If I want easy, I need to find a new hobby…

I was late to the group run but I was luckily able to meet them where the workout portion started so I only had about a mile warm-up which definitely didn’t feel long enough for me.  I usually need at least 2-3 miles to warm-up but sometimes you just need to adjust running with life!

We did a 3 mile tempo and we did the exact same course 3 weeks ago for the same 3 miles and yesterday felt 333 (just trying to see how many 3’s I can put in a sentence) times harder.   I couldn’t believe how much different it felt and with each mile I averaged about 5 seconds slower than I did a few weeks ago.  In the last .5 miles when I just wanted to stop because my legs felt so tired I told myself, “If I want easy, I need to find a new hobby.”   Running is never going to be easy.  There are days that are going to feel a lot better than other days but to get anywhere worthwhile with our running (and life!) there are going to be a lot of really uncomfortable miles because that is where the growth happens.   Easy is not going to be part of the equation so I just need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable again.

I’m ready for the hard because the benefits are just too good to miss out on.

I started out with a long sleeve but quickly ditched that because it was TOO hot.   PS I love this tank so much.

Mid cool-down and I stopped to sit by a bus stop for a few minutes because I needed it…. And I was really hoping a bus would come by to take me home.

Matching socks but one was inside out ha, mornings are hard.

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It’s always worth it (even on the days you feel like junk) to get out and do the work (unless you are injured etc)!

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Also, just showing some love to my favorite rubber bands ever… these babies don’t budge when I am running and never leave creases in my hair (now to just brush my hair before I put it in a ponytail).  They are the only rubber bands Brooke wants to wear now too.

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Andrew had a proud parenting moment.  The dress up day for Brooke at school was for her to wear a jersey from a sports team or a sport that she loves to do.  She chose to wear the mountain biking jersey that Andrew gave her for Christmas and it made him so happy.

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There was a random thunder and lightening storm that rolled through so we talked about clouds and watched them go by for a bit.

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Beck was just happy to join along.

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After school we went to Sundance.

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I had the easier task while we were up there ha… not sure how Andrew skis with three kids on his own.

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Skye didn’t last too long out there so she came inside with me and Beck and we split a chocolate chip cookie.

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Okay, just two more pictures from Sundance:)

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I put a Beehive Meal in the crockpot before we left which made our house smell like heaven when we got home!

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PS I was surprised by the answer that I got on my Instagram story….  I had no idea that more people don’t eat before a run than do!

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Let’s ask it here too… do you eat before your runs?  Does it depend on the distance for you?

How many miles does your body prefer for a workout before you start?

Tell me what your hobbies are outside of running?

Do you use a crockpot often?  Do you like it when your living space smells like food or no way?

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41 comments

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I rarely eat before a run because I get up and out first thing. If for some reason I’m not running immediately, I’ll eat a little fruit. i’m not hungry when I wake up and my stomach just can’t handle running with food in it!
I like to do two miles to warm up before a workout. Do you think maybe your workout felt harder because you didn’t get in as much of a warmup? Or was it just one of those days.
Have a great day Janae!

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HEY JENNY! I’m guessing it was definitely a combo of both and next time I am DEFINITELY going to warm up longer ha. That totally makes sense… you get up and out the door asap! Thank you friend and I hope you do too!

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People always thought I was weird for this one, but I never liked using the crockpot and then leaving the house for hours. I have two dogs and i thought smelling food all day would be torture for them! Like when you go to a restaurant and you’re really hungry and you see everyone’s food but you have to wait.

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Now I feel so bad for Beretta! I didn’t even think of that but you are so right, that would be torture. I can’t stand that happening at a restaurant! I hope you have a great day, Kalina (I love your name!).

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I start my run between 430 and 5 am. If I got up early enough to eat (even something little), I don’t think I would make it! Moms gotta run when it makes the most sense – but I do have a big breakfast after – and in the weekend long eu. When I leave later, I do try to eat something before! And we do use the crockpot All the time! Time and life saver over here!

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That makes TOTAL sense… and way to go Jen on running so early. You are incredible. I hope your day is off to a great start and your run this morning was a beautiful one!

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I do not eat before a morning run. You know about my night cap of cereal, though, and I feel like maybe why that is why I do not wake up hungry.
Love a crockpot, but do not use it nearly as often as my love for it. What a delicious dinner to come home to post skiing.

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That is so true and I love that it gets you through the night and run without being hungry! Maybe breastfeeding right now is what is making me hungry at all times no matter what I do haha. Thank you Erica and I hope your Thursday is off to a great start!

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Oh man, the breastfeeding hunger is no joke. I was having full on meals in by 5am, even after snacking by the refrigerator light at 2am.

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It depends how long the run is if I eat before- more than 6 I eat, but under 6, I can normally wait until after for breakfast.

My body prefers at least 2-3 miles before a workout. I find if I don’t, I’m still warming up during the first few intervals!

I don’t have very many other hobbies right now- between work and school I’m pretty busy. But excited to hear other people’s hobbies for once school is done! I really want to learn an instrument.

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I love hearing how it all works for everybody… our bodies are incredible. Maybe my tempo run was a warmup ha and I totally agree with you on that 2-3 mile thing. You are SO booked right now and that is awesome you want to learn how to play an instrument. You’ll have to keep me updated with which one you choose!

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How fun to go skiing on a week night! Sundance looks so beautiful.

I am so impressed that you can get up and go early to workouts with Beck being so little. I was a zombie for months when I had babies.

I don’t really like bananas on an empty stomach so I usually grab something else like a fig bar.

Your dinner looked amazing, I love crock pot meals!

I think my ideal warm up is 2 miles.

Hope you guys have a wonderful day!!!

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I don’t know what is going on with Beck but he is just sleeping so well right now! Last night he slept 8.5 hours straight! If he wasn’t sleeping well, I would definitely be sleeping in. Crossing my fingers that this lasts for a while. I hope your day is a great one with something yummy to eat for dinner:). Thanks Beth!

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Oh I hope Beck keeps sleeping well ? my kiddos started sleeping through the night at three months and it was amazing!!!

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Your Sundance pictures are always amazing and make me wish I lived near those beautiful mountains of snow!!

I typically do eat something before I run. Especially when I run for longer than 3 miles or so…I grab a banana, or toast, or a yogurt bowl!

I usually warm up for about a 1/2 mile for each run!

Outside of running, you can find me doing anything outside– love to go for hikes, walks or anything of the sort! I’m excited for the spring because I’m starting my first garden so fingers crossed it turns out and turns into a new favorite hobby!

I LOVE crockpot meals!! Yours looks SO good!!

Have an amazing day, Janae!!

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Come be my neighbor:). Wouldn’t that be fun? A yogurt bowl sounds so good right now, I need one of those! FIRST GARDEN, okay that is awesome Chelsea. Keep me updated with how it goes! Thanks Chelsea, you too!

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I always have to eat something before I run or workout! I usually eat pb banana toast. I haven’t been running at all lately- it makes me sad that I’ve lost all motivation, but running will still be there when I’m ready for it. I’ve been doing weight training which has been really fun. I’ve also been doing more yoga.
Ok where are your favorite places to buy baby clothes?

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Hey Alicia! I love that you said running will be there for you when you are ready because I 10000% agree. Keep doing what brings you joy because life is too short to force ourselves to do things we don’t want to do. I love the Burts Bees pajamas for Beck, Old Navy has adorable things, Cotton On Kids has the best baby stuff and then I find things on Amazon like https://amzn.to/2YLbg8o https://amzn.to/3pMWtFW

I am loving baby boy clothes! Have a great day friend!

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I tend not to eat before a morning run..I get up and go. Even for up to 9 miles. Sometimes I might have half a dry bagel but more often than not I don’t. If I know I have like a four hour adventure that’s a different story. Usually it takes me a couple of miles to warm up.

Outside of running, I love to write and bake and camp and ski. And I am a big reader. Usually up for most adventures lol. And when we can travel again we want to go somewhere internationally .

Glad you got in a good workout! Have a great day Janae!

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HEY KRISTINE! How are things going up in Canada? 4 hour adventure… that sounds like so much fun! I want to join you guys on that one day. Thanks friend and I hope you have a great day too!

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Your running clothes are always so cute! I rarely eat before a workout because I just don’t like the feel of food bouncing around in my stomach, plus it usually gives me a side ache. I MUST eat immediately after though or I will be ruined!

Brooke looks so cute in her jersey! Does Andrew mountain bike? Mountain biking is definitely something that I’d love to get into, but I find myself a little intimidated not knowing where to start!

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Courtney – a very easy way to get started into cycling is to join a local mountain bike and/or gravel bike Facebook group. Most likely there is a gravel riders group for your locale and a MTB Facebook group for your local trail system or systems. You can get advice on bikes, gear, local routes, and trail conditions. A lot of times they are putting together work parties to fix the trails up where you can meet up with people also.

Hope that helps a bit.

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Great! Thank you for the advice!

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No food pre run for me; it gives me a stomach ache sloshing around in there if I do. I’ve always been impressed that you can eat before you run, especially since you run so blazingly fast! Also, that cookie you and Skye shared looks sooooo good. I may have to go cook up a batch of chocolate chip cookie now….

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Oh I have to eat before a run now; I’m running longer and working out more so I need more calories in general! I’m struggling to find the right balance though. I half of a banana + nuun energy seems to be the trick this week. Plus, I read that if you workout fasted you might experience muscle loss and other health issues as a result!?!
In the winter (when it’s high 30’s – low 40’s) I need a couple of miles before a workout. Most likely because I wear shorts year round but I just can’t wear leggings! Ha!
I don’t have hobbies outside of running since having kids!! Who has time for that?! Lol!
Oh I love my crockpot! My new favorite recipe is Korean beef lettuce wraps; they have just the right amount of sweet and spice and work great wrapped in lettuce or on a rice!
Have a great day!

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Good morning! As always, thank you, Janae for sharing your corner of the world with us :o)
Eating before a run is determined by the distance I am running. Eating afterward is pretty much guaranteed, regardless of distance!
Usually a mile is enough to work through the kinks in a warmup…unless it’s just going to be “one of those days” when the entire run feels like a warmup.
So many hobbies…so little time…skiing, golf, reading, card making & paper crafting, watercolor painting…
The crock pot has become an extra set of hands in the kitchen and gets used weekly. I love when the house smells like food – baking, sauce simmering, the crock pot doing it’s thing – don’t so much love it when the “food” smell is a reminder that we forgot to take the garbage out or the fridge has some alternative life form lurking in the back somewhere :0(
Have a fantastic Thursday!!

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I eat before running. When I started running I just drank a glass of water and leave the house, but once I hit longer distances I need something. Usually a oatmeal/muesli combination. My other hobby is sewing. And like with running it never gets easy because when you get better at it, you set your goals higher. (but there are easier and complicated sews, and I don’t always sew complicated (jeans, coats, blouses). I love working with my hands to unwind from a day of working from home. I was in between projects for a while, and started hooded sweatshirts for me and my husband (different fabrics, but same color thread). I love that you can go skiing after school! There is snow forecasted for this weekend, I’m looking forward to it! And Beck looks so cute!
Have a great day!

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Beck looks like such a mini Andrew! I know everyone sees babies differently, do you guys see Andrew in him too? I can’t believe how big he is and he is so adorable! I hope you do a Beck update soon <3

I used to be better about fueling before running but I find myself running on empty a lot lately. I always have more energy if I have something before hand though so I think my body would prefer a snack or anything lol.

I like a good 2 miles of warming up!

Absolutely no hobbies outside of running – working full time and being a mom to 2 leaves me barely time for running :-)

Love the crock pot and love when our house smells like a yummy meal!! Bonus if the house smells like cookies or cake!!

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I would say it depends on the length and workout. If i’m running longer than 5 miles, I’ll usually eat something to give me some energy or if I’m going to push myself hard in a workout, I’ll take an energy bar or shotblok. I would also say it depends on what time in the morning I’m working out, first thing in the morning? then see above, anything later where I’ve been up for at least an hour than I’ll need some food in my belly.

I probably need 2-3 miles, but I probably only give myself a half mile. With a kiddo now my time is harder to come by and I don’t go to bed early enough to wake up early enough to get a good workout in. Plus my dog is really spoiled and must go on a long walk first bc she would never poop in our own yard…

I LOVE crockpot meals, they are just so easy and I love how the house smells! They just make cooking so easy and when cooking meats make them SO tender. Like that old commercial, Set it and Forget it! Plus I know someone commented about their dog smelling the yummy food and typically mine gets treats at some point in the day and also gets just a little bit of the meat, so I think she appreciates it too.

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Only eat before long runs
I like when my house smells like baked good and homemade breads. But not dinner foods and definitely not the leftover smell after cooking bacon.

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Loving the mini snowmen at Sundance!

Also, your IG poll is interesting. I wonder how the majority of those workouts compare to yours? This poll is like the tip of the iceberg as I start thinking about it. I like Roar’s content on this topic, and eating before is definitely workout dependent according to Stacy Sims.

Do you know this cereal: https://magicspoon.com/ ? Tim Ferriss says it brings back good feelings and fond associations from childhood without the ingredients many don’t want (no glycemic response – blood sugar remains flat). They have a variety pack. I thought of you!

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– If I’m up and out the door first thing and the mileage is less than 6, I don’t eat. If the miles are 6 and up or I’m running later, I eat first.
– I might do better with a longer warm-up but I usually only have time for a mile.
– I use my crockpot at least once a week, often more.
– My miles yesterday sucked, too. Just blah. I slowed down but finished so counted that as a gold star.

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Beck is just the cutest little smiley guy right now! I don’t eat for regular weekday runs (5 miles and under) but for longer runs on the weekend I definitely eat something before (loving Picky Bars right now, especially the Smooth Caffeinator). Latest hobby is trying to learn French on the Duolingo app, my pronunciation is pretty terrible, but it’s fun to feel like I’m learning something new. And I swear by those hair bands too! You recommended them a few months ago and they have been a life changer, thanks!

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Love your blog and stories and inspiration!
Will you share what your 3 mile tempo looked like? Thank you so much!

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It depends on how early my workout is, honestly. If I wake up pretty early then its no food and I just try to get in plenty of water. If it’s later in the morning (like Saturday!), I’ll try to eat something like a banana or a little oatmeal.

My sister always puts her crockpot in her garage (next to her kitchen) so it doesn’t smell up the entire house, haha! Pretty smart if you don’t want it to smell (but sometimes it’s just too heavenly!). I live in a townhome and even though I LOVE salmon, I hate that the smell traces into my bedroom for like a day afterwards! Hope you have a great day!

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If I run prior to lunch, I do not eat before the run.

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I need to learn some crockpot meals or maybe try to use my instant pot again. It was not as easy as people made it out to be when I got it and tried some recipes. Thanks for the reminder of doing hard things to get out of our comfort zone. In my last semester of my MBA and Fall was a tough one. I think I’m more relaxed this semester with a bit of senioritis, but it makes it hard to be motivated to do the work. I need to remember though, where I put in the work, I do learn.

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Beck’s smiles are seriously the best!!

I eat before about 5% of my runs (the longer ones) because I’m out the door so dang early.

I find that I need more of a warm-up when it’s cold outside, so 2-3 miles is perfect.

Reading and traveling are my favorite hobbies outside of running.

I use the crockpot a few times a month and for the most part, I love when the house smells like food :)

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Haha I answered your poll as well so answering here might skew your results ;) but here we go:

Do you eat before your runs? Does it depend on the distance for you?
– Not usually, but it does depend on distance. I’m usually too lazy to get up earlier to eat so that’s why I don’t! For anything longer than 15km I’ll usually eat!

How many miles does your body prefer for a workout before you start?
– Not too sure, about 10min or so….

Tell me what your hobbies are outside of running?
– I love swimming too (especially in the ocean) and have two dogs so I love taking them to the beach and having a coffee!

Do you use a crockpot often? Do you like it when your living space smells like food or no way?
– We don’t have one.. I sometimes would like one but they take up so much space!!

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First of all thanks for today’s coat recommendation today! I eat 1/2 a banana with pb for shorter runs under 10 miles. For longer runs I will eat a whole banana and some toast. Currently no hobbies other than netflix and reading. As a kinder teacher I am too exhausted at the end of the day to do more than that…Running a 50 mile trail race next weekend-nervous and excited not my first ultra but its been a while…Prayers please :)

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AMY!!! YOU ARE AMAZING… you have so much on your plate and you are running a 50 miler next weekend!? PLEASE let me know how it goes. Sending prayers and cheering for you!

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