Friday Favorites, real life and your running accomplishments!

Happy Friday!!! I hope your weekend gets started ASAP and that it is a really great one!

Seven miles for my Thursday!  We have a 1/2 marathon tomorrow so I’m taking today off and excited for another early alarm clock;)

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I talked about this on my Instagram yesterday but something I love to do in the summer is to do barefoot strides after a run!  I drive to a park so that I can finish there too.  When I did track work I would always do this in the field afterwards (ps here is my step-by-step guide to doing speed work).  I don’t run as fast as I used to for these but it is fun to get moving for about 50 meters.  I usually do 5 of them now but I like to do this sometimes to end my run on a high note.  It helps me to end with better form and it feels awesome on my feet (stretches them so good)!

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And then at the end of everything I plop down on the ground, sidewalk, whatever I want and just sit there for a few minutes.  Then I go inside for a huge smoothie.

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PS real life below… yesterday was one of those days that I was so ready to walk out the door to run bright and early but decided my bed needed me for another 23 minutes.  Procrastination/needing to build up some motivation at it’s finest.

Just going to soak up laying on my stomach for a bit longer.

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Later on in the afternoon—> A drive up to the Salt Lake City area.

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Yesterday the kids had a cousin’s bday party to attend and they had a blast.

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Between the slip n’ slide, the water balloons, cotton candy machine and piñata… they never wanted to leave.

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I used to just eat parts of the little containers of fruit at a time but now I just take the entire container because I know I’m going to eat the whole thing in one sitting.

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BBQ at the birthday party for lunch and then we made some quick chicken burritos for dinner and stopped by my grandma’s to see my family!  It is a weird day when I choose pretzels over that gorgeous strawberry pie.

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*Sprinklers.  I get so excited when I see sprinklers that are on and hitting the sidewalk during my summer runs.  I just want a nice little mist from my shoulders down as I run through them and it cools my body down a solid 15 degrees.

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*Andrew carried this horseshoe for 3.5 miles of his last run.  He saw it while he was running and knew that the kids would think it was cool so he washed it really good and gave it to them.  They thought it was awesome.  Probably not fun to carry for so long but I just thought it was super sweet.

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*Andrew and I watch more movies than EVER now.  I get into bed so much earlier than I used to.  We put the kids to bed and watch a movie (usually with a bowl of cereal;).  Our favorite movie recently was called The Impossible on Netflix. It is about a family that is on vacation in Thailand during the the tsunami in 2004.  It is VERY intense and about a disaster so watch if you are okay with that but we thought it was a really good movie.  We also watched Six Sense again this week and it brought back all sorts of memories… my sister and I saw it when we were in Jackson Hole.  I was young and we got lost afterwards (at like 11 pm) trying to get home to our hotel and I WAS FREAKED OUT.

*Cereal, of course.  It’s getting out of control over here.  Andrew brought these home for Brooke and I haven’t seen her this happy since her birthday;)

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*Our kids are obsessed with Go-Pro videos so I thought I’d show you a clip… they get really into it!

*This picture was one that Brooke’s dad sent me last weekend while she was gone with him.  I just love her sweet little smile.  Getting photos of her while she is gone makes it a lot easier for me!

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*So, let’s just say that sports bras are a little more important to me now than they used to be;)  I really need some good recommendations for some awesome support… this one and the Juno are my current favorite but I’d LOVE more recommendations!

*I get to see my sister’s kitchen today!! For the past few months she has completely redone her kitchen (we are talking Fixer Upper style) and she is doing the big reveal today for us to finally see it!  I can’t wait.  PS she is going to do a full post with before and after shots and how she did everything!

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Keep those amazing running accomplishments coming in!  I absolutely love them and they inspire me.  Send them to [email protected]

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Joanne!!!  “I just completed three back-to-back-to-back 5Ks in 10 days.  The main purpose was to kick-start my running motivation (because who’s not motivated by a bib??), and it ended up becoming the kick-off to my half-marathon training!  I started on June 3 with the Sunburst 5K in South Bend, Ind., which was the toughest because of the heat and a major hill in the third mile.  I followed that four days later with Fleet Feet’s Big Run 5K on Global Running Day on June 7.  This was a much flatter course with less heat, so I shaved 47 seconds off my previous time. I followed that up with a charity 5K at a work convention in Orlando on June 13, which — holy humidity! — was one of my sweatiest runs to date.  Even so, I managed to drop another 43 seconds off my time.  None of those are Pos, but I was proud of my improvement over such a short period of time.  Now I’m into week three of training for my first half marathon, so it turns out running those three races was just what I needed to get the running bug to return! So now I have two goals: complete my first half and run a sub-30 5K.  I wrote a full recap of my 5K ‘triad’ HERE!

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Kacee!!!  “Going into this marathon (Utah Valley Marathon) I was SUPER nervous.  Physically, I hadn’t trained very well; Super low miles, only a handful of workouts, and nothing to really know what kind of shape I was in.  However, I was even more nervous about my mental training- I hadn’t raced at all in over 2 years.  And in those 2 years I had a baby and really had to process a lot of life’s baggage (i.e. my husband going through cancer).  I was so nervous I almost pulled the plug and didn’t start!  But, I told myself I NEEDED to do this.  I had to be brave.  And you know what?  I ended up with a 4 min lifetime PR of 3:03, 17 min course PR, 10th overall & 3rd in my age group!  I was just pumped!  We all know Pos are the best feeling, but what truly made me happy was I didn’t let my nerves & fears hold me back- I got back on the race course and remembered why I love running!  For a full recap read my blog post HERE!!!

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Shannon talking about her husband Nate:)!!!  “In honor of Father’s Day on Sunday, I wanted to share an accomplishment on behalf of my awesome husband, Nate.  A few years ago, he had back surgery and for about two years, we thought he might never be pain free and live the active life we have loved and shared together.  Slowly, he started incorporating running into his rehab and this last weekend, he achieved a huge milestone when he ran his first half marathon— a hilly trail half! — in 2:25:20, nearly 5 minutes under his goal time.  Our son and I cheered for him several places along the route and then they got to run in together.  I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen such huge smiles on both their faces and it made me so happy to see.  My husband showed our son the whole process of working hard and having it pay off— he’s an awesome dad and husband and I’m so proud.”

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Jackie!!!  “I don’t like to talk about my running.  I like to keep it private.  I’m not on social media, I don’t have a blog.  I don’t even have a picture of my race I’m going to tell you about (does that mean it didn’t happen;)  I am motivated to share because I do enjoy treading about others running accomplishments. I also am motivated by your post about confidence and setting limits on yourself.  I ran the Holcomb Valley 33 mile trail race 2 years ago.  It was amazing, so beautiful and very difficult.  It’s hilly, rocky and at 7000-8000 feet altitude which is a shock coming from San Diego.  It was wonderful, I finished in 8:33, and I wanted to do it again.  So this year I raced it again and my dream goal was to break 8 hours.  I didn’t have a sense of how I was doing until 2 miles before the finish.  It’s a 2 mile downhill but it’s really rocky and I was being careful to not fall.  I looked at my watch and it said 7:15 and that’s when I knew I was going to break 8 hours! I finished in 7:52!  I want everyone to know that you can do amazing things at any age, I will be 52 years old in September.  The most important element for my running, and probably for anything else in life, is believing in myself.  No amount of training, new clothes, weight-loss, etc. will make up for not believing in myself and being confident.  So don’t sell yourself short, do your positive thinking and be the wonderful person you are meant to be!!”

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Do you sleep most on your side, back or stomach?

-STOMACH.  I love it.  This is going to be a hard change soon.

REALLY Good supportive sports bras?!?!  HELP ME:)

Have any Friday night plans that you are looking forward to? 

Who has a race or long run this weekend?  What is it?

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65 comments

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Always start sleeping on my belly.
I’m traveling upstate to visit a friend today. We plan on doing nothing but lounging by her pool.

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That sounds like the perfect day Sally.. enjoy every second!

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YES!!! Cap’n Crunch Sprinkled Donut Crunch cereal is SO good! Good job, Andrew!!

No big Friday night plans over here. I’m going for a walk with a friend after work, but then I’ll mostly just relax and hopefully go to bed early! (I know–it’s thrilling.)

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Haha yep, Brooke agrees! Going to bed early is the biggest treat ever… ENJOY the walk and bed:) Thanks Natalie!

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I always sleep on my side! But trying to sleep a little more on my back since it’s hurting my chest :-X, it’s so hard to change!

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Isn’t it crazy how hard it is to change? I think I try to change but then I’m like, I just want to sleep… so I go back to whatever feels best! Have a great weekend Juliette!

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Congrats to all the runners!

No race or long run for me this weekend and I’m looking forward to the break! We have a cut back week in our training plan so I’ll just do about 8-9 miles and then get on with the rest of my weekend!

I watched The Impossible with my mom a little while back … SO many tears.

Have a great weekend & Good luck tomorrow!!

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Enjoy the BREAK ARTHI. Oh cut back weeks on the plan are the best… you still get in a run but it doesn’t take up the whole morning! YES… we cried big time too during the movie. Thank you and enjoy your weekend!

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I feel like Brooke and Knox just feed off of each other’s energy. You and Andrew seem to have your hands full for sure!

https://maureengetsreal.wordpress.com/

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They sure do ha! Yeah… next year is going to be really interesting haha! PS I want to try the face mask you put up on your blog!

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I’m sure you guys will be fine next year! The peel off mask?! It’s so good, just make sure you let it dry completely otherwise it’s hard to pull off. Learn from my mistake because I thought it was dry but it wasn’t.

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Hahaha I totally will learn from you!!!

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That video of the kids is fantastic – Knox has some serious dance moves!

I am 100% a stomach sleeper. With one of my legs like thrown up to the side. When I am pregnant, I am going to have such a hard time with this, too. They are so expensive, but Victoria’s Secret has really good like double-support sports bras that are cute, too. Tonight we are going to try out the brand new sister-restaurant of one of our favorite older restaurants and we are really excited about it! Have a wonderful weekend :)

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I was wondering about the VS sports bras… I’ve never tried them! Thanks for letting me know:) Have the best time ever at dinner… enjoy Allison!

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GM.
I have Brooks Fiona style sports bra. Very supportive. I use body glide for under the straps and chest. I have about 9 of them. Lol. Small fortune but worth it.
Side sleeper
Planning to chill after work w new book
No races too humid in NC. Feels like the jungle.
Have a great weekend!

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GOOD CALL on the body glide too… I’m going to have to buy the Fiona! THANK YOU! Let me know if your new book is one you love! Enjoy Marylynne and thank you!

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Like I said on IG, we used to do barefoot strides in college but I stepped on a bee and it got stuck in my foot. It was enough to end that one for me LOL.

I feel as though it’s been a long week for a lot of people!

Good luck on your half tomorrow Janae.

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I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT… I would freak out Hollie. Yeah, never do that again! Enjoy your weekend girl! Wish we could run together tomorrow:)

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AHHH! So crazy to see my running accomplishment here! Thanks, Janae, for providing a place for us to share our running high points!

I’ve got a six-mile long run on deck for Sunday (I typically do them on Saturday but had to move some things around this week). I haven’t run that long in a year, so I’m a little intimidated, but also excited… training is only going to get harder from here!

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Thank you Joanne for sending it in… huge congrats! GOOD LUCK ON SUNDAY, you’ve got this!!!

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Oh my gosh, I miss those slip n slides… great childhood memories! Tonight im celebratin some good news that happened at work, so bring on the champagne ;)

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CONGRATS CARRIE on the good news… that is awesome! Enjoy every second!!!

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I LOVE sleeping on my side. And go my God! that strawberry pie looks so delicious!

No races for me this weekend, just a run tomorrow and hope it feels way easier as I just finished antibiotics treatment. Those medicines will always make me feel weaker on my runs.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Janae:)

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ENJOY YOUR RUN TOMORROW Nathaly! I am so glad you are done with your treatment… antibiotics ZAP me. I totally know what you mean!!

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Moving comfort sports bras worked well for me during pregnancy

https://www.rei.com/product/110033/moving-comfort-juno-sports-bra

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I go for the Brooks Fiona bra- best one I ever got. no Friday night plans since I have to work late ( 11 pm) but tomorrow I’ll be running the AF canyon Cancer run (5k) so I have that to look forward to

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OH MOLLY!!! We will be there tomorrow… I hope I get to see you! Yeah, you go straight to bed! Good luck at the 5k!!! Looks like I need the Fiona!

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Sperts bras are my most difficult thing to find that support me. With weight loss came with some side affects, but I have found that the Victoria Secret VSX series provides the best support. However I do recommend going down a cup size from where you are at now because this way (at least for me) it helps prevent bounce.
I am very excited for you and your family for the new addition. And thank you for sharing your journey.

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It was 88% humidity when I ran at 5am this morning… what a way to start a Friday! :) Nothing too exciting planned after work today but I do have some great plans to get at least 9 hours of sleep before my 8 mile run tomorrow. Good luck on your half marathon!

Victoria’s Secret actually has some great, “high impact” sports bras. I try to go when they are having sales so I don’t have to spend $50 on them, but that means sometimes you get the weird patterns or ugly colors lol. I do NOT like their front close ones though – I have had the zippers break open while running and let me tell you, that is not fun! I think the one I like is called “Incredible.” Comfortable and supportive for sure.

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Mostly side sleeper

I love that Andrew is so supportive of what you’re loving to eat right now. My husbands a sweetie but he wasn’t a big supporter of cravings and it was a pretty rare occasion that he brought any kind of “pregnancy food” home for me.

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Thank you for posting Jackie’s accomplishment! Sometimes pure words are enough. … Although I love your pictures, Janae :) Happy weekend!

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I have a 5k tomorrow morning early, but that is a long race for me. It winds through a gorgeous campground and it supports a local school. And I also see lots of people I know there. It’s just a fun one. And the prizes are always school supply related. I’m a back and side sleeper. Friday night plans are to get things done since my kiddo is at a sleepover and go for a long speed walk.

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I spy a teeny tiny bump (only noticeable when you’re sitting because normally you’re soo tiny!) ?
Tonight I have a party for a friend who just got her American citizenship! But I won’t stay too long because I need to be all rested for my 10k tomorrow!! You’ll probably finish your race before I start mine but hope we get to see each other!

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I thought The Impossible was a great movie. Good Luck at your half tomorrow, You and Baby will do awesome! Heading out to the store, have to have that Captain Crunch! :D Happy Weekend to all.

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We will be in Jackson Hole in just a few days.
If you are in for spontaneous adventure……….
Chris and Andrew can take the kids. We can eat fruit, run, eat chips, nap, eat cereal.

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Okay, I have an awesome sports bra for you!!! I did a huge search during my last pregnancy for good sports bras and saw a recommendation for this one in Runner’s World…loved it so much I have a whole bunch now. Super great for pregnancy AND postpartum running (I used to have to run with 2 bras for the month after the baby was born but with this one I only need 1!). It’s really snug and supportive (I’m normally pretty flat-chested unless I’m pregnant or nursing) and it’s also one of the better chafe bras I’ve tried…marathon tested and it was great for me! I wore it for my run today, haha! http://amzn.to/2rK35Hh

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Oops, posted too soon–in case the link doesn’t work it’s the Adidas Performance Supernova.

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KNOX seems to have no fear and so much energy…..Hmm, American Ninja warrior??? For some reason I see him tackling lots of obstacles….

And I love that horseshoe…..I am sure it will be a sign of good luck in your future!! ;-)

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Ugh, I love that Lulu bra too. And at that price, I hate that I love it! I keep reaching for it every AM though so I’m going to have to shell out for another one this weekend. (But Juno is the only other one I run in, I love the update!)

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This sports bra is my absolute favorite! Continues to work great for me and I’m currently 20 weeks pregnant.

http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/rebound-racer-sports-bra/350037.html?dwvar_350037_color=011#start=2

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I love the Under Armour Eclipse bra… it has adjustable straps – which I really need. It does get pretty soaked after a good sweaty run, but it fits so great that I hardly care. I do have small boobs though. I have a 4 mile run tmrw, which is nothing close to a typical long run.. but I am happy to be running outside and making progress on my hamstring! 3 more weeks of rehabbing/rebuilding and then I can start training for NY ???

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..oh good luck and have fun this weekend!!

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That cereal is everything. I gotta find that around me!!!!

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Thank you for asking for recommendations on sports bras! I’ve been having a hard time finding comfortable ones! No races planned this weekend, just continuing my half marathon training. Good luck tomorrow on yours!

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Just wanted to say Brooke’s bathing suit is sooooo adorable! I am a side sleeper, i like to hug a blanket while I sleep lol.

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Oh my goodness Brooke looks just like your niece in the birthday party pictures.

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This is not related to this post but I know you love super cute and comfy dresses. Have you checked out wrenandivory.com?
They have amazing dresses that are cute, comfortable and affordable. I love their tops too. There’s an entire bump friendly section on their website. Great stuff!

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Megan, you are the BEST. I’ve never heard of everything and it is the cutest… I want it all! Thanks for sharing with me:) Hope you have a great weekend!

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I really like the 7 Wonders bras from Title Nine – but I think it actually may be the Juno from Brooks.

And congrats on the accomplishments, and congrats to your Sis! A kitchen remodel with 5 kids; she is a hero!!

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My youngest daughter just picked that cereal at the store this week! I confess I ate it for breakfast yesterday.

My oldest is graduating high school tonight! Enjoy your littles, man the time does fly. Congratulations on the new little on the way <3

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I CANNOT wait to see your sister’s kitchen!!! Looking forward to her post and super impressed they did all the work themselves. I love a good reno project. Knox and Brooke are hilarious. I was wondering the other day, who was the oldest?

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HEY SARAH!! I cannot wait to show you… it’s amazing! Brooke is older than Knox by about 5.5 weeks ha! Crazy how close in age they are! I hope you are having a wonderful day!

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We’ve watched The Impossible and couldn’t believe how amazing it was. We were crying through the whole thing!! We ended up loving it so much that we watched it all over again (right after) only with the wife recounting (narrating) her real-life experiences as the movie played. It was heart wrenching.

And I used to sleep on my stomach until I learned it was the source of my terrible migraines and TMJ, so I had to force myself to stop. Literally waking up repeatedly throughout the night the moment I felt myself roll onto my stomach. It was a long month, but now I’m a back sleeper!

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slip n’ slides and water balloons are pretty much the best!

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I just came across these…
https://shefit.com/products/shefit-ultimate-sports-bra
They are pretty pricy but look like they would be be perfect for pregnancy and post-pregnancy “ladies.” Between being pregnant and nursing not only did my ladies changed size so many times but, they were desperate for extra support. This bra looks like a game changer.

Oh also, back sleeper.

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I’m a stomach sleeper too! And about 20 weeks along ;) I definitely understand!

Good luck on your half this weekend!!

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Side sleeper, I’m a D cup so stomach sleeping is not comfortable. (and it kills my back).

I have a 5K tomorrow, my first race in year. T-storms are predicted so it may not happen…

I wear the Fiona, Champion’s High Support 1602, and Under Armor Heat Gear compression. They all feel very supportive and as I mentioned, I’m not small. :)

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I sleep on my right side, and my right side only! I sometimes try to fall asleep in other positions and realize who am I kidding?!? I fall asleep and wake up on my right side every day!
I’m not the least well endowed girl out there…I love champion bras from Target. They’re affordable and compress me really nicely.
I’m headed into downtown boston for some dinner with my friends! It’s BEAUTIFUL weather here right now so I am excited.
No race this weekend, BUT my tibia is finally feeling better so there’s a light at the end of the injury horizon.

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I love sleeping on my stomach and was SO excited to be able to again after having our baby! It was one of the things I missed most while pregnant lol.

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I start out on my stomach and then end up in the fetal position ;)
The sports bra I swear by for a larger bust is the Brooks (moving comfort) Vixen. They have an A/B size and a C/D size.
http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/vixen-sports-bra-cd/300291.html

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I’m racing this weekend! It’s a local 10k that a ran last year at 27 weeks pregnant…tomorrow, I run with my 9-month old in the jogger!

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I love your blog! I started my first running blog this summer for an online class, and I’m having a blast with it. Your posts mix in “real life” with your running progress and it blends perfectly. If you could ever take a look at my site, I would greatly appreciate any pointers you could give me on running, writing, anything at all! Thanks.

http://abriggs5.uneportfolio.org/

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I also prefer my stomach and now that I’m 21 weeks I definitely can’t at all but I use a pillow (just one that has a sham on it that I put on my bed when I make it) and lag on my side angled to kind of lean on it so it feels more like I’m on my stomach than my side, if that makes sense. Last time I used a body pillow, but I toss and turn too much and it kept getting tangled in my sheets, so this size pillow has been great for that.

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Victoria’s Secret has really stepped up with their workout gear recently, they have some great bras now! I’m a DD and very picky about bras, they are around $50, but I’ve found any good bras are at least that. They come in cute colors too, which the supportive bras usually lack variety in the cute department. Happy shopping!

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The only sports bra I run in: Kiava Endurance Bra. Amazing supportive and affordable!

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