10 of my biggest running mistakes + one of those days I overshare my thoughts on something.

A NEW POST is up on HRG Baby—>  HERE!  I’m talking about my plans on getting back into shape AFTER I have the baby (Hint: it is much different than what I did after Brooke was born).

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Another seven miles to add to my pregnancy running miles!  I finished at a 9:33 average!  Today will be a short run, Friday will be a rest day and then on Saturday I’m going to run (most likely;) the Timp Half!

Mornings with this many clouds make my runs even better.  The sun didn’t peak out until the last .2 miles of my run, hallelujah.  I’m actually really looking forward to the cold winter running months up ahead (I know, I can’t believe I said that…) but I am not a fan of heat right now!

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I have a new podcast that I am loving to listen to while I run.  A few of you (THANK YOU) recommended How I Built This and I’m obsessed.  It is so incredibly interesting to hear how companies like TOMS, Five Guys, Instagram, Patagonia etc were started and the failures and successes along the way.  I think so far my favorite one was about Five Guys…  People are amazing.

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I got home and stretched with Brooke and Beretta.  She did this pose all on her own (while saying ‘OM’) and told me she saw it in her Chihuahua movie on Netflix.

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Brooke went over to one of her friend’s house to play before they move to Iceland (maybe we will have to go visit them:).  Andrew picked up Knox and they went on a little date together before he leaves.  Brooke is going to S. Cali this weekend and Andrew is taking her (after my last trip on the plane… RIP Brooke’s Elsa backpack on the airplane… Andrew told me he is taking Brooke to visit her dad the rest of this pregnancy) so it will just be Knox and me for most of this weekend!

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Andrew and Knox hiked to this gorgeous waterfall… I want to join them on this hike again once it isn’t 90 degrees at 10 a.m.:)

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PS I don’t even know why I’m sharing this but I’ll share just in case there are other readers that have kiddos that go to their different parent’s houses too.  It used to be hard for me to hear about all of the stuff going on while Brooke was away once she got home.  I would never stop  her from telling me and I’m a great actress but I didn’t enjoy it.  Not sure if that had something to do with me comparing Brooke’s love for me w/ other people or thinking I’m not a ‘fun’ enough parent… most likely it had a lot to do with selfishness on my part because thinking that she has a life outside of our family is hard. I read this and it forever changed the way I think when the kid’s talk all about the amazing things at their other parent’s houses:

“I’m sharing this story to remind divorced mothers that a happy child who openly loves and accepts both parents and homes is a precious gift.  Don’t worry about where you rank in relation to everyone else in your baby’s tribe.  Let her babble on endlessly about fun at the other house and people she loves and fun things she’s done.  She’s giving you a window into her life, and it’s hard to get back once you close it.”  (This was from a scarymommy article).  This helped me to really love hearing about all of the things they do while they are gone.  I now look forward to hearing all of the fun details.  It’s beyond special that they are letting us in to these other parts of their lives and I don’t ever want that to stop.  It made me realize I am lucky to hear about it, and there is zero reason to be jealous.  I’ve always thought that the more people that love these kiddos, the better… this just made me realize how lucky I am to hear all about that too.  It always just takes me a few years to learn these lessons and grow up a bit:)

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I’m sure glad Brooke understands the importance of foam rolling at such a young age.

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I’m on a soup kick over here (lunch and dinner yesterday)! I had leftover cauliflower chowder with a grilled cheese sandwich.  It was delicious.  Maybe I’ll have a pancake with my leftover soup today;)

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And then we were all back together again.

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I had an activity with the youth in my area yesterday!  I brought an appetizer for our dinner (we did one of those Murder Mystery dinners) and it was delicious.  As you can tell, I have a thing for cream cheese/sour cream/cheese these days. For dinner we had tortilla soup like this one!

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I came home to children still practicing their yoga.

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And they like to kiss the baby before going to bed.

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I thought it would be fun/different/something new to share a few of the 10 BIGGEST Running Mistakes I’ve made over my last 19 years of running!!! Please share yours too if you want:)

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1.  Not wearing Brooks running shoes from the very beginning;)  Okay, I’ll add another thing to this first one… relying too heavily on paces.  Rather than paying attention to effort and how I was feeling, I thought that the TIMES my garmin were telling me meant everything!

2.  Running alone in the early mornings in downtown San Jose.  I don’t know what I was thinking but I wasn’t thinking about safety.

3.  Probably my biggest running mistake ever in the past—>  UNDER FUELING.  Putting my body into a state of amenorrhea and eating way less than I was burning.  It resulted in many injuries and my poor bones… they were not in a good place.

4.  Not taking rest days!!!  I thought the more the merrier… more running = faster.  Nope, it meant more injuries and burnout for me personally.  The past few years I gladly welcome 1 (or 2 if I’m training for a marathon) rest days a week and everything feels better for me.

5.  Being out with an injury and only pool-running for 5 weeks leading up to RUNNING a marathon.  I guess I wouldn’t take back this experience but goodness gracious this hurt more than a marathon should ever hurt.

6.  Wearing racing flats for my first marathon.  Not just racing flats but a BRAND NEW pair that I had never before worn or tried after training for the marathon for months in much more cushioned trainers.  The blisters by the end of that race were insane.

7.  Falling into peer pressure:)  Doing what my running buddies are doing even though I know my body works better a different way!  There was a training cycle that I joined in doing exactly what my friends were doing (even though they can handle more speed/miles/less rest days than I can) and I paid for it by tearing my quad.

8.  Eating candy right before a race.  I have done this with two different half-marathons and I paid dearly for it during both races:)  One time it was before a Halloween race and I thought I had a pretty high tolerance for candy but no… it hurt.  To go along with this one, my sister learned the hard way to not eat Panda Express the night before a race;)

9.  Running on things that HURT is a bad idea.  It turns the pain into something I should take a few days off for to something I HAVE to take a few months off for.

10.  GOING OUT TOO FAST in races.  Flying and dying.  I can’t tell you how many marathons I have done this and paid dearly for this mistake the last 10 miles of a marathon.  I go into the race high on adrenaline and excitement and don’t follow the paces I know I should be doing and BOOM the wall knocks me out later on during the race.

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One last reminder to check out my HRG Baby post:)

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What are some of the biggest running mistakes that you’ve made over your running years?

How many days/weeks until your next race?

Do you ever do yoga?  How often?

For those of you that run with your friends, how do you figure out your runs/workouts/paces together?  Do you do every run together or just specific ones?

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69 comments

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Their cute little yoga faces! Adorable :)

I have been doing yoga for most of the year, but the instructor I was going to left the studio and so I haven’t been in about a month. I need to get back at it!

8 weeks until my half :)

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OH no… I hate when a favorite fitness instructor leaves! Hopefully the other instructors are awesome when you go back! EIGHT WEEKS… wahooo!!! I hope you are having a great day Joanne!

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It’s so sweet of Andrew to bring Brooke to California to visit her dad. I bet it will be nice for those two to bond while traveling and you and Knox to bond some more before the baby comes! My next two races are both in October and I can’t wait. One I’m doing more for fun and it’s near a wine vineyard so hopefully the scenery will be nice. Have a great day Janae!

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It really is so nice of him and I can’t wait for some time with just me and Knox! So excited for you to rock your October races!!! Thanks Maureen!

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You have such a wonderful perspective on things, especially with Brooke. Thanks for always sharing your heart with us.

One of my biggest running mistakes is running a race that started at midnight. NEVER AGAIN. Also, trying shoes that just aren’t right for me because they worked for someone else. We’re all way too different for that. I ran a half marathon in Newtons after just buying them, and it was not a great experience afterward. Those shoes are not for me.

Usually when I run with people, we kind of fall into a pace naturally and don’t really ever discuss it, unless we have a specific speed workout in mind.

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Oh thanks Natalie:) A RACE AT MIDNIGHT!?!? I would fall asleep in two seconds hahah! I’ve made that shoe mistake too! I hope you are having a great day Natalie!

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I’m with you, I wish I never thought running when your hurt was a good idea. Running is funny, you think you’re getting away with something but it always comes back worse. You can’t outrun an injury. An injury I learned a long time ago, and now I’m paranoid about every little thing. Ha.

Great post Janae!

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YES YES YES…. you can’t get away with things like this and running. HA, I feel that paranoia too because I do not want to go down that road again so I probably pay too much attention to anything that is bugging me. I hope you have an awesome Thursday Hollie!

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Good job Brooke with the yoga! It’s hard for me to find time to go (I try to go at least once a week) but it makes such a big difference. My hips, glutes, hamstrings run so much better when they are loose! Also helps with core and upper body strength. And of course it is relaxing and good for my brain too!

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I really need to get into doing yoga again… I notice those same benefits! I hope you are having a great day Mel and I always love hearing from you so much!

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HAHA – glad to see that most of the running mistakes are mutual. I couldn’t believe the difference in my racing once I started going out with a measured pace.

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Pretty sure we all made a million running mistakes:) It’s part of the sport and learning! Right!? There is a big difference when we race smart! I hope your Thursday is a beautiful one!

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Running mistakes: not changing out my running shoes often enough and ending up running high miles on worn out shoes. I probably still make shoe mistakes because should I be alternating during the week? Also goofing off and then leaving for my run way too late in the summer and paying dearly for it with the heat. I did this all during my marathon training and then again last weekend. When will I learn??
4 weeks and 2 days until my next half! I’m excited/scared because even thiugh it’s like my 5th half, it’s my first one in about 4 years since I got injured. My 10 miler is this weekend though and I haven’t hit mileage like that in years, so even just that progress makes me so happy!
Love yoga. Used to do it 2-3 times a week. I need to get back into it.

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Oh yes yes yes I’ve done that too Alyssa! I am seriously so excited for your half (TOP OF UTAH WAHOO)!! You have come so far and please let me know how your 10 miler goes this weekend, you’ve got this!

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I started doing yoga in April and have been going 2-3 times a week ever since. Of course once I’m not on the injured runner list i’ll probably go 1-2 times a week but it has definitely helped my perpetually tight hamstrings and hips. And I leave there feeling very calm and accomplished.

My boyfriend is divorced with 2 kids….12 and 14. I remember his older daughter having a heart-to-heart with me in the car when I was driving with just her to get sneakers. She said she feels like she has more fun with her mom than her dad. I remember feeling sad for him at first. But it was really constructive criticism. So we made a list of things the girls wanted to do and have been tackling them one by one all summer. Tonight is a county fair, this weekend is a hot air balloon festival and next weekend we’re going whitewater rafting. :)

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That is such a sweet thing that she loves you so much to really open up to you! I love that you guys are doing so many fun things together this summer… those kids are SO lucky to have you in their lives!

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Some of us have no choice but to run alone in the dark. It’s not a mistake it’s a choice and ours to make.

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You are very right Gail and I apologize for how I wrote that one. I will continue to say that where I was running alone in the dark (Downtown San Jose) I had some beyond scary experiences (for me) and it is something I should have stopped doing. I hope you have a beautiful day!

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Being stressed about a social gathering falling in my planned running window.
Just typing this makes me cringe, but proud of myself for growing beyond it.

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Oh I have totally been there too Erica. You are amazing for growth and change you have made. I just think the world of you!

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Think about it this way…Brooke is probably doing the same thing at her dad’s. Telling him all of the amazing things she does with you and how much fun you all have. Kids like to share what they did when their parents aren’t there, and it isn’t anything personal against you or her dad. She just wants you to be “in the know.” ?

My biggest running mistakes:
1. Also trying to run in anything but Brooks. I have a wide foot, especially at the top of my foot, and the toe box on a pair of Brooks accommodates my foot wonderfully. I’m not sure why I continue to try anything else

2. Running a 5 mile trail race in the dark through the mountains of NC, when never having run a wooded trail before. Learned my lesson on that one! I survived, but it hurt afterwards!

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Oh you are SO right Samantha and I’m so grateful to be in the know about everything! I love that you love Brooks… they are the best:) Oh yeah, that does sound super painful!! I hope you have a great day and thanks for sharing!!

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I totally understand not wanting to hear about their time away with the other parent. I never really wanted to know anything either but I never stopped my son from telling me. I didn’t ask questions when he got home, just let him tell me naturally if he felt like it. I’m so bad about yoga! I go through phases and now I’m in the no yoga phase lol. I like to think that the pure barre stretching counts as my yoga! lol

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Great post on both topics- divorce and mistakes.
Running is ALL about making mistakes because that means we are learning, so I really appreciate you being so honest with your own learning experiences (makes me and I am sure a lot of people not feel so alone).
As a kiddo of a blended family, I can say that the kids definitely appreciate all the work you put in and the maturity you show in the situation (I don’t know all of it, but from what it sounds you seem do be doing a great job). Competition between parents bleeds into the kids, and my siblings and I STILL have problems (none of us are friends), so it is nice to hear you aren’t making the same mistakes my family did (that being said, NO parent is perfect and I wouldn’t trade my parents for the world).
Have a great day!

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Thank you so much Kaytlin! I LOVE what you said about mistakes =learning/growth! Thank you for sharing your story about your family. You are amazing and I am so sorry about what you have been through. Thinking about you Kaytlin, I hope you are having a wonderful day!

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Never a worry, it made me who I am today (which is great, because I have good taste in Poptarts and that is a strong character trait ;) ). Thanks and thanks for blogging!

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I have 129 days until my next race: the California International Marathon. I don’t officially start training until next month so now I am just trying to maintain my base with a focus on cross training. My biggest mistakes have been related to injuries and not allowing my body to rest and heal. Realizing that a few days or even a full week off of running won’t derail my progress. It’s taken me a long time to come that realization.

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AHHHH I am so so excited for you!! CIM is on my dream list for marathons:) Please keep me updated with how your training is going, I am so excited for you! I love what you have learned over the years… you are going to rock this marathon!

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Loved hearing about some of your biggest running mistakes – I feel like I’ve had some similar ones. For me the biggest one is definitely running on things that hurt! I find that I pretend that something isn’t hurting and it gets to the point where I can’t run my normal stride.. that’s when I need to take a day (or week) off!

I am SUCH a yogi ;) I did yoga 3-4 times a week before breaking my foot! Can’t wait to get back to it. I just love how it makes me truly stay in the moment/clears my head, plus it makes me more flexible!

Have a great Thursday :)

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YES YES YES… why did we think we were going to be okay continuing to run on something that hurts!? I am so glad that you love yoga and hopefully you are back there asap! THANKS Marina!

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yoga saved my running. After 2 years of being a mad woman and racing just about every weekend, I blew up. I had to take a year off due to injury after injury. I started doing yoga during that time, and I now with a combination of 2 classes a week and foam rolling at home, I can happily run again :)

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I am SO SO HAPPY that you found what works for you and your body now! We all go through that trial and error stage:) Have an awesome day Aimee!

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I used to go to yoga a couple times a week. I was going through a tough time and it definitely helped. To have that hour and 15 minutes on my mat where I left everything that was stressing me at the door was so needed. I don’t go very often now, but I should get back into the habit of it.

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Oh Fiona, I am so glad that yoga was able to help you so much. Exercise is amazing. I hope you are having a great morning!

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I love reading about how your family dynamics have evolved. You can truly tell you are at a place of peace and happiness! I can’t imagine how hard it is for Brooke to leave you, but I’m sure having Knox in your life has helped you heal and understand the situation even better. Brooke and Knox are both blessed to have happy second homes :) I’m so impressed with your positive mindset on tough situations in life!!

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Thank you so much Meg, this means the world to me! You are so right, getting to have Knox in my life now has helped me to better understand both sides so much better and I can’t wait to party with him this weekend! I hope you have a beautiful day and thanks for taking the time to write to me:)

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Andrew’s ex wife told their two kids that she never wants to hear my name or Callum’s name, and that as far as she is concerned, Callum is not their brother. Whenever I’d be at a school event or sports event, she’d about-turn and leave the building…her kids would stay with us and then she’d pick them up after the game or production. She calls me names, blocks my phone number (when Andrew was hospitalized for a month, she still dropped her kids off to me on Andrew’s weeks–we have 50% custody) and openly ignores me when I say hi or try to talk to her, bring her coffee, etc. It’s been 6 years. The emotional damage she has done to my step-kids (they’re now 10 and 13) has been catastrophic. Divorce is always really stressful and sad, but it doesn’t have to be this damaging to kids. It’s hard to be mature, and to be happy for our kids when they’re with the other parent(s). Totally. My kids have had such a fun summer with their dad and his wife (expensive vacations) and it’s so lame and boring over here for them! But imagine if I got all bitter and resentful?!?! Then it would be lame and boring and DARK over here, too. We make our own (cheap) fun. Loved kids are happy kids.

I love how open and honest you are, and how much you love your kids. Love isn’t easy, and it’s not pretty. But man, is it rewarding. <3

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A) I LOVED your comment on the baby post… I look up to you so much Suzy and love hearing your opinions on things.
B) Oh no. That is not a healthy situation at all. I am so so sorry about everything that has happened and continues to happen for your kids and for you. You are a strong woman. Cheap fun are always some of our kids’ favorite activities. It’s so easy to compare the different homes but you are right… that creates so many more problems for these kids. That last sentence you said… made me want to cry:) I’m just really emotional today haha! Thanks Suzy. Wish we could go for a run today together.

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Awe, wouldn’t that be amazing?!? I’d love that SO MUCH. <3

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I think I’ve made just about every possible running mistake out there. Just kidding, but I’m still learning. Going out too fast and not listening to the nagging pains that turn into injury are my two biggest

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Oh we all make a million mistakes Jenny, you are not alone!!! I hope you have a great day!!!

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You always share things RIGHT when I need to hear them. Thank you! I am training for my first full (GULP), but I have a bunch of other races before that – they’re all shorter distances and ones I have done before. It’s SO easy to jump too quickly into things and not rest like we need to. That is, hands-down, my biggest problem. I don’t like rest days! I’ve been taking two rest days a week, rolling, and stretching because I am always injured or running with something feeling a little off. I told myself I wasn’t going to do that this time, and so far (knock on wood) everything has been great! I know that won’t always be the case, but I’m enjoying it while it lasts AND I’ve learned a lot about myself as a runner. I also focus WAY too much on pace…this is an issue with my recovery runs. I’m trying to work on it…but it’s just so easy to run faster when you feel good! I love running for all of these reasons, we never stop learning!

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AHHHH I am so so excited for your first full marathon Chelsea! You are going to rock it! I AM SO HAPPY that you are taking the rest days that YOU need and doing the extras to keep you injury free so that you can get to that starting line! Keep learning and growing, you are doing amazing! Keep me updated with how you are doing, you’ve got this!

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This is a great read today! Thank you for sharing! Just one thought about “growing up”-I think, no matter our age, we are always growing up. We face situations everyday that we’ve never faced before, so how are we supposed to know how to handle them? Growing up and growing into the people we are meant to be takes a lifetime :) You are amazing. Thank you for sharing the journey!

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SO SO TRUE…. reading that gave me goosebumps. I can’t wait to keep growing up and learning:) Thanks Priscilla and I hope you have a beautiful day!

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Like you, I’ve gone out wayyyy too fast in some of my races – definitely learned my lesson the hard way!

I am 11 weeks away from my first marathon – so nervous but excited!

Have a great day!! :)

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AHHH JESSICA!!! I am so so excited for your first marathon and I’m going to want to hear ALL about it!! Keep in touch and enjoy your Thursday!

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Oh my God! I need to try that Cauliflower chowder asap!

5 weeks until my next race! I think it’s only going to be a 5K. However, I am looking to reach a new PR there.

I don’t have any kids, but I can totally understand how it feels to be in the situation you describe. I’m really happy you are seeing the positive side of it so it doesn’t bother you anymore. I’m sure nobody can replace you at Brooke’s life. No body could ever replace a mother from any child’s life.

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You are going to ROCK your 5k in 5 weeks Nathaly, I’m so excited for you! Thank you for your sweet words, I really appreciate you Nathaly!

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I DO practice yoga!!!! I’m pretty passionate about this. Back in December, my lower back started hurting a bit. Come February, it hurt a lot. I took a break from running, saw PT, chiro, etc, but I have to say that acupuncture and HOT YOGA were the answer for me. My back isn’t 100% and may never be, but, for the most part, I’m good. I NEED hot yoga in my life though. I try to practice 3x a week—a combo of Bikram class (so so so hard—as hard as racing, but feels so good afterward!), Yin Yoga (basically stretching the fascia), and Vinyasa (more flow/athletic). The combo of these 3 is great. I”m the type of person whose mind is always racing, too, so yoga has really been good for my mental clarity, too :) :) :)

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We have made a lot of the same running mistakes! Pace used to be the be all-end all thing for me…if I didn’t hit the pace I wanted I was going to have a bad day. Luckily I am over that now and rely on heart rate instead :)
I don’t have any races on the horizon yet because I’m still building and getting comfortable running again but maybe I’ll sign up for something this fall just to see where I am!
Have a great day!

P.S. That soup looks amazing! Chowder is where it’s at.

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I love so much that you shared how you’ve grown with regards to hearing about what Brooke does while she’s with her dad. I can imagine that is really difficult to put out there and admit on the internet, but it’s so so understandable and human to feel that way! And you are such an incredible mom for putting love first in spite of the difficulty. :) Hearing about things like that is really inspiring, not just when it comes to divorce but in trying to find the strength to do the right thing in all sorts of life situations.

And re: running mistakes…I totally did the same thing and ran a marathon after only pool running due to an injury! Ha! Boston, no less! :P But I went with three friends and we all just ran it very slow and easy together, and had such an amazing time. I had a huge grin on my face the entire 26.2!! I won’t lie though, I could barely walk around the city after that.

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Biggest running mistake – not doing strength training etc and taking care of the little details (massage, foam roll etc). I have learned my lesson! 3 weeks till my next race – roughly. For running with friends, I have a run club that I go to (haven’t been lately) or we decide the run based on how we feel and we go at the pace of the slowest. Often I do specific workouts on my own. Definitely been more than 6 months since I have been to a yoga class. Need to go back!

Also, I love the colour of your manicure. Pretty sure I have the colour on my hands right now:).

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I’m sure Brooke talks very highly of you when she’s away too :)

I’ve definitely over trained in the past. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but so great when you finally find that balance.

My next race is 2 days away- a 5k on the beach. I’m already fearing the pain that will come with it!

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My biggest mistakes have been eating less than 2 hours before a race or run…………..my body needs 2 hours to digest anything…from a meal like a sandwich to even just one piece of candy. And I also try to run when it is too hot outside……….I am trying to be better about this, but this summer is so miserable! We normally don’t have days that feel over 100 until August, and we have been dealing with it for weeks now. I am trying to keep my miles around (at least) 20 a week, but that is hard when sometimes I can’t stand the heat and humidity more than 3 miles! This week I have a 3 miler and an 8 miler in the books, and I think I can get a run in tomorrow (maybe it will rain?) and Saturday is supposed to ONLY be 85. Crazy!

My next race is in early November. It is a half marathon (a small one, only 400 people max) that is on the trails I run when we visit family in Nashville, so I know the route well! I was supposed to do a full marathon this year, but the dates didn’t work out where my husband could cheer me on, and with this hard summer I guess it’s for the best. I have plenty of time to get back to race ready for a half.

Love the yoga poses!

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I love How I Built This – it is my favorite podcast! I really enjoyed the Instagram and Spanx episodes!

As for how you mentioned how you’ve felt when Brooke talks about her time with her dad, I wanted to chime in my $0.02. I’m not a parent – BUT I am the product of a divorced family where my dad lived across the country from my mom. Like Brooke, I had to fly to visit my dad. Unlike Brooke, I had longer, less frequent visits (alternate winter and spring breaks and every summer for almost 2 months). I had such a hard time with this when I was little. I missed whatever parent I wasn’t with terribly and I remember I would want to share with my mom about the things I did when I was visiting my dad all summer, I remember her listening to me but being upset about it (she’s not a good actress). I also remember her getting upset when I would cry because I missed my dad. In the end, I always thought she was mad at me over stuff like that, so as a youngster I learned to try to hide how I was feeling and didn’t share as much because I was scared of hurting her. As an adult, I understand the situation a lot better! I can’t imagine how hard that was on her, and it means so much to me that she tried, even if she was a little (lot) transparent about how she felt. So basically that is a really super long winded way of me telling you – from someone who used to be in Brooke’s situation – kudos momma! You’re doing a great job and loving your daughter well!

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My parents divorced when I was 2, I was BLESSED with the most amazing step mom. I visited them in summers and holidays, we would always pray for my mom and stepdad, she never spoke a negative word about my mom, she loved me through some of the hardest (teenage) years and is one of my very best friends to this day- 42 years later. I remember as a young child realizing the difference, when I would get home to my mom and step dad they never wanted to hear the good stuff that we did and my mom would definitely not speak nice of my dad. Divorce is hard and confusing enough for a child, you are giving Brooke and Knox the greatest gift by listening and letting them love (guilt free) the other parent <3
Just my .02!! you are a great mama and they are lucky to have you!!

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Let’s all take this moment to commend Andrew for being an amazing husband!! I always tell my little sister to go after the nice guys (the ones that put your feelings/wellbeing first). I’m so glad Brooke has such an awesome example of the type of man she should marry one day!

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I could not agree more with you. Seriously. I can’t believe how good he is to us all. Thank you Courtney and I’m so happy Brooke has him as an example too! I hope you are having a beautiful day!

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Wow this got me thinking – my biggest running mistake was not having a post marathon plan. I just fell into a heap and hated running then felt bad for hating running then put my runners in the corner because it was too hard. I wasn’t flexible enough to adjust and make a new fresh routine. That was spot on one year ago and I’m just lacing up again now with a new mindset.

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I love your nail color! And that soup + sandwich combo looks AMAZING!

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I realize I’m going to date myself here but I used to run with a CD player attached to my waist. Yes, an actual CD player. This was before iPods. It was really more of a fashion mistake than anything :)

129 days until California International!

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You look so cute pregnant! Way to go on all of your running while pregnant! I’ve followed your blog for years and I’m so happy for you and your cute family. I’ve made many of the same running mistakes as you! I’m still learning and will probably continue to make more. Ha! Anyways, I got the apple air pods and they have changed my life. They are Bluetooth ear pods and are amazing for runs! You need them! Every runner needs them! Just had to tell you? Pricey but worth it. Happy Friday!

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The excerpt about having our kids share freely and openly about their experiences with other family members (ESPECIALLY the ex’s family!) is spot on. Like you, at first it was cringe worthy deep inside then I got over it because I hoped that perhaps my kids also shared about our time together. Now, the other side of the family isn’t as open to the idea that the more love and experiences the better but as long as I continue with that I’m happy. Actions speak volumes!!! YOu’re an awesome mom. You will have so much fun with Knox!!! It will be fun to see what you two come up with ;)

Yoga. Amazing. Running game changer. I always did prenatal yoga with my pregnancies and loved it. LOVED IT. I restarted more regularly when one of my friends started teaching a class, then that evolved into me doing Grokker (thanks for the recommendation) then expanding to other studios. I love it! It helps my running so much. The most entertaining is taking a class in German-the language barrier can really get me giggling inside which is next to impossible to stifle during yoga!!!!

Have a great weekend!

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My mistake from my 5k earlier this year was going out too fast. I still got near my goal time, but I just died at the end. I tried again at the Temple to Temple 5k this week (I should probably email you a race thing, because I’m STOKED ABOUT IT), and I really paid attention to my paces and how I felt, my level of exertion. I killed my PR. It was awesome!

Also, that running alone thing. A while back you said something like, you’d never run on the Provo River Trail alone like you used to, and I was like, dang it. I do that. Haha! And I’ve recently kind of lost my running partner (she just hasn’t been running lately after our last half, so she can’t keep up as I’m training for my next half, which is way sooner than her next half). But, when I have run parts of it lately, I make sure it’s when there’s a lot of people around, and I almost always carry pepper spray with me anyway. And, you know, pray the whole time for safety, haha! But I’ve been a lot more conscious about it since you mentioned that.

P.S. I AM a yoga instructor! Ha! So I do practice and teach it. You’re welcome to come to a class sometime—I teach in Orem at The Station Fitness Studio—and your first class can be free. We can easily modify for your pregnancy. My classes are more restorative and meant to help people recover from more intense workouts like running. (I post my schedule and such at @alliebarnesactive on Instagram, or it’s on thestationfitstudio.com/classes)

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Thanks for sharing your very honest feelings about raising children after divorce. My daughters were a little older at the time of my divorce, and when they talked to me–good and bad–about their father and his family, it underscored that they trusted me to be reasonable and open minded.

As for my running mistakes, I also ran my first marathon in non-Brooks (not professionally fitted) shoes and lost a toenail. As far as fueling, I will never eat whole wheat toast before a race again!

~Christie

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I love the reminder about precious gifts — I sometimes find myself trying to be the fun-er (is that word?!) parent, but when I stop letting my ego get in the way I see the relationship our son has with my husband and realize there is no need to keep score, there is plenty of love to go around.

We went to Iceland with out (then) fourteen month old and — EPIC. IcelandAir has a fantastic stopover option (i.e. FREE!!) so we went to London and stopped in Iceland for a few days — it is a BEAUTIFUL country and would totally go back again!

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How I Built This is my running podcast. I listen to a lot, but for some reason, listening to How I Built This just makes the run go by so quickly. I love the stories and it’s made me fall even more in love with some brands I’ve already been supporting.

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I really hope your love for donuts returns!!! During my last pregnancy I could not stand the taste or smell of any fish (I used to love it). Two years later, I still will not touch the stuff.

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