Last week I was feeling overcooked and drained and this week I am feeling more excited than ever. We just have to stick with it when we hit those valleys in our training because before you know it, your emotions will change all over again (I’m sure hormones have something to do with it for me too haha).
I had a new pair of Ghost 12s on and they just made it feel like I was running on clouds. It’s amazing what a new pair of running shoes does for our body. I didn’t want to take them off afterwards but I did because I want to save them as much as possible for my runs.
Still working on the pull-ups almost every day. I am currently at 1.5 of them and you were all so right—> the bands don’t help nearly as much as it does to just start at the top and VERY slowly lower your body. Practicing that over and over again somehow transferred over to a pull-up for me.
If she finds a rubber band, she puts it right on her wrist like I do. They pay attention to every detail of what we do!
And then I didn’t really take any other pictures yesterday besides this one!
Let’s talk about food for a minute. I get a lot of questions about what I am eating before and after my runs! I don’t often take pictures of what I eat in the mornings because it is either early or boring or I’m eating as I am brushing someone’s hair while I am giving a spelling test all at once!
So here is how it usually goes:
I have to eat before every run or I feel terrible during my runs. I didn’t used to eat before my easy runs but I feel so much better now when I do. If it is just a normal run then I’ll have some toast with jam and/or a banana along with some juice. I’ve even had a bowl of cereal before my runs once a week or so lately and if we have bagels, that is my #1 pick. Before a workout I will eat a jam/bread sandwich in bed (I pack it the night before and just put it by my bed) before I get up and then go to the kitchen and get my UCAN (code HUNGRYRUNNERGIRL will get you 10% off) mixed up and sip on that while I get ready.
After a run: A lot of mornings I have a protein bar and a banana or I’ll make a smoothie. On Friday’s Andrew always makes crepes for the kids so I have that and on other days when he is home he makes egg scrambles that are delicious for us.
My two favorite protein bars: Costco ones and G2G (code hungryrunner gets you 20% off).
I also have Superhero Muffins ready often for me to grab after a run to eat quickly.
Once a week (sometimes more…) we will go grab a Jamba Juice and bread from Great Harvest for breakfast. I’m hoping the kids will want to do this with me for the rest of their lives.
As far as the rest of the day goes, leftovers have been my best friend for lunch. I’m trying to triple recipes sometimes haha so I can have lunches to eat throughout the week and things to send with Andrew to work! Megan’s cream cheese chicken chili below along with a loaf of bread for my nephew ha.
I’m also trying to roast a ton of veggies a time or two each week so that it is easy to grab veggies throughout the day. I’m not one to really eat vegetables raw (except for carrots and snap peas) so if I don’t prep them before, it’s hard for me to eat them. PS if I add a sweet potato to my roasting pan then I cook it in the microwave to soften it up a bit before I put it on the pan to roast with everything else. The more olive oil the better IMO and cooked veggies just taste so so good.
As far as snacks go, I try to always have some fruit cut up and ready to eat, cereal is a must (vanilla Life= try it please), avocado w/a spoon (Skye’s favorite snack to join me with), I always have a loaf of Great Harvest bread available for me to eat at home with some almond butter and I LOVE having some good meat or cheese from the grocery store to snack on. Getting in enough carbohydrates each day has never been hard for me but making sure I am getting in enough protein has been and sliced meat to eat with crackers helps me with that! Cookies have been my number one favorite treat lately too (my sister and I ordered cookies to be delivered to us Saturday night while watching TLC shows and it was the absolute best).
I don’t track anything but I just try to include carbs/protein/fats in every meal (that is what makes me feel best). At this point in training I am eating pretty much throughout the entire day.
Last thing before I let you go today, Lindsay just finished her first marathon and sent me this picture. I loved the signs that her niece and nephew made and asked her if I could share it here too! GO LINDSAY!
Oh yeah and one last thing, our town is pretty much all ready and decorated for Christmas… is yours?
Too soon to start decorating for Christmas or it’s never early enough?
Tell me what you eat before and after a run! Or tell me about easy snacks that you like to have around!
Tell me about any meal/snack prep that you do?! I want to learn from you!
What running shoes are you wearing the most lately? Any other Ghost fans?
39 comments
Megan
Love the Brooks Ghost shoes- I’ve tried others but always go back to them! Have a great day!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hahaha they really are the best and I’m sure they are happy that you keep coming back to them. Thanks Megan, you too!
Corey
Congrats on the pullups!
Since my birthday is at the end of this month, I’ve always waited until December 1 (eh, or later) to decorate for Christmas. I’m trying to shop a little earlier, though.
Half a peanut butter sandwich is my go-to before I run or work out. Afterward, it depends on what sounds good. For snacks, I’m into grapes and apples, Think protein bars, and Triscuit cilantro/avocado crackers when I need some salt and crunch. Mm!
I’ve been doing sheet pan dinners lately, and I love them! My family sometimes gets picky about eating leftovers, but I’m just going to keep making those and hope they’ll hop on board :) My husband makes unstuffed pepper soup in the instant pot, which he and the girls love–too onion-y for me, but I’m OK with fending for myself if most of the family is eating well! ~ha~
The Hungry Runner Girl
HAPPY BIRTH MONTH!! Oh I would totally do the same thing if I was you and wait until after:) . How have I never tried the Triscuit cilantro/avocado crackers? Those sound amazing. Okay, we are going to come over for that unstuffed pepper soup… I love onion:) . Hope you are having a fabulous morning Corey!
Janelle M.
Love the Ghost! I have also been running in the Levitate as well and have been pretty happy with those as well.
I really try to plan most of my runs around times where it would be meal time upon return. However, for this training cycle, I have been eating oatmeal and banana before my long runs and that seems to have really helped my energy levels. 12+ years of training and nutrition before/during the run still trips me up.
I am a BIG meal planner. I basically pick 2-3 recipes each week, double or triple each one, and then make everything on the weekend. Then I pack my lunches for the entire week and subsist on the leftovers for dinner. And if I run out of dinner food, I always have the reliable sweet potato at home to bake and top with some sort of veggie.
Also, I just wanted to let you know that I loved following your training for St George and now CIM. It helps me get amped for my own training and setting my own goals.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh the Levitate are amazing too… you inspired me to wear those tomorrow:) I wonder if our bodies change over the years… I feel like we are all constantly relearning what works and doesn’t work. IE years ago I always had PB before a run and now I think I would die if I did ha. You are not alone in trying to figure out your nutrition for the run! Okay, you ROCK the meal planning Janelle. You inspire me! Thank you so much for what you said, that means a lot and PLEASE let me know what your goals are and how your training is going!
HEAB
We only have about three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year as opposed to the usual four/four and half. So, I am decorating early with zero shame. Christmas is my favorite, and I want to enjoy it as long as possible. BUT I did have to agree to no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. Ha!
The Hungry Runner Girl
That is SO true… I didn’t even think about how it is much shorter this year! Haha good compromise and enjoy all of the decorating! Have a beautiful day Heather!
Gretchen
I just switched to the Glycerin and OMG I love them so much. The old Pure Flow used to be my favorite shoe ever, but they started bothering me when they were redesigned. The newest Glycerin filled that hole in my shoe life and I’m in love.
Unfortunately my stomach is always upset in the morning, so I don’t really eat much before running. UCAN definitely helps so I always have some of that before heading out! After running I’m always hungry so I usually make eggs or Kodiak Cakes!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh the Glycerin are just the best too! That is too bad about your stomach before runs, any idea what is happening? Hope you have a great rest of your day Gretchen!
Tara H
I am with you on the vanilla Life cereal, it is amazing! I think I ate the whole box in like 4 days lol.
I used to be able to do 3-4 pull-ups but that was probably 5 years ago. My upper body strength is definitely decreased now.
Ghosts are my #1 favorite running shoe, I have been wearing them for years. I recently got a new pair but haven’t gotten many miles on them yet as I just had my first baby 2 1/2 weeks ago. So for right now I am soaking up all the baby snuggles humanly possible :)
I have not started decorating for Christmas yet and with my new little one who knows if I will even get around to it haha. But lots of people in my neighborhood have their lights up and we have already gotten a lot of snow here in Iowa which is unusual for h Th is time of year, so it is looking/feeling a lot like Christmas already.
The Hungry Runner Girl
CONGRATS ON YOUR BABY! Tara, I am thrilled for you and enjoy every minute of those! I hope you are getting some sleep!
Hahah I think I’ll be finished with mine in about 4 days too!
Alli
Good morning! I’ve read your blog for about a year now and you are a part of my every day routine! I look forward to reading your posts everyday :) Quick Question: what do you carry for protection against animals or any kind of attacker? or what would you suggest? I was on a run Sunday and was attacked by a dog. He broke through his electric fence and shock collar and came at me full force before I even had time to blink. He grabbed the back of my thigh and just bit in and ripped down. It was horrible! I can’t even describe the pain. Thankfully the owner heard me screaming and came running out. My husband came and got me and I had to go to the immediate care for stitches, a tetanus shot, and antibiotics. As I think back on it, even if I had pepper spray, I couldn’t have gotten it out fast enough. Just wondering if you had any suggestions on some kind of protection. Thank you!
John
There is not much you can do if the dog was on you that fast. Did you report the dog to the police? A dog that aggressive needs to be dealt with.
I have had to deal with several dogs on runs and in my neighborhood. The advice I give people is to somehow become familiar with how dog obedience training works. I, fortunately, have been able to deal with each dog incident by simply giving a stern voice command for the dog to back off. I figure most dogs have been through at least a little bit of obedience training – and it’s worked so far. I even had to step in when a policeman was about to pepper spray 2 neighbor dogs that were barking and snarling, I simply walked up and yelled at them to get back in their house (the front door was open but nobody home). The cop looked at me in amazement and said, wow they really listened to you?! Lol…
This may have not worked in your instance since the dog was out so quickly. Sorry you had to go through that, it does not sound like fun. Hope you heal up quick!
Alli
Thank you so much for all your advice! My husband did call the police and also at the immediate care center, I had to fill out a form for the State Health Department. They are supposed to go to the house and investigate if the dog is up to date on all his shots and then follow up with me, for any further directions.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Alli, I am incredibly sorry about what you went through on Sunday. That must have been terrifying. I am just sick for you. I wish I had anything that I do that would help. Thanks John for your advice. Please keep me updated with how you are healing mentally and physically!
Alli
I am healing fine so far, which is a complete blessing! and have received some great advice from fellow readers, so that too is a blessing! Thank you so much for your concern!
Jennifer Hart
Alli, You must have been terrified! I hope you don’t mind me chiming in – I’ve gotten through a number of dog encounters while running, both with and without my dogs. I carry a canister of handheld pepper spray that straps right to my hand. It takes a fraction of a second to turn the nozzle with my thumb and spray it. As John mentioned, educate yourself about dog behavior by doing some reading or talking to a trainer. For right now, if you are charged/challenged by a dog, STOP RUNNING. Dogs are predators and will chase prey that runs away. Cross the street. Move as far away from the dog’s territory as you can. Make yourself as big as possible and face the dog. Don’t look directly into its eyes, it may interpret eye contact as a challenge. In your best ‘mom voice’, i.e. a loud, FIRM voice, tell the dog “NO!” or “GO HOME!” Often, this will be enough and the dog will lose interest quickly. Don’t make any sudden movements and try to move away slowly. DO NOT TURN YOUR BACK on a dog that is challenging you. They are ‘ambush’ hunters and prefer to attack from behind. If a dog is attacking, curl up as tight as you can and protect your head. If you can lash out, go for the eyes or throat. And always, always, ALWAYS notify the police or animal control. I hope this helps and I hope you have a quick recovery. Best, J
Alli
Thank you so much for all your advice and tips! This will help greatly! I did cross to the opposite side of the road and slowed down a bit, and kept my eye on him; however, he came on so fast, I did not have a lot of time to react. But all your advice is extremely helpful and makes complete sense about their type of behavior. My husband did call the police and at the immediate care, I filled out some paperwork for the State Board of Health Dept. They will go to the house and investigate if the dog is up to date on his shots and then follow up with me for further directions. I am healing fine so far, which is a blessing. Thank you again for taking the time to offer all your advice :)
Ingrid
It is so true ! I think we all know those up and down in our training. Let’s just listen to our body.
Sometimes, a break, even a really small one (even one day), makes us feel a lack, and renew our motivation and emotional status (Don’t know if I use the right word).
Those shoes seems great. I never tried Brooks. Maybe I should, you seem to like it very much !
My actual running shoes are Asics DynaFlyte 3. My knees are fan of those shoes ! haha
Before a run, I only eat a banana, and some Brazil nuts (and water of course).
After the run, I eat a bowl of muesli with oat milk.
Lunchs and diners are composed of lots of vegetables, grains, beans, legumes, sometimes eggs… , as I am vegetarian. I don’t really track, just make sure to have grains and legumes or eggs in the day to get all the amino acids needed.
I also make a vegetable juice each morning and to be honest, i think it is a fabulous booster for the immune system. I’ve started daily vegetable juice in january 2018, and since then, zero disease, no cold, angina or else. Nothing !
Maybe I was just lucky, but I don’t think so !
Have a nice day !
Amy
Hi Janae! I have the Ghosts too and I love them! I remember trying them on in the store and being blown away by how soft they are.
I’ve been trying to do a pull-up for years… I’ve tried the bands, negatives with bands, assisted with the machine, nowadays I just dead hang for a minute to try to build up some grip strength. I feel like i always plateau and stop improving really quickly. I think my biggest problem (other than lack of muscles) is simply I don’t believe in myself so I don’t consistently train for it so then it doesn’t happen.
M-H
Carbs + fruits are my go to meals before runs. It’s sustains my belly and gives me that perfect burst of energy I need. After running I eat protein… and chocolate! This is a must have!! And we just got 4 inches of snow during the night… so I guess it’s time for Christmas decorations? Ha! Today, I’ll try to plow my way through that snow for a chilly trail run in the woods.
~ R
-The earliest Christmas decorations should go up anywhere is the day after Thanksgiving. I understand that stores may need to sell them earlier but no one needs to put them up yet.
-I am currently wearing Saucony Freedoms (low drop) and Brooks Ghosts. I *love* my Ghosts because of their forefoot cushion and wider toe box but also want a lower drop shoe in my rotation (Pure Flows are too narrow of a toe box in general and not enough forefoot cushion for long runs).
Gillian
Never too early for Christmas decor!
I always try and have shredded chicken (cooked in the crockpot) ready to go in the fridge to throw on salads or wraps. Also I make a big pot of rice to eat through the week and little trail mix bags ready to go (almonds, raisins, sunflower seeds etc…) for car snacks. I love your roasting veggies idea! I have found that meal prepping once a week is key for me to stay on track.
Have a great day!
Jenny
TOO SOON! TOO SOON! Lol! I started seeing Christmas decorations weeks ago … well, even months ago I started noticing just how many people put their outside lights up way too soon or never took them down. The first Christmas tree sighting was weeks ago though. Not ok! My youngest is begging to decorate to Christmas early and I might just have to cave. We are, after all, celebrating Thanksgiving #1 this weekend!
I used to drink Nuun Energy but I got lazy and just haven’t bought any so I’m going into workouts completely depleted. It was weird at first but ok now. I haven’t ran more than 6 miles in months so it’s fine. I have a protein shake right after a workout and then a couple hrs after that I have overnight oats w/ more protein + fruit.
I LOVE ROASTING VEGGIES! I’ve been adding tofu/chickpeas with the veggies for even more protein. Veggies + olive oil & garlic hides the tofu and chickpea flavor. If I eat more plant based through the week I have to plan ahead and meal prep. My current fav’s are asian tofu tacos, black bean burritos, chickpea & sweet potato hash, loaded greek grain bowl w/ faro, veggies, spinach, feta and then also BBQ bean tacos w/ pineapple cilantro salsa.
My current kicks are New Balance 860; this is the first time I’ve worn NB for running and I love them! There’s not a lot of traction though so I have to be careful while running in the rain around corners. Good thing it’s not raining too much these days! Ha!
Have a great day!
Laurie Gannon
We just made our first “Run Fast, Eat Slow” recipe last night – the Winter Root Vegetable salad. It was so good!!! I can’t wait to make the Superhero muffins. I am hoping to make those this weekend!
Jenni
I ordered GENUCAN and am interested in trying it out…do you have caffeine as well with it? Also, when you make your Superhero muffins, do you stay exact/true to the recipe or do substitutes? Wanted to make them last night and didn’t have butter.
michelle
Hi Jenni – I made the superhero muffins with coconut oil instead of butter and they turn out great. And my sis in law forgot to add the butter one time (she found the melted butter in the microwave after the muffins were in the oven) and they still turned out too ;)
The Hungry Runner Girl
HEY JENNI! I do take caffeine probably 1-2 mornings a week (for big workouts/long runs). They go well together… I use NanoHydr8 for my caffeine! I do make the substitution as far as the almond flour goes… I do half almond flour and half whole wheat flour! Sounds like Michelle has tried other things (and her sis-in-law forgetting the butter in the microwave sounds like something I would do haha)!
Jaci
I *just* took down our Halloween decorations last weekend. Typically we decorate for Christmas over Thanksgiving weekend but this year will be traveling so I guess we should do it soon! I was die-hard Brooks fan for years (PureFlows and PureConnects) but lately have branched out to some Saucony (Freedom ISO and Kinvara) and Hoka (Cavu) and am loving the variety. Still have a couple pairs of Brooks in the mix, though. We are raw veggie people in the summer, I’ll food prep on the weekend and cut up bunches of veggies to just munch for the week. We don’t do that as much in the winter, though, we tend to switch to soups or grain bowls for easy, make-ahead lunch and dinner options. Oh, and my go-to fuel for before a long run is a half (or whole, depending on how far the run will be) a bagel topped with peanut butter, plain greek yogurt, banana and drizzled with maple syrup (or honey), a glass of water and a cup of coffee. My Instant Pot is my BEST FRIEND for food prep….soups, beans, rice, quinoa, whole chickens, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, you name it – we Instant Pot it. :-) With 3 runners in the house and one of them being a growing teenage boy, food prep is a must. I think our per capita oatmeal consumption is waaaaaaaaaay above average. Ha!
Carrie
I meal prep a lot, definitely more for my family then myself. But I also roast veggies and I make hard boiled eggs to keep in the fridge. For breakfast I have a ton of veggies with the eggs and sometimes a smoothie. We have a smoothie everyday for my kids and husband. Right now I am having a lot of GI issues and I just can not eat a variety. But I have been thinking about trying to eat before I work out. I do eat before a long run. I also have used UCAN 2x and I hate the texture and taste!!
I have the Ghosts, launch, and Ravenna ( I think, an R name). The last pair are more supportive and have more cushion.
I need a whole lot of hamstring stretches and warm up strategies. Anyone have any?? Saw my sports med doc and found out my knees ( I have a bone disorder) are good right now, it’s my hamstrings. Honestly finding out my knees are good was the best news ever to me.
Sue
Too soon! I don’t allow the Christmas decorating until the day after Thanksgiving. I don’t want Thanksgiving to be a forgotten holiday.
I love my Glycerins. Just got a new pair!
I run early AM, and I am terrible about eating something before I go. I just tried out a sample of Ucan, and I was really hoping I would love it, but I struggled with it. It seemed very thick, and I had trouble getting it down, so I’m still in the market for something fast for those pre-dawn runs.
What sweatshirt are you wearing in the top picture? It looks super cozy!
Stephanie
Oh the Brooks Ghost–you know that’s totally my running shoe love language!!! I still have miles in my 11s since my running was kept to a big minimum this year, but I am envious of the 12s. I want a pair! (I still want a pair of Glycerins…but…) I also run in Launches, but the Ghost is my favorite for running. I know I am far more of a soul runner than a goal-getter, and I want to feel something soft and cushy to keep my feet happy when I get to go run!
As for meal prep–I like batch cooking some things at the start of the week and having numerous servings of one meal prepared to sit in the fridge and grab when we need something quick. For instance–I’ll make a crockpot full of buffalo chicken for the main meal (and will have a few microwavable steamer bags of veggies in the freezer) and then maybe some taco meat with the stuff needed to make taco salads (me) or taco meat-filled quesadillas (Tom) and a bag of our favorite thin and super crispy tortilla chips in case either of us wants nachos. And I will have a couple microwavable soups on deck for Tom and some prepared chopped veggies, shredded cheddar or crumbled mozzarella, and eggs in the fridge for me to have egg and veggie scrambles. And this will carry us through most of our meals for the week, but we tend to make Thursday nights (our standing ‘date night at home’ night…) be a night where we make something fresh…and it will typically be something easy enough for me to cook when I am home from spin class OR with easy enough prep steps that Tom can have it halfway-prepped so when I walk in the door sweaty and tired I’m not starting entirely from scratch.
That works for us. If I was left to my own devices I would make one thing and it would be my dinner or lunch every single day and I would have a couple pieces of chicken in the fridge to cook on the george foreman and otherwise just make egg veggie scrambles. I can get into routines pretty well, and Tom can’t eat the same thing for two days in a row. And whatever I cook–if it’s chicken and beef taco meat one week it needs to be totally different the next week, like a turkey meatloaf and some andouille sausages that can be thrown on the george foreman the next week. He doesn’t do too well with repeated proteins.
Your beloved Great Harvest needs to come to Atlanta, because man oh man I am always so envious of your pictures of thick-cut slices of bread slathered with butter. I want that life! I am here for it!!!
Lee
Thanks for this run down! But wait, what is the Boars Head?
The Hungry Runner Girl
That’s the meat that I get from the deli at our grocery store! It is so delicious. Have a great day!
Betsy
Christmas is only 4 weeks after Thanksgiving this year since Thanksgiving is so late. With that in mind I’m putting up the Christmas tree this weekend. I decorate our main living space (upstairs, we have a split level home) plus a full finished basement is fully decorated so in order to enjoy it I want it up early this year. Of course I also take all the decorations down by New Year’s Eve. I leave up my snowmen all winter and my friend thinks snowmen are Christmas decorations. I say no they aren’t they’re winter decor. My husband is working nights this week so I’m spending all evening deep cleaning the house so I can decorate.
I’m already in the mood for Christmas because I listened to Alan Jackson’s “Let it be Christmas” song and I love that song.
We had snow and freezing cold temps this week.
kelly
It’s way too early for *me* to decorate for Christmas but I’ll gladly enjoy someone else’s decorations, or the ones in the stores (although it kind of stresses me out, but I do love it).
Pre-run: If early and long, I’ll put a Skout bar by my bed and eat it before getting ready. If running later, I’ll have a small mug of PIcky Oats. Afterwards it’s almost always a banana right away, maybe recovery shake if I’ve gone long. Otherwise I’ll have whatever the mealtime is: lunch, brunch, dinner, etc. Depends on time of day.
Snacks-I always keep glass canisters of unroasted peanuts, natural cashews, almonds (no skins), and pumpkin seeds and can either make a mix in a little bowl with chocolate chips, or grab whatever to top a salad or veggie (I love chopped nuts or seeds on top of most of my meals!). Cereal and muesli (I’m a cereal mixer!), nut butters and banana, and whatever the kid snack are. I’m half kid when it comes to snacks. And, we go through a lot of toast. Samesy for roasting a bunch of veggies or air frying potatoes to have.
I may give the Ghosts another chance-they used to be a bit narrow for my Fred Flinstone toe.
Allyssa
I have two go-to pre-run breakfasts and they’re based on the same concept (enough fuel to keep my blood sugar from dropping). If it’s a shorter run I eat two Belvita crackers (or are they cookies….) with honey and raisins, a few whole almonds, and usually a little easy peel orange (mandarin, Cutie, whatever you want to call it). If it’s a long run I try and get a little more protein and calories in (again, because my blood sugar tanks) and I eat a frozen/toasted Kodiak waffle with the same honey and raisin topping, almonds, and an orange. I like bananas before a run, but my GI tract puts on the brakes with them, so I have started doing the tiny orange instead.
I’m not big on meal prepping because I kind of hate most leftovers. But I do keep fast snacks around like apples and PB or cheese, KIND bars, etc.
I’m currently running in Hoka’s. I was a long time Saucony Triumph fan but when they went to the ISO versions they stopped fitting me correctly. I wanted to love Brooks and tried several but they were also just not the right shoe for me. I’m about to purchase my 4th pair of Hoka’s so I’m calling it a match for now.
I like fall and Thanksgiving is alright but I don’t mind early Christmas decorations! If I could get our stuff down from the attic on my own I would probably put it up early. Which is probably why my husband stores it up there….
Paige
I am in need of a new pair of running shoes… However, I’m struggling with wants to buy. I work out about six days a week… Running, and high intensity training, and strength classes. I’m not employed right now so I can’t spend a lot of money… But was curious if anyone had any decent price shoes that they would recommend? I’ve used Asics, Saucony, and Brooks in the past. Thank you in advance!