34.03 miles for my week last week with 5.5 of them being on Saturday with my sister @ 9:28 average pace. We then just hung out on my driveway for a bit soaking in some vitamin d.
The next highlight of our Saturday was meeting my sister and her family at the park. Skye has learned that Knox will give her a piggy back ride whenever she wants one.
My brother-in-law had one of those large inflatable balls for the day so we got it all blown up and found some good hills to take it on.
Skye and I definitely did not go inside of it but Andrew and Knox cruised down the hills bouncing all around and giving me a heart attack.
That evening my niece was at our house and she said, “I can babysit tonight if you guys want to go out on a date.” Both Skye and Knox instantly jumped on board with the idea and we were out the door a minute later ha.
We tried somewhere new (Strap Tank) and both of us had their steak salads. They were heavenly.
Sunday morning I woke up and watched the last 30ish minutes of both the men’s and women’s London Marathon on Youtube. Both finishes were SO exciting and seeing Sarah Hall hit a new PR and sprint to her 2nd place finish was just amazing. She has had her fair share of disappointments with running so seeing this was so inspiring.
Our Sunday was pretty low-key. We walked over to my sister’s house and spent a good chunk of the day there.
And then the Brookester came home after a great weekend with her dad.
It’s the one year anniversary today of my favorite race ever! How has the last year felt like it has gone by so fast and so slow at the same time? I can’t wait to do this again.
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Watching Brooke run is my absolute favorite. She see’s running as a total party and that is why she loves it. She stops for sprinklers/puddles/dogs, she sings when she wants to, she skips when it feels right to her, she jumps over piles of rocks and the whole thing is a big game to her. I feel like so many of us grew up doing the same thing… So why do we ever change from seeing running as anything else than fun/exciting/an adventurous challenge?
I saw this quote from Lauren Fleshman a long long time ago and I just love it so much. When the nerves set in about a race or I feel all of the pressure about hitting a certain time, it’s simply because I’ve switched my perception from playground mode to proving ground mode. Races and running do not prove a thing about us, and they definitely don’t prove our worth. If I can remove that factor from the equation and see the race course or the track or the huge hill up ahead of me as my favorite type of playground, I love it all so much more.
We might not be racing a lot right now but the next time you go into a hard workout… look at that road up ahead of you as your playground and you’ll be surprised at what it will do for your workout, times and endurance!
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What was the best thing you ate this weekend?
Do your runs/races ever feel like a playground?
-I feel like my trail runs feel most like a playground!
Tell me what your run today is going to be (or what it was:)!
Would you have gone down a hill in the large inflatable ball that I showed you?
28 comments
Mariah
It’s probably going to sound weird, but this wood fire pizza place near me also makes the best french fries. So my neighbors and I got a few different pizzas, plus sides of fries with bacon jam and horseradish ranch. It was amazing.
My runs now do feel more like playgrounds! I’m thankful that the pandemic has given me time to slow down. Now my running buddies and I intentionally try different routes, stop for adventures, take pictures, etc. I like Brooke’s idea of singing too, might need to try that!
The Hungry Runner Girl
SEND ME THOSE FRIES… those sound really good to me! I love that you and your running friends do that, keep enjoying all of the adventures together. I hope you have a really great day!
Jenny
SARAH HALL!!!!!!!! Watching that finish made me so happy. Funny how seeing someone you don’t even know have a breakthrough like that can be so inspiring.
Best food from the weekend: pumpkin pancakes. I’m basically going to rotate between pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin waffles every Sunday from now till the end of November. Have a great day Janae!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Jenny! Right?! I just want to give her a big hug because I’m so happy for her. I am going to join you with the rotation of pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin waffles, that sounds delicious. Thanks friend, you too.
Stephanie
I’m going to try that–playground/proving ground–each day this week that makes me feel challenged by the big life stuff that’s still in my space. <3
YAY Brooke's back! I hope she had a great time with her dad. :)
That steak salad looks MAJOR YUM (except for the corn)…
Hope your day out there is SO good!!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
YESSS that is such a great idea to use it in different areas of life too! Thank you so much Stephanie, I hope you have a really great day too.
Tonya J. Hancock
We had fresh grilled tuna yesterday and it was awesome! Today: leftovers in the form of tuna fish sandwiches…
I agree, trail running/races feel more like a playground than road running. Although greenway running is similar: paved smooth path, but you never know what’s going to be around the bend.
Today is my test day. I really need to make a better training schedule despite the lack of races.
No WAY would I get in an inflatable ball!
The Hungry Runner Girl
I was craving seared tuna on Saturday so bad… glad you had tuna yesterday and enjoy those leftovers. I hope you enjoy your rest day and tomorrow’s run feels great. Happy Monday Tonya.
Claire
Hi Janae! I needed to read this today! On Saturday I’m running my first marathon (and I’m doing it virtually) and while I’m mostly SO excited, I’m definitely starting to feel the nerves creep in. Thanks for this great reminder that running is something I do for fun!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
CLAIRE… I am cheering for you big time this Saturday and please let me know how it goes. Go have fun on your favorite playground and enjoy some carb loading this week.
Helen
The best thing I ate was the MASSIVE burger post-virtual London Marathon yesterday, which I was running on the trails… although heavy rain meant they weren’t so much playground as swimming pool. No run for me today!
The Hungry Runner Girl
CONGRATS HELEN on your LONDON MARATHON yesterday! The fact that you did it on the trails too with all of that rain… wow. Happy recovering and so happy you got that burger. Have a beautiful day.
Wendy
Oh my gosh…. Sarah Hall!! Watching her finish, that look of determination, so so good!! I’m so happy for her!
Ok, no way would I go down that hill in that ball! Nope! My oldest, absolutely would, my younger, maybe… I’m sure Andrew and Knox had a great time though.
I think it’s true that thinking of running as a playground makes it way more fun. I definitely have not been doing that much lately, but need to remember that!
My run today will probably be about 4 miles, I’m still deciding what my route will be…ha.
Have a good Monday!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Right?! Her finish gave me all of the goosebumps. Really everyone’s finish did because it’s just been too long since I last saw people finish races. Have a great 4 miles Wendy and I hope it is cooling down a bit where you are!
Maureen
How sweet of your niece to offer to babysit! You are blessed with such a caring niece who loves her cousins
The picture of Brooke by the sprinkler could be a picture of me on a hot summer day when I see someone with a sprinkler during my run ha!
I think I’d have to be pressured to go into one of those giant inflatable balls to start but would end up really enjoying it.
Hmm..best thing I ate this weekend? Either Jeni’s ice cream (if you are near a store then you have to go it’s artisan ice cream and super good) or homemade meatballs that are my great grandma’s recipe!
The Hungry Runner Girl
I really did hit the jackpot with my nieces and nephews. Hahah I’m always so grateful for sprinklers too in the summer. I must find Jeni’s ice cream and homemade meatballs sound so so good even at 8 am. Enjoy your Monday!
Nina
A friend of mine was baffled because I switched from signing up for races to running just for the fun of it. He kept telling me I needed to have a goal to focus. I don’t honestly, he does. I was getting burned out by specific training and needed to find the joy again. I do an occasional race but I am happier this way.
The Hungry Runner Girl
I LOVE that you decided to do what is right for YOU and your running. Keep enjoying Nina and maybe that friend will understand someday:). Thanks!
Erica
Playground, 100%. Probably why I have a runners heart without being super fast. I watched my husband, as a cyclist not runner, have to suffer to be as good as he was in a way I never did with running because I was too busy just lovin’ life while I plodded away the miles.
The Hungry Runner Girl
I’ve ALWAYS loved the way you view running because you really do see it as a playground. Keep enjoying and I just can’t wait for the day that we can go on a run together! Enjoy your Monday, Erica.
jenny
Seeing your steak salad literally made me drool! ha! Sarah Hall’s achievement still gives me goose bumps!
The best thing, 2 things, I ate this weekend were Bison burgers covered in w/ Alexia sweet potato fries (the best IMO) and then the next day I cut up a bison patty and put it on top of spinach with hemp seed hearts, feta and olive oil and OMG …. best salad EVER!!
I feel like I’m on a playground every time I run trails or run in the rain! It only takes one foot to get soaked by a puddle before I’m jumping in all the puddles with both feet!
My run today was an “easy” 10k with about 500 gain and 500 decent so it actual wasn’t easy at all since I ran, eh, slogged, up all the hills and then bombed the downhills which was a blast!
Yeah, there’s no way I’m going in that ball! I get dizzy for hours just rolling down hills!
Beth
I am not sure I could handle the giant ball……
You spending time with you sis always makes me wish I had one, my brother is cool and all but there seems like there is something so special about sisters.
Love the quote from Lauren, she is always full of gems, wise beyond her years.
Happy Monday!
Jennifer P.
Hey Janae, Brooke’s attitude is the best and one we can all learn from. I ran the virtual London Marathon yesterday, completing 2km loops in my neighbourhood. It was mentally taxing but also fun to push myself for a virtual race. As far as eating, had a pita wrap and fries with a friend after we both finished our races, and it was the best. Today is about rest, stretching and food, and I have to get in a 20min shakeout later as well. Have an in person 1/2 marathon this weekend, so hoping the legs recover fast. I am grateful to be able to run and think about that even when the going gets tough. Going to have a donut now, reminding me of that one I missed having with you and Andrew in Boston last year. Enjoy your week!
Mary
I would not have done that ball!! I’ve never seen something like that!
Does Brooke have a phone or iPod? How does she text you when she’s away? It’s very sweet!
Amy S
Hi Janae! I definitely would not go down the hill with that ball. I am a scaredy cat. My first half ever I had so much fun. I was running just to finish so I went out easy and then I was just chatting with random people along the way. It was so much fun! Then the last 5k I realized I could see my fiance ahead of me so I decided I was going to catch him, so I sped up and then beat him by 16 seconds. That was the greatest feeling ever. Happy Monday! Hope it’s a great week!
Jennifer
YES! I was having those thoughts during my trail run yesterday! It was an absolutely perfect running day and I was trying SO hard not to focus on how far I still had to go to get my miles in. I call my trail run my weekly ‘fun run’, which *just happens* to coincide with my long run :)
Dee Cooke-Rees
That Sara Hall finish was the highlight of the elite races, I thought!
I ran the virtual London Marathon in 24 laps as a 24-hour challenge yesterday and will probably take a few days to recover – it was one of the most intense things I’ve ever done! I’ve seen lots of suggestions that London might continue doing virtual versions in parallel to the ‘real’ race in future, which I think would be quite a good idea for popular marathons as so many people are always disappointed when they don’t get in through the ballot.
Well done to everyone else who ran this weekend :)
The Hungry Runner Girl
DEE!! CONGRATS! Wow, I am so impressed by you and what you did! I can’t even imagine… reading about your experience made me really tired. I think that is a great idea, the more people that get a chance to do it, the better. HUGE HUGE congratulations and happy recovering!