Friday Favorites + TIPS for 20 Miles Please!

Thank you for all of your comments yesterday!  It was really interesting for me to read how your cycles affect your training, thanks for sharing!

Thursday run = 7 miles!  On my easy days I usually run 6 or 8 miles for the last few months so it was a little bit different than normal yesterday.  Six miles today and TWENTY on Saturday.

For a minute of my run the sky was neon.  It was gorgeous.

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I got home later than I normally do to find the kids ready for school and Andrew making them crepes.  They are sure lucky.

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The kids were off to school and then I had a little one on one time with Skye while Andrew went out for his run.

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Knox has been spending some extra time with Skye one on one too after he gets done with Kindergarten.  And Andrew is recovering from the prep from his last test.

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Bday lunch for a friend…

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And then later on Knox had a soccer game.  He scored his first goal!!! Maybe I need to use his good luck charm game face for my marathon.

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Skye did her best to cheer like crazy for him.

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Free Dairy Queen coupons via my sister meant we grabbed some blizzards to eat before we ate dinner at home.  They make a great appetizer.

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And then we finished off the night with a bike ride for our family night.

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I’ve got a few favorites to share with you this week (Amazon affiliates included)!

*This last Tuesday marked my parents’ 47TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.  I just love this picture so much of them all and it also makes me miss my grandpa a lot!  (PS They were standing on stairs, my grandpa wasn’t that short!)

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*I think I’m going to carry a water bottle for the first miles of the marathon and toss it to Andrew when I first see him around mile 7.  I want to stay very hydrated during the marathon.  I got this one to practice with and I really do love it!  I definitely prefer not running with anything in my hands but I know being properly hydrated is going to be huge on race day!  It’s also nice to have a little pocket to store things in too.  It’s easy to drink from and a nice option to have when I don’t want to stop at every drinking fountain I come across.

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*I. Am. Obsessed.   World of Dance is my current favorite show.  I cannot even believe how good these dancers are… I am definitely behind on this one but I am catching up on all of the old episodes.  I have rewatched this dance below at least a dozen times.  If you haven’t seen it, I dare you to try to not get goosebumps when the blindfold comes off.

*To go along with the above favorite… the song they danced to, Silence by Marshmello and Khalid, is my current favorite.  I listened to it on repeat for a while the other day on a run.

*EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM. that Sarah Marie Design Studio comes out with.  I want it all.  Her stuff is so cute, perfect for runners and beyond comfortable.  I’m a big fan of her.

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*The amazing ALI sent me over a pair of AFTERSHOKZ and while I am reluctant at times to try new things (I am stubborn sometimes) I think these are awesome.  The sound is incredible, they are comfortable and they do not go into your ear which means that you can still hear what is going on around you while you run.  It is all done through bone conduction and I was really shocked by how good the sound was on these.  My biggest problem with them is that it would make running with sunglasses on kind of annoying since it goes over your ears.  So on the mornings I don’t need to wear sunglasses I’ll take these out but when I do need sunglasses the AirPods will be my goto.  Also, the battery on these lasts 6 hours… that is awesome.

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*Katie sent me over Krista Duchene’s race report from Boston.   I didn’t know she blogged so I loved reading a bunch of her posts!

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*I’ve been excited that the temps have been dropping because I have had this Fly By 1/2 Zip from Brooks in my closet waiting for me for a month and it’s finally time:) It is the softest and it will be joining me on many runs (ehhh errands/the rest of the day too) this fall.

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I love being inspired by the amazing things you are doing!  If you want to be featured send them in to [email protected]

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Jamie!!!  “I began running almost 15 years ago and one of the biggest reasons I took up running was my stepmother Laura’s influence, as she was always an avid runner.  Laura signed me up for my first race (a 5 mile St. Patrick’s Day race in St. Louis) and we would run together every time I was in town to visit her and my dad.  Unfortunately after a four year battle, we lost Laura to ovarian cancer in January of this year.  The last time I talked to Laura one of the things we discussed was how thankful I was for her influence in getting me started in running, and I promised her I would think of her during every future run.  It was during one of these runs after she passed that I decided I should run a marathon and partner with a charity to raise money for ovarian cancer.  Then I decided that if I was going to run a marathon (which I always swore I’d never do!), I may as well run the marathon.  So I was thrilled to be chosen to run for Team Teal in the NYC marathon to raise money and awareness for ovarian cancer!  To say I’m terrified is a bit of an understatement, but training has been going really well so far and whenever the going gets tough, I remind myself to keep going for Laura.  For more information please check out my official fundraising page here.  I also have a training/fundraising page on Facebook and post a ton of my training information (set-backs, successes, food, toddler/teenager stories) on my Instagram at jnoirot02!

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Kristine!!!  “I thought I would share a photo from my trail race this past weekend August 18/19= the 50/50, in Squamish BC.  You can choose your distance, 23km, 50km, 50 miles.  If you run both days; 50 miles one day and 50km the next, you get a trucker hat that says 50/50.  If you are crazy enough to do this race more than once, you get a different colored hat for each year.  When I first heard of this race, I thought it was insane.  But it intrigued me and I signed up this past November, found a training plan and got to work.  This past weekend, I got to cross the finish line both days.  It has been one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences of my life.  I don’t often say I am happy just to finish a race, but this past weekend, I was.

Here is a photo of me crossing the line after day 1 and 50 miles- I still have day 2 and 50km hahah.  And the hat and medal because they are the hardest earned items in my race collection!  The bib is designed as orange and blue- because 50 milers have orange bibs and 50km have blue bibs.”

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Ashley!!!  “When I asked my oldest daughter if she’d run a local 5K with me (Main Street Classic 5K Run/Walk for the Homeless in Uniontown, PA on Aug. 18th) and her immediate reply was a YES, I was super excited!  Larkin is 8 years old and this was her third 5K!  She placed 2nd in her age group of 0-14 (1st place was a 13 year old) with a time of 30:45.  I thought she paced herself great.  She even had some left to give it a sprint into the finish chute!  Larkin ran fast enough that I actually ended up placing 3rd in my age group!  My youngest daughter Lincoln, she is 6 years old, rocked it in the kid race too!  I’m excited to see where running takes my girls and to share many miles to come with them!”

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What are you looking forward to this weekend?!

Has anyone done any back to back races (like two races on the same weekend)?

-I did the Runner’s World Hat Trick (5k, 10k and half marathon in one weekend) and it was so fun!  I can’t imagine doing the 50/50 that Kristine did!

Any tips for my twenty miles this weekend… I haven’t gone that far in a VERY long time!!!

What is your current favorite show or what shows are you watching lately?

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48 comments

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Oh my goodness, the pics of Brooke and Knox with Skye are TOO CUTE!! And way to go, Knox, on scoring a goal in his game!

I’m really looking forward to the three-day weekend because I’m a little exhausted after this week of travel. I just want some time to relax on the beach and enjoy the sunshine and the sound of the ocean.

Have a great weekend, Janae, and go OWN that 20-miler! I definitely recommend at least one smile per mile. It reminds you that you’re doing something you love, and smiling naturally producing good feelings, so I’ve always found it very helpful. And talking to God while I’m running is also always a really good thing that makes me forget that I’m even running. YOU’VE GOT THIS!!!!

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Hey Natalie! YAY for a three day weekend… enjoy every second! Oh I LOVE that one smile per mile idea, so so perfect. THANK YOU!!!!

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Congrats to Knox on his goal! I think he earned some celebration cookies!

I’ve done double race weekends a bunch of times, but definitely not a 50 miler and 50k – that is unbelievable! I have no idea how you’d get yourself going on day 2. I do a lot of doubles as Olympic triathlon-sprint triathlon, and even the 5k of running on day 2 with the sprint triathlon is killer. I can’t imagine doing 10x that much!

You’ll be awesome for your 20 miler, like Des says, just keep showing up. One mile at a time!

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YES!!!! Double races (and triathlons!!) –> You are amazing!! Thank you Victoria, just what I needed to hear. Have a wonderful day!

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Oh my Gosh Janae, I forgot Friday accomplishment AGAIN! I WILL remember to send that to you.

I tried to run yesterday and it was a nope for my knee. I’m thinking I’m going to be taking some time off, which is a huge bummer for me. But at least I got to see that awesome sunrise too!

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YES!!! Send it in for next week! Girl, I am so sorry about your knee…. I hope it starts feeling better asap!!! Our sunrises are something else:)

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I love my AfterShokz!! I do wear them with sunglasses, my goodrs, and even a hat. You may have to adjust some to get it right, but it can work comfortably! Sometimes I put the glasses on first, then put on the headphones. I can’t run with earbuds anymore, they start to hurt my ears something fierce!

Speaking of goodrs, have you seen the new Runway line? SO CUTE! I got the Stop and Smell the Rose, which are Kara Goucher’s signature glasses. I love the new shape and gold accents. I want more now!

Good luck on your 20 miler, although we all know you’ll crush it!

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Really?! Okay… I ‘m going to have to figure out the combo. Thank you Jamie!! YES I did and I’m going to have to get some today (and copy you). Thank you SO much! I hope your day is perfect!

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I’ve been watching Riverdale on Netflix. I’m 35 and probably too old to be watching a show about kids in high school, but whatever. :)

You will ROCK the 20 miles. Like you’ve said trust your training. And towards the end, when you get really tired just remember one thing. The faster you run, the faster you’re done!

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The thing is… those are my favorite movies/tv shows too:) I’m right there with you Jennifer. Thank you so much and YES… that will be so helpful tomorrow. I’ll want to sprint to my car haha! Have a wonderful weekend!

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I helped my friend train for the Dopey Challenge which is 5k on Thursday, 10k Friday, Half Saturday and Full Sunday! Needless to say she is a rock star for completing this challenge!! I didn’t make the trip to Disney World to run the races but the training was similar to running several days in a row and was a completely different training cycle than what I had used in the past.

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Okay, that challenge sounds amazing (and so hard ha)! Way to go on the training that you did for that, that is amazing! I hope your weekend is a great one Lisa!

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aghhh I am doing 20 miles tomorrow too as well. I am trying a new to me running vest the Nathan VaporHowe 4L curious to see how I like it. My husband will be biking along side of me-riding ahead and turning around to check in on me often so that will help if i get tired or annoyed with anything. I’ll be praying we both have fantastic runs and get plenty of rest afterwards. :) Good luck Janae!

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GO JESSICA GO JESSICA GO!! Wish we could do it together. Let me know what you think of the vest and I love that your husband is biking with you. Leet me know how it goes!!

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I love your parents wedding pic! All the girls in your family have such beautiful hair!! Which side of the family is that…is that Mer next to your Mom?
Speaking of hair: Skye’s hair is really growing! She will have hair like Brooke very soon :)
Good luck with your 20 miles this weekend! No doubt you will ROCK IT!! Be sure to eat and hydrate as much as possible THE DAY BEFORE!!

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You are good… yes, that is Mer:) I agree, Skye’s hair has gotten so much thicker lately too! Thank you so much… You are the best. Have a wonderful weekend!

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That’s the same water bottle I use. Love it! Big enough for me, and to hold car keys and GU. Not too heavy. Good luck on that long run!

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YES!! It is perfect! Thank you Lisa and I hope your weekend is an amazing one!

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I recently got some Aftershokz and I wasn’t sure how they’d work with sunglasses. I wear them with my Goodrs no problem. I put them on before my sunglasses because I like to be able to take glasses on and off. I have been trying the Aftershokz over and under my ponytail to see which feels best…still deciding?

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REALLY?! Okay, this is good to hear and I’ll try it out:) Thanks Liz. Keep me updated on the ponytail decision because I was trying both this week too. Have a wonderful day!

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Good luck on the 20 miler! I’ve never gone that far, so my advice probably won’t help…but I’ll try anyway. My best runs (and races) are ones that I have simply gone over in my head a few times the day/night before. Not obsessively, just thinking it through and then telling myself “There is no reason why you aren’t capable of this.” Sometimes my brain just needs the reminder that my body is capable and to let the muscle memory take over when my brain gets in the way. ;)

This weekend the two college kids come home for swimming/dinner/dvd on Monday night. Super excited!

My current movie on replay is “To all the boys I’ve loved before.” Seriously SO great! Also, I loved “The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society.”

Random question for you: where do you like to get your nails done? I’ve just decided recently that I’m willing to shell out to have someone else do my nails (plus I love the gel/shellac manicure) but I’m not 100% sold on the places I’ve tried so far. Any suggestions? I’m in northern Utah county, but I’m currently driving to Sandy, so clearly I’m willing to travel. ;)

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Thank you Michelle and YOUR ADVICE DOES HELP. Big time. Thank you, even just reading that made me feel relaxed… I really appreciate that. I have heard about that movie, I need to watch it.

I need to stop getting my nails done but I am full on addicted. YOU HAVE TO GO to go where I love…
https://www.yelp.com/biz/nail-expo-orem-2
I think it is $18 for the gel (I don’t do the manicure part… just the gel) and they do an amazing job. I usually go once every 3-4 weeks. I love them there and it stays on longer than other places I have tried. It is $5 for them to take the gel off so I do that myself too:) I hope you like them!!

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Your parents wedding pic is awesome, love love your mom’s dress! And don’t think of it as 20 this weekend, instead 5 x 4 miles or 10 x 2 miles. You can totally do 2 miles, or 4 miles or whatever. Just concentrate on small chunks at a time. You got this! And awesome accomplishments today!

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I LOVE that… thanks Michelle, I’ll be using that tomorrow. Have a wonderful weekend!

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I do all of my long races (and long runs) with a handheld .. I would rather not carry anything, but I drink a LOT esp when it is hot (which has been 5/6 of my marathons). During marathons, I fill 2 water bottles and I do a handoff with my hubby at or around the halfway point. It has worked out perfectly (with the exception of NYC when he couldn’t find me!
So last weekend I did something different for my 20-miler and can’t believe I never did this before. I left my house early (4:20am), parked at a good halfway point, then ran north 5 miles with my light/reflectors, water, and fuel. Then 5 miles back to the car, switched out my fuel and filled my water, ditched my lights, then ran 5 miles in the other direction, and back. Not only was it super convenient, but it broke up the miles quite nicely. Telling myself I am running 5 miles each time sounds SO much easier than 10 (out and back) or 20 (one way)!. Tricking my mind works so well. Haha.

We just discovered a Netflix show called The Rain and are really liking it so far. It is post-apocalyptic though, so you have to be into that kind of thing. Also looking forward to season 2 of The Ozarks. There is also a show on Amazon called The Man in the High Castle which is SOOOO good. We are waiting for the next season to come out in Oct. Season 1 is available though!

Have an awesome weekend and rock that 20-miler, girl! ??‍♀️

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I am so glad you guys have figured out the perfect water solution… thank goodness we can do the handoffs! I LOVE how you broke up your 20 miler… that is perfect Annemarie. I will have to try that out. Thank you for the show recommendations, you are the best. Thank you and I hope your weekend is amazing. Do you have a cutback on your long run this weekend now?

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I do, and I am sooo grateful for it after this crazy week! I have 14 miles, which seemed like a lot a few weeks ago, but now not so much. Haha.

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OH GOOD!!!! Isn’t it crazy how our perspective changes? Have an amazing 14 miler!

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Have a great 20 miler!

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THANK YOU!! I hope your weekend it amazing Kaytlin!

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I am so excited for a 3 day weekend! It is such a busy season for the family, so I am definitely craving some down time :)

I’ve done the Disney Double Dare, 5k, 10k, half marathon and it was so fun!

Good luck this weekend!! You’re going to totally rock your run!

I just finished the first season of The Sinner and it is so intriguing!

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Okay, the Disney Double Dare sounds SO fun. I want to do that! Enjoy your three day weekend with your family! Ohhhh we will have to check that show out. Thanks Marissa and enjoy some relaxation this weekend!

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We LOVE World of Dance in our house! Kaycee and Sean are the best. You need to watch this last Wednesday’s episode. They were soooo good. My daughter loves them and watches all their youtube episodes. Sean is such an amazing choreographer.

I have done back to back triathlons but sprint and olympic so it was pretty easy – those distances are really short. I also did a marathon saturday and half marathon sunday. Those were much harder. The marathon started at over 10,000 feet and topped out at 13,185 ft. The half was mostly flat and at just over 10,000 ft. I thought I was going to die in the half!

Love the picture of Knox and Skye!

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Oh, and Sean also won Chopped Junior so he can cook too!

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I can’t wait for last week’s episode!! I can’t wait. Okay, Sean is sure well rounded haha! Back to back triathlons… that does not sound easy to me! And the marathon/half marathon weekend… I cannot even imagine! And with all of that elevation gain and being so high up. You are amazing. The day after a marathon I am in bed. Have a wonderful weekend Jennifer!

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I started my half marathon training this week – I’m using Kara Goucher’s 10 week plan that she put together and so far, I like it! But jeez, I took a week off and my legs are TOAST from the runs this week. I always forget that love/hate feeling I have for that burn! Anyway, looking forward to my first “long” run this weekend – we’re finally getting some “fall-like” weather so it’s good running weather!
I have not done back to back races in the same weekend but I have done two races in two different weekends, and that was challenging enough for me! I’m kind of wimpy! :)
Twenty miles…wowzers. I don’t run that far BUT my advice would be to pamper yourself after. So maybe if you can, plan for a mani/pedi session to give yourself something to look forward to? I am very reward motivated so I do stuff like that for myself on my long runs!
Current favorite show – Shameless. I am obsessed!

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I am so excited for you Rhiannon! Keep me updated on how the plan from Kara is going, that is so cool! You are going to rock your long run in these awesome temps! Let me know how that goes and I LOVE that advice… I will be using it. We will have to check out Shameless. Thank you Rhiannon!

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I haven’t done a back to back but I’m definitely curious to see how my body reacts to it! There is a trail race that offers that here in Texas so maybe I’ll look into that next year!

Tips for your 20 mile run: hydration and fuel! It sounds like you have a set plan so definitely practice just like you would do for race day. Even tonight, if it’s possible eat what you would the night before the marathon (or something similar). Good luck! I can’t wait to hear how yours goes! :)

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That’s a good idea… I’ll have spaghetti tonight! Thank you Virjinia and I want to join you on that double trail race in Texas! Have a wonderful weekend!

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That dance is incredible! Thanks so much for sharing.

When I was doing long runs, no matter what distance over 10 it was, I always thought that once I got to 10 miles, it was a piece of cake after that. So kind of like reset after 10 and then you only have 10 miles! :)

I hope the run makes you happy! :)

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Ok, totally inspired by Jamie’s story you featured above!!! Next time I think I can’t go another foot, another mile… I am totally going to think of her stepmom! <3
My hubby and I have done the Disneyland Dumbo Double Dare: 10K on Saturday and 1/2 on Sunday… super fun!!! :) We also did this crazy New Year run in LA at night: 10K at 6pm and 1/2 at 8:15pm… We were scheduled for a 19 mile training run that week anyway, so it fit in perfectly, but boy was it tough! TONS of hills!
20 mile tips: Focus on the mile you are in. Don't forget to look around and enjoy where you are running. Breathe. This run is making you stronger and will help you reach your goal. You can do hard things. Breathe. Eating your favorite thing when you are done :) You will do awesome tomorrow morning!
Enjoy your Friday!

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Wendy, thank you so much for this! I know Laura is loving all these running thoughts coming her way <3 And it really does help keep me going!

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We have a wedding in St. Louis this weekend so we are going to also hit up the City Museum. My daughter has been asking to go since she saw a picture of the castle. I know your family had a blast there.

20 mile tips: tell yourself there is a donut waiting for you at the end. I am always motivated by food.

Favorite show lately is Very Cavallari. I usually don’t like reality TV but I am big fan of Jay Cutler and I got sucked in.

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Thank you so much for posting my fundraising info for the NYC marathon. I just can’t believe I didn’t send you a picture to use too – huge eyeroll to myself on that one!

I just started and am loving Shameless, but it is seriously awful. I’m hard to shock and this show shocks me on the regular. I’ll be restarting the Gilmore Girls soon since I love watching it in the fall #basic

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I like to break it up. So I like to think of it as 10 miles, twice or 5 miles, 4 times. It makes it seem more manageable to me and less intimidating. I know I can run 10 miles, so it should be no problem doing that twice. Or 5 miles is a piece of cake, just have to do it 4 times.

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The wedding picture of your parents is adorable! Your sister looks JUST LIKE your mom!

For my 21 miler I did when I trained for my marathon, I had my mind set on when I would take fuel and made sure to stick to those exact mile markers. It helped me see what I might need to change in the marathon. I didn’t go based on how I felt during the run so I would know exactly when I took my blocks.

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Thanks so much for the share! :).

For 20 milers, I like to break it up (sometime into thirds), and in the last 10km, we are allowed to talk about all the food, brunch, etc we are going to have. I like bribing myself for big long runs (ie. with a different gel flavour, treat to eat during the run). Sometimes, l tell myself I only need to go out x km, and usually by the time I hit x km, I am ready to keep going. I like putting nuun or tailwind when a run is this long as straight water doesn’t seem to do it. If it’s this long, I like having someone to run with, if possible for at least part of the run. You will be awesome, and it will feel great after!

Also, we love World of Dance in this household!

Have a fantastic day!

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Hi. I did my last 22 miler prior to my mid September race yesterday. The run went smoothly due to compression socks and shorts, pre dropped water bottles every 5K, a great playlist of upbeat songs I haven’t heard in a while, and some real fuel, I used dried cranberries, instead of gels. Plus an ice bath or swim in colder water afterwards to loosen up and cool off the legs.
I have done lots of 20 mile runs and usually they are a struggle. This one was great and I’m not super stiff the day after even though I ran at the pace I wanted.

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