The run seems shorter when…

It is a New Year’s Eve Week Miracle—> Candice is here in Arizona staying with her family at the same time that we are in town. 

I think our new goal is to run together in every single state.  2 down… 

I wanted to take our picture to make it look like we were going in for a hug when I put them together but that clearly didn’t work and so this is what I have:

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10.3 miles @ a 7:56 pace.  When I run with people we don’t really come up with a pace before we leave (unless we are doing a specific workout).  We just kind of fall into a groove.  If one of us needs to slow down a bit we just tell the other person and go with it.  I used to stress out about ruining other people’s run by going a different pace than them but turns out we usually are at about the same place and happy to accommodate for the other person!

I realize I am a distance runner every time I go out for a run and don’t feel warmed up and ready to go until about mile 5 or 6.  Those first few miles were rough but I also think all of the junk food this last week had something to do with that but I think we are all kind of in that same boat right now.  

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Absolutely:

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I got back to the girls and we threw on some clothes and went straight to Last Chance to go wait in line for the store to open.

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It was actually a pretty stressful circumstance.  They have ridiculous deals at this store on some amazing stuff and people get pretty into it and rush into the store as soon as the doors open and dig through the bins of things.

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My favorite purchase from today are these Doc Martens for Brooke that I got for crazy cheep.  Buying kids clothing > buying adult clothing.

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 Lunch at The Sauce was the best way to refuel all of the craziness (delicious rolls in the brown bags that were perfect for dipping into the soup).

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Feel free to check out my latest article HERE!!!

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What are some things that you do to help create a positive body image?!

What was your lunch today?

Favorite store on the planet to shop at?

Last person that you went running with?

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65 comments

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Body image: I don’t own a scale. It helps me to not focus on a number.
Lunch: chipotle sofritas salad
Fave store: j crew
Last run mate: my husband!

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I just have to keep reminding myself of all the things my body can do. There is a reason I have big calves, etc.

Last person I ran with, my husband. Always my favorite training partner.

When my sister and I went to Rome, we randomly ran into someone we went to high school with who was on our cross country team (there was only about 10 of us) while we were walking around outside of the Vatican. Didn’t know he was living there when we went. Pretty crazy…it makes the world feel small!

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I love the floral pattern on those shoes for Brooke.

I made a chicken quesadilla for lunch and it turned out pretty good.

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Last Chance is the craziest store ever, but you can find deal on some very expensive things. You need to eat at Pita Jungle while you’re in Phoenix. The best hummus, vegetables and food ever! Spicy chicken wrap is my all time favorite.

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I second this comment! My two faves are Pita Jungle and Oreganos!

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Loved your article on Women’s Running today, Janae! I couldn’t agree more.

Ahh, running with friends is so nice — it makes me wish more of my friends ran!! I need to somehow trick them into running with me.

That salad looks DELISH!

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I think a positive body image includes a balance between both a healthy inside and a healthy outside. I think the extreme of either is incorrect. I love this quote about balance, and I think it fits perfectly into the body image debate:

I expect you feel a strong desire to tell me – which of these two errors is the worse. That is the devil getting at us. He always sends errors into the world in pairs – pairs of opposites. And he always encourages us to spend a lot of time thinking which is the worse. You see why, of course? He relies on your extra dislike of the one error to draw you gradually into the opposite one.”
(C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p.185)

It’s just as easy to get caught up in what’s on the outside as it is to get caught up about its only what’s inside that counts. True confidence comes when both are healthy.

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Wow! Interesting perspective-refreshing to read.

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The last person I went running with was my running partner…and it was in October! I miss running with her terribly-we are on two different speeds right now because she is having a baby:) but we plan on doing some warm ups together soon!!! :)

You are having the best vacation, I’m so jealous of your Arizona weather!!:)

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Awesome article – to maintain a positive body image, I make myself think of two positive things about myself if I think of one negative…that way, the positives outweigh the negatives – win/win.

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I loved your article today!!

Lunch today was a trash burrito :) I just threw a bunch of stuff on it.

I don’t know if I have a fave store, per se. But I do love the outlets in Camarillo, CA.

My last running buddy was the hubs. He’s been training with me for a 1/2 in March. I l.o.v.e. having someone to run with.

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I really just try to focus on more important things when I start to get down on my body image. I have friends and family who love me, and think I’m beautiful just the way I am. What others think of my character matters way more than what I think of myself!

Lunch today was leftover homemade pizza (with my FAVORITE TJ’s garlic and herb dough) with turkey pepperoni, onion, and zucchini with a salad on the side loaded up with cranberries and blue cheese. SO delicious!

I just got back from running with a friend! I felt SO SLOW and I’m pretty sure it’s because of all the delicious food and treats as of late.

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I focus more on how I feel than how much I weigh….positivity comes from within and not a number! I also do not weigh myself but about once a month because it never makes me feel good!

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i went running with my friend katie this morning! we met through run club and running friends are the best.

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I agree that completely getting rid of the scale and focusing on how you feel helps with body image. I’m the same way when I run with someone – fall into a groove and see where it takes us! I also find it takes me quite a while to warm up, about 4 miles usually.

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I love wandering through Sephora. I don’t know what half the stuff is, but it’s fun to look and then somehow spend all my money.

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Thats kind of how it is for me. When I run with people we don’t normally discuss a pace and it just falls into place. Obviously one person knows weather they are faster, slower, etc.

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I love seeing your articles featured on Womens Running Magazine. You are so cool.! Lol
Those are cuute shoes :)

And I had a yummy veggie wrap with fries

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Lunch some veggie sushi rolls. I have to be in the right mood for them, but when I am, they are so delicious! :) Last person that I went running with was my husband–I love that we do a few runs together every week. :)

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Body image – I try and focus more on doing /eating healthy for the long-term and less about the number on the scale.
Lunch – a turkey sandwich and carrots
Running partner – a precision run class at my gym at lunch today, so lots of run partners. Our instructor ran a 100 mile race a couple months ago – knowing that I absolutely cannot slack off in his classes!

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Pick A favorite store…..I just cant. I have too many favorites!

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Maybe not something I did, but something that absolutely changed the way I looked at the size of my body, was when people who did not know I was 3 months pregnant were telling me how good I looked. I had the body of a woman, not a pre-puberty girl.

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I notice that the times I struggle the most with body image are the times that I spend focusing way too much on myself. As soon as I redirect my focus and start thinking about other people and what I can do for them instead, my body image woes seem to melt away. It’s not always as easy as that, but it also never fails :)

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When I’m starting to feel bad about myself I like to go do something active or do something fun with my friends or family to take my mind off of things so I am able to gain a healthier perspective down the road. It’s kind of like my version of a reset button!

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I had pizza for lunch today.
Went running with friends last weekend in the city.
When I feel icky about myself I go for a walk or look at pictures from my recent marathon. :)

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Those little doc martens are sooooo cute!! :)

xo

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Lunch today was my fave giant salad at The Cheesecake Factory….I am with you — I don’t start to feel warmed up and in my groove until easily mile 4,5,6 these days!

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My favorite place to shop is probably the GAP. I’m not very fashionable so it works for me :)

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That store looks terrifying. I would never go there because I would immediately get overwhelmed and have to leave.

I also agree about the long distance thing. Sometimes the first few miles feel awful, but then around 5-6 I want to keep going even if I only planned on doing that many. My friend and I call ourselves LDRS (long distance running snobs) whenever one of us suggests that we run fewer than 6 miles.

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I love all the discount stores like Marshall’s, TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack, but I’m also a fan of Dillards — a southern staple I haven’t seen since I lived in Florida. Hope you have a great afternoon!

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My entire family went on a run together a few days ago- it was the first time we’ve ever done that.

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I had some awesome fish tacos at a Mexican restaurant in St Louis for lunch!
Most recent running buddy was my husband for half my run this morning.
I used to say Banana Republic was my favorite store by now I want to buy all the things from Victoria’s Secret Sport and Eddie Bauer.

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You’re in my ‘hood again!
I love Last Chance, Off 5th, Nordstrom Rack and all of those places. Bargains are where it’s at.
If you’re still in Gilbert/Chandler/Mesa tomorrow, there’s a group run from Cadence Running company at 5:45. Good people.

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Question. How often and how long did you run in your last year of high school?

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I have the adult version of those Doc Martens!

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Isn’t Last Chance amazing?! I need to get back there…they do have some awesome deals! If you gals have a free day and want to do lunch or fro-yo or all of the above, I’m not far at all from you!!! Would love to see your beautiful face!

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What is this Last Change store?! So cool! For lunch today I had leftover African peanut stew over brown rice.. so yummy! The last person I went running with is my cousin who is home from college!

I keep a good body image by thinking about how many incredible things it is capable of. I should never feel bad about my body with all the things it can do!

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that picture of the outside of that store totally stresses me out! I do NOT like shopping… esp when the store is crowded like that! Awesome that you managed to get a pair of shoes for brooke though :)

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Run in all 50 states? When you run in Florida, or visit Walt Disney World, maybe I’d have a chance to met you and share a froyo.

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I think reading blogs has helped me realize positive body image. There are SO many people out there doing SO many incredible things. Blogs have opened me up to reality instead of just the ones the media throws at you.

I’ve never heard of Last Chance, but it seems like my kinda place. I’m a hunter/gatherer when it comes to shopping!

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those shoes for Brooke look so big!

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That store sounds terrible – large shopping crowds are not my thing!

Working out/running is my major source of positive body image. How great is it to realize all the amazing things your body is capable of? I love that I can just throw on some shoes and run 13 miles if I want to. Not everyone is in a place where they can do that. That, and as I have gotten older I have been better about my body image in general.

I kind of had breakfast at lunch time today – I slept in. Hash browns with eggs and hot sauce, yes.

I don’t really like shopping most of the time, but Target is definitely a go to for me.

I ran with my running club on Saturday. It’s pretty much the only time I run with other people. I need more running friends!

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I focus on being thankful for what my body can do. That helps me get through the body image struggles that pop up from time to time!

I’m not huge into shopping but I do LOVE a good second-hand store :) Brooke’s shoes are so cute!!!

Lunch today… sausage gravy, eggs and biscuits. Healthy, I know! I was craving it, okay :)

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I might be weird, but my favorite store is the Salvation army! I love a deal – but it’s a little lower stress than the line in the picture above.

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those shoes are adorable.

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What are some things that you do to help create a positive body image?! I’m nice to myself. I forgive myself for mistakes I make or crappy food choices. I always think, this is me, why would I be mean to me. Plus, I have two little girls, I want them to grow up with good feelings about their bodies, it’s taken me 30 years to figure that out.

What was your lunch today? Chicken Fiesta Salad with my husband, I love when he picks me up in the middle of a super stressful day at work and let’s me talk the whole time.

Favorite store on the planet to shop at? This may sound super lame but I order EVERYTHING off amazon. Even my UA stuff.

Last person that you went running with? My running group gals, Twilia and Beth!

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I had McDonalds today :-(…..opps? Tomorrow Chipotle! Yay!

It looks so warm there

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I love love theses pics, those shoes look amazing, wish I had a pair of Brooke’s in adult size awesommmme. I have struggled with eating disorders when much younger do know I down own scales or I will obsess again. Janae I have a question is it possible to run a blog on how hormones affect running, I am struggling with it lately and another do you lovvvvvvvveeeeee musk sticks candy as much as me?

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Was meant to say now I don’t own scales, sorry day two of no sugar affecting my brain

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I very much like our new goal!

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I barely started running with a partner last year. It’s been the greatest thing I could’ve done. I look forward to those runs every week! She has pushed me and motivated me so much. I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner.

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My last running partner was my dad! While visiting for Xmas I had to get my last long run in before my marathon…20 miles. My dad graciously offered to follow on his bike with water, Gatorade and snacks. I loved the moral support and company! Now I’m tapering!!!

Enjoy your girls’ vacation!

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Just catching up! We just moved to Chandler (all the way from a south Dakota) a week ago so my blog reading time has been zero. Glad to see you are here and getting in some warmer runs. :)

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Body Image – used to be really thin and now on the chubby side but best side effect of this is I have a fabulous pair of boobs!! I am really happy with them!

My favourite lunch is Lentil soup with fresh bread…..yum

Favourite store is Marks and Spencer – (M&S)……..

Going running in about an hour with my pal Vikki – we will have a fab run along the frosty trails in my new running top I bought in the sales recently!

Happy running everyone! xx

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I love shopping at Target!!!!

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I have not even heard of this store. I am going to have to check it out. I hope you are enjoying Arizona. It is cold here now, did you bring those cold temps with you from Utah? :)

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I live right by that Last Chance store haha so funny to see it on the blog

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those floral printed shoes are the cutest. i want them.

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Positive Body Image…..I’m reading all the suggestions that your other readers have, and your article, so I can learn to embrace it!! :)

Yesterday’s lunch: PB&J. Today’s lunch: Not sure yet, but we’re going to a place called, “Uncle Bill’s Pancake House”. I’m guessing syrup will be involved.

Favorite store? Amazon.com

Last person I ran with: I don’t remember. That’s not good. :(

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Those are the cutest little pair of teeny boots ever! I loved your article on body image. Women need to try to love themselves. Self love is actually one of my goals for 2015!

Target beats any other store every day! I am also obsessed with their Champion line of running gear…its great stuff for the price point :)

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I have a pair of those Docs!! I love them almost as much as I love my purple ones :-)

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Those Docs are so cute!

Lunch was Emily’s Adzuki Burger and a vegetable and quinoa soup. Of course before lunch I had 1/4 cup of Banana Peanut Butter ice cream. Why did I have to buy a container of that? It’s insanely delicious.

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What a great article, nicely said! I just wanted to say, thanks for reminding us of this and helping us keep those positive thoughts.
I used to be ashamed of my pear shaped body before I ran my first half, then I realized that my legs (which will never look like a super model’s) are what got me across that finish line so be grateful for what I’ve got. Thanks for the reminder, this was a great message!

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Those docs are cute!

Haha “docs” that’s what we used to call them back in the day.

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Omg those Doc Martens are SO cute!

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