Relearning Running + Post Trip Thoughts.

I went out on our final morning of our trip for a run and it was borderline a little chilly which felt heavenly.

I’ll miss these views.  PS I didn’t run alone on single track trails like the picture above (that was just for the picture) but stuck to the big dirt roads or paved roads with other cars/walkers/bikers/atvs.   We were as close to bears as I ever want to be while in Yellowstone so I wasn’t going to take any chances.

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I planned on running 6-7 miles when I left for my run but stopped at 5.  With pregnancy, the second my body says it’s tired and needs to stop, I do it.  I listen so closely to every little signal it sends to me.   Once I am back to training hard again after having a baby I really have to relearn running a bit.  I still listen closely to my body when I’m not pregnant but to improve and get better (and handle the training Hawk is going to give me again once I’m ready to train) then I have to relearn to push past the ‘I am tired’ feelings.  I’ll have to find that fine line again where you push yourself to the next level during those hard workouts/races but also know when too much is too much and pull back.

Until then I’ll keep sticking to the plan where I stop right when my brain/body tell me to.

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Skye was VERY ready to get back to her normal 15 hours of sleep a day thing…  naps definitely did not happen while we were gone.  We got home at around dinner time and picked up Beretta from the dog hotel.  She was very happy to see us and my bed has never felt as good as it did when we got home.

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I have a bunch of random thoughts from the last week that I thought I would share.

*I really need Yellowstone to put on a marathon.  Can you imagine how gorgeous that would be?  I would probably stop a few times each mile to take pictures but I definitely think this needs to happen. ETA there is a half marathon… we should all do it together one day.

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*I can’t tell you how many pb and jelly sandwiches I made in the car while Andrew drove.  We drove a lot during this trip and sandwiches made the drive a whole lot easier to avoid stops.

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*I forgot to pack a lot of things (Andrew tends to overpack and I tend to under pack) but I did NOT forget to bring my pregnancy pillow, mask and luckily both of the places we stayed had a fan for me to use for white noise.

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*The girls reaction when they realized that they were wearing each other’s sweatshirts.

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*Andrew was the MVP of this trip.  We did A LOT of driving each day and he drove every mile of the way.  I am not a fan of driving and he enjoys it so we road trip well together:)

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*Brooke is Skye’s official translator.  There are times when Skye is really wanting to communicate something that Andrew and I can’t understand and somehow Brooke has 100% accuracy of knowing exactly what Skye is trying to say.

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*Andrew and I have now been to 14 different states together and we are really hoping that Alaska is one of the next states we get to visit together.

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*Skye has picked up on how good it feels to do barefoot strides in the grass.  I’m telling ya, if you haven’t tried it yet after a run then please do it asap.  It makes you feel like you are a kid again and it always helps me to use proper running form again.

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*Skye has called herself a cowgirl ever since this experience and kept asking us if we could go back for more.

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*I love getting a kid’s book from wherever we travel and the bears were a BIG deal to the kids this trip.

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*You can take kids to all sorts of crazy amazing things and see things they have never seen before and yet somehow, the hotel pool is still their favorite part.

*I got a picture where you can kind of see how Skye has two different colored eyes but it is still more noticeable in real life.

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Are you an overpacker, under packer or somewhere in-between?

Do you like driving or would you prefer to be in the passenger seat?

How many different states have you been to if you live in the US?

Do you ever worry about running into wildlife while you are out running?

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44 comments

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Yosemite has a half marathon May 2021 that sounds beautiful!!! I’m thinking I need to plan a trip from Florida ;)

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LET’S DO IT!!! Book your tickets and I’ll meet you there:). Have a beautiful day Jennifer!

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I over pack clothes (after years of under packing, I was tired of not having enough to wear!). But still under pack bathroom stuff, I always use the bathroom stuff hotels provide instead of bringing my own.

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Oh I always under pack the bathroom needs too… thank goodness they provide that stuff for us ha. I hope you have a beautiful day Mariah!

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Yellowstone does have a half! https://vacationraces.com/half-marathons/yellowstone/

Thanks for sharing your adventures, I really loved all the photos!

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Thanks so much Amy for letting me know… I’ll definitely be doing that someday and I think we need to all meet up there to do it. I am so glad you loved them, I hope your day is off to a great start!

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I can never get it right but not consistently- sometimes I overpack, sometimes I underpack. And even when I overpack I forget something!
I’m not a fan of driving! This weekend will be my first road trip with someone new and I’ve warned him of this…we’ll see how it goes. I feel like 1st road trip is a milestone and a test all in one.

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One day we will all get it right and pack everything the way we need it. You are going to have to let me know how this first road trip together goes… I’m so happy for you! Haha it definitely is the perfect test for dating;). Have a great day Kristen!

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I overpack . . . but then I still always manage to forget something semi-important. :-) I’m working on it!

Your trip looks like it was great–so glad you got to enjoy some time away as a family, and I don’t think you could have picked a more gorgeous place! I am definitely a passenger seat person. I love taking in all the views and I’m not a huge fan of driving!

YES to yellowstone half marathon! I will have to acclimate to altitude, but . . . wow. SO worth it.

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Haha maybe we just need to write out detailed checklists for our packing. Thank you so much Kristin and I’ll meet you in Yellowstone, that sounds amazing! Have a great day.

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I tend to overpack but always forget something. I don’t worry about wildlife, love to drive but sometimes need a break and have visited 27 states. Alaska is high on my list of states to visit, and with my husband and kids sense of adventure, I am sure we will get there!! Love your posts. Yellowstone was a favorite trip for my family. Glad you enjoyed your trip.

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Thank you so so much Nancy! 27 states… that is awesome! Seriously, Alaska just looks so incredible and you’ll have to keep me updated with your plans of when you guys go. Have a wonderful day!

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Both Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons have half marathons. Maybe that’s just what you need as you are relearning running next year!! Vacation Races puts them on and you’d be in my Wyoming back yard!

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Well, now I need to do BOTH!! Thanks for letting me know and how about I meet you there? Hope you are having a great morning.

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They are like a week apart so I can see a vacation in the future. Would LOVE to meet up with you!

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Love, love, love your pics from this trip, and they’re leading me down memory lane. My family rented an RV in 1978 and drove from Maryland to California (southern route) and back (northern route), through 37 states and 6 national parks in 30 days–parents, 2 kids, and dog. I love looking back at the budget/journal we kept. It’s so long ago, we mostly took slides instead of pictures, so it’s been awhile since I looked at those. Yellowstone was one of my favorite places. Every picture I see of Yellowstone Falls looks almost like a painting–not sure how that happens, but it’s pretty awesome. Oh, another fun fact about that trip is my dad stopped the RV and ran across every state line.
Skye’s eyes really are different. Do random people notice when they look at her? My eyes are 2 different shades of brown, which isn’t super noticeable but sort of fun :)

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Corey, your family trip that you did together in 30 days sounds absolutely amazing. How cool that you guys did that! Your dad sounds awesome! I want to start doing that when we go on a roadtrips now too. Yes, people do notice when they see her and I love it:). That is way fun that your eyes are too. I hope you have a really great day Corey!

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I’m an underpacker with regular clothes, but if there’s a chance I can run on a trip, I definitely overpack the running gear to make sure I have enough for all situations! #priorities

I’ve been to 21 states and I’m definitely the passenger. My husband loves to drive and I’m better at navigating, so it works out well. Except when I fall asleep… which is often. If it’s warm and there’s sun on the passenger seat, i stand no chance at staying awake.

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Michelle… I relate with you so much! I definitely always pack enough running gear but the regular clothes is where I struggle too. Hahaha car naps are the best naps. Hope your Wednesday is a great one.

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I tend to over pack – I want my creature comforts (ie the 2 trips we’ve made to Yellowstone recently I’ve BOUGHT a fan just for the trip because I need white noise). I’m in the process of packing – our hope is to only take 1 car to our rental (2 years ago we took 2 cars but we were also only an hour from home, this time we are 2-3 so I’d prefer to only take 1 car, but I am not sure if I can fit everything I want in!)

I love, love, love to drive. I do 95% of our driving together (though I may tell him as a BIG birthday present can he do the driving). If I am a passenger I tend to either fall asleep so I can’t help navigate (which isn’t an issue now with iphones) – I also hated to be the one to have to tend to the kids – all the turning around would make me feel sick. but even though I don’t need to tend to the kids, I still like to be the one to drive. During COVID I did a 14 hour, 450 mile road trip to Maine by myself. I just need some good tunes, lots of gas, and some good snacks and I am good to go (though bathroom breaks during COVID are always a mystery so I tend to not drink a lot of water on these trips)

Me and my boyfriend at the time took 8 weeks to drive across country and back the summer after I graduated from college. We had an end date because he had to go back for senior year. I always wonder where we may have ended up if we didn’t have to be back. Between that trip and us driving from NY to FL for spring break that same year, I have been in a lot of states! Sometimes I don’t count states if I haven’t actually slept in them (which is the case for MD, DE, NC, SC, GA, TX, Arkansas, IL, and WI). I think the only states I haven’t touched at all are: Alaska, Oregon, North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi. I want to visit Alaska, the Carolinas, Atlanta, Oregon, New Orleans/LA, Chicago/IL, and Texas. Sorry North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma – Probably never going to happen unless I do another cross country trip (which I would love to do) and I may go out of my way to hit those states!

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I LOVE that you brought your own fan, that white noise is so important. Good luck with the packing! Haha that is definitely a negative with being the passenger and all of the turning is rough at this point in pregnancy. FOURTEEN hour drive by yourself… that is incredible. You really have been all over and what a cool experience to drive across the country and back! You probably saw so much during that time. Thanks for sharing Jessey and let me know if you are able to pack it all in one car this time!

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Oh I definitely over pack! We travel a lot in WA and OR and the key to day to day adventuring is layers! Especially on the coast; the mornings = sweatshirt/fleece jacket, afternoons = shorts and tanks/tees and the nights = pants and long sleeves. I basically pack summer, fall and winter wardrobes for myself and the kids!
I hate driving but love going places to most of the time its inevitable. (ps, I can’t say that word without thinking of the movie The Princess Bride)!
I’ve only spent time in 6 states but have been to 11 countries!
On the trails I worry about wildlife BIG time. Especially after seeing a bear on a local popular trail and have heard about cougar sightings on those same trails. I’m a total chicken to run trails solo because of it. On the roads I worry about dogs more than coyotes although I’ve seen more coyotes than dogs.
Have a great day!

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I need to have you pack for me for our next trip because your key with layers is exactly what we needed. I want to come and explore in your area, I bet it is stunning. Hahaha now I will think of that movie every time I hear that word too. 11 countries, that is amazing. I am so so glad you don’t run on your trails alone! Have a great day Jenny!

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Ahhh that looks like such a wonderful and fun trip! what an incredible experience for the kids! Also, I agree a marathon/half marathon through Yellowstone would be AMAZING!

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Thank you so much Kristin and I’ll meet you in Yellowstone for the half marathon:). Enjoy your Wednesday!

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I’m definitely an over packer—I like to make sure that I’m prepared for any situation that may arise when on vacation. I never know if we will get invited to a royal ball or if a volcano will erupt so I just make sure to have it all ;) i kid, but i really does pack A LOT.

My husband usually does the driving on long road trips, and I am okay with that unless we are in traffic and then I have major anxiety and I always think we are going to crash.

I’ve been to 20 or so states…I’d love to visit more. So many beautiful places and just not enough time!

I live in the mountains in Draper and we frequently see all kinds of wildlife in our backyard (moose, coyotes, deer, turkeys, and more!) so I never run alone up here. I’m too chicken. That being said, I’ve never seen anything scary when I’m with a friend.

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Hahaha ‘royal ball or if a volcano will erupt’… you are hilarious! Teach me your ways to be prepared. I do the same thing when somebody else is driving me in traffic and I grab onto that side bar quite dramatically often. I want to come on a run with you up in the mountains in Draper. SO amazing that you have seen all of those animals in your backyard. Hope you have a beautiful day Karin!

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I ran this half (although I think they had a full too) and it was absolutely breathtaking! I remember it was the first time getting a preparatory race email where it had a full page describing what a racer should do when you encounter wild sheep because they try to herd. It was absolutely HYSTERICAL and I went around showing everyone, lol.

https://www.themadisonmarathon.com. — Greater Yellowstone Races

After running in almost 30 states, I would do this one again in a heartbeat because of the scenery.

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WOW. That race looks incredible, thank you for sharing it with me! Hahaha that would be a funny email to get! Let’s meet up there next year:)

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Toddler sleep question since you mentioned Skye’s love of sleep: what does she do for a nap? My daughter is about the same age as her (she’ll be 3 in Sept) and regularly naps 3-4 hours/day. She doesn’t sleep as long at night (9-10 hours), but I feel like these massive naps are too long (although they are nice for me since I’m home with a both her and my 2 month old), I’ve actually started waking her up!

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Hey Abby! I wish we could get our girls together for a playdate. That is a great question! I am one that really lets them guide me with their eating and their sleeping (which is hard for the control freak in me ha). I just let Skye sleep however long she needs (sometimes I wake her up if we have to go somewhere though). I’m just holding on to these long naps for as long as she will do them! Keep me updated and have a great day (congrats on your 2 month old too)!

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A play date would be amazing-if only we lived in Utah! Thanks for your thoughts on sleep. I think I need to do what you do and just let her sleep how she wants to and be thankful for the afternoon break!

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With all the trips we’ve taken through the years, I’m a pretty good packer. I also know there’s always a Target/Walmart/Convenience store wherever we’re going, so I don’t sweat it if I forget something.

Passenger seat for me. Les suggested I work for Uber one time, I replied, “You do know I hate driving, right?”

I’ve been to about 25 states. I haven’t been in much of the Northeast. I hope to make it to Utah in a couple months!

We had a mountain lion roaming our street last year. I don’t check the news before I run and one of my neighbors kinda scolded me for being out! I’ve also seen lots of bear tracks on our local trail (but not the actual bear) along with coyotes, bobcats, deer, bunnies, and possums. The scariest was a skunk! I stayed as far away from him as possible!

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I am definitley an over packer. Drives my husband crazy! I try hard though!

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Haha it drives me nuts too about Andrew until he has something packed that I really need because I forgot it:) Hope you are having a beautiful day!

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I live in Alaska! If you ever make it up, let me know and I can show you some great hikes. Your trip looked AMAZING!

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I live in Alaska! If you ever make it up let me know I can take you or show you some great hikes! My Instagram has a lot of hiking photos on it if you ever want to glance at it. Your trip looked AMAZING!

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What’s your Instagram?! I would LOVE to meet up to hike there!

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Haha! The hotel pool every time!

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It looks like you all had a wonderful trip! I’m so happy for you and your family. Keep traveling and enjoying life together. And soon you’ll have a new addition to tag along! :)

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That sweatshirt mixup picture really made me laugh. So so sweet.

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I’m in Alaska and would LOVE to offer recommendations and meet your lovely family! :)

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My husband and I definitely require white noise to sleep. We found this little one on Amazon that is perfect size for travel, yet blocks out all the noise. Definitely would recommend.
https://www.amazon.com/Adaptive-Sound-Technologies-Lectrofan-Bluetooth/dp/B07ML45FCQ/ref=sr_1_12?crid=2BQ98DT09I5LB&dchild=1&keywords=travel+sound+machine&qid=1597956430&sprefix=travel+sound+m%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-12

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i’m so glad you guys had a great time and got to see so many cool things! the kids will forever remember this :) also, skye has heterochromia?! super cool!

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