Relearning Running + Bday Party + Weekending

Saturday long run chat—> My legs still felt a bit like cement but mentally I just needed a hard run (and I also needed to get back fast) where I really got out of my comfort zone so that is what I did.

On the weekends when Andrew is working I can get a sitter for when Beck is still asleep (and the other kids are asleep for most of the run too) and I just stay pretty close to home.  Skye came out in her new sandals (she won’t take them off!!) as soon as she saw me taking selfies on the porch haha.

10 miles @ 7:24 average pace with 3 miles in the middle at tempo (6:42 average—> mile 1 & 3 had a lot of downhill and mile 2 had uphill).  I feel like I’m relearning how to run all over again after a yearish off from speed.

Kim’s tip helped me BIG TIME during my run yesterday—> PICKUP that foot as soon as it touches the ground (such a fancy visual below;).

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During the tempo portion I just kept repeating to myself PICKUP PICKUP PICKUP like Kim said (read the full post here).  Each time I did that my pace got faster and I felt like my form improved.  It’s amazing how things like this make the biggest difference in our running.

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The nicest thing happened while I was out.  After my tempo I had my normal runner’s cough (after a hard effort it always makes me cough) and my hands were on my knees as I was trying to recover (RUNNING IS HARD)!  An old man about 20 feet away from me in his car asked if he could throw me some water… I said yes and he threw me an unopened water bottle.  It was such a simple act of kindness but goodness gracious did I need it.  My thirst is out of control these days and the water bottle was empty 2 seconds after this picture and I felt so much better afterwards.

People are the best.

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Two remarkable things occurred on Saturday—> I went to the grocery store with all four kids by myself and nothing was broken and nobody got hurt/cried/screamed the entire time.

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And I had the saltiest chips with salsa with my fajitas for dinner.  I must have sweat a lot during my run earlier because I was craving salt like crazy.

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On Sunday we had a family birthday party for me and my dad.  I decided I wanted to make the cake and went for this Twix Cake.  It was VERY rich and extremely delicious.

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My mom brought my favorite… LASAGNA.  Her recipe is the best.

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Beck slept through all of the partying… he was bored.

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Another year we get to celebrate our bdays together!

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I hope your week is off to a great start!

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What is something nice that somebody has done for you recently?  During the run or during the rest of life?

Anyone else have runner’s cough when they push themselves hard?

What was the best part of your weekend?

What is your favorite meal that your parents made/make?

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49 comments

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Hey Janae!

I love that someone stopped to give you water that is SO awesome! I get coughing like that after a tough workout as well lol.
I’ve tried your moms lasagna recipe and I agree it’s absolutely amazing!
I had someone pay for my coffee through the drive thru last week. It was such a nice treat.

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That coughing is something else, right?! That makes me so happy that you loved her lasagna too! How nice of that person… I need to do that next time I’m at a drive thru! Thanks Gillian and happy Monday!

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Yes to runners cough and whenever I’m working out doing cardio whether inside or out my nose is a faucet. It never did that until I got a crazy sinus infection last year but now it won’t stop! Glad you and your dad had a nice bday celebration – he looks like he is doing great!

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Yessssss and if it’s cold then my nose is really running the whole time too. So interesting! I hope that slows down for you soon! Have a beautiful day Jenn and he really is!

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Wow that is a great running tip! I can’t wait to try it out. Best part of my weekend was getting out for a trail run yesterday!
That last picture of Beck… could he be any more adorable???

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Oh thank you Jenny! I agree… he is the cutest! I’m so glad you could get out for a trail run! Have the best day!

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Oh wow that Twix cake looks incredible – you’re amazing for making it! I’ll take a slice of that and 2 slices of your mom’s lasagna please.

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You better be at my family bday party next year. Huge congrats to ALL of the biking you did this weekend!

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Oh my gosh, that cake is insane and so impressive!! It looks professionally made! Happy birthday to you and your dad!!

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Thank you so much Tara! It was delicious too and I wish you could come over and have a slice with me. Have the best day!

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That’s great you can still get out and run even when Andrew is at work. Gotta make it work!

Congratulations on all 4 at the store that is an accomplishment ? I struggle with one sometimes.

Your cake looks professional and looks super yummy. How fun to celebrate with your dad. Each day is precious no matter what, I really think we need to celebrate every chance we can get. I hope your dad is feeling good.

Have a wonderful day!!!

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Thank you so much Beth! It was a special night! It doesn’t matter how many kids you have at the grocery store.. it’s all stressful haha. Have a beautiful day Beth and ps I was thinking next winter you guys need to come ski utah with us:)

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Ummmm, YES to skiing next winter I think my Emmy and Skye would be besties! I also think Cannon and Knox would get along.

We are headed your way for spring break to do the big 5 national parks, we LOVE Utah.

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YES to the cough! Track hack isn’t just for the track. :-)

I was pretty sick last month, and one of my coworkers, who I really like but don’t know super well, texted me that was going to doordash me dinner–didn’t ask if, just where I wanted it from. It was SO nice and just the best thing!

So glad you got to celebrate birthdays together–and wow, I want that cake!

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Track hack… I’ve never heard of that before! Hahah! That coworker is so kind, thanks for sharing. I hope you have the best day and come on over for some cake. Thanks Kristin!

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So happy you could celebrate with your Dad Janae. That is so very special and warms my heart. My goodness, THAT CAKE. That looks spectacular. Hope you had a great time celebrating you and your Dad with your wonderful family.

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Thank you so much Donna! I wish you could come over and have a slice with me. Have a fabulous day!

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Happy Birthday to you and your dad!!
That cake looks amazing-great job!!!

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Thank you so so much Jennifer! Have the best day!

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That cake looks incredible!! Awesome job!
And great job on your run too! It’s funny, I sometimes have the runner’s cough, but for me it’s a runny nose. Especially if I have had some fast miles, my nose just runs… Weird!
Best part of the weekend… I have a couple. First off, we are having some amazing weather! Saturday morning I spent the time outside cleaning up and prepping our flower beds. I think I was out there for a good 3 + hours. Then spent the entire afternoon reading. Then yesterday, my hubby and I did that incredible/insane hike/run in Crystal Cove, then went up to Huntington Beach and spent the afternoon with his brother and sis-in-law at their beach condo. We had amazing salads for lunch and just enjoyed spending time together (we really haven’t seen them since before the holidays!). It was just a really great weekend, and I am so thankful!
With all the elevation gain in our hikes, my legs are feeling really tired. So I think I will allow myself a super easy week, run-wise. I’m not going to run today (maybe pilates or strength). Today and tomorrow will be filled with a conference, virtually, so I’m not even sure if I will be able to fit in a run tomorrow. But I am ok with it. My body is telling me that I need an easy week ?
I love seeing you celebrate with your family! Those moments are the best!
Here’s to a great week ahead!

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Hey you! Thank you so much! I am so glad that you are having such great weather right now. I am so glad you did the hike again and I bet the views were insane. So glad you had some time with family too… sounds like the perfect weekend. Good call on the easy week and good luck with the conference! Thanks Wendy, you too!

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I did pickup pickup pickup yesterday too! Cake looks wonderful!

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It really does help so so much! Thanks Allison and I hope you have the best day!

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Happy happy happy birthday to you and your dad!!

My mind is blown by lasagna in a round dish, LOL!

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Thank you Corey! Hahah right? She has always used that dish but now that I think about that… it is different! Hope your Monday has been great so far.

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Your Dad’s smile is infectious! Love it! My Mom makes the best French toast I’ve ever had in my life. I make it exactly like she does and somehow it doesn’t quite taste as good. I have no clue why, lol. Also, her mashed potatoes are fabulous. My Dad made superb apple dumplings. He went to his Heavenly home in 2006. I miss him so much. And his dumplings, too!

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Can I come over for your mom’s french toast?! Those sound good. I am so sorry you lost your dad… I bet you miss him a lot.

Enjoy the rest of your day, Kimberly!

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In Crossfit, we call the runner’s cough “Fran Lung,” after a particularly brutal workout called Fran. Speaking of Crossfit, I know you’ve been working on your pull-ups. I recently posted something you may find encouraging (I’m 50 years old): https://www.instagram.com/p/CLZtriCndyx/

Have a great day!

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YOU. ARE. AMAZING. WEIGHTED PULL-UPS… you are GOALS!

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That cakes looks amazing! I might need to make it

I got to climb a mountain and run long. And we had lots of puppy snuggles! And because the weather was a mix of rain and snow my partner had the heat blasting in the truck for me when I finished. He dropped me off and did an easier trail walk with River while he waited for me to climb. That was soo awesome..we just have his truck so I would have other wise had to bus home.

My aunt is an amazing cook and in the past she has made dumplings from scratch which are the best.

Have an awesome day Janae!

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Climb a mountain and run long and puppy snuggles = perfect weekend! I love that he did that for you, you guys have a fabulous relationship! Dumplings from scratch… now I need to try that. Thanks Kristine, you too!

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Awe, happiest of (belated) birthdays to you BOTH!!!
My friend was kind enough to run extra miles with me to help me reach my weekly run goal. This was HUGE because she’s been battling with health issues that include her being exhausted after longer runs.
I get the worst runners cough after hard pushes and it’s so much worse in the winter …. makes me really self conscious when I come into the office coughing (esp since we’ve had a handful of COVID + cases recently!!)!! Lol!
Have a great day!

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Thank you SO much Jenny! I love that your friend did that for you… what an amazing friend.
YES, the winter months are even worse with the runners cough!
Thanks Jenny, stay healthy!

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That cake looks amazing!!!

I definitely cough after a hard run or sprint, although now I get nervous someone will think I’m sick haha.

My mom’s spaghetti and meatballs or tacos (when I visit home she makes both for me!). And my dad makes the best grilled cheese ever.

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Hahah that’s what I thought too… but luckily the man could probably tell that the run killed me off and it was from that and not being sick:). I love that your mom still makes those things for you when you visit. Have the best rest of your day!

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So glad you got another birthday with your dad! I know you cherish those.

I got to do something nice out on my run this morning. A lady was coming out to get her newspaper and I grabbed it for her. The wind was blowing like crazy and she said she never knows where it’s going to be. Those 20 seconds made us both smile.

Best part of my weekend = Sunday: church, grilled cheese w/tomato soup, and a nap. It just doesn’t get any better!

My mom was not a great cook but she did make a killer potato salad. Of course there is no recipe ;) While she didn’t love to cook, her desserts were legendary!

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Thank you so much Kathy! That was so nice of you and those moments change the world! Your Sunday sounded perfect. I bet that potato salad was so so good. Thanks Kathy and I hope you are having a great day so far!

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Two words only—-THAT CAKE!!!!!!!!!! :)

Amazing job, lady! That looks incredible!!! I saw you post it on Insta, and I was wondering if you had bought it or made it–it totally looks like it is from a bakery! Yum, yum, yum!!! I hope your dad had a fantastic birthday!!!

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Come over and eat some cake with me!! Thank you friend and I hope you are having a great day!

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I don’t tend to cough after, but with (super mild) exercise asthma, it makes the first mile or two feel rough until I get my breathing controlled. And it’s definitely harder with cold air……it’s not so bad in the summer. I like running with a gaiter/buff over just my mouth, so I can breathe unobstructed thru my nose, but my throat doesn’t get raw from the cold air.

That cake looks amazing! We are off to Nashville tonight to kick off a whole week of birthday fun for me! I am a year older than you, so turning 36 on Saturday! And I have one brother in law in Nashville that shares my birthday, and the other BIL had his bday yesterday! There’s going to be so much running and partying! I always request a cookie cake…….it’s my favorite kind of cake! And after a week of ice and snow in Nashville (where we got nothing but rain 2 hours South) they are finally thawing out and the next 2 days will be in the 60’s! I am definitely going to try to get away with shorts, ha!

Happy Birthday to you and your dad:)

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK! This makes me so so happy. You guys are going to have the best time and cookie cake = perfection. Enjoy the sunshine!!!

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Growing up I would always want my mom’s ham and mashed potatoes for my birthday supper. I probably wouldn’t pick it now as my favorite but I love those kinds of traditions.

Last month I got hit with The Rona pretty good. Even after I was able to be up off the couch and moving I still had zero desire to do things like make supper. A lady from our church called and asked if she could bring us over supper – turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, stuffing, and brownies. She had had the virus a few months back and said she knew what it felt like to not want to do anything. It was super nice and helpful.

I went shopping this weekend. I can’t even remember the last time I did that. My daughter has no clothes going into summer so it was fun to take her (she’s 4) and have her pick out things – she’s gotten way too picky for me to be able to pick stuff for her.

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I am SO sorry that you were so sick! That sounds miserable. How kind of that lady to do that for you… people are the best. YAY for shopping with your little girl and I’m right there with you with Skye on most things ha. I hope you are having a great afternoon!

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Janae!!! It has been a while since I have checked in! I started a new job and I am now almost 2 months in!! I finally have a little time to stop and read and also respond, yay!! Your growing family is adorable, congrats on the store run with 4 kiddos in tow!!
My runners cough us horrible when I run outside but when I run on the treadmill its like it doesn’t even exist!
I do not run outside much but the other day I had along run and my hubs brought me water and a honey packet to take in the middle of my run!!!!!

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Hey Jarrelle! I am SO so thrilled about your new job. That is really exciting and I hope you are loving it! That is really interesting about how your runners cough doesn’t happen on the treadmill! I wonder if I’m the same way? I love that your husband did that. So kind. Have a beautiful rest of your day!

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omg you’re the sweetest!! and I’m glad that it helped your run feel easier. now we just need to run together so we can yell pickup at each other. hahah.

ps when i come to town we are making the twix cake… maybe a modified gluten free edition but basically same thing hahah!!!! love youuuuuuuu!

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Here’s a long-distance “Happy Birthday” to you and your dad from Japan.
Hope your special day was filled with lots of love and laughter :-)
Your cake look so gorgeous and delicious!

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OMG this cake. YOU ROCK! It’s so pretty

Happy Birthday to your dad!

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Hey, we love Skye’s sandals… can you tell me where you got them or the brand? Thanks!

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