Why Rotate Your Shoes? Our Sunday. Bee in the Shoe.

Last week’s most viewed posts were:

*7 Months and Why I Stopped Breastfeeding.

*10 Things I’m Doing THIS Time Around w/My Running + Our Anniversary + The Best Mango Salsa Recipe.

*Pain is why we change & The Brooks BEASTS Strength Workout!!

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Another Sunday in the books.  And now I have another favorite church dress from Roolee—>  Here!

Skye wore a clip in bow for her first time ever so that was exciting.

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Brooke found a BEE!!!!! in her shoe during church.  I am so amazed that she didn’t scream and that it didn’t sting her.  How it was in her shoe, I have no idea because it was not there when she was putting her shoe on in the morning.

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Back on the Kodiak Cake wagon.

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We watched the Greatest Showman for the millionth time… I think Andrew is kind of over it.

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Skye woke up in a very good mood after a much needed nap.

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We got in some piano practicing.

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And then went over to my sister’s house for this egg noodle/chicken/veggie dish that she makes.

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PS I love that my sister always has a bunch of fresh veggies cut up and ready to eat at her house.

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Brooke is back to herself 100%!

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She even got in some horse riding practice.

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To end the night my niece made her famous pizookie (please try this dessert if you can) and a gorgeous walk!

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Time to get tiling today!!

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I’ve got some fun workouts to look forward to this week!  The Wednesday and Saturday miles are calling my name!

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They say running is a cheap sport…  Maybe it is if you don’t love to buy a trillion running shoes and register for as many races as possible

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The other day, Emily asked, “I am upping my mileage a lot this year compared to the past few years since I am trying to maintain a consistent long run and training for a marathon and have already put almost 200 miles on the new pair I bought in March!!! Yikes!  I know I should probably buy another pair to rotate and wondered if you had any suggestions for when to rotate shoes, how many shoes to try to get into rotation, etc.  I have always only had one pair of running shoes so I don’t really get the whole shoe rotation thing.  I would love if you could give us some tips?”

I am a huge fan of rotating through a ton of different types of running shoes!  BUT when training for my fastest marathon (3:04) many years ago I had one pair of running shoes that I would train in and then I would race in a lighter pair.  Really, I think that you can do whatever you like with this and you have to find what works best for your body and training so there isn’t one perfect answer but at this point, I prefer to rotate through a bunch.

I choose what shoe I am going to wear each day based on what my plan calls for and how my body feels.  I also love having a variety of running shoes (not just different pairs of the same shoes) because I think it helps to strengthen my feet this way.  My feet get stronger by using shoes that are different weights, comfort levels and amounts of flexibility.  Every time I go to my chiro he tests my different muscle groups and he is always amazed by my feet/ankle strength (I wish I could say the same for my hip/glute/quad strength;)  I think variety in our types of runs and running shoes can help us to stay injury free too (this is an interesting study that found this to be true)!

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Also, I am very careful to only wear my running shoes for running (I always wear different shoes for cross-training) to help them last as long as possible.

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Hyperion =  Track and shortish road intervals.  I have worn these for a few races too (up to a half marathon) and they were great!  For training, I use these for 1.5 mile intervals and shorter.  These shoes just make me feel fast.  I’ll do my warm-up in a different pair of shoes and feel half-asleep but then I slip these babies on and feel the speed enter my body.  They are light, fast and get me moving.

PureCadence 7 =  I’m transitioning from the PureFlows to these for the longer fast stuff.  The threshold/tempo workouts are great for these.  They are light and smooth but also offer some more comfort and support than the Hyperion.

Launch 5 =  I use the Launch for long runs and long runs that include some faster portions too.  They give me the comfort that I love but they also give me some energy and my feet/body are very happy in them for a long amount of time.  I definitely go to these when I need some spring in my step.

Ghost 11= I love these but actually wear them least often out of my running shoes.  I usually wear them once every week and a half or so.  They aren’t quite as flexible as I love with my other pairs of shoes but they are very comfortable and are going to last FOREVER.  I use these on easy easy runs.

Levitate =  I wear these the most out of all of my shoes.  I love them for the bounce they give me.  They are great for recovery runs after a hard workout and I also love them on days when I need some energy from my shoes because my body is feeling flat.  I wear them for the w/u and c/d of my speed workouts too along with some tempo miles every now and then.  I just love everything about these and can’t wait to try the 2s.  The men’s Levitate is Andrew’s current favorite running shoe too.

Mazama = Trail running.  I love these because they are not clunky at all like a bunch of the trail shoes out there.  They feel pretty light in comparison but they also offer your foot the protection and stability that it needs while out on those uneven surfaces with all of the rocks/roots creating my favorite obstacle courses on the trails.  I also love the Cascadia for trails too when I do want a bit more comfort/shoe for a trail.

As far as mileage goes, I’ll probably keep the Mazama for another year or so because I don’t trail run that often.  The Levitates have by far gotten the highest amount of mileage out of all of my running shoes and still feel great (I have over 500 miles on those white ones so far).  The Launch 5s also put on a ton of mileage on those and I usually get 400-500 miles out of my shoes!

You don’t need to have 6 different shoes to rotate through like me (in my opinion) but I think that even having two different types of shoes can be beneficial for your training.  One for faster running and one for your easier or long run days can be great!  Also, start small when trying out new shoes.  Don’t just jump into a 10 mile run with shoes lighter than you’ve ever worn before.  Give your feet/body time to build up it’s strength to switch around shoes!

As far as rotating between the same type of shoe throughout the week (i.e. having two pairs of the Launch 5s and rotating back and forth between those) I don’t think that makes a difference in how long a shoe lasts etc—>  aka it will get the same amount of mileage out of it either way.  But it is fun to have different colors of running shoes so your running shoe/garmin pictures aren’t boring (haha I think I’m the only one that thinks of that;)!

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What about you… do you rotate different types of shoes, the same style of shoe or are you not a shoe rotating fan?  What is the most important part of a running shoe for you?

Would you say that running is a cheap sport?  Why or why not?

What was the best part of your weekend? 

Do you do any type of meal prep for the week?  Do you have veggies that you get ready for the week to grab when you are in a hurry?

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43 comments

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Running can be a cheap sport but I’m a sucker for Lulu and Old Navy sales so, yeah… not cheap for me. Plus I love booking weekend trips around races and exploring new places.
Last work trip I brought only my older cross training shoes to train in because I figured they’d be fine for a few weeks. Nope. The Internet tells me I’ve developed Plantar Fasciatis and it’s taken a while to feel better. Grr. My own fault. I got scraping done, that helped.
I keep premade healthy stuff ready to go, especially in the summer because we do lots of spur of the moment trips and hikes and it makes packing the cooler quick and easy.
Today is day one of official NYC M training. Please wish me luck! And please share any tips, I need the help.

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Oh I love a racecation:) Nothing better! PLANTAR is the worst… scraping hurts so bad but it helps me too. Also, sleeping in the boot (let me know if you want me to send you the link of the one I use) always saves me with plantar!

DAY #1!!!! You’ve got this! Take it one day at a time and build that excitement for one of the most amazing experiences of your entire life!

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Looks like y’all had a fun weekend! And that pic of Andrew and Brooke watching “The Greatest Showman” is SO sweet!! :)

I wear the same shoe (Saucony Kinvara), but I do have a few different pair that I rotate. I tried the rotating of completely different shoes years ago, and I ended up with a really bad case of plantar fasciitis, so it didn’t work for me. I know it works for a lot of people, so I think that you just have to find what’s best for you and go with it.

The best part of my weekend was getting to spend time with some college interns I’m mentoring this summer. We played capture the flag Saturday night (SUCH a blast!) and then hung out at the beach Sunday and had some genuine conversation. I’ve really enjoyed getting to invest time in them this summer and get to know them better.

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Hey girl! The Kinvara is great! You keep doing what works for YOU! That sounds like the perfect weekend. Enjoy your week Natalie!

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Glad Brooke wasn’t stung! My daughter was actually stung by a bee yesterday and although she was fine just a few minutes later, the drama was high for a long time. She’s six…

Question about working with a coach and the workouts/paces she sets you. How do you know where you starts in terms of pace? Did she have you do any type of “test” to determine what your base levels were at the beginning? How did she (or you) even know you could run 7- and even 6- something minutes a mile?

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Oh NO about your little girl… the worst! That is a great question… so she did have me do a test and you can read about it here:

https://hungryrunnergirl.com/2018/03/wish-him-a-happy-birthday-breaks-are-real-good-time-to-fly.html

https://hungryrunnergirl.com/2018/03/stay-in-the-minute-a-surprise-trip.html

Before starting with her she also had me write down the previous 3-4 weeks of my workouts and paces to get a good idea of where I was!

I hope you have an amazing day Carly!

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I only have the one pair of shoes. I can’t say I’ve ever rotated my shoes either. Although, in high school I had some spikes that I wore for race day and speed runs. I would never wear them for more than a 5k and I don’t think that my legs would be happy if I wore them for my half haha. But last week I remembered that I have them still and they don’t have a ton of miles on them and I’ve been thinking of using them for my speed work. I think I even still have all the spikes and blanks I’d need for it :)

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I’ve tried spikes one time and they sure feel different! You should bring them out again:) I love it. So excited for your half Jenny!

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I used to always have a huge container of cut-up veggies in the fridge, along with a pack of those mini guac cups from Costco. I really need to get back to doing that — it made snacking so much easier and healthier!

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I seriously am going to go buy those mini guac cups after reading your comment.. such a good idea. Thanks Laura and I hope your day is amazing!

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Running *can* be cheap but it’s not cheap if you are obsessed with it! Adam runs in old shorts or even sometimes his bathing suit lol, his running shoes last forever because he only does about 3 miles per week in total and he doesn’t read running blogs so he doesn’t know about all the cool/fun things you can accessorize with! He doesn’t even have a Garmin and he hardly ever signs up for races that are longer than 5K. I consider all of this good because the running portion of our budget goes to me 100% and there are many things I NEED :D

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HAHA true… I guess it depends on how obsessed you are with running and all of the gear. Hold on to that running budget;) I hope your day is amazing Kristina!

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I have 3 pairs I rotate but only 2 models. I am NOT a great runner so I don’t use different ones for speed or easy runs. They are all kind of the same for me! HA! Do you have a specific charity to which you donate your old running shoes? Mine always still look great on the upper when I am over them and I do not like to toss anything in the trash. Running is not a cheap sport. I would race so much more if it were!

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YOU ARE A GREAT RUNNER!! A running store around here takes them and donates them and a lot of them go to my niece too:) She and I have the same size shoe:) I’m the same way, I do not like to toss them in the trash! WHY ARE RACES SO EXPENSIVE?! Have a beautiful day Tracie!

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Love this! I have 5 different shoes right now, representing 3 different models. I have 2 pairs of launches and they are my current favorite. I have 2 pair of Sauconys and I have 1 pair of Zoot (it was on sale new for $30 at the Chattanooga Ironman expo). I usually don’t just buy a shoe I have never heard of, but the Zoots have been nice and I even raced a half in them in March. I keep my shoes in the boxes and write the date and distance on the box lid after each run. It makes it easy to track, and I know when to retire them! I also keep a spare pair at work, along with some running clothes so I can always be ready to run on a lunch break!

I think running starts out cheap. But then you get good at it, or you fall in love with it, and you start wanting all the gear. Then it can get expensive! Like I REALLY want those Levitates, but I have to plan for a purchase like that, because that is like my electric and phone bill and internet combined!!

Have a great day, glad to hear Brooke feels better!

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YAY for the Launch! Okay, I have never actually seen the Zoot… you can’t beat $30 and they sound like they are working out really well for you! That is such a smart idea to keep them in the box and write down your mileage there. Brilliant. I hope you get a pair of the Levitates soon!!

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A bee in her shoes? Yikes! I like to rotate shoes, and I even have a few different brands that I rotate! The hard part is picking which pair to race in.

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Okay, I TOTALLY agree with you Sarah on that one. I put way too much thought into what shoes to wear for a race! Why is it so hard? I hope your Monday is a great one!

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Hahah. Running started out as a cheap sport. Then came the garmin a couple years later (giant and clunky). Then there were the races to sign up for, the gels etc…the water bottle…and now I am pretty sure I have enough stuff to start a running shop ha.

And then came the shoes (I rotated through about 3 pairs right now) – 2 pairs road, one pair trail – though I have at least 5 other pairs sitting around. Comfort is the most important part and 2 a certain degree how light weight the shoe is.

Best part of the weekend was the trail race (but also finishing) and then a beach day yesterday to do

nothing :). The weather has been spectacular here, so we have been soaking up the sun (but trying not to get burnt at the same time!)

Meal prep – we tend to cook and freeze. Veggies – baby tomatoes and he likes to grow our sprouts but other than that we don’t do a lot of veggie prep particularly.

Skye is super cute! (I love her little gold shoes:)). Have a fantastic start to your week!

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WAY TO GO ON YOUR TRAIL RACE Kristine! You inspire me. Oh I want to grow my own sprouts, that sounds awesome. Thank you so much… YOU TOO!

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I’m glad Brooke is better and didn’t get stung by the bee in her shoe! I rotate between the Brooks Launch and Levitate for my easy runs and tempo type stuff and I also have a pair of “fast shoes” that I wear for track and races. I’m currently wearing the Sketchers Go Meb for the fast stuff and I really like them. I think running can be a really simple and fairly cheap sport, perhaps once you get over the “initial investment” of getting some good gear. My husband has gotten into triathlons recently and that is most definitely not a cheap sport. The races are 3 to 4 times more expensive than running races and those bikes … basically cost as much as a car … it’s so crazy!

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SAM!!! Hello speedster! I have heard great things about the Sketchers Go Meb! That is awesome. Oh yeah, tris are super pricey! I hope your Monday is an amazing day and I sure wish I could chase after you for a speed workout one day:)

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Are those American flag sneakers for sale to the public?

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Hey Janelle!! So they were before the 4th but I’m not finding them online anywhere anymore. I will totally let you know once I do though. Have a wonderful day!

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I always have grilled chicken and at least one veggie prepped at all times in the fridge. It keeps me from just having granola bars for lunch. Having a baby has really showed me the importance of having food ready to go. I meal prep when he naps and it has been a life saver!

When I was racing for school I always rotated between at least 2 shoes. I feel like it helped prevent blisters from ever forming. Now I am running in HOKA shoes. The cushioning is unreal in those. Feels like running on clouds!

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You are a good example to me Melissa… I need to do more meal prepping because it can be so hard to get in the nutrients with little ones! Oh that is interesting about blisters… I can totally see those. I’ve heard amazing things about HOKA and I’m so glad they work so well for you. Have a beautiful day!

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yes i rotate two of the same shoe (mizuno wave riders) with 2 different insoles (both by superfeet) – one is for easy and long runs and the other is for workouts and progression/tempo runs.

running is not a cheap sport! although there is less gear than say cycling, it’s still pricey to do the races, have the watch, the shoes, the socks, the clothing/headbands et al, have fueling, and if you listen to something while running, then there’s that as well – oh! and also something to carry the fuel (or water in the summer heat if the route doesn’t have water fountains!) – it gets extensive…!

best part of the weekend would be the awesome long run! it was 70F (warm, but not too much!) and i ran a pretty & scenic route that was not too busy and pretty calm and relaxing –

yes i did meal prep this weekend, i pre-made some squash and onions over the wknd – this morning, tossed them with some tomato sauce and linguini for LO’s camp lunch. we are really into summer squash and tomatoes lately as they’re in season and they are so so yummy.

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I want to hear more about your superfeet if you get a chance! Have you noticed some big differences when using them? I agree about the $$$! Way to go on the meal prep, you motivate me and I want to come over for some linguini! Awesome long run this weekend!

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yes i have!

So, i have been losing cartilage in my big toe joint, and during workouts, it would hurt – my podiatrist tells me, “eh that’s old age” meaning i will never get it back – but that it would feel fine again for running after getting orthotics. well long story short, the place that was making my orthotics *burned down* to the ground (not joking!) and it takes about a month to make and i was closing in on training for a half marathon. in the interim, i had superfeet berry insoles (for another sport) that i had been using and they helped with any pain i had experienced during workouts. so i said, ok, i’m just going to go with these. then i started looking into superfeet for runners, and they have quite a selection! at the local running store, i tried them on and test-ran them and i liked the superfeet runner comfort one – the men’s not the women’s. i tried the women’s but it just wasn’t the same. if you can try insoles, totally go for it! they are not cheap, but they have taken away any big toe pain that i had in the past, and i totally switch them into my hiking boots when i am on my feet all day in the mountains too. they’re great!! there were other brands i tried besides superfeet, but i liked these best. i hope this all helps! :)

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This is so interesting! Thank you for sharing. I am SO glad that toe pain has vanished, hallelujah! Have an amazing night!

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I currently rotate mostly between Brooks Ghost (weekday runs up through 8 miles, sometimes speedier, sometimes not) and ASICS 2100 (any run over 8 miles, whether or not there are speed portions). For me it is the difference between a neutral shoe for more of my mileage and a little bit of support for my long runs. I’m trying to do the first step down to a lower drop in Brooks Pure Flows but am struggling…. Not because of the drop (that part seems to be going fine since I land very midfoot/forefoot) but because the forefoot of the shoe is a bit narrower. Between my good, broad toe splay and my puffy morning feet (weird, I know), they feel too tight in the morning (when I do 90% of my runs) so I can only wear them randomly for evening runs.

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The new Levitates are pretty sweet, aren’t they? When you get the Lev 2s, what color pattern do you think you’re gonna get? Right now I run in Launch 4 and Ghost 10. Sometime this fall–right around when I begin training for my January 10 K–I think I am going to upgrade ONE of them. Probably the Ghosts to the more recent model, but I haven’t decided for sure.

I’m glad Brooke is feeling better! I want her pink cowgirl hat. I also want that pizookie (even if my stomach, and my desire to really refine the way I am promoting metabolic function through what I am eating, doesn’t want anything even vaguely like it these days…<>). I will settle, I guess, for a square of dark chocolate each day?

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I’m all for shoe rotation! I have three running shoes I rotate through. One for my “easier” runs, one for speed work, and another for my long runs. I plan on racing in those shoes so I want to make sure they get miles but not too many before show time! Also, I’m glad you made sure to say you wear different shoes while crosstraining. It drives me up the wall when I see runners wear running shoes for other workouts!

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Running might be one of the cheaper sports but definitely not cheap!! When I started running in high school and college I did not care much about changing out my shoes. The “wiser” I got about running the more expensive it got!! LOL
Best part about my weekend. . . we got to have some lobster from Maine!! Made this northern soul, who lives in the south, VERY happy!!
And on Sat & Sunday after church I dedicate a few hours to meal prep for the week. I wash all fruits and veggies and cut up everything so its easy to grab!!
I make a big batch of eggs and home made sausage patties for the week for breakfast. Lunches are salads so I cut up all the lettuce and each night throw them together and pack our lunch boxes for my hubs and I. I usually do a batch of chicken and roasted veggies then dinner I always throw in the crock pot Sunday night for Monday and the rest of my meals for the week are planned and put into large baggies so I can just throw the food in the oven or in the crock pot again!! Love that thing!!

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This post came in perfect timing! I was just wondering about shoe rotation :) Currently I just use two different pairs of Launches, a new pair for long runs and an older pair for shorter runs. I think I might stick with this routine for now since it’s working, but will keep in mind that it might be helpful to start rotating one day. I just love the launches so much. For trails I have the same mazama’s that you do. I think they are so pretty and love that they aren’t clunky! Thanks Janae! :)

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Oh I love how you rotate yours… great idea with the older and new pairs! Seriously, the Mazama’s are beautiful! Enjoy your runs this week Jenn!

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How do you keep track of your mileage for each shoe? You’ve got a lot to juggle!

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HEY! I keep a note on my phone to keep track and I enter it in after each run. I am sure I forget many of my runs so it is more of a rough estimate:) I hope you have an amazing night Alyssa!

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I love your Brooks / Skye pic! I’m a newer runner but I guess I just made the Brooks most-wanted list, they’re sending me lots of emails now since I bought a 3rd pair in less than 3 months, lol. I rotate 2 pair of Launch 4’s and I have some Neuro 2’s on the way to try out a slightly lower drop. I had back surgery 9 yrs ago and was told I’d never run again (though I never had then). Made a liar out of that surgeon! I do need a bit of a heel for my posture, I wear cowboy boots a lot in the winter. So far the Brooks are everything I could ask for & more! I had 2 pair of Cascadia’s that were passed down to me & I wore those puppies right down to nothing left! I love your blog (I even bought some Goodr sunglasses at your suggestion, thank you for sharing your life & running journey with us!

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AMY!! Thank you for your comment! I am so happy you are loving running and loving Brooks (and Goodr)!! This all makes me so happy and LOOK AT YOU RUNNING after your surgery 9 years ago… you inspire me! Have a beautiful day and please keep in touch!

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I just got my first official pair of Brooks, the tie dyed Launch 5s and I may be a convert. I love them so much. I haven’t had much luck when I tried Brooks in the past, but I ended up getting a men’s shoe because the girls were all sold out. That may be what I’ve needed this whole time. I am in love and its all thanks to you.

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Good luck with the tiling. I actually picked out that tile first and Ross told me no. lol. He didn’t want to grout all that. Such a lazy bum ;)

I want that recipe for your sister’s dinner. It looks amazing.

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You have the cutest kids.

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