A sub 2:50 had been in the back of my mind over the last few months but a few weeks ago I was sure I was more in shape for a 2:53. My coach called me a week before the race and told me I was in shape for a 2:47-2:51 and that’s when I decided that the sub 2:50 had to happen. It’s incredible to me how well my coach can predict exactly where we are based on our workouts and obviously having him believe that I was capable of that time helped me to believe it too.
I love having some sort of theme for each marathon. A few days before this marathon I was watching Steph Bruce’s latest YouTube video called Relentless and she said, “The marathon is more than 26.2 miles, it’s kind of like a journey of self-discovery.”
I wanted this to be a focus for the day… to see what I could learn throughout the race and how I could grow!
I’m doing a full post tomorrow on my exact nutrition and thoughts on my carb depletion so I’ll skip that on today’s post.
We got to the hotel at about 4:30 pm on Friday and I put out all of my gear and laid down for the rest of the day. I went to bed at 9 and woke up at 12:30 am Saturday morning…. wide awake. I was excited, eager to just start and felt like I couldn’t sleep another wink. I tried everything and nothing worked so at 3:30 I started eating breakfast and met Emilee in the lobby at 4:30 to head over to the busses. We met up with our group and got on the busses around 4:50. It was very cold out and I KNEW that meant we were going to have an amazing race. Some years it’s hot at the start so to have the cool air… it was the best.
I wore a pair of the Launch all morning and then switched to the Hyperion right before the race started.
We all chatted a lot on the bus and then when we saw the flags at the start… I was so happy. AN EXTREME TAILWIND.
We got to the start at around 5:30 so we had plenty of time to get everything done before we started at 6:45. Part of the elite bib gave us an area with a lot more bathrooms and we were placed right next to the starting line. We all stood around the fires because it was freezing. I really should have brought a coat or blankets because we were frozen.
My coach gave us a tip to not take caffeine before the race so for the first time in FOREVER, I didn’t. I saved it for mile 16 and have realized that is perfect for me. My stomach felt SO much better without the caffeine in the beginning and it gave me something to look forward to later on in the race. We put everything in our bags and then ran around the starting area for a minute or two as a warm-up ha… we were supposed to get in some strides but ran out of time.
Andrew and the kids picked up my mom and one of my nieces and they left the hotel at 6 to get to mile 7 in time to see us.
The first few miles of the race were very dark. My feet were frozen so they kind of hurt but other than that we felt good. We went into those miles treating them like a warm-up. You just can’t bank time in the marathon… especially on this course. If you go out too fast on this course, you will burn out. You can always make up time later on but going out faster will bite you later.
6:35, 6:50, 6:21, 6:17, 6:23, 6:20 and 6:10. The first few miles have some hills and then the last 3 have some good downhill. We just wanted to go at a pace that felt comfortable and that’s what happened.
I used arm warmers for the first 6ish miles and threw them to Andrew when I saw him at this point because the weather felt perfect. PS the guy in the blue tank top told us he was going for a 2:52-2:55 in the first few miles but we told him to sub 2:50 with us (it’s amazing how helpful it is to work with a group) and he did!
PPS Brooke told me afterwards, ‘that was the first time I’ve seen you smile during a race’… normally she see’s my pain face during a race. I was feeling really good and was able to smile and wave each time I saw them along the way.
The views of this course are my absolute favorites. I feel like there are the perfect amount of spectators. You get a lot of quiet miles but then pockets of A LOT of cheering. The last few miles have a lot of spectators and they are LOUD and so supportive. The volunteers at this race are unlike any race that I’ve done. They cheer so so loud for you and really give you a boost.
One of the biggest things that helped me on Saturday were the elite bottles that I got. I turned them in on Friday at the expo and as soon as we were about 100m away from the table with our bottles, one of the volunteers would radio in our numbers so the people at the table could have our bottles ready to pass to us. It was incredible to have 6 bottles passed to us along the way. I was able to stay so so hydrated throughout the entire race. I held onto each bottle for a mile or two (just used these hammer ones) to really get in almost the entire bottle each time. I also started the race with a small bottle of water to sip on so I had 7 bottles total.
Miles 8-12 are the hardest of the entire course (7:12, 6:51, 6:34, 7:02, 6:43). There is so much climbing and the hill at mile 11 actually felt much harder to me than the Veyo hill at mile 8 which is usually the hardest part for me. I was so thankful to have Emilee to work with the whole time. I was not feeling great during mile 11 at all but I was so thankful to have her to keep up with. We were right next to each other for almost the entire race. We talked a little bit each mile to check in on how the other person was feeling, offering encouragement or random inside jokes that we have. We also both love to talk splits so that happened too during the race. I cannot believe how helpful it was to have her to run with… I think doing this together took me WAY FARTHER than on my own. Knowing all of the work we had done together and that she was feeling how I felt motivated me to keep going because she was.
Our goal was to hit the half-way mark a little under 1:27 and we came through at 1:26:42.
After the half-way mark we decided to just stay in control of the pace until we saw our families at mile 19.5ish again. It was so nice to chop up the race into different sections together and have little things to look forward to. 6:25, 6:27, 6:17, 6:21, 6:14, 6:26, 6:43.
I can only think of 2.5 workouts throughout our training cycle where we really did any marathon pace miles. Our coach had us doing way more faster/shorter intervals and that was key for us. We were so used to doing faster paces that the marathon pace felt a lot more doable. I think part of our coaches plan was to give us workouts that were so crazy hard that they made the race feel easier ha;) Oh and the carb depletion thing… that built another level of mental strength for me!
Starting at mile 20, you really get to cruise the down for the next 5 miles. There are definitely some ups during those miles and always more than I remember… I kept telling Emilee, ‘okay, THIS is the last one… but then it wasn’t ha.” BUT there are also some good cruising miles in this section. This is where, if you pace the race right, you can make up time from the earlier miles.
6:18, 6:04, 6:16, 6:10, 5:59, 6:12.
My watch was set to show average pace, the distance, the timer, lap pace and current pace on one screen (working on a watch review right now). Emilee and I really focused on the average pace of the entire run for this race. We knew what we wanted to hit at the 10k, half, 20 miles and then we knew we had to get a 6:28 average for the entire race to get under 2:50. At mile 20 I think we were around a 6:32 average pace so the numbers REALLY motivated us to get the average pace down to 6:28. I looked at my watch a lot during the last 10k. A lot. But it was motivating to me. I wanted that 2:49 so bad and knowing I was so close to that point really helped me to keep moving during those miles.
Oh and at mile 24 they handed out bags of ice and of course I stuffed it down my sports bra. I never felt hot during the race (and at different points I felt pretty cold) but adding in little changes throughout the race (like ice) switches things up and makes my brain focus on other things besides how tired I am.
We saw our crew again at mile 23.
The last mile of the race is flat and at this point your legs are done from the ups and downs. My breathing felt very controlled during the race (and anytime it wasn’t, I would take 3 or 4 really deep breaths and that helped calm it down) BUT my hamstrings were done at this point. I never felt like I hit the wall or dizzy (like I did the previous year at this point).
I actually felt really good for the last 1.2 miles, moved a tiny bit in front of Emilee and another teammate of mine (before the race we talked about how okay it was if one of us felt good to go!!!) and this picture is from my coach. At this point he told me to tighten up my form which I did and that helped me to pick up my cadence and the pace. 6:13 for final mile and 6:08 pace for the final .2.
Right about here I saw my dad, brother and his crew and Andrew… Andrew started running on the other side of the cones next to me and I absolutely loved that. PS Andrew had to sprint to this point because he almost missed it so my mom was with the kids but they did make it right in time to see me finish! Hearing my family cheering for me really helped me to finish strong. I thought I was going to struggle without music for the entire race but I love how it allowed me to focus a bit more on my goal and hear my family cheering for me (and random people that could see my name on the bib). It’s crazy to me how much that boosts my spirits during a race and to pick up the pace.
I felt the strongest I have ever felt on this final stretch of this course (4th time doing it) which was a fun feeling and to see a 2:49 on the clock… that felt unreal. Hawk (our coach) and his wife have both won this race multiple times. They know this course better than anyone and exactly how to train for it (and marathon training in general)…
All of the trails he had us do, all of the mile repeats downhill, all of the uphill 1k repeats, all of the runs where we jumped up on the trails in the middle of a long run to rush up the mountain, all of the different roads in our areas that mimic portions of the course… really prepared us well and that was a fun feeling. I was able to do every workout he prescribed besides one (when I was nervous about my calf) and it paid off with a 9 minute and 55 second personal record and 9th woman overall.
Here are all of the splits together.
I LOVE writing reminders on my arm the morning before a race.
ABKS—> Andrew, Brooke, Knox and Skye
Smile—> Because every time I smile during a race, the pain lessens.
2:49—> A written goal makes me want it that much more.
Grateful—> Thinking about all of the good makes you forget about the bad. Every time my legs hurt really bad I would think about how happy I was with how great my stomach felt… the best it has ever felt during a marathon. I thought about my family a ton, how grateful I was for my team and how awesome it was to not be injured.
I wonder how many miles Emilee and I ran together since we met in April… probably a lot. Who knows how we got so lucky to be NEIGHBORS, but it sure feels like it was meant to be. At one point I told her that I felt pretty hardcore as we were speeding up in those final miles that between the 2 of us, we have 7 kids. It felt pretty awesome.
Ashley (in the middle) got a sub 2:50 too and it has been SO fun to work together with her over the months.
Pretty much EVERY SINGLE PERSON on our team walked away with a new personal record.
I think our coach was pretty proud.
JEN HAD A 26+ MINUTE PR!!!
I absolutely LOVED having my parents there. They drove down, spent the weekend with us and seeing them was a huge motivator for me. My mom grew up at the track (my grandpa was a huge cross-country and track coach) so I think she really loves seeing me love something her dad was so passionate about. I always feel him there cheering me on… and it gives me goosebumps every time.
So thankful for parents that always taught me to go after what I want and love to talk about it with me along the way.
This group… the best of the best. I am SO happy my brother and his family live in St. George now. They are so much fun and if you ever need someone with the world’s loudest voice to come cheer at your race… I’ll send my brother. I could hear him from a block away:)
The kids know I run and that I love to run but they really don’t know much about it because I am usually home before they wake up each morning so having them there seeing me doing my thing means a lot. And they were champs for waking up so early!
I stayed and talked for a little while and our kids went back with my brother and his family while Andrew and I checked out of the hotel (and I showered really quick because I WAS SO COLD afterwards).
I took 9th woman overall and the week leading up to the race I felt like a sub 2:50 was more doable than being in the top 10. This race brings a lot of the fastest people in the state so I was beyond thrilled about this along with a $275 prize, a gift card to the running store, a big blanket and chocolates.
And now time for all of my random thoughts in one place.
*This training cycle really has taught me to allow myself to dream SO much bigger. I’ve always placed a cap on myself that a 2:59 would be the fastest I would ever be able to run a marathon. It wasn’t until I met Emilee and started working with this team that I started really really really believing that I had faster in me. If we can just get our brains to truly believe something, we can make it happen. It’s really fun to defeat the weird limits we set on ourselves.
*Emilee and I were debating on whether or not to wear sunglasses for the race and we decided to bring them… SO glad we did. Unless on this course you have cloud cover for the entire race you need to bring sunglasses or wear a visor because the sun is in your eyes for a good chunk of the second half.
*I thought about what a friend told me before my race a lot: “Be patient until it’s time not to be.” It’s so easy to go out faster than you should because you feel so good but the patience is key and then you get the reward when it’s time to go, because you can go!
*I finished the race and felt a lot better than I did last year (I was in the med tent). I felt really good BUT I did have a bad case of runner’s cough. It almost feels like I have asthma as soon as I stop but I don’t have the problem at all during the race! I couldn’t get enough air once I stopped.
*When I got really tired at the end I kept thinking… ‘well, at least I’m not running a 50 miler.’ The ultra helped me with my endurance (a lot) but also my mental game because that was BEYOND hard for me. I knew that if I could do that, I could do this.
*I LOVE being stubborn about my goals now. Of course there are race days where things don’t happen the way we want them to but if the choice is up to me on whether or not to hit my goal or slow down, I love being stubborn about what I want with running. We have the choice!
*Like I said earlier, working together with people during a race helps me SO much. One thing I noticed was that when I would say something to Emilee out loud (like… we are GOING to get this) it was even more effective for my mental game than just saying it in my head. Saying it out loud made it more real. SO if I do do a race by myself in the future, I’ll probably be talking out loud to myself a lot.
*This marathon just means a lot to me. Andrew and I both grew up in St. George and I have so many amazing memories there (we even got engaged in this area). The views are unreal and Andrew and I always say that if we could move there, we would:)
*Future thinking is not my friend. The second I start worrying about how I am going to feel in 5 miles is the second I start feeling terrible. If I ask myself if I am doing what I need to do in the mile, right now… I feel so much better and like I can do it!
*At the finish line they gave us wet towels to wipe our hands… I swear they knew how badly I hate sticky hands at the end of a race. Also, does anyone else feel like they are going to have 6 new cavities at the end of a marathon? All of the gels and gatorade make my teeth feel like a thick layer of sugar is on them.
*I AM SO GLAD I took two days off a few weeks ago when my calf was feeling off. I would have been so sad if I had missed the race because of an injury, taking a few days off is ALWAYS worth it.
*The taper is nuts. Emilee and I both really felt terrible the week leading up to the race (although on Friday we felt better). On Thursday it felt like I had the flu because I was so tired and just felt so off. Our bodies get used to running and then when we back off during the taper they go a little crazy before being ready to peak on race day. If your taper feels awful, welcome to my taper club.
*Andrew has supported me more than I could ever imagine this training cycle. The pep talks, arranging his work schedule perfectly, helping me get out the door the mornings I didn’t want to, making sure I always had the perfect meals before big runs/races, finding me the coolest gear and the list goes on and on. This last weekend he took over on everything (kids, running to the store, picking up dinner, you name it) so I could truly just focus on the running and relaxing leading up to the race. I am so grateful for him.
*I’m a big fan of getting a vitamin b injection leading up to a race (completely allowed… just vitamins:). Maybe that is why I woke up at 12:30 wide awake but either way, I feel like it really does help with my energy levels for a race.
*I think the carb depletion 100% worked for me and I’ll talk more about that tomorrow in my post.
*Keep chasing those dreams and I’ll be spending a lot of time recovering, staying up late with Andrew, eating candy and cuddling with the kids in bed each morning. This training has been the most fun ever and I’m working on a post right now about what I believe helped to get almost a 10 minute pr.
*Saturday felt like a DREAM… worth every single mile over the last 10 years of training for different marathons.
Thanks for reading this novel and for all of your support. I am VERY grateful for your friendships and all of the things I have learned from you.
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Who has a race coming up soon? Anyone running St. George?
Where did you grow up?
Best sign you have seen during a race?
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF YOUR WEEKEND?
119 comments
Laura Fulks
I am just so so excited for you Janae!!!!! It has been so inspiring to watch you grow and get SO fast these last couple years!
My first marathon is this Saturday!!! I’m nervous/excited to experience the journey!
The Hungry Runner Girl
AHHH LAURA!! I am so so excited for you. Cheering for you and please let me know how it goes! Thank you so much:)
Diane
Congratulations Janae! You are awesome! Is your couch Lowell Hawkes? He use to live In Pocatello. He’s amazing!
St. George was a good race for me. My legs are so sore!! Looking forward to resting this week.
The Hungry Runner Girl
AHHH CONGRATS DIANE!! Yes… that course really gets your legs! Lowell Hawkes sounds amazing but my coach is different. I hope your day is a beautiful one and that you celebrate all week!
Nadya
Congratulations!!! You are a true inspiration of grit and grace. I hope you celebrate this week with lots of donuts and down time:)
Best wishes always,
Nadya
Liz Connolly
Congratulations! I learn so much from you! Thank you! I ran SG too and that last mile killed me, maybe I was thinking ahead, because I pictured a track and sprinting around it 4 times and that made me want to walk. I got a 23ish min PR ?and missed a BQ by 9 seconds?. Love you!
Brooke
So exciting! Can’t wait for tomorrow’s post :-)
Alisha
Soooooooooo happy for you!!!! Practically a 10 minute PR?!?!??! Unbelievable!! Well done!
Leigh
I’ve been looking forward to reading this post! I’m so so happy and excited for you Janae. You amaze me with how consistent you are with your training. It’s incredible to me that you do all your training first thing in the morning. I so struggle to wake up and get out of bed! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. I’m just so so happy for you and you are so inspiring!! Can’t wait to see what you achieve next xx
Mendy Miltier
Congratulations!!! I knew you could do it!! I am so glad your race day was completely awesome! ?
Crystal
I always love reading your race recaps, but they make me cry! I am so, so, so happy for you. Can’t wait to see what you do next!
Jessica
Truly amazing that you had a goal for so long (sub-3) that you just crushed! Can’t wait to see what you do next!
Deb Jo
You are amazing!
I cried a few times reading this re-cap. ;-)
Congratulations on an awesome run and PR.
What next?
Nikki
Congrats Janae!!!!!
Corey
That PR is TREMENDOUS! Almost 10 minutes faster than your previous goal, and SO blazing fast :) I’m so happy for you!
It’s so fun reading your race recaps and all the details you remember, the support you have, etc. OK, yes, it made me tear up to read about Andrew running along the cones toward the end :D And the kids and your parents–such troopers, and the biggest lift seeing them along the course.
My parents have brought my kids to some of my races before, so my favorite sign is the one they made with big photos of the kids and the words “GO MAMA!”
Stay on your cloud of happiness and enjoy your rest!
Amanda H
Congratulations! I am so happy for you :) I have to admit, when you said you wanted to run a marathon faster than 2:59 I was wondering if you could get there, knowing how hard it was for you to break 3 hours. I was rooting for you the entire time, and YOU DID IT! Amazing accomplishment. You’ve inspired me to put my big girl pants on and tackle some stuff in my life I’ve been putting off/avoiding. Bask in the glow of what you’ve done, you deserve it!
Mariah
Yay Janae!!! So happy for you!!! It’s amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it- you are an inspiration!!
Victoria
WOW WOW WOW. You nailed your training and it paid off in a big way. Congrats on such an incredible race.
That tailwind does look pretty amazing.
Blake
Ahh!! I loved reading every single word of this! You are such an inspiration and I love reading about (and working to adopt) your positive outlook on all things, especially running. It’s been so fun to follow along during this training season- you have been thriving. CONGRATULATIONS!!
Sanne
Congratulations! You (and your team!) did so good!
So if I understand correctly, you ran a marathon in 2:49, on just 3,5 hours of sleep and you were still smiling? That is amazing! Loved reading your race recap and seeing the pictures of the races. Those views are incredible!
Janae, you are awesome and you should be really proud of yourself!
Dwayne Steele
I’ve been following this blog for about a month or so, and it’s been quite fun seeing your work and the reward you gained from it. It’s certainly helped inspire me for my Boston training. Huge congrats! I’m so happy for you!
Jenny
Wow, what an awesome race! And I loved the recap- lots of details. But I have one question- what happened to the power bun??? Enjoy a nice relaxing week! Congratulations again!!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Thanks so much Jenny! Great question… I randomly decided to switch things up hahah. Look at me living on the wild side;) Have a great day!
Kari
Ah hahaha Jenny this was my one burning question as well! ?
Jill R
I am so so happy for you!! I’ve been reading your blog for YEARS (have not missed one yet), and for your 2:59 and now 2:49 I’ve teared up reading your post because I’m so happy for you. I can’t wait to hear whats next for you!
Wendy
Congratulations again!! You did so amazing! I have loved reading along during this training cycle and seeing how much you’ve “grown” in your running! So, so inspiring!!
Now enjoy your down time ?
Well done Janae!!!
Martha
Congratulations! You are such an inspiration! St George next year will be my first marathon, and it’s because of you! I realized I could do a marathon after an 18 mile hike this summer. I’m not a runner, but believe it is doable. Having a loving and supportive husband makes all the difference, thank you for sharing your recaps and the myriad of thoughts and emotions! Again, CONGRATULATIONS!
Eleanor
Thanks for sharing Janae, it has been so fun to watch your training this cycle. It has been amazing to just see how you broke through the sub 3 barrier that you had in your mind last year and the sky is the limit once you stop putting limits on yourself.
Recover well and enjoy all the things we sacrifice as runners during a cycle to hit our potential. You are amazing! You are glorifying God in what you do!
Alicia
Congratulations!!!! So amazing! I ran St George this weekend too!! I had a 25 minutes PR! I ran it in 3:38 and I’m so happy about that! My goal was 3:45. This year I’ve really worked on my mental game and believing in myself and it’s helped so much. I’ve also done weight training along with running and I think that boosted my strength a lot. I had stomach cramps the last 6 miles – so I’m really excited to see your post tomorrow about what you did! I wasn’t going to do another marathon for a few years, but since I’m so close to qualifying for Boston I think I have to do another next year ;). I just love your blog and honestly I think this has helped me progress as a runner too! Thank you!!!!!!!
michelle
So fun to read, Janae, congrats! Your physical training has obviously been amazing, but I think equally impressive is the mental training you’ve gone through. Really focusing on the positive over and over again, lifting up others with that positivity (which makes it even more true for yourself) and opening yourself up to working with a team with big goals which takes a certain amount of vulnerability and trust. It’s so inspiring, thanks for sharing the whole process!
Angela
Congrats!! That is so awesome! You are so inspiring. In 4 years, when you qualify for the Olympic Trials, I can say I know you! Not that you know me or anything ?, but that doesn’t matter.
Angela again
Okay, I just read your CIM plans post today and see you are going for it this time around!! That’s an awesome goal! I’m so excited to be watching your journey:)
Zahira Seedat
Just wow!! Well done Janae! Loved the recap :-) There is so much I take from your recaps and apply to my races. Looking forward to the next one!
Katie Shottes
First of all – CONGRATS! So fun to read, I got goosebumps thinking about how amazing that finish must have felt!
I just ran my first marathon yesterday :) mentally I felt so good, physically the hills made it tough but my training paid off!
I grew up just outside of Portland, Maine and my marathon was the Maine marathon in Portland! So cool :)
I saw a really funny one yesterday but I cannot for the life of me remember it!?!? I laughed out loud though…
Best part of my weekend was crossing the finish line! 26.2!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
KATIE AHHHHH congrats on your first marathon!! ENJOY ALL OF THE CELEBRATING and recovering!
elizabeth
Janae!!! What an exciting weekend!! Thanks for sharing your journey. It was so inspiring to follow along.
Best race report ever!!! I may have cried just a little…happy tears :)
Congratulations on your HUGE PR!!!
Erica
Could not be happier for you.
You are one of my biggest inspirations for setting goals, working hard to achieve them, and basically just living my best life.
xoxo
Carlee McDot
SO STINKIN’ PROUD OF YOU AND HAPPY FOR YOUR AMAZING RACE! WHOOOOO HOOOOO!
jessey
Congratulations on your fantastic PR! It has been so much fun following you during this training cycle!
I ran a 10K this weekend in Rhode Island – my 4th New England state to run a race. It was beautiful by the ocean, I got to see the sun rise over the water before the race – so gorgeous! It was my first race in a while and I’ve got 14 weeks before a 1/2 in Disney (I haven’t run a 1/2 in 5 years) and I was full of negative talk. I am no where near in the shape I was 5 years ago and I know I can’t compare myself to back then. But I am going to enjoy the increased mileage – it’s been so long so I will pretend I be running those distances for the 1st time :)
Rhiannon
Congratulations Janae! You are such a rockstar!! I am so glad this team has worked out for you!
I ran an outdoor adventure race on Saturday… involving obstacles, running through timber/creeks/uphills/downhills and that was… something. It was during a downpour of rain so I ran in mud the whole time. Not nearly as successful as you! :)
Best part of the weekend – finishing that race! LOL I just wanted it to be over pretty much the whole time. Second best part would be that my parents got to meet the guy I’m dating, and it all went SO well. Honestly, this whole thing has been so easy and fun, I couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend!
Mary
WOW WOW WOW! Super congrats, Janae! You are so deserving of this. So very happy for you and hope you enjoy the after glow for a long time! Sky is the limit for you! Mary
Andria Sprunger
Sooooo happy for you Janae! What an inspiration you are!
Jessica
This is SO inspiring! I can’t wait to have a big running goal to chase (currently 5 months pregnant, so running for fun/stress relief instead of a time goal right now)!
Kelly Houtz
Sitting in my office, reading the recap, with tears streaming down my face! Congratulations on yet another amazing accomplishment! You are such an inspiration!
Abby
You should be so, so proud of yourself and I hope you know how much of an inspiration you are!! I was scheduled to do a 15K on Sunday and had been considering distancing down because I was recently sick for 10 days and lost training, fueling and a couple pounds so I just didn’t think I had it in me. My husband convinced me to at least try on Friday and I was super nervous up until the point I saw your time on Saturday!! It was so incredible to see the accomplishment that it encouraged me to just get out and enjoy the race and community and not focus on my time. So I did and I only missed my goal time by nine minutes but I truly enjoyed the race and everyone that came out to support us! It inspired me to try again next year and blow my goal out of the water!
Many congratulations to you! All your hard work paid off and you continue to be a shining example to your kids!
Monica
I could not be more thrilled for you!! I’ve followed you since before your first femoral stress fractures so many years ago. It is so thrilling to see you where you are now. You are such a positive example of hard work and dedication. You have worked your butt off not just through this training cycle but through everything life has thrown at you. You are a light in this world!
Sandy Nolan
Congratulations!! You rock! I said prayers for you on Saturday! I couldn’t wait to read your recap this morning. YOU are so motivating in so many ways! Please don’t EVER stop what you are doing….. (except maybe to have another baby )……. maybe now that you goal has been met -wink wink! LOVE you!
Elizabeth
I also ran st George and pr’ed. It really was a perfect day – tailwind, perfect temps, great crowd. I was most excited I broke the 30+ year family record that I’ve been chasing for 10+ years with my 3:17:05. This is my 13th st George and I love that I know the course. I create a pace band based on my previous marathons on this course and it really helps me to know what to expect each mile.
Great job on the huge pr!
Jacinta
I’m just getting back into running after taking a much needed break. Your race recap and reading about your training each week has been so motivating for me. I can’t wait to build back up a running base and be ready to train hard for a strong half and marathon in 2020.
Congrats, such an amazing job!
Leah
Wow, I love this recap, Janae! And you weren’t kidding when you said it was a novel! In my comment yesterday, I said you should try for an OTQ next year, but I think I typed it wrong as OTC. But you probably knew what I meant anyway, because everyone is telling you that now! Seriously, you are amazing. I greatly admire all your hard work and dedication, and while I know I will probably never be as fast as you, seeing what you do makes me want to try. :)
Now, a few questions:
1. I’m racing in a week, and I’m super excited, but yesterday morning I woke up with a bad cold. Today, I’m feeling a lot better, but still sick, and I’m trying to decide whether or not I should run. I had my last speed session planned for today, so it’s kind of important, but at the same time, I don’t want to do my body more harm than good. What do you think?
2. How many marathons do you run a year? I’ve always heard just one is best for recreational runners, and two for the elites, but it seems like you (and a lot of other people) do more.
3. This is kind of random, but do you think high school cross country coaches should have their runners do weigh ins? A lot of people say this makes the runners want to lose weight, but at the same time, if one of the runners was to develop an eating disorder, the coach would be much more likely to realize the problem of he/she knew the runner’s weight. I’ve seen several posts about running and weight on your blog, so I thought you might have an opinion on this.
~ R
I think question #3 would be great as a the main discussion/topic for another post! I’m not a coach but I was a high school and college athlete and I work with high school athletes. I have opinions but I’d love a well-discussed, broader view.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Leah!!! I’m totally going to write a post about number 3 because that is a long answer for me:) . I usually just do 1-2 but this year has been a little different! As far as whether or not to do the run… at this point, the more rest the better I think. You want to really flush this out of your system and some more rest could help! Thank you so much for your sweet comment, it means a lot to me!
Stacy
Congrats on the awesome run!!
When you talked about what you wrote on your arm…abks…I immediately rearranged the letters to bask (I always need to make everything in to a word) and if you wrote it that way, everytime you looked at it you could bask in the glory of the moment you are in.
Cynthia
Congratulations Janae!! I had a feeling you would crush it! It is amazing to see how long you worked for a sub 3, and now you knocked 10 minutes off that just a year later! I have NYC coming up in a few weeks and this is so motivating. Question! What sunglasses did you wear for the race?
Kari
I loved this recap! Lol I felt ridiculously invested in this race. I am so blown away by your commitment and training and man your actual RACING EXECUTION has gotten insane! You are sooo dialed in! I was, however, hoping your recap would address the biggest question I have, but it didn’t, so I’m still wondering…why the ponytail instead of the power bun?? If I’ve learned anything about you from following you, there HAS TO BE a reason! ? Congrats on an amazing training block and an incredible race (also congrats on landing the most supportive husband imaginable!)!!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Kari!!! You are so kind:) . I wish I had a good/thoughtful reason haha. I just like the ponytail more lately and it requires 2 rubber bands rather than 22 haha. Have the best day and I sure agree about the husband I found:)
salma
I saw the pics, too, and was wondering about the power bun… But somehow, this may sound weird, it felt like hair-in-a-ponytail-streaming-behind-you, smiling, *looked* more like the Janae we know and love.. I mean, you rocked the power bun last year when you broke 3, but does it kinda feel like you didn’t *need* the bun anymore, in a way..? I still laugh at the thought of Andrew saying he was scared of that determined look on his wife’s face… haha.
But seriously, you were going so fast, your ponytail must have just been bobbing and bouncing behind you and your hair just streaming back behind you, that you never had to worry about it touching your face!!! haha… I think I’ve put more thought into this than even I expected, but like the others, it was a burning question! ha..
Using two elastics does sound way easier than 22…
Anyway, Janae, congrats again!!!! Thanks for the great recap and I love that it’s so long and full of everything.. Love the grateful bit, and so lovely that you had so much family there to support you.
Enjoy your rest and your cuddles with your sweet kiddos… <3
Nikki
Way to go Janae!! So much fun to follow along on your journey!!!
Valerie Miller
Beautiful journey! So inspirational. I’m trying to break 3 and I need to PR by a little over 3 minutes to do it and after reading this hope fills my heart. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading every step of your journey. Thank you.
Kathy
Congrats!! I got goosebumps and started to tear up thinking about how you felt! When I ran my marathon almost 2 years ago, I remember being so grateful for all the spectators cheering us on, they really do help so much! Your hardwork has paid off so much and love how supportive your whole family is!!
No races for me right now. I was on vacation for two weeks in Korea so while I did a lot of walking and hiking, i never went out for a run. We were there with family, so our time there was always so busy! And then it took some time to deal with jet lag, especially when dealing with a 16 month old who is also dealing with it and waking up in the middle of the night wide awake for 2 hours… My brother is up here in Vail for hip surgery, so I’ve been here taking care of them and went for a trail run yesterday up Beaver Creek and holy cow.. it was HARD! The views were definitely pretty and the way down was also tiring since my legs were tired from climbing! Been a long time since I’ve worked that hard!
Enjoy all the post race high!!
Elly
I had chills reading this post and even teared up a few times – and I’m not even a runner. Go Janae!
Misha
These recaps always make me cry. It’s so beautiful to see someone work, sacrifice, & stay committed – and then the JOY! You did all of that SO well! I’m dying to hear what your next goal is! Whatever it is you’ll OWN it! ?
meggan
Congrats times a million. I am just so happy for you and loved reading about your experience!! Crazy to think just a year ago you only wanted a sub 3 and then this year you absolutely crushed that! I love what you said about the brain having weird limits. it is SO true and you just proved that it can all change. love you janae!
Tess
So so so happy for you! I too feel like I’ve been so invested in your journey, and I appreciate you allowing us a glimpse in to your life and training. It’s helped me in my running so much. I especially got emotional when you said that Andrew ran along side you on the other side of the cones. Oh man, all the feels.
I especially appreciate how dedicated you are to your sport being a mother. As a woman with no kids, I sometimes wonder how having them would hinder the physical aspects of my life and you simply have crushed that thought, so thanks for sharing.
Chloe
Hey Janae, I don’t blog as regularly as you do but I’m glad you documented so much of your running and life – I haven’t had a good time at work the past couple of years (it’s just gotten way better since my previous team lead transferred out) and there were times especially in the past 2 years or so that I’d just back read your entries during work because I was so unmotivated and unhappy. I decided to prioritise running in the past year and that helped me get through the last few months before he finally left. Reading about your journey of so many years was one of the things that helped me make decisions about where I wanted to go with my running and think about sacrifices I was willing to make and those I wasn’t.
I realised something – I think at some point you stopped feeling you had to prove something – to yourself, to whoever you felt was watching you – and that was when your times just went all the way down. Probably got Andrew to thank for that ;) I feel like you had so much fun this marathon, like genuine fun, and I’m so happy you got to experience that. The way you wrote about this was so different from your very earliest marathons. thanks for sharing it with us! :)
God bless, have a great recovery week! Are you going to eat candy again? Haha.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Chloe, thank you thank you thank you for sharing with me your story. I am SO sorry about the last few years but so thankful that the team lead has left. Hopefully thinks just get better and better. I am so excited about your goals with running and I would love to hear about them!
I actually read your comment to Andrew because I 100% agree with what you said and why my running has changed so much. Thank you and I’m legit eating candy while I read this haha. Have the best day Chloe and keep in touch!
Kate Wicker
Your recap made me tear up. I am so happy for you. Your hard work, talent, gratitude, tenacious optimism, grit, faith, and spirit have brought you so far and will continue to do so. Congratulations! You earned this!!!
Betsy
Congratulations, Janae! So happy you got another PR — a massive accomplishment! I’ve enjoyed following your training cycle :)
Torrie
Congratulations, Janae! What a spectacular race! I am so so happy for you! You worked so hard and you deserved this <3
Kristen K
JANAE! I am so proud of you! Getting SO EMOTIONAL reading your post. I have followed your journey for so long – and have even conversed with you over email – and I just get goosebumps watching you chase and attain your dreams! Congratulations! You did the work, and you DID IT! <3
Laurel Osmond
Congratulations! It has been really inspiring to follow your training for this race and see all your hard work pay off with such a huge PR.
Annie R
Oh man, this made me tear up. I’m so so so happy for you!!!! I was telling my fiance on Saturday, “I can’t wait to hit my goal at CIM so I can feel as accomplished as Janae does right now.” I just LOVE that feeling after a race or big marathon and thinking about you basking in that post-marathon glow just makes my heart so happy.
Best sign during a race was Boston on Heartbreak Hill. It was “if you think this is hard, try growing out your bangs.” and as someone who has done both, it gave me a much-needed chuckle that day.
As I mentioned before I have CIM in December, but this week is my “easy” running week during the training cycle because I’m getting married on Saturday ;) So for this week (and this week only), running is taking a bit of a backseat. Even though I am DEDICATED to running a few miles on Saturday morning to get out any anxiety or nerves I’ll have!
Ashna
Janae, you are such an inspiration! I also ran St. George this weekend :D I did 3:11:05, which is a 16 minute PR for me. Reading all of your previous posts about this race really helped me dial in my own race plan. My next goal is to sub-3, and it’s from readings blogs like this that I actually think I can do it :) Dream big!!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
A 16 MINUTE PR!!! THAT IS INCREDIBLE!! That sub 3 is YOURS!!
AmandaM
I have nothing creative to say – just YAY!!! And I am so happy that YOU are happy. Great job! And what a support team you have – I know you are grateful. I truly believe that being grateful and appreciating what you have (which you do) keeps the cycle of love going for you and others.
Cheering from Boston!
Mary
Holy cow!!! Good job. I kept checking on Saturday for an update as I was excited to hear! I can’t believe you worked so hard for that 2:59 and then a year later you crushed that! You know you’re on your way to an Olympic qualifying time. Not before this Olympics obviously but for the next one in 4 years!! Have you thought of that?
The Hungry Runner Girl
Definitely been thinking a lot about that:) . Have the best day Mary and tomorrow’s post will talk more about it:)
Kerry
You are AMAZING! And so, so inspiring!
Kelly
Woke up Sat morning thinking about you. Took my phone on my run (never do this) just to get the text updates….every time I heard a text update come thru would stop my run and see how you were progressing. I was so cheering you on to PR and sub 2:53 that when the final update came thru I just couldn’t stop smiling – so happy for you! Well deserved!
The Hungry Runner Girl
AHHH thank you for bringing me on your run with you:) . You are the best. Have a fabulous day Kelly!
MeeshyD
I’ve been reading your blog for years and years now and I am just so, so happy for you and all of your successes. You have overcome so much to get to this place and you are just such an inspiration. I am not a runner, but I have things I love to do and dream of doing even better and I often think of you and the time and effort you’ve put in to get to this place. The proof is in the archives of how hard you’ve worked for many, many years to crush it like this.
This weekend, I took a dance intensive workshop to learn how to dance in heels. I have always loved to dance and I’m in my mid-thirties going after this hobby with intensity and passion. Last night, we had to perform the choreography we learned over the weekend before the group and my heart was pounding out of my chest, but I did it anyway. I treasure the video I took of the performance because I know I will look back at the video in a year and see my progress and I could even see the progress I made in just one weekend. SO inspiring.
Colleen W Sprunger
I literally cried reading this!! I’m so happy for you!!! Congratulations again!!!
Carrie
Congratulations, you deserve it!!
Best sign- during one of my half marathons, many, many years ago. I hear someone say “ hey lady, your sign’s upside down”. I look and it was the sign my Mom was holding!!!
Sara
A 10 minute PR at your level is insane! Your coach and running group are awesome. I want a neighbor to train with now haha.
Amy Clark
Congrats on another PR!
I finished my first FULL marathon this weekend! Wineglass Marathon, Corning NY. I thought of you along my 26.2 mile run on Sunday! Thanks for sharing your running journey with us daily! You’re amazing!
Dee
Amy, congratulations! I also completed the Wineglass Marathon in Corning yesterday! What a coincidence…it was my 2nd one. Last one was 9 years ago in Philly. I hope your experience went well–I’m still hurting but so glad I finished it–it was an accomplishment! Congrats again!
Dee
Amy, congrats! @hat a coincidence, I also did the Wineglass Marathon yesterday in Corning, NY! This was my 2nd marathon–last one was 9 years ago in Philadelphia. Felt so accomplished! Congrats again!
John
Great job Janae! Your support team is so awesome and your coach is like Super Ninja Sensei like.
I got a 15 mile bike ride in on Saturday, still no running for me. Question for Andrew – does he have a hybrid bike? Any favorites in that category? I’m just riding around on a 20 year old Diamondback “comfort” bike that has been collecting dust in my garage. It still does a nice job on the road and very light trails. I wouldn’t mind upgrading since for now I have an “excuse” to lol.
Stacey
I am so insanely proud of you!!!!
Carol
Congratulations on a fantastic race! I loved reading all of your training recaps and to see how your hard work paid off is amazing. So happy for you!
Ashley
You are such an inspiration! Really happy for you!
Sarah
Congratulations!!!! I loved this read and even teared up because I get emotional about running, mine and others, especially when they reach a goal they’ve been striving for like you.
Way to go!!
~ R
Congratulations! *high five*
Jeanette
Super elevated congratulations!! Your honesty, humility and gratitude amplify your hard work. This incredible time was earned. I do enjoy following your blog ;). Thank you for sharing ?
Rebecca Heiman
Hi, Janae!
I’ve been reading your blog since skinny runner featured you. I am absolutely amazed at your 2:49! I’m inspired in my own running to set some bigger goals. Congratulations!!!
Emily
You are AWESOME!!! I saved reading this until after my work day and it’s just as inspiring as I knew it would be. Huge congratulations and thank you for sharing all your journey with us!! So happy for you. Try doing some “legs up the wall” (yoga pose) in the next day or two – really helps flush the legs.
Leigh
So happy for you Janae!! I have been reading your blog for 6 years now (never miss one!) and when I saw you hit your goal/ PR’ed it gave me chills! Congratulations!
Dani Burnett
Wow! Loved reading your recap, I’ve been following for a while, just quietly. I’m not usually brave enough to reach out! Thank you for sharing your journey and for being an inspiration. I am running a half in Savannah next month, my first race post (first) baby! Training has had me defeated, it’s hard to get the outdoor miles in while working full time, being full time mom, and dealing with the heat of South Carolina! I ran this race before and ran a sub 1:54. (Definitely not an elite runner!) Currently struggling to get my mind around this race. It’s something I want so bad. Thanks for giving me a little drive, some extra motivation and hope. Running is such a joy. Congratulations once again on your amazing race!
ECB
Huge Congratulations on your amazing PR. Such an inspiration! Reading about your training and believing in yourself were just what I needed.. I need to get over this self-doubt and the wall I set on myself as well. I think I can do a lot more if I can just lift that wall a tiny bit :) Training for my second tri (trying to decide whether to stick with the Sprint distance or go with the Olympic distance!). Congrats again and hope you enjoy your time off with your lovely family. Love the picture of your big family! So amazing that your family was there for you.
Emily H.
Reading this recap totally made me tear up! I am just so happy for you, and your hard work and dedication to the sport really shows! You inspired me to run my first half marathon 7 years ago, and I haven’t stopped running since! Thank you for always being so positive and real…we need more people like you in this world. :)
Carrie
Wow congratulations! So inspiring. I don’t even know you, but I feel like I do and I am so happy for you! I saw your Instagram post and read your results on Saturday and had a big smile on my face, I even told told my husband how happy I was for you haha. Well done!
Jesica @rUnladylike
I can’t tell you how happy this post made me and how thrilled I am for you and this incredible achievement. Your dedication and grit really inspire me! Enjoy your time off and the glow of this PR! xo
Michelle Ginsburg
Janae, thank you for reminding us to dream big, stay in the moment, and appreciate all of life’s gifts. Revel in your accomplishment and take a much needed rest. You are a rockin’ role model to your family and your blog friends too!
Monica
Gah! I’m just so overjoyed for you. I have absolutely loved seeing the INNER transformation you’ve had with years of hard work on that mindset. That inspires me even more than the time, but that is definitely a feat in its own right. Congrats!
Sage
CIM? OTQ?
What’s do these mean?
Michele at Everyday Snapshot
So glad you had such a good race. Your family cheering section is the best. Loved reading this post! Congratulations too !!!
Charlotte Werhan
Congrats! you are awesome and I bet you will get your OTQ!
Debbie @ Deb Runs
Congrats, Janae, I am beyond happy for you! You worked hard and it paid off. Enjoy your well-deserved week of rest and recovery.
We vacationed in St. George this past summer (Moab last summer). My husband and I both love Utah after living there many years ago while he was in grad school at USU.
KELSEY BARBER
I am soooooo proud and happy for you! You are such an inspiration to me! Can’t wait to get back in the racing mode in a few months! Soak it all in friend!
Caroline
Wow, Janae….just wow. Congrats, mama! You are amazing and continue to inspire me. It’s so incredible to see your hard work paying off and knowing that your hopes and dreams are all within your grasp with dedication and a great support network!
Btw…. I loved ‘well at least I’m not running a 50 miler!’ Perspective. Hahaha
micah little
My sister and I met you after the race last year! She was so excited to tell me all about you and your family during the race so it was great to actually meet you at the end! I started following your blogs following that! We were in st. George this year to hike Zion and we kept updating our phones to check how you did. Congrats- amazing time! Keep being a running inspiration!
Liz
I love reading your race recaps! I am so happy for you!! You are truly an inspiration to so many…you totally have been to me. I’ve been following along your blog for the past 5 years or so and I’ve learned so much from you. You are my favorite!
I haven’t run a full marathon in 3 years and signed up last week for one in April! So so nervous, but excited too. There is something so special about crossing a marathon finish…it’s definitely a huge journey in getting there!
Congrats on your incredible race and your journey getting there!! Enjoy all the celebrating!!
Rosie
Hi, Congratulations on your amazing PR! I may have missed your mentioning this, but what happened to your “Race Bun”? I always think about that bun, now, when I run, because I do it, and my hair is less of an annoyance! Just nosy. Great job again, I love your posts!
Sarah
Congratulations again!! (I already commented on your Insta), but I’m still amazed by your time — so awesome! I love you blog and sharing in your training and journey! I also ran it Saturday and had a 3 minute PR and absolutely loved the race! I hope 3 minutes under is enough to get me into my first Boston, but I’ll have to wait a year to find out… Fingers crossed!
Anyway, I wanted to ask about your blue lips — my husband gets the same thing after hard runs. He googled it and went to the Dr. right away and they did an EKG and have scheduled an echocardigram to check everything out. I had sent him a screenshot of your post where you said you get blue lips too and he said I HAD to leave a comment and tell you to get it checked out (even though I told him I thought you are probably the healthiest person out there and married to a nurse, ha). Have you had it checked? Do you know why it happens?
Annelies
I am late to the party (again, haha) but holy cow Janae… you are a force of nature! Congrats on your pr, you deserve every second of it!
adrianna
what. a. RACE! and an awesome recap. as a virtual friend, i am so proud of you janae! seriously, you deserve this amazing accomplishment. my goodness girl, WAY TO GO!!!
Abbie
You are absolutely amazing! I ran the st. George marathon too. It was my first marathon. I am not fast at all. My goal was to complete it and I did. I finished in 4 hrs 48 mins. My quads were so sore by mile 15 that I slowed way down. I am going to run SGM next year and hopefully get my time under 4 hrs 30 mins. You inspire me.
Sonia
Congratulations on your amazing PR! I’m gearing up for my next marathon (my first in 7+ years and my first since having 2 kids) in December. Could you please post about how you warm-up before marathons? I’m hesitant to waste energy on warm-ups before running 26.2 miles, but I find that my first mile is always the slowest. Thank you!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Ahhhhh so thrilled for you! Congrats on your little ones and I’m so excited for you to have an amazing race! I want to hear all about it! Just took a screenshot of your comment to remember to write about it next week! Have a beautiful day!