I hit my longest run in a little while yesterday—> 7 miles! Those 7 miles flew by because I had two different training partners to join me…
First, my sister’s schedule and mine worked out so we were able to run together so here is a beautiful blurry picture of her foot and my knee.
And then towards the end of our run I received this text (from Brooke on Andrew’s phone) which made my day.
We decided to first get ready for school and then run to school together. It was crazy hair day at school (I actually remembered a dress-up day!) so we did that while Andrew made us crepes.
Crepes make an excellent mid-run snack…
And then we were off to school. It was her first time running all of the way there without stopping so that was exciting. She is going to hit her ‘marathon in a month’ goal in no-time.
Skye was just so upset yesterday that Andrew was going mountain biking without her (HOW DARE HE;) so they went out on the street for a few minutes beforehand. She made sure to bring her headlamp.
Then we picked up the kids from school and did the snack/homework/chore/play/relax on the couch thing.
Next year I am not even going to plant a garden because my sister has supplied us with our favorites.
After dinner we went to Brooke’s soccer game…
And then Andrew and I had a much needed porch date while we ate Costco Flautas for second dinner.
——————————————————————————————————————-
I am rereading ‘Let Your Mind Run’ again and this chapter was JUST what I needed. I feel like at this point in my pregnancy I am getting more grumpy by the day with how my body is feeling (nausea has made a return wahoo;) and my thoughts needed this reminder:
“Peale wrote about the effects of word choice on our perception, which encouraged me to look at words that frequented my vocabulary: “hard,” “cold,” and “tired.” Replacing those words with “challenging,” “tough,” and “adapting” provided a greater feeling of strength and purpose…
Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate.”
It really is so crazy to me how switching the words we use to describe how we feel can completely change our perception of everything around us. I 100% know that this works with running but am now experimenting with it during these final weeks of pregnancy. I saw how much my running changed when I started using my thoughts as a tool to build myself up rather than slow myself down. During those really tough miles if I could simply adjust the “can’t” to “can” or the “tired” to “grateful” or “have to” to “get to” it was pretty much a guarantee that I would hit my goal paces during workouts or races. Our brains are always eavesdropping on what we are thinking and while we might not be racing right now, simple positive thoughts can shift the miles we do run and our entire days. After just switching a few words in my brain yesterday, my body felt more comfortable even though absolutely nothing physically had changed.
My dad is really an amazing example to me of this. When I ask him how he is feeling (when I know he isn’t feeling great because of his cancer) he ALWAYS is able to use words that are honest to express how he feels but that are still uplifting, positive and full of SO MUCH gratitude. I’m sure the way he speaks/thinks makes a big difference in his everyday life during this trial. I think I need him to write a guest post about this because he smiles more than anyone I know and the way he thinks/talks inspires me big time.
——————————————————————————————————————-
What is something that has made your day recently?
Any changes you have made or want to make with your self talk lately?
Who was the last person you ran with?
What is the longest run you have done recently?
25 comments
Kristin
Oof, my self talk needs some work! I have an injury that feels really hard–I can’t walk very well and I definitely can’t run! Not running in the fall weather feels like torture–but I love Deena’s book and I love that perspective you shared.
I can’t believe you’re getting close to the baby being here! So excited for you, and I hope that nausea doesn’t last.
I am rereading one of my favorite books (My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry), so that’s making me happy right now!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Kristin, that is super hard and I am so sorry about your injury. Keep me updated about how your self talk goes in regards to this all… you can do hard things! Thank you so much and I absolutely need to read that book, thanks for sharing that it is your favorite. Have a great day.
AmandaM
Hi Janae – I’d love to hear from your Dad. I’m so glad that his positive demeanor lifts him up. I truly believe that putting on a smile MAKES me physically feel better.
I was catching up on some of your posts and had to comment on the Stephen’s hot chocolate :) I discovered it last winter at our Roche Brothers (it is a chain grocery maybe only on the east coast?). I LOVE the Stephen’s smore’s and candy cane and caramel. It is SO coincidental (eerie??) because I had not bought any since last winter but I bought some just this past weekend BEFORE reading your post about it! They didn’t have candy cane yet but I got smore’s and caramel. Delish. I did not know it was a Utah company (and looked last night and see it now!). I consider myself a hot chocolate expert (well… i’ve just tried EVERY brand and flavor) and Stephen’s is definitely at the top of my list of great ones!
The Hungry Runner Girl
It really is amazing how the power of a smile can even help us to feel better. NO WAY… it was meant to be! We just think so alike and I need to try the s’mores. PS I just remembered this but I actually went on a date with the son of the guy that started Stephen’s hot chocolate and he was such a nice person so it’s from a great family! Have a beautiful day!
Julie
This is some really good food for thought — thank you for sharing! I’m going to try it today with my job and my pregnancy symptoms and see how it goes :)
Have a great day!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Let me know how it goes! I hope you are feeling well and keep me updated with your pregnancy. Thanks Julie!
Crickett
PLEASE have your dad post as you suggested. MY dad could use the uplift and example. :)
The Hungry Runner Girl
I totally will! I hope you and your dad are doing well. Have a beautiful Thursday.
Mariah
I ran with my dad this weekend, he came to visit me and help me move into a new apartment! We don’t run together (or see each other!) a lot because I live on the east cost and my family is in AZ, so this was nice :) Dads are the best! I would love to hear from your dad about how he stays so positive too.
The Hungry Runner Girl
I LOVE that you run with your dad and I am so glad that you guys were able to go together. So so great. Hope you have a beautiful day and I’m totally going to ask him. Thanks Mariah.
Wendy
I too, need to work on positive self talk. I listened to that episode with Andrew Castor and thought I should read Dena’s book again. It is so amazing how switching your thoughts can make a big difference. A great reminder we should be kind to ourselves.
I am loving running with my little group on Friday mornings. After years of pretty much running solo, it is so much fun! Even though we haven’t done long runs, the miles we do run go by so fast.
I would love to have your dad do a guest post! That would be awesome.
One thing I am loving, I know I mentioned this a few days ago, is being able to volunteer with my favorite organization. So many people need help right now, and I am so grateful that I am in a position where I can help. I can’t give with huge monetary donations, but I can give my time and attention to someone who needs it. It really helps me remember what is truly important.
Have a great day Janae ?
The Hungry Runner Girl
YES… why is it so hard sometimes to be kind to ourselves?! Let’s work on this together. Tomorrow is your run group.. I want to come with you guys. I am so glad you are back to volunteering again, you go on Wednesdays right?! You are a great example to me. Thanks Wendy, you too!
Beth Risdon
Yes let’s hear from your dad. I would like to hear the types of words he uses that are honest yet somewhat upbeat. We can all use a dose of that!
The Hungry Runner Girl
I totally will! PS happy 10 years of friendship… I started reading your blog TEN years ago!!
Beth Risdon
OH WOW. 10 years!! That’s crazy
Jenny
Hi Janae! I have a question for you. I am increasing my mileage and looking at your training for St. George last fall. You regularly ran more than 10 miles a day, and I am reaching that same level. I was wondering if you fueled DURING all those runs. I know it’s important to fuel during runs over 90 minutes, so I am curious if you were taking gels or other fuel almost every day. It seems like a lot, but maybe that’s what we need. Thank you so much for any feedback/advice!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Jenny! I am so so excited for you and you’ll have to keep me updated on it all. I still can’t believe I used to do that ha, you are amazing. If it was an easy run then I would usually just eat something before the run and right when I got home (I don’t remember doing any easy runs that were more than 12ish miles) BUT if on those long workout days/long runs/trail days I would absolutely take gels. I pretty much only had hammer gels during that cycle and they did really well for me. I definitely probably could have been more prepared on the easy days to bring gels etc but it worked out for me well and I’m not sure if you are doing doubles but I found that those really helped me to get in the mileage I needed. Have a beautiful day and I really would love to keep hearing about your training, I am so excited for you!
Nadya
Your fortitude and your Dad’s are SO SO admirable. In the past, you shared some of the cool stories about your Dad’s career as an inventor. It might be fun for us to hear some more of his stories: did he always know he Wanted to be an inventor? When he was a child/teenager did he invent anything and what was it? What is the craziest problem he ever developed an invention to solve? I also wonder: has being an inventor helped him manage adversity in his own life?
Also, I want to say I don’t mean for you to pepper whim with questions if he is not feeling well so please understand I am just fascinated by inventors and what their life is like (and I wonder what it is like for your Mom to be married to one…I have images of Honey I Shrunk the Kids mishaps floating through my brain). Wishing you and especially your Dad all the best health:)
Erica
When I am not feeling 100%, (especially if it is stomach related) my inner dialog is the worst. I have been practicing (because easier said than done) just sort of accepting the discomfort and keeping the mental thought separate from that. I can have a stomach ache and can still appreciate a good read, the sun on my face, the sound of my child’s laugh.
The mistake I used to make is thinking my thoughts needed to get rid of the pain or endure the pain or check the pain……..where its almost more of acknowledgement that its there, and continue to move forward alongside it.
You are doing great Janae. Pregnancy does not always make things easy.
Caroline
I would love to read a guest post from your lovely, smiley Dad. ?
I do suffer from negative talk a bit. But I’m trying a trick I read about where if you tell yourself you have lots of energy, your brain believes it. I suffer a bit with low iron levels, but I have to say saying ‘I feel full of energy’ rather than ‘I’m tired!’ is doing the trick. Weird. The brain is truly fascinating.
Hope the nausea goes away xxxx
Erika
We just talked about this last night at my church Circle group. Negative talk and feelings about yourself and how those transfer to your feelings and way of talking towards others too. It’s so easy to fall into that negative space and it’s good to have a reminder to be positive and hopefully the happiness with yourself can spread to others feeling good about themselves too – we are all worthy of being happy and content with ourselves inside and out.
Something that made my day but also makes me a total sucker was yesterday when my daughter had been whining about me not letting her have candy and then she asked for pizza and I decided to have a ‘yes moment’ so I told her she could have pizza for supper and suddenly I was ‘the best mom ever’ and that I was ‘so nice’.
I last ran with my mom – she’s my usual running partner. We just found a 5k near us in a couple of weeks that we are going to sign up for so I’m looking forward to that – bonus is that it’s at a pumpkin patch and they are giving out pumpkin scones!
Kathy McElhaney
It’s amazing how people who are really going through tough times (your dad, my brother who was born with a blood disorder) seem to be able to find the good and joy in life. We can definitely learn a lot from them.
Running took a back seat for me this summer while I trained for my 100k bike ride. I ran 6 miles this morning and felt so good! I hit all the hills. It also helped that the skies were finally clear of smoke.
Amy S
Hi Janae! Great post on the self talk. I loved Deena’s book too and I try to remind myself “would you talk like that to your friend or a younger girl?”. It’s crazy how I let myself be negative sometimes because it just feels safer. Happy Thursday and I hope you have a great day!
Deb
I would love to read a post from your Dad!
Alicia
I love the power of positive thinking! Thanks for the reminders :). And I made your moms taco soup the other night and it is soooo delicious- I’ve had it three days in a row.