What’s My Plan/Goals Now + One Regret + What I Wore.

Another run-free morning that included sleeping in and getting some things done around the house before the kids woke up (quite the different story compared to the previous few months)!

We saw Knox at school which was the best.  They think they are pretty big deals just roaming the halls together.  It was crazy sock day at school.

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I had my sister’s boys over for a few hours.  Skye loved having other kids around in the middle of the day.

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We spent some time outside and Skye soaked in the fresh air.

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Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.  The perfect fall meal.  Also, I’m weird and I like putting cheez-it crackers in my soup.  Try it before you knock it.

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My sis-in-law sent this to me.  There is a little bit too much truth to this for me…

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Curly (my niece) made it on over for a little while after school too.

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Later on we dropped off our girls at my sister’s house and we went on a date to the temple.  PS I have a post all about my religion/beliefs that I’m almost finished with!

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What’s the plan now?  From my coach:

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No running for 2 weeks!  I’ll be doing a lot of yoga, going on walks and having many days of doing nothing at all.  I raced harder than I ever have in my life on Saturday and while yesterday the soreness actually started to disappear… I know there is a lot of damage done during a marathon that I can’t feel and I need that to repair up before I start up again.  I also have to remind myself that Skye is only 10 months old.  I’ve put my body through kind of a lot this year by jumping back into heavy training quickly so two weeks is necessary.  Yes, I’ll lose some fitness from taking a few weeks off followed by easy running for a bit but a lot less fitness will be lost taking two weeks off now compared to jumping back in too soon and getting an injury.

For the next little while I will just be jealous of every runner that I see out and about;)

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But really, it isn’t going to be hard to take the two weeks off because I feel very satisfied with myself.  I’ve always had little regrets or things I wish I did differently after a marathon (except for the ones I did just for fun) and I’m just really enjoying this feeling of fulfillment.  I raced it just the way I dreamed of it and I’m enjoying that.

I do have one regret=  I wasn’t on this street below on Monday.  A friend sent me this picture of SHALANE FLANAGAN running around the round-a-bout that I have run around 6 days a week throughout my entire training cycle.  Shalane has been in our area to train at BYU and at altitude before (elites will stay at Park City sometimes and then come down to Utah County for the track workouts/hard workouts because it is a little bit lower but still high) and it looks like she is here again.  I may now start driving around our streets obsessively in the mornings for the next few days.

Shalane and I train on the same streets.  Is it weird that that gives me goosebumps?  I actually think I would have had a heart attack if I was out for a run and saw her running there.

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What are my goals now?

Part of me wants to jump back in to training hard core once these two weeks are over and go do all of the races.  The MUCH bigger part of me wants to spend the holiday months with running on the back burner (still running but staying up late with Andrew, celebrating these holiday months and I think my family could use a little break from all of the training).

Things are about to get icy here so there won’t be as many races over the next few months.

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I haven’t talked about my goals with my coach yet so there might be some changes but here is what I’m thinking so far:

Race some 5ks as soon as they start happening again here.

Avoid racing any 10ks (these hurt so bad which means my coach will probably want me to do a few).

1/2 marathon in February (I’ve done this one a lot and always say I never will again because it is so hard/hilly but then I sign up for it again) and another one in April (maybe Salt Lake City).

PR (below a 1:21:53) in the half marathon in May (it’s my favorite 1/2—> Provo City).  I really love the half marathon.  The marathon has my heart but as my mom says, the half marathon is where I can really fly so it would be fun to try for that.

A marathon in June and maybe another fall marathon.  I love going for personal records so I will absolutely chase down some faster times for these!  Why not dream big?  Big dreams make life way more fun in my opinion.

And planning for more kids is also part of figuring out my goals.

Also, I would love to spend the next few months getting in some strength training.  I was doing great after having Skye but then with each month it just became less and less and besides a few planks and some hip strength work, I’ve done NOTHING.  At this point… If I want more PRs, strength is going to be absolutely necessary!

Long story short… I am SO incredibly excited for the future and my potential while at the same time still freaking out inside over what happened a few days ago and savoring how I feel right now.

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A few of you have asked about what my outfit was for the marathon and how in the world I was able to fit so many gels in my pockets.

This is the tank I wore and I think it’s really cute when you are wearing it before it gets soaking wet or when it is not crazy wrinkled like below:).  I got the shorts at the Nike Outlet… I cannot find them online anywhere and I don’t remember their name either (SORRY)!  They aren’t my most favorite shorts but they have FOUR pockets that can fit a lot in them.  I normally love a fuel belt but not when I’m trying to run fast for a long time… it makes me feel weighed down.  I couldn’t feel my gels in my pockets of these shorts so it worked out nicely and that’s why I wore them.

Also, these are the socks I wore with my Hyperions… I finished the race completely blister free.  Score.

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What are your next running plans… I want to hear!

How long do you usually take off after a marathon or half marathon?

-Many times I take off usually about a week but my coach has earned my trust 1000% so I’ll do whatever she says ha:)

What’s your workout today?!

-Maybe some yoga or maybe walking back to the donut section at the bakery for some of the good stuff.

Any questions that you have from what I used for the marathon or about the day that I haven’t covered?!  I am feeling forgetful lately!

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92 comments

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First, congrats on the marathon! I teared up reading your post. Second, I was hoping you could link the pink sweatshirt you’re wearing in the first picture. I think you shared it a long time ago but I didn’t buy it. And now I want it ?

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Thank you so so much Marcia! That means a lot to me. YES… it’s the best sweatshirt on the planet. I haven’t found last year’s colors but now I want all of this year’s colors. It literally is so incredibly comfortable. Have a wonderful day!

http://shopstyle.it/l/ToZA

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Yes take time off to just CHILL! I usually aim for a solid week of no running and just swim every day. I usually make it to 5 days and then get sick of the pool and go for an easy run. I’m gonna try to not run for AT LEAST a whole week and maybe more than that. My body felt pretty wrecked after the marathon (the good kind of wrecked) so definitely don’t want to injure myself before Boston training by jumping back in too soon!

Enjoy lots of walks and donuts today!!

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HOW WAS THE MARATHON FOR YOU?! I thought about you on Sunday! You are being so smart to take time off of running and to swim. I think it is necessary for most people to do before going into the next training cycle. I am so excited for you to run Boston this year! Have a wonderful day!

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It was amazing!!! By far the most challenging race of my life but so proud of myself with the outcome!! There were so many points where I wanted to slow down, but your race on Saturday totally inspired me so THANK YOU! I def pushed my body way beyond what I thought it was capable of and def gonna give myself some well-deserved rest :)

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I am SO happy for you! HUGE CONGRATS on pushing yourself… enjoy the rest. It’s the best! Congrats Arthi!

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Oh, that picture of Syke outside – how sweet!
No workout for me today. Just lots of walking.
After Sunday’s marathon, I am ready to try for a PR next year. (Janae, how about Chicago next year for a fall marathon? – it is so nice and flat, you would just FLY!).
How do you decide on shoes? I think its time to for me to transition to a more cushioned shoe, but there are so many options!

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She is sure cute! Okay, Chicago is SOOOOO on my list. I would love to do that one. I am fully behind you on your PR next year. You better keep me updated on how your training goes and everything and I’ll give you any pep talks you need. Good q… I really think you just have to try a few different kinds out and REALLY think about how you feel while running in them. Of course Brooks has the best options;) I realized that whenever I put on the Hyperions that I just FELT faster and went faster…. something about them propelled me and that’s how I knew. Let me know which ones you try! Have a wonderful day Cathy!

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Umm that pic of Skye soaking up the fresh air outside is TOO ADORABLE!!! Seriously.

So glad that you’re going to let your body rest completely for a little bit. You definitely put it through a lot, and it’s so impressive that you did all of this less than a year from having a baby! Pretty sure that you and Wonder Woman are related :) I was supposed to race a 10K this weekend, but that likely isn’t going to happen because of some unexpected kidney trouble that has returned. :/

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Isn’t she the cutest! Oh thank you Natalie. MORE KIDNEY PROBLEMS—> NOOOOOOOOO! What’s happening?!

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Hi Janae!
Congratulations again on your marathon!!☺️So happy for you
I have one question for you. Did you supplement with the UCAN during the marathon as well, or just beforehand?
Enjoy your well deserved post marathon high and pamper yourself really well for the next couple of weeks. Your body deserves it???

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HEY!!! Thank you so so much. I did not supplement with UCAN during the marathon. I might try practicing that for my next marathon training cycle but I didn’t this time. I absolutely LOVED using it beforehand. It made me feel so good and it gave me so much energy. Thank you again and I hope your day is a great one!

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I do have a question for you about your training! In your marathon post, you mentioned that you worked on your nutrition this time around. I know you worked on what to eat pre-race and during race, but did you follow a specific plan or guidelines for the rest of the day? Just curious to know what worked for you (or what didn’t work!)… And what a wonderful end to this exciting adventure! It took years for everything to fall into places and now you can take the next few weeks/months to savour this victory! ;-) Your body will recover and rebuilt itself in the next few weeks. You will not be weaker, you will be stronger!!

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HEY YOU!!! Thank you thank you thank you! So as far as my nutrition went the rest of the day… the main things I did were cut out soda completely (I did have fresca but I didn’t have diet coke like I did in previous training cycles) and I didn’t have candy (normal me lives off of that stuff). I chose more nutrient dense items, took vitamins every day and ate a lot more red meat (for the iron). It wasn’t scientific or super structured… I just focused more on getting more of the good stuff in and less of the fake chemicals in:) Have a wonderful day Mel.

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My advice—savor the holiday season with your family. That’s such a short time and a a time you won’t get back with your kiddos, esp Skye, being so young. If you’re still running, you won’t lose THAT much fitness. Look at how you bounced back after Skye. Sometimes that extra time “off” and not focusing on racing is just what the body craves. More people seem to regret jumping back into racing too soon than taking time off. :) Not trying to preach! :)

This spring, my goal is to foucs on the 5K, too!!! And hopefully PRing and running a super speedy one! I know I don’t want to train for a spring marathon in the northeast winter season, and I haven’t had much luck with the half marathon distance lately. I think I need to back off there for a bit.

I HEAR YA ON THE STRENGTH training. It’s SO SO SO hard to get it in during marathon training. Yoga, too, and I miss those things so so so much. I haven’t been sleeping great–ugh–and yesterday I just couldn’t do the 4:20 alarm for a 5:10 am strength class. I do push-ups and stuff at home, but it’s not the same!

Oh, and I want a personal bike escort/water bottle hander like Shalane has!!!!!! :) :) :0 :0 Must be nice! ha ha

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YES YES YES!! It is best for my family, me and my running. Thank you Jen! Oh I am super excited about your spring goal! You will get that PR and it will help you so much when you are ready to go back to the half and your fall racing too. I wish we could go to strength classes together… that would help me out big time.

It is nice haha… I’m so lucky to have Andrew:) Have a wonderful day!

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Totally take the time off. I was amped up after Berlin (9/16) and planning a bunch of races in my head……then I started running again and was “whoa……this feels weird.” It was as though I couldn’t keep up with my legs or something. My legs said one thing and my body said another. And, oddly enough I feel like either 6 miles is too long, or too short and fast. Needless to say, I am not bouncing back as quick as I thought so now I’m just enjoying running and taking a break mentally from *training.* It’s really fun to play around with my schedule now and just enjoying both running and not running. I’m also finding that my system in general is a bit off so I’m just taking some time to get that in place, too.

Yesterday we did hill intervals for XC practice (I coach HS) so today we are going to do a nice easy run on our meet course.

I am super proud of your mental game at St. George, too! To have stomach cramps for 5 miles and keep it up takes a lot of gumption!!!

Race plans? It’s so fun to look at what’s out there to do! I am not an event person but now I’m so intrigued by all the choices! haha.

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YES YES YES Kelly… you are so right. I have never ever bounced back from a marathon quickly and this time won’t be any different. Let’s keep enjoying a break together and we will get back when our bodies are ready! Good for you to take the time that it needs. Enjoy the easy run with your team, I love that you do that. Thank you so much!! Keep me updated with everything you are up to. Thanks Kelly!

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Apparently it takes my body 2+ months to recover from a half. Jk, I’m sure it doesn’t really take that long but I have this injury to deal with. I’ve asked myself several times in the last couple of months how so many people can run back to back half’s and full marathons with out injury and my body hates me for running one hahaha. I’m sure this has a lot to do with the whole process as well as the fact that the training was new though.

I’m obviously taking fall/winter training very easy this year with lots of strength training and a little running when I can. I’m hoping to be ready to race again in the spring and maybe even do another half? I just felt my knee scream when I said that ;)

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It really is so crazy how different everyone is. One year Josse ran like 4 marathons, a million half marathons and a bunch of 5ks and PRed in ALL of them and I max out at 1 maybe 2 marathons a year. So different! SO glad you are back running and your knee is happy again! YES… DO THE PROVO CITY HALF!

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I keep trying to comment and getting called away on kiddo business! So other than commenting on IG I haven’t properly said a huge, massive, and awe-inspired congrats for Saturday!! I was stalking you like a crazy thing on the tracker and my heart was absolutely in my mouth when the predicted finish flipped over 3 hours for a little bit. I was sooooo chuffed and proud for you when you got it – and reading your race recap just makes me even more inspired (and a little teary!). Your mental toughness is just amazing. I thought of you so many times when I raced my A-game half marathon the next day, and every time I felt that I could just let the pace slip a bit, I remembered what you’d achieved the day before (it worked – I got my goal and even a new PR which I wasn’t expecting at all – you may take as much credit as you like for that :) ) You’ve given me the confidence to race even harder next time :)

I took about a week off running after my marathon but I’d run-walked it because of injury so perhaps I recovered a bit quicker. It was nice to get out and pootle without a plan. I’m quite enjoying not being in a rush after the half either – I might go for a little one tonight but I don’t mind if it doesn’t happen. I’d also like to do a few more classes for a few weeks just for a break (but I know what you mean about not wanting to lose too much fitness – I picked up a new injury not long after my marathon so I didn’t get to ride on that fitness at all!). Definitely enjoy your time off though – you deserve those late nights and candy!

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LYS!!! I can’t thank you enough for your sweet comment! Oh my family totally freaked out too over the predictor too when it went over 3. Thank you for what you said and HUGE CONGRATS on your half on Sunday! You killed it… PR CITY! I got goosebumps reading that… it’s amazing what our brains can do for our running. Thanks again and have a wonderful day!

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That picture of Skye makes my heart melt! What a cutie pie!
I have a few questions for you, but they are all tied together — What was it like working with a coach? I know you’ve worked with one before (I think I remember reading that…). How was it different this time? If I wanted to get a coach, what should I look for in terms of her resume, background, ideas for me, and cost? I’m also really interested in hearing how your specific goals developed this time around– your marathon PR is from a few years ago, how did your coach know you were ready for sub 3? Was there ever any question about it?
Again, I am so, SO PROUD OF YOU!! I was rooting so hard for you on Saturday!

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STACEY!! YES YES YES… get a coach. I can’t recommend it enough. For me, I looked at different coach’s philosophy’s to feel out what would work for me. I followed different athletes that Mary trains to see what type of workouts she had and tips she gave them. I pay $160 a month and she gives me very detailed running plans, phone calls, lots of texting, encouragement, emails and SO much feedback. I know there are also cheaper options out there if you just want the plan each month. I love having someone to be accountable to. I love her big picture thinking and her plans to keep me from overtraining (I do too much on my own so I need her to figure out the right balance) and it’s really nice to not have to think about anything and to just GO. Mary knew that my family was first above everything else and that running is important to me but not everything… I needed a coach like that because my days could not be dedicated to the training (just the mornings before they woke up:). Thank you so much and let me know if you have any other questions!

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I *love* that you are prospecting your running goals alongside other things (enjoying the holidays, planning with Andrew for more kids, etc.). SO OFTEN it’s too easy to ride the high off of a huge accomplishment or just a really great feeling and want to MAKE ALL THE GOALS YOURSSSSS!!! …but that doesn’t really serve us well, right? One string doesn’t make a bracelet, but many different strings knotted together makes the best kind of (friendship) bracelet! I think that goals and the pursuit of them, along with the realities of life, need to happen that way.

Also I think it’s good you’re going back to incorporating some yoga. Don’t forget–that 19 min yoga app for your iPhone can make it easy to get some in without it being TOO MUCH (and you can totally turn on music on your laptop and listen to Nikki’s voice coaching yoga poses from the app on your iPhone and ‘create your own class’–all while watching the kiddos…)

So you and Shalane totally are training besties since you run on a lot of the same streets. Claim it because it’s so true!

Your essential tank that you ran in is TOTALLY MY JAM. It’s what I wear for running most of my 5Ks. And it’s what I wore this morning in the Les Mills Sprint class I went to (HIIT on a spincycle). I have that tank top in like 4 colors. I love it so much (and dang it now I want another, gotta add it to my wish list of things to save my pennies for…but maybe I need a FRESH one in a different color before my 10K in January? New goals for 2019 mean a new running outfit, right? I already have the running bottoms on my wish list…). (I also wear Balegas–the hidden comforts and the enduro no-shows…I’ve fallen in love with this one specific pair of drymax socks in the last few months, too, but balega… <3 <3 <3…)

My workout was this morning at 5:30 AM–Les Mills Sprint. I hadn't been to class in about 2 months, and I really missed it. What's made it easy to NOT go is that an instructor whose coaching style I am not in love with is the Wednesday morning teacher, and it's tough to get myself up at 4 AM, and then to drive 45 minutes away from my house to this one gym, just for an instructor who I don't always feel inspired to work so hard for. But this morning as my alarm rang I gave myself a HUGE PEP TALK and reminded myself that my sheer, absolute love of this class means more than someone whose coaching I think is pretty "meh." I can determine the strength of my own workout, right? This is the ONE TIME for this class in the week that works for my schedule, so I can not let one person keep me away.

(Les Mills Body FLow reminds me to celebrate what is real and true in my life. Les Mills RPM inspires me to believe in what's possible for my life. Les Mills Sprint has taught me to FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT and to NEVER EVER give up. All three of these things work together to make the most beautiful braid of a confidence-booster…and all three support my running and keep me clear-headed and focused!).

I hope you have a beautiful day out there–crazy sock day, or happy donuts day, or otherwise! (By the way I think you need to find your own 'crazy socks' with donuts all over them.)

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I love everything that you said Stephanie, thank you for that! Ahhh yes I am going to try the 19 minute yoga app! Okay, the class you went to this morning sounds awesome and SUPER hard! I think you do need a fresh one:) You are going to rock your 10k in January! Thanks Stephanie and thank you for all of your support!

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Les Mills Sprint *is* a great class. What’s great is: it’s only 30 minutes long…you mix all-out effort with all-out rest (and nothing is more than 30-45 sec of super hard effort, and you know rest is coming, so you can just GO GO GO and fight like heck…).

This was my first time back at Sprint in a *really* long time. CHeesy as it is, before each block of work I just said to myself “You can do hard things!” and then when I got tired halfway into each effort I just said “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT”…so thank you (and your mom!) for “you can do hard things.”

And my 10K in Jan–I am SO PUMPED. I had a goal for 2018 of “one 5K per month”–nothing for many runners to scream at, but for my circumstances it felt like a huge goal. Before I set it, I ran a 5K in November and one in December. A week from Sunday I will run my October, 2018 5K–it will be 2 months before my 2018 goal is officially smashed, but it will be my 12th straight month of 5K. I used PART OF A VISA GIFT CARD I WON to get a cute running outfit for this day. Because our running outfits have SO MUCH POWER, right? ;) I’m cheesy and I don’t care. 2019 is my year of 10Ks. ANd if I can smash that–if my arthritic knee will let me and other parts of my body won’t break down and if I can be SUPER CONSISTENT in my training–then 2020 is my year of working for my return to half-marathons. Slower than when I could run them regularly–arthritis means I need to run/walk–but it’s always been my favorite distance. I crave the space that the longer runs give me to sort things out!

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OMG I would freak out if I saw Shalene. Granted, she’d be a blur as she bolted past me, but still! I had a fangirl moment when I saw Meb at a 7 mile race I did earlier this year!
My last half marathon I only took like 5 days off – it was prime spring running weather and I couldn’t resist. But I definitely took it easy for another week or two.
Workout today – SPEED. I’ll be running to the track and then torturing myself with 200/400/800 repeats.
I am only a couple of weeks away from my half in Mexico, which means I need to start looking for other ones to do and plan vacations around!

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Hahaha that is very true… she really is just a blur. Oh you saw Meb, that is awesome!!! Let me know how the speed goes, that workout is so so good for you! I’ll join you on your next travel race vacation:) Have the best time in Mexico!

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Cheez-its in tomato soup sounds delightful! I will have to try that.

It’s really hard to take time off running, but I have come back too soon after a marathon and oh boy does that bite you in a few weeks. You are being really smart!

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Try it and let me know what you think. So I thought about one of your comments leading up to the marathon during the marathon. You predicted a 2:58 and I thought if you believed I could then I better too. Thanks for that! Have a wonderful day Victoria!

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Congrats!!! You did it!!!!! What a huge accomplishment!!

I live in Portland Oregon and see Shalane on occasion when I run the Nike campus and it’s AWESOME! I always tell “go Shalane!!!” and get all fan-girly ?

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No way… that is SO SO cool. I want to come to Portland and run with you:) Have a wonderful day Lara!

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I am really contemplating my goals too!

I have a question to put out there. 3 weeks who my friend did a 25 mike trail run through creeks, etc. It took her 9 hours ( was of those that went up mountains, etc). Her toenails are horrible and one is infected. Any advice for her? Looks like she might lose 5 of them

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Oh your poor friend! That is not fun! I wish I had an answer for this!

CAN ANYONE ELSE HELP OUT?!?!

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First off congrats on finally sub 3!! Your race recap post gave me such goosebumps and tears to my eyes as I remembered my BQ marathon in August. It’s the most amazing feeling in the world working so hard for something and having so many ups and downs then finally accomplishing it. Enjoy this high and soak it all in!! I would love to see a future post about your journey with the marathon like where you started and how you improved or fell back over the years. Just a thought.

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Oh thank you so much Maria! That means a lot to me. HUGE CONGRATS ON YOUR BQ MARATHON! I am so happy for you. Will you be going to Boston 2019?! I am cheering you on! I totally will write that post… great idea!

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Oh my gosh Skye in that picture- she is ready for fall. She is rocking it. So precious.

I am actually really excited to read your post on Mormonism! I have met one Morman in my life. I’ve read about it the religion somewhat, but a lot of it like marriage, missions, Caffeine, Morman underwear is really interesting! I’m curious how mormans see themselves relating to the larger picture of Christianity. Would even love a guest post from someone in your family about a mission at some point- do women do them ? I didn’t think they did. Point is I’m excited to do some learning.

I’m going to run a half marathon on thanksgiving. I probably won’t PR or anything because I’ve only been running a few times a week, but I will have a lot of fun. It should be in the 50’s or 60’s on thanksgiving so perfect weather for racing! I’ve been leading a weightlifting group at my college so it’s hard to whip out 3 solid runs a week and 3 weight sessions. Doing my best though.

I’ve only ever done half marathons but I took about 5 days off after those. The hardest thing I’ve done physically was solo hike half the Appalachian trail, since I was walking lots of miles per day I needed to take about a week or two off afterwards.

I’m also really curious how you got your hair to stay up. I’ve never had any success with buns for running and have always done low ponytails or braids.

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Oh great Savannah, I’m glad that you are going to like this post! And Andrew could write about his mission, what a great idea! Oh and girls do serve missions too! Thank you for your kind comment. I am so excited for you and please let me know how it goes! Okay, that hike sounds unreal.. you are STRONG! I just made a hair tutorial video that I’ll post soon! THANKS SAVANNAH! Have a great day!

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I have a question about the koala clip. You said you started to listen to music halfway through the race- did you have to reach back to access your phone and turn the music on at that point? How did you do that while running at such a fast pace? I’m currently using a fuel belt and always have to stop and walk while I’m messing with my phone.
Enjoy this holiday season! It’s the perfect time to take it easy with your running a bit. And I agree with another commenter, you won’t lose fitness. Overall you’ll just keep getting stronger and stronger!

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GREAT QUESTION!! It was so easy for me to reach back (while running) and take my phone out to start my music. I only did it once so it was really easy (it would be annoying to have to take out a bunch during a run) but it didn’t slow me down. It was actually easier for me to get in and out compared to a fuel belt. Maybe I just have crazy long arms. Thanks Jenny!! I hope you have an amazing day and let me know if you have any other questions!

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First, congrats on your awesome marathon! I’ve followed you for a while but don’t think I’ve commented before. I checked your results online on Saturday (before you posted to IG), and I got a big smile on my face when I saw you broke 3 hours. I raced Saturday too – my first half marathon in five years! Thinking of going for a full this spring. So I have a (clearly very important) question for you – where did you get the leggings you changed into after the race? The gray ones? I really liked those!

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THANK YOU JANICE!! That means a lot to me:) Huge congrats on your first half marathon in five years… WAY TO GO! They are the Nike Sportswear Essential Women’s Leggings! I can’t find them on their website anymore but I love them! Have a great day and congrats.

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I saw that Shalene is in Park City too and I wish I could run into her too! Enjoy your 2 weeks off

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Let’s go find her:) THANKS!

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OH my goodness I would DIE if I saw Shalane (or any other elite runner in my neighborhood)
Workout for today = active recovery day – some strength and core work. Nice and simple.
Love your goals too! And can’t wait to see you CRUSH them!!

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Thank you Bethany! I hope you have an amazing day!

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After my first half in May I took a week off, and then took it easy for a while. Even after a 10 K I feel I need a bit of time to recover. (does it take longer to recover when you get older? I’m 51, but only started running 5 years ago, so I don’t have a reference) Enjoy your time off with your family, that seems like really smart plan. My next race is a 15 K in December and a 10 k the Saturday before Christmas (maybe). I’m trying to improve my mental game, I loved that you wrote your mantra’s on your hand for the marathon. I was thinking about having inspirational texts printed on the sleeves of a running shirt. We are having a warm indian summer, the nights are cold and damp, so it feels like fall. I went to a strength class and yoga afterwards at 8.30 this morning, so I felt proud of myself all day. Enjoy your day!

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I definitely think it takes more time as we get older (I bounced back way faster in my 20s than my 30s)! Good luck on the 15k and 10k and please let me know how it goes! Enjoy those warm nights for me! Thank you Eva, have a wonderful day!!

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Janae, I’m still smiling so big for you. I never had the chance to tell you this, but I hurried in from my long run on Saturday and IMMEDIATELY checked for your time. I FREAKED OUT when I saw 2:59:14. My fiance only thought I was a little crazy that I was bouncing around so happy for someone I only know through a blog ;) But seriously, I could not be happier for you. You’ve motivated me more than other, and aside from being incredibly impressed with your physical accomplishment, I’m most impressed by your mental strength. I play the bargaining chip way too often in painful races, and I’m just astounded that you were mentally tough enough to push through that nagging voice in your head. That takes serious grit. Now, I have to use all this excitement and motivation to train my butt off for New York in the final weeks ;)

P.S. If I ever saw Shalane running around my neighborhood, I have absolutely 0 doubt in my mind, my heart would give out. I’m SO jealous!

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Thank you so much Annie, that means a lot to me! I feel like we do know each other so it’s not weird at all! Thank you so much and GOOD LUCK with these last few weeks of training! I am cheering for you and please keep me updated with everything:)

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Also! You probably already have this planned, but can you do a review of the Ricochet soon?! Especially how it compares to the Launch and the Levitates? Those purple and grey ones are calling my name….

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Congrats again! I feel so happy for you in meeting your goal. I was wondering about aid stations. Did you get a drink at every station, do you run and drink at the same time, or do you slow down? Just curious. :)

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Great question! I did grab a drink at each aid station (and sometimes an extra water to pour on myself). I drank while I ran which meant I slowed down a bit to get in water! I was going to bring a straw to drink out of the cup but decided not to last second. I had a water bottle for a chunk of the marathon too! Have a fabulous day!

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Such a good plan! You didn’t get injured and you made your goal!! I’d listen to your coach:) I love the idea of enjoying your family during the holidays! Seriously I have a teenager now, a 10 year old and a 7 year old and it’s good to sacrifice time away to train or go on a girl trip (I recently did) etc It’s good for them to see us balanced and doing things for ourselves. At the same time It goes by SO fast and a season of them first I have not regretted. It’s all in seasons and what a joy it is to be runner mothers!!

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Thank you Christina! I totally agree with you… I love that they get to see me work hard towards a goal but then take time off to just soak in family time:) Win win. Your kids are so lucky to have you. Have a beautiful day Christina!

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Okay, so the part about Shalane made me think of this so I wanted to share one of THE BEST running experiences of my life!! Story time! :) I ran the Nike women’s half in DC a few years ago, and Shalane and Joan Benoit were there and they spoke to the crowd at the start, which I thought was pretty cool! Well then we got going and around mile three, like 20 feet ahead of me some race people ushered them onto the course!! I FREAKED OUT!! They were probably just doing a nice easy jog but they were going just a little faster than me and I told myself over and over, DO NOT SPEED UP! Because I had been doing a really good job keeping it conservative up to that point to try to get negative splits. Talk about mental game haha! So I lost sight of them, and kept running my own race. Eventually I did speed up for the negative splits. In final quarter mile or so of the course, it turned at the steps of the capitol building and then came back around for the finish. Well I gave my final kick then, and as I headed in for the finish who did I see up ahead but Shalane and Joan again!! And I ended up passing right next to them, literally shoulder to shoulder (again…they were pretty much jogging for them haha)! I was so excited and emotional, like a total fangirl I shouted something about how much I love them and they inspire me with tears in my eyes as I passed them. And then I finished with a PR! The running gods were smiling on me that day! :)

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I LOVE STORY TIME! Thank you for sharing this with me! I would have totally freaked out too! YOU PASSED THEM:) Best moment ever… and a PR! What an amazing experience Kelly!! You deserve it!

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I am also conflicted about whether or not I want to take a break from races until at least spring. I thought once my half marathon was over, I could just run as much as I felt like, lift a little more, and give myself a break on running goals for a bit, but now I’m heavily considering a 15k next week to see how much I can push my pace and then another half marathon in December. Funny how I thought I would be done with races after one…hmmm. Always chasing the next goal I suppose! I’ll never run Janae fast, but I teared up with pride for you while I was reading your marathon recap, so maybe someday I’ll triumphantly cry after a race too! <3 <3

P.s. you deserve 15873498574385 donuts and rest time, so enjoy!

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Keep me updated with how what you end up doing with the 15k! Thank you for your sweet comment and YES to the triumphant tears.. I’m cheering you on Danielle! Definitely getting donuts today. Thank you and have a wonderful day!

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That pic of Skye outside is seriously adorable!! Such a cutie :) I think it makes sense to take a bit of a break and focus on something else for a bit and enjoy lots of family time!

So I was supposed to do a trail 10k this past weekend but after a minor knee “injury” (hopefully done with now), followed by vacation followed by a two week fever/cold combo that I am just finally over, I decided it wasn’t the right time for it. So I’ve now signed up for a road 10k in a few weeks instead! It will be my first real race since starting running almost a year ago and I’m nervous-excited and really hoping nothing in my knee flares up! I have a big & scary thought for a goal for next year that I don’t know if my body is up for (this last month, which has included turning 40, has made me feel old lol) so I’m continuing to do some thinking about that one.

Workout today will be a 5k run after work and I can’t wait :)

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Good job being so smart about your knee on the trails and this 10k in a few weeks is going to be the absolute best! PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES! Happy birthday last month too. You’ve got this… don’t be afraid of that goal. YOU CAN AND YOU WILL! Keep me updated!

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Congratulations again!! I am so ready to throw down some big goals super soon! I am debating on a 1/2 marathon in mid-November and I am signed up for a marathon in May. I may do a 1/2 in April too. It’s one that I love/hate as well :) It has a ton of hills, but I think it’ll definitely help in marathon training. 5 and 10Ks kick my butt, so I will need to throw in some of those too!

I am planning on a full week off after this marathon, although I didn’t run it super hard since I was coming back from a marathon. But I will definitely continue with lots of walking/yoga.

Today is walking at the park while my xc kids run their practice course and some yoga tonight!

I want those shorts! Digging through the flipbelt was a pain that was okay since I wasn’t pushing super hard, but would have completely irritated me if I was shooting for a huge goal!

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Thank you so much Marissa and I LOVE the goals that you have.. you are going to kill it! I can’t wait for you! I need to find a link for the shorts… big time. They are awesome. Have a great time at practice and yoga!

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Hi Janae, congrats again! Enjoy your time off and more time with family. Also, I love how Skye looks like she is sleeping sitting up while savouring fresh air!! :)

My plans are like yours – the next few months are off season, I am still running, but no structured training plan. My goals for next year – tbd A. 100 miles or b. Try for a marathon pb (I haven’t raced a road marathon in 4 years and curious what I have left if I train specifically for the roads again!)

I have to say at the moment I don’t have a desire to race just because it’s been a busy year.

Today’s workout – a 4km run commute to work!

I do have a marathon related question: when did you know it was realistic for you to try and break 3? I know people say they want to break 3 hours in the marathon without really understanding what it takes. So I am curious how you approached it.

Thanks! Have a great day :)

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Congrats again on such an amazing race and reaching your goal!!! You definitely deserve some time off! I do have a question about what you used for hydration on race day. Did you carry that same water bottle that you had been using on your long runs? I don’t love wearing a hydration belt, either, and mine was stolen at a marathon last year (long story!). But, I don’t love relying on the water stops to get me through because sometimes I just want water in between the water stops (not to mention it’s WAY harder to drink from a cup than a bottle!). Any advice??

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HEY!!! I don’t like using a hydration belt either. I just held onto a water bottle for the first 6 miles and drank from that and got water at each of the aid station (St. George has a TON of aid stations). Could you have anyone hand you new water bottles along the way? That might really help!

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Like I’ve said before, I’m really loving this season of running I’m in. I feel strong and I’m just simply enjoying getting out there and running. I have a half marathon on December 1 so I’m going for a PR. I created my own 8 week plan that started Monday so having it all ready is extra motivation. My PR right now is 1:39:12 so I’m just going for anything below that. I didn’t do specific half marathon training before that because I was coming off my last year of college cross country, but now I’m in full half marathon training which is fun.

Today was a recovery day and my pace ended up being faster than I wanted it to. I have mile repeats tomorrow and another recovery Friday. I have a feeling my recovery won’t be fast then!

I have a question: when do you suggest taking in fuel during the half? I want to make sure I practice correctly and see what works best for race day.

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Hi Janae!! CONGRATULATIONS on achieving sub 3… you are sincerely amazing!! Can I tell you another thing I find truly amaze .. so I ran my first (and only ) marathon in 2014 when my twins were 6 mos old. I was literally dying the following week trying to keep up with them!!! How are you keeping up with those kiddos after a sub 3 marathon my friend???! Strong athlete & a STRONG mama!!! Cuddos!!!!

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Like everyone else – I’m definitely sharing your joy. It must feel so awesome to conquer such a HUGE goal!
I hope you are enjoying your rest and eating all your favorite treats!!
Thanks for setting such a good example by taking time off after your marathon. It’s easy to get greedy when you are doing well and want to keep making improvements. Rest is best right now. You will be back better than ever when the time is right!

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Please share a tutorial for your bun! I saw Allies video but it wasn’t enough for me. But she only used 2 hair bands? You used 12 and I want to hear how that worked.
What was the temp at the start that had you all bundled up?
If you do yoga videos during your down time, will you share? I’m trying to do it once a week but need some new videos.

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My goal at the moment is a marathon PR in December. For me that means beating 3:20. As long as my training continues to go well without injury (and my weird hip keeps behaving!), I definitely think I can do it, maybe even by several minutes!

Today I did something like 17 miles at what I think was my desired marathon pace. I haven’t been really tracking it lately, but I’ll probably start soon.

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The only race on my calendar right now is the Disney World half in January! i should really start training… huh?

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First congratulations on your amazing race! I loved following you on this journey as I was taking a similar one myself. I have been training for a sub2 half, this will be my first sub2, and my race is on Sunday in Vancouver, WA. My fastest half so far has been 2:31:16 so this will be a big jump. I have done most of the training, but cannot seem to wrap my mind around hitting this goal! I want it so bad, but I did miss a handful of my training runs. I know this half will be a PR for me no matter what, so I am going for it, going to give it my all :-)

After that I am traveling to Riverton, UT the end of October to visit my family and my husband signed us up to run the Haunted Half 5k in Provo! I was super excited that he wanted to run a race with me and of course that we might just run into you! LOL

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AHHHH NO WAY!! I will try to be at that race!!! GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND and please let me know how it goes, I’ll be thinking about you big time!

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Yes, you SHOULD do the half in SLC in April. It’s going to be my first half and I would so have a fangirl moment if I saw YOU there.

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You’ll be there?!? WAHOOO now I want to! I’m just a weirdo… no need to fangirl ha. Set your expectations low;)

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I put baby cheddar goldfish in my tomato soup. I buy them specifically for this purpose and get mad when my husband eats all of them when he gets home from work ??

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SHALANE! Yes….all the feels, Janae! As I was borading the bus to Hopkinton before Boston 2015, my dad took a photo of her and she was looking right at him! I almost fainted when I saw it! If I can find it, I’ll have to share it with you. ❤️

It is so much better to get the rest now..two weeks is nothing…you will come back stronger and with enjoyment for the movement! You CRUSHED the race….no doubt your body needs the rest even though it might not feel that way.

And that picture of Skye soaking up the sun is tooooooo adorable!

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Hey Janae! Still so excited and proud of you! Just wanted to give a heads up that those look like the Nike Rival shorts. I haven’t been able to find them through Nike for a few months, but they are my favorite and sometimes other stores sell them :)

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Yes, I was going to say that too! I think Nike stopped making them, so I have only occasionally seen them on clearance lately, but for sure have great pockets.

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Hi, eggs have BCAAs. Buying the good eggs is always important. The whites have L-Isoleucine and L-Leucine. Eggs, eggs, eggs! Eggs with grilled cheese, eggs with pancakes, eggs with sweet potatoes. Recover and live with eggs!

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I am so very happy that you met your goal! And what a goal! So mega huge congrats on your mega accomplishment. Sending all the good thoughts to you and your family all the way from Minnesota.

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Oh, what does Josse eat?

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I loved reading about your success this past weekend! It was so great to see you finally achieve that sub-3. Have you ever done a post on your marathon progression and your (lifetime) journey to the sub-3? I would love to read that! Enjoy your recovery!!!!

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Oh my gosh enjoy your time off! Beyond needing it you so deserve it!!!
And the Shalane Flanagan sighting on a run thing DID happen to me!! I live in New York and am currently training for the NY Marathon (my first!!) and over the summer I was on a run in Central Park and we ran right past each other! It was the coolest thing ever.

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Ummmmm SHALANE FLANAGAN??? I would pass out!

Love the idea of doing lots of yoga! Give your body and mind the rest they absolutely deserve. ?

Do you do much cross training in the cardio department? Like the elliptical or swimming?

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That picture of Skye is everything I aspire to be; she looks so zen! :-) Congratulations on the sub-three. Been following you for many years and so excited to see you accomplishing that goal. Very inspiring!

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I’m currently training with my boyfriend to help him run his first half marathon in May! I ran my first one last May :)
Thank you so much for your continued motivation!

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I’d like to know more about that taco bar…..

And the house! I love house stuff! I browse zillow all the time for fun!

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I busted up laughing about your non-Shalane sighting when you said you’d have a heart attack if you ran by her. I would too!!! ? Loved what you said about sometimes not running as much during certain times. We all have so many things in life that require our attention, and it is absolutely impossible to give 100% to all of them at once. Sometimes we have to raise the bar on some things while lowering it on others and that is okay! I recently started a new job and am running less, missing it but also knowing I need to put the new job higher for a bit. Loved your race recap. Congrats again!

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Congratulations on your sub-3!!! Your next goals sound great too — I’m also all for not training through the holidays this year. A May marathon is my next goal and then… another baby? (#4)

I want to pick your brain on baby/family planning and marathoning. I would so love to read more of your thoughts on that, via post or whatever! My youngest is 11 months and the pressure is to plan the age gap (as much as you can anyway). What are your thoughts on age gaps and kiddos? Secretly I would like to sneak in a Fall marathon or two for 2019 before another pregnancy, Lord-willing. Making for a 3-ish year gap between kids. I think I’m cool with that?

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