)

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Oh yes, Baby Ruth, forgot about those, so good!

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The worst candy for Halloween are those packets of Twizzlers. I love Twizzlers, but something tastes really off with those packs. It’s not how a Twizzler is supposed to taste. They’re just plain wrong.

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Candy Favorites: Twix, Reeses or KitKats!

We pass out Snickers, Twix, Reeses, Snickers and KitKats (all of our favorites… it’s not a coincidence!) My parents have always handed out packets of hot chocolate, which I think is so clever! Perfect treat after trick or treating and no candy temptation in the house.

I love new running shoes, but I really love a new running outfit!

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TWIX!!!! totally steal them from the kids Halloween loot!

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Brooke’s Jammie’s are awesome and I would probably feel the same way!

I like to get the mixed bag of snickers/reece’s/m&m’s and then the fruity mix bag for the “no peanut” kiddos.

I like to think about how I will feel after my run/what I’m eating after my run/goals and when all else fails, I remind myself that I am strong and powerful.

I get to help do shoe testings, so while new shoes are great I tend to get them more often than new running outfits so it’s all about the clothes :)

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Candy Corn….I can’t buy it because I love it. I wish I hadn’t read the comment about candy corn and peanuts…now I am dying to try it.

As far as actual Halloween candy, I like the things I never have like Take 5…so good…do they make those? And Reeces Nutrageous

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If I had those pajamas, I’d wear them all day! And during my race, I compare the course to my training runs, like “right now I’d just be hitting my favorite spot, so 5 miles in is a breeze! I’m normally feeling great at this point!”

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Halloween candy — mini boxes of Juinor mints, mounds, and almond joys!

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New PJs are the best though right?? Ha, Brooke is too funny.

All of the advice you give is so spot on. I always try and tell myself that are others are probably feeling the same amount of pain and that I’m not alone. I typically find that helps me motivate me because I know I’m not alone!

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C! Frozen snickers are the best :)

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Planning is often a great distraction for me.
Whether it be a lesson plan for school, outfits to take on vacation, clothes to dress Hope in for the Holidays, week’s menu. That is always enough to get rid of the anxiety you talk about above. Then I try to get back in the moment of the race or run I am doing, cause otherwise I am missing out on exactly what I want to experience.

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I love the idea of thinking about things that don’t hurt while running– I’m just starting to get into running longer distances again and sometimes it’s hard not to focus on even something small that’s bugging me while running, like my keys jangling in my running belt, lol. As for Halloween candy, Kit Kats are my jam, but Milky Way is so good. I feel like they’re the red headed stepchild, so to speak, of Halloween candy– kinda forgotten and misunderstood. But like, how could someone NOT like them??

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Cherry nibs are the best candy ever! But I have never seen them in mini size to pass out at Halloween but I would probably just keep them all for myself.

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G – other, I am a Twix kind of girl :)

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I love candy overall so it’s hard for me to say there’s one I intentionally skip. However, Snickers and Skittles are my absolute favorite. Nerds are ones I used to eat a lot, but I haven’t had one in YEARS.

When my training gets really tough I just stop thinking. I stop thinking when I don’t want to go to run, and got to run. Or if I’m running and it gets really tough, I stop thinking on how many miles I have ahead. I juts focus on my breathing and my music. Then, I’ll start thinking in nice positive things, like my family and my future.

New running clothes makes me really excited. New shoes can only make me excited when I’ve wear them enough to not feel any pain from my legs trying to get used to them.

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From that list, probably Snickers but I love Twix and Kit Kat best. ;) The pics of Andrew and you with the kids melt my heart. It’s amazing how close they have gotten with the opposite parent so well!

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I think my favorite Halloween treat is Take 5, but I also love Reese’s Pumpkins. The peanut butter to chocolate ratio is much better in the pumpkins than in the regular peanut butter cups. :) I am not a huge fan of fruit candies like Skittles and Starburst. I’ll eat them once in awhile, but they are never my first choice.

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Reece’s or Hershey bars (with or without almonds) are my favorite!
This year we are giving out full size candy bars w/ ring pops and Halloween pencils… were probably going to get some repeat customers. ;)

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Love! Those mantras/things you remember are golden! The thing that works for me is “where is your form?” I focus on my leg alignmemt, keeping elbows in, and relaxing and a)it gives me something else to focus on and b) it reminds me that no matter how much pain I am in, my dedication is to the craft and not numbing myself to a natural part of life (aka the pain train)
And I tell myself to smile :)- because joy is most important of all and pain can be a good thing

Milky way all the way. That caramel tho..

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Okay Reese’s are my absolute favorite but those Caramel Apple Milky Way’s are amazing!!

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That cookie and ice cream look delicious! Someone needs to open a place like that in the city I live.

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Love your blog! I have a question. When should you not run through the pain? I pulled my groin running on the treadmill a few weeks ago and just got the the point where it doesn’t always hurt when I walk but just a few strides in running it’s super painful. Should I just push through and hope it gets better? 8 have a half on nov 5 I really really want to do.

Also Milky Way midnight or laffy taffy

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We hand out whatever is in the giant bulk bags from Costco – my husband has an office downtown and they do treats on Main so they have hundreds of kids go through. Costco is so much cheaper than buying anywhere else and then we hand out the rest at home. Candy Corn is the best Halloween Candy! I am glad it is only out seasonally!

I love new running shoes! The best motivation to get out and run ever!

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We actually don’t generally give out candy on Halloween. We take the kids out together, so there’s no one at home to do it. I feel a little like I’m a bad neighbor for it, but I’m not going to ask my hubby to miss trick or treating to hand out candy, and leaving a self-serve bucket in the driveway has never worked.

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I like to buy sugary stuff to pass out – nerds, laffy taffy, skittles, etc. Seems like kids like those more than chocolate, but I like chocolate way more than sugary stuff and will eat all the candy I buy before Halloween if I buy that stuff. I haven’t had a pumpkin Reese’s or my favorite peanut m&m’s and candy corn combo yet this season. I am obviously failing at life. As such, I have been concocting a delicious treat that I want to make in my head. Peanut butter caramel corn, peanuts, candy corn all drizzled in white chocolate. I need to make this a reality.

Tucanos has a salad bar? ;) Forget that. I just immediately tell the waiter to bring me my own personal skewer of bacon wrapped turkey and pineapple. They must be eaten together and they must be eaten in copious amounts.

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How is there any question that the answer is always Reese’s!!

I usually get big bags that have multiple candies in them, but always chocolates…Reese’s, Hershey’s, Snickers (sorry, but these are way better than Milky Way!), peppermint patties, etc.

Worst candies are for sure black licorice or anything tasting like black licorice….I would never hand out something so atrocious Lol!!

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I’ll take all your Snickers rejects (purely out of the goodness of my heart of course).

My Dad was a dentist and my Mom a hygienist so we would give out sugarless gum, or even toothbrushes or floss (oh the embarrassment!!). Yes, our house got TP’d more than once.

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Snickers! Unfortunately we won’t be passing out candy this year since it’s a Monday and my husband works late. He didn’t feel too comfortable with me handing out candy by myself in a new neighborhood!

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Last year we didn’t get any trick-or-treaters so I got to eat all the halloween candy we bought! :) But, my favorite Halloween goody is the seasonal Oreos with the orange colored cream. The best.
I loved your distractions, I will have to try some next time I have a hard run. I definitely get the most excited about new running clothes. I don’t buy new shoes that often (just ask my boyfriend, mine have holes by the little toe because I love them so much).
Also, just wanted to say I did your plank workout from a few days ago after my run on Sunday and it had me feeling really great! And I did an ab workout from Tone It Up today after my early morning run and it was awesome too! I think tomorrow I will have to do some yoga to stretch out though… :)

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I love new running shoes and outfits but I only have a special dance and dorky smile for the shoes. I think because I get them less often.
Candy corn is only good if it’s made with caramel. Mary janes, fire balls, and tootsie rolls of any kind are all bad. We give out any kind of chocolate, starburst, skittles, etc. We don’t get trick or treaters where we live. Driveways are a quarter mile long and we have no sidewalks. Unless we’re giving out gold plated candy bars, it’s not worth the hike.

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Personally, I love Snickers. But i’m an allergy mom so we don’t do Snickers. We put out a teal pumpkin and hand out tattoos, stickers, silly glasses, bouncy balls, etc and dum sums. I always plant safe treats at all of our neighbors’ houses but i want to make sure that other kids with food allergies can actually take something from our “candy” dish. The number of times that this is possible for allergy kids is so few so when they can, it is the biggest deal for them.

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milky way are THE best. Specifically, midnight Milky Way because dark chocolate always wins

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Definitely Milky Ways! Although I love me a good Reese’s too. I think I am just like that with any new pair of shoes :)

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So many good questions!!! Its a neck-to-neck tie between Reese’s pumpkins and skittles…I cant choose & you cant make me :) The worst is Dots, I can never get them unstuck from my teeth (doesn’t stop me from trying though!).

The tough runs are something I struggle with and I am currently working on getting mental strength. My previous runs have a lot to do with getting through the tough ones. I think of all the effort and all the miles and tell myself if I get through this one I will be that much stronger and easier next run. A little math always helps to pass the time if all else fails, i.e. current pace per mile, how many minutes left, cadence, etc.

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I totally get Brooke’s desire to be in pj’s at 4:50 pm and then sing and dance over her new duds.

Since wheat doesn’t agree with me I try to hand out allergy friendly treats that still taste good. Usually it’s lollipops. One year I ran out of candy and this group of older girls came to the door. I told them I had Moon Pies in the house and some other snack. they were happier over those then they were any candy.

I used to love Snickers but I don’t like most milk chocolate any more. I do like the Reese’s pumpkins – they have a strong pb taste to me than regular Reese’s cups. But if the Milky Way is dark chocolate that would be my winner.

I always liked the Special Dark mini bars and would be grossed out over chocolate with crispy rice or raisins in it. Oh, and who thought Good n Plenty was a fine idea?

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Soft cookies and ice cream = the bestttt.

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I love Milky Ways the best and Wunderbars are a very close second.

Loved that you mentioned it Always gets better…(the emotional peaks and valleys in a marathon.) I like to refer to them as ‘good patches’ and ‘bad patches’. Our energy naturally ebbs and flows and we need to just go with it.

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I love candy corn, but I will always choose Reese’s over anything else! Nothing can beat the sweet and salty combo :)

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Anything fruity/sour is usually what I gravitate toward :) I dont understand how people love almond joys/mounds

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I repeated a new mantra to myself during the Chicago Marathon a couple weeks ago! I am STRONG, strong enough to run & not stop or quit. I am CALM, I can remain calm, not panic or let myself freak out over time, how far I have to go, any tiny ache or pain (etc). I am CONFIDENT, I’ve finished the marathon distance before, and regardless of how each training run felt, I put in the time & the miles to complete this race. It helped lead me to a 40 minute PR :) BIG believer in mantras now!

PS: I love all chocolate, but my husband’s step mom had almond snickers when we visited this weekend & they might be a new favorite!

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RUNNING SHOES!!

BEST Candy: REESES
WORST: Those orange and black PB taffy things.

And when I want to give up (especially on the treadmill) – I look around me and see if I can outrun the people next to me :)

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Milky way for sure!!! i have stopped myself from buying them every time I’m at the store because I know they won’t last!

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If I were to pick a candy from your list it would have to be Milky Way DARK for sure.

If I were picking my favorite Halloween candy it would be a Take5 for sure.

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I’m totally w/ you on the Milky Way over Snickers (I don’t really like Snickers either), but Reese’s are my #1. I get more excited over a new running outfit vs. shoes, and I have used your 1st 2 tips (a lot!) to distract myself while running – I got them from your blog so thank you very much! :)

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cute Brooke :)
I need to remember those mantras for next time I am in that situation!!!!!

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Candy corn ALL DAY. I get so excited for the stuff.

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I like most chocolate treats, but I don’t think I could choose between twix, reeses, milky way, snickers, kit kat, m&m’s or pb snickers-all delicious! In fact, the things I don’t like would be a shorter list! I love candy corn, too! I have to start easing up on the chewy candy because I am afraid I will loosen my crowns, but I decided chocolate is way better anyday!

The best things to get I think are the fun fruit by the foot or decent size candy bars……………fun size is not fun………..what is fun about smaller?!?!

Worst would be smarties or those awful root beer candys or pixie sticks.

I definately get excited about new running shoes more than any other running gear, especially if they are colorful. But new running socks are really fun, too!

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Definitely B, Reese’s are the greatest, and a big no to A, I am firmly in the candy corn is gross camp. We don’t have too many trick or treaters so we do full-size chocolate bars and the Reese’s never make it to the kids.

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All of the above!! Okay, B Reese’s is the top choice.

Random question: What brand is Andrew’s shirt? We are having our Christmas photos done, and that print would match perfectly!! :)

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I have a serious candy corn problem. The autumn mix to be specific.. oh those pumpkins. I carry the bag around with me from after lunch on… to the rest of the day!!! Feels good to get that out! Haha!

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Milky way is great. But I think Twix is better and the rarely seen 100 Grand is better still. Don’t care for Snickers.

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It’s so difficult to get out of your head when things get tough while running! I always tell myself that it will pass – my discomfort often comes in waves, especially at the start of longer runs (for some reason the 3 mile mark during super long runs always gets me), so I tell myself it will pass. I also “permit” myself to stop/walk if needed, but first I always tell myself to wait it out! Running is such a mental sport, something I love ( and occasionally hate) about it.

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B!!! REEESES HOW COULD YOU CHOOSE ANYTHING ELSE IS BEYOND ME

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B!!! REEESES!! How anyone could choose anything else is truly beyond me, but okay because then I get more reeses!

Have you tried their dark chocolate peanut butter cups? Those are life changing

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probably won’t be passing out candy since i live in a large apt complex with mostly young adults…but i bought some just in case ;)
REESE’S!!! the bigger the better! pumpkins/trees/eggs are THE BEST.
i LOVE this post! i often focus on how great i’ll feel when i’m done, or how i’m calming my mind before a crazy day at work, or breakfast and coffee. and i tell myself ‘you are ok, just breath, you’re lucky to be out here doing this, get to the next XX’…lots of things. or i sing and throw my arms in the air dancing to my music!

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I so wish I had read this post this morning. I had a nine 9 mile run this evening and EVERYTHING HURT tonight. My stomach, my lungs (it’s starting to get cold), my hands (I have Raynauds) I think I needed to focus on the few things that didn’t hurt or focusing on the positive being that I can be out there running and that I got the chance to run with my friends. Regarding the candy question… butterfingers, white chocolate reese’s, or snickers.

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