The Sweetest Sweaty Moments + My New Motivation!

Last week’s most viewed posts were:

*Reader Q & A + Activities from the Day  + Welcoming

*Tangents + My Favorite Winter Running Gear!

*Friday Favorites + 11 Months + Do You?

——————————————————————————————————–

It was really nice to have everyone home for the weekend.

We woke up to our first little bit of snow.  It all melted a few hours later but it was kind of exciting to see it.

IMG 8267

Because chocolate chip pancakes are kind of a Sunday morning tradition around here.

IMG 8269

We went to church and Andrew and I taught nine three year olds:)  Add that to chasing Skye around the classroom and it was quite a busy few hours.

IMG 8283

After church I told the kids we could all watch a movie together and they told us that they would rather make a city (each building is detailed on the inside) so that is what these two did for 2.5 hours.   Andrew and I napped on the couch while Skye was napping.

IMG 8302

And then when Skye was awake she insisted on pretending she was Godzilla on their city.

IMG 8301

We had my niece’s family birthday party over at our house:

IMG 8315

She requested Ritz Chicken!

IMG 8304

I miss grapes so so so much.  I think I’m allergic to them and I’m too afraid to try them again but I miss them dearly and get jealous when I see others eat them.

IMG 8312

My niece also requested concrete—>  AKA one gallon of ice cream and TWO packages of Oreos mixed.

IMG 8316 2

It is unreal.

IMG 8318

We finished off the night with arm wrestling.

IMG 8328

And now whenever I don’t feel like strength training I will watch this video of my mom beating me in an arm wrestle to motivate myself to someday be strong enough to beat her.

——————————————————————————————————–

A lot of really good experiences come our way because of the miles that we put in each week…  We are so lucky that we GET to do this!

IMG 9951

I’ve got some sweet sweaty moments that I wanted to share and I’d love to hear yours too!

*When you are on a run and you put your music on shuffle and suddenly a song comes on that you haven’t listened to for years… it gives you all of the feels and somehow you still remember every.single.lyric to the entire song.

*The time you keep your word to yourself and you finish the run that you actually wanted to quit a dozen or two times throughout the minutes.

*When you are running along and you think you are guessing that you are running a certain pace and then you look down at your watch and see that you are running much faster than you thought.  You realize that all of your hard work over the last months or years is showing off.

*The spring races after freezing your buns off all winter or the fall races after melting from the sun… those hard months of training in less than ideal temperatures make us so crazy strong and enjoy those perfect weather races so much more.

*When you get to the top of a hill without panting like crazy like you used to when you used to have to stop and take a few breaks on the way up.

*A song comes on and it’s beat perfectly matches your cadence and you put it on repeat for the rest of your run/race because it fits you so perfectly.

*Those sweaty runs when you are first coming back from an injury or a baby or a crazy time of life that took you away from running for a bit.  They hurt more than usual but dang you are way more grateful than ever for running because you missed it so much.

*When you are hitting that part in the race where you seriously don’t know if you can keep going any longer and you turn the corner and you see your people there to cheer you on.  You stop and give them hugs or a high five or just their smiles and cheers fills you up with a crazy amount of energy.

*Ever dedicated a run or a mile or a race to somebody important to you?  Somebody that is struggling with something or somebody that has really done a lot for you over the year?  Those are some sweet (and usually teary) moments for me as I’m thinking about them and they are motivating me to not give up.

*Any and every time you cross a finish line.

*When the training starts to click.  You’ve put weeks, months, many training cycles into your training and you’ve been as patient as can be and all of the sudden things start to click.   It’s crazy when this happens and I wish it happened more than it actually does for me but maybe that is why it feels so good, because it doesn’t happen as often:)

IMG 2465

*A sweat in my eyeball workout.  This happens more on the treadmill than outside but I know if I get sweat in my eyeballs, I know I’ve pushed myself harder than I usually do.

*When you are pounding out the miles with your sole sister(s)/brother(s) and you have one of those times where you are both vulnerable and sharing your deepest thoughts/experiences with each other.    I swear when you are doing something hard with other people, it makes it so much easier to open up about life and how you feel.

*You finish your first marathon and chuckle over the fact that _____ _____ in junior high said you wouldn’t be able to do a marathon when you shared it was your goal in your 9th grade English class.  <— Okay, this one might be just me:)  It always feels kind of good to prove somebody wrong about what they thought you weren’t capable of;)

*You are out on a long run and you realize you told somebody the night before that you are JUST running 12 miles… umm that is a very long time to be running and yet it doesn’t seem as far as it used to to you because you’ve been training like crazy and running further than that normally on the weekend.

*Monday- terrible run.  Tuesday- are my legs actually made of lead? Wednesday- I’m so emotionally drained from a hard day of life.  Thursday- Wow, I am on fire… nothing is going to stop me and I’m rocking this run.  Those good runs that pop up after a few miserable ones, that’s definitely a sweet moment for me.

If you are having a lack of motivation lately, maybe remembering your favorite sweet sweaty moments will help you get out the door to make more of them!

——————————————————————————————————–

What are some of your favorite running (or your workout of choice) sweaty moments?

What was the best part of your weekend?

What is the meal/dessert that you usually request for your birthday?

Has anyone else gotten snow yet?

You May Also Like

38 comments

Reply

It will be big news if it snowed were I am. My son and husband have never even seen snow. It is end of spring beginning summer and very hot, I’m loving it. I loved the video of you and your mom arm wrestling!!

Reply

Yes, that would be very bizarre if it ever snowed where you are! I need to come to Comrades one year with you. I hope your ankle is doing better:) Have a wonderful day in the hot weather.

Reply

LOVE the sweet sweaty moments! Mine are definitely during speed workouts when I have to give myself pep talks and anytime I run hills (I love hills) and say to them “I eat hills like you for breakfast!”

Haha! “Let’s just say we’re even” right before your mom ended it. Your mom is awesome. (You put up a good fight, though!!) Looks like y’all had a great time celebrating your niece together!

Reply

Hahaha I love what you say to the hills… I’ll use that tomorrow! She is awesome in every way ha… after everyone beat me in an arm wrestle I asked if we could next have a race to compete;) Have a great day Natalie!

Reply

Your Mom and your entire family dynamic warms my heart to the core Janae. I just love it for all of you and it makes my heart happy!

Reply

We had just a dusting of snow in Pittsburgh, PA! I’m not ready for any more!! Any type of cake is good for my birthday! Although I don’t eat the actual cake… just the icing!

I need your help! Which jogging stroller did you use with Brooke and Skye? Do you have any good recommendations? I am due in the spring and I think this would be a really good Christmas gift!

Reply

You should look into the Bob Revolution. Hands down the best running stroller! IMO. :)

Reply

CONGRATS ABBY!!! I am so so so excited for you! That sounds like the perfect Christmas gift. I have the BOB Ironman (I bought it 6 years ago) and it is still in excellent condition and is amazing to run with! I hope that you guys don’t get anymore snow for a while! I’m with you… the icing is the best part. I hope you are feeling well!

Reply

This sounds depressing, but not meant to be. When you leave the house with tears about to stream down your face, and the first mile is the waterworks as you cry it out. But then with every passing mile there is a strength and a confidence and a wisdom that emerges and you are lighter, free-er, and stronger to handle or face whatever it was you left the door with.

Reply

Erica, I had goosebumps when reading this because it has happened so many times! This happened to me just last week. Thank you for sharing, it was beautiful:) I hope you are having a wonderful day!

Reply

Your Mom is awesome!
Also, my daughter (now 9.5 and just completed her first 5k yesterday with Girls on the Run… with me as her coach and running buddy) was Baby Godzilla. She used to get so much pleasure out of DE-STROY-ING her older brother’s elaborate (for a 2 year old) train track systems and lego towers. She earned the nickname Baby Godzilla, which morphed to Zilla, then Zilly, And Zilly Bean, and now Zil. That nickname will stick with her forever. And she’ll get a kick out of seeing Skye living up to the name as well :)

have a great day!

Reply

THAT IS AWESOME! Tell your daughter congrats! Hahah that is so Skye too.. I LOVE the nicknames that resulted from her destroying haha we might have to copy you guys. Thank you and I hope your day is amazing too!

Reply

When you’re running in hot weather, so sweaty, and the right song comes on and gives you goosebumps. :)

We had snow last week here in Ohio! Bring it!

When I was a kid I didn’t like cake (it’s still not my favorite), so most of my birthdays involved me blowing out candles that were shoved into a pizza.

Reply

YES YES YES to your sweet sweaty moment. I have had that happen too, it’s amazing. Hahaha I think Knox would like that type of birthday cake best:) Stay warm! Have a wonderful day Amanda.

Reply

When you finally conquer that hill on a miserable, windy day, and you get to the top and the wind is FINALLY at your back for the last mile home. Feels just like running on air!

I’m getting back into running after a too long hiatus. I have two young kids (the youngest shares Skye’s bday!) and it feels amazing to do something for myself again. I bought the koala clip on your recommendation and LOVE it! I might have to try the goodr sunglasses next.

Reply

OH YES YES YES… that is definitely a sweet moment. Our kids have the same bday?! That is amazing! SOOOO happy you are loving the koala clip… it’s a game changer and let me know what you think of goodr. I love that you are getting out and doing something for yourself and please keep me updated with how you are doing. I’m cheering for you! Have a wonderful day Sara (and I hope you are getting some sleep too;).

Reply

Just the high after finishing a race! Especially when it’s a PR!

I request a lot of different desserts for my birthday. But I think lately it’s been donuts, cheesecake or pie.

Have you ever tried leg wrestling? I’m not sure if this is really a thing or if my family just made it up haha!

Reply

I think I’m going to copy you in requesting donuts this year… maybe a donut cake? Hahah that is what they wanted to do next week… maybe I’ll have a chance in that. Have a great day Jenny!

Reply

Those are the best sweet sweaty moments!! Getting up that long hill without stopping is a big one for me! I haven’t done that in a while, but it’s coming!! And, seeing my people at mile 23ish of the marathon is absolutely the best!
Ok, seriously, your mom is awesome! She looks like she’s not even trying in that video…. Just sitting there smiling like she’s having a conversation… Ha ha ha. Looks like a great way to end a Sunday ?
Today starts a 3 week (not including Thanksgiving week) holiday giving program in our area that I am in charge of. All the schools participate, holding a toy and food drive. Then families in need (from our city) get to come to our little “shop” to pick out gifts for each of their kids and get a couple of bags of food. It’s a lot of work, but my favorite event before the Christmas break.
I’m also hoping to get in a good run at some point today… But between the crazy winds and set-up day for the holiday giving program, I’m not sure when that will happen…
Have a great Monday!

Reply

IT IS COMING!!! Oh and I agree, that is the best sweaty sweet moment:) Hahaha she really wasn’t trying… I need to do pushups. I love what your community is doing. That is wonderful. Thank you for sharing. I hope that you are able to get in some miles today but if not then tomorrow:) Thanks Wendy!

Reply

So the concrete dessert – you eat it kind of melted or soft? Or you remixed after mixing In Oreos?
Also, your kids let you nap on the couch? They don’t bother you or be loud? I can’t imange sleeping while my kids are awake.

Reply

We were on the couch right next to them and they were talking and laughing but I can sleep anywhere with any amount of noise ha… Knox came and kissed us on our heads eventually and that woke us up:) By the time he is done mixing it all up it is a lot softer because he mixes it for like 10 minutes ha. Have a wonderful day Mary!

Reply

I love it when my music matches my cadence! Absolute best sweaty moment was Les riding his bike to meet me during a marathon. The roads were completely closed to traffic so we weren’t sure if they would left him through on the back roads to meet me. Suddenly there he was! Then he had to jam back down to meet me at the finish line.

It was a tough weekend with the fires (and our internet was out for about 28 hours!) Best part was when a new friend showed up at church yesterday.

Anything I don’t have to cook myself is what I want for my birthday ;)

No snow here. Of course that will be the case in December and January, too.

Reply

Kathy, I have been thinking about you. How close are the fires to you? Praying for California.

I LOVE that sweaty moment… so so cool. Nothing like having your person there.

Reply

Janae, the Woolsey Fire started about 4 miles from us but went the opposite direction. We had friends who had to evacuate on Friday, but they got to go back home on Saturday. It puts us all on edge this time of year because there’s always that fear that another fire will start up. Thanks for the prayers.

Reply

Love your list! It has snowed a couple of times and is snowing right now. Random, but I got high 5’d today on my run for the first time and thought of you. I think it was a it’s freaking cold and we’re awesome for being out running in it kind of high 5.
One of my fave sweaty moments is the post run salt crust i have in the summer. Somehow it feels like I must have had a really good workout.

Reply

Oh no way… that is awesome! Hahah yes… the two of you out there in the cold and snow definitely deserves high fiving each other! YES YES YES… I totally agree with you on the post run salt crust! Have a wonderful day Ali.

Reply

We don’t get snow far south in Texas except once every few years. The temps are dropping to the 30s this week so some nights will be chilly!

I like when I run by feel and I look down and it’s in the 7 minute mile range! That used to be so foreign to me but my training really brought those out for me.

I like to request red velvet cake or cupcakes on my birthday!

Reply

Oh I LOVE those moments so much too… it’s the best surprise. I haven’t had red velvet in a long time, I need that to change. Have a great day today!

Reply

Your mom is awesome!! She wasn’t even breaking a sweat, motivating me to do some arm weights! Lol

How cute and creative of that city the kids made! I might just have to copy them.

Happy bday to your sweat neice, they grow SO fast!!

I’ve been running 4 miles every other day. No races on the radar. With the first 3 slow and last one fast. It’s helped me to keep motivated!

Reply

Hahaha seriously… I am not sure she was even really trying! Fast finish runs… SO SO GOOD for us. Way to go Christina! Have a beautiful Monday!

Reply

We definitely have snow on the mountains – but not in the city at the moment. Though it is 4 degrees and COLD – I am wearing a puffy layers and toque even just walking out the door, so who knows, we may get snow soon.

Ice cream cake is my favourite. Once I bought a half ice cream cake from the grocery store – just so I could have cake before my birthday haha.

The best part of my weekend = laying around and watching movies while warming myself by the fire place. Still getting over being sick so super excited to hopefully run later this week. I haven’t run since Tuesday and i miss it – because
love getting out there.Today is Remembrance Day for us – so it is still a holiday.

Happy birthday to your niece, and also I will have to try the concrete! The ice cream and oreos look amazing!

Have a great day Janae!

Reply

Some of my favourite sweaty moments are when we do speed drills and I beat some of the guys in our group! Doesn’t always happen but when it does it’s magical ?
The best part of my weekend was having my son home from college to celebrate his 19th birthday!
For my birthday I like just about anything as long as it’s not carrot cake!
We had snow in southern Ontario last Friday but it melted right away.

Reply

Haha, in Florida every workout is a “sweat in the eyeballs” workout :) I completely resonate with feeling like your legs are made of lead one day and feeling amazing the next and vice versa. It almost seems totally random to me! I also resonate with finally having cool fall weather after months of training in the heat… I think this weekend it’s supposed to FINALLY cool down here, i.e. No more temperatures in the 80s!

Best part of my weekend was running 21.5 miles on Saturday (I didn’t know it was that far until I finished, I was only going for 20) and then getting sent home from work early that night! Thank goodness because I was exhausted.

I don’t actually care that much what I eat on my birthday except for the cake. I get to make my own birthday cake. I might make two this year.

Reply

Love these moments you mentioned! and love that arm wrestling video!!
I always request cookie cake for birthdays!!

Reply

Hi there! I love that you enjoy seeing snow – it makes outside so pretty! We get plenty of snow where I am (Minneapolis) and we currently have a bit of snow on the ground, though that’s also a little early for us. I am ok if it stays or melts at this time of year (it’ll probably melt later this week).
My weekend ended with a couples potluck group we go to once a month, so that was a highlight for me. I can’t think of any specific ‘sweaty moments’ right now – but I enjoyed reading yours, and related to more than a couple. :) Actually jogged a few random memories of past runs!

Reply

My sweet little 7 year old will be 8, 2 days after Thanksgiving. She wants pie this year for her birthday. Maybe it is because we usually celebrate her b-day on Thanksgiving?? But usually we have cake on Thanksgiving. I said of course!

My favorite part of my weekend was watching my crazy husband workout on the stationary bike for 45 minutes at top level after not exercising for 8 years… I kept trying to gently tell him that easing in his best but apparently it needed to be ALL or nothing. We sort of lost him for the rest of the day. My girls always come to the gym with me on Sundays and we are hoping he joins us again. Not sure if that is gonna happen!!!

Reply

That video of you and your mom made my day… I loved it. Thank you so much for sharing that!

Leave a Reply to Trish Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *