Mom of SIX Pack Abs

How did you end 2019? Did you make it through with “no days off”?
For me, no days off meant always working on something: running (green ring), racing (red ring), cross training (blue ring), or resting (black slash). Over the year, I came back from three injuries, ran two marathons, and even squeaked out an 8K PR!
This Tracksmith poster was the perfect visual reminder to keep going, to make the most of each day, to hone in on goals both old and new. Time to get the new 2020 version (free with any Tracksmith order this month!).
Share with me how YOU tracked your progress last year. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

After two months off racing and with only a few weeks of running under my belt, I hit the racing scene in our local running club’s points series opener, the F***y Freezer 5K (directed by my roomie Liz!). Though I’m a bit behind where I’m normally at in early February, I still pulled out a 20:02 on the two-loop course. My finish was good for 4th female in a deeply talented field of women and 1st in age group (35-39). On the plus side, the sun made 25-degrees feel not so fanny-freezing! ☀️
Next up: the Cupid’s Chocolate Chase 5K next weekend, where I’ll be seeing a 19:something for sure! 🏃🏻‍♀️😉💙💛💙💛💙

😁 What’s better than sleeping 11 hours after weeks of 5-6 hours per night? 100° warmer than Wednesday and my longest run in this training cycle!
55° today for a slow, ankle-busting, knee-tweaking 13.25-mile slog through ice and sludge. At least nature provided great natural pain relief after an out-and-back over the interstate and through the marsh! 😆

👊🏻 10° and 10 miles with friends at daybreak! Today was my first double-digit run since September and my hip flexors are going to feel it after all that skating on powder-covered black ice.
🦄 Maurten review: My heart rate was creeping up and I was feeling hungry around the one-hour mark, so I tried out the Maurten gel. I was instantly surprised by how *sweet* it is. Like a sugary plain JELLO. Unfortunately, because the gel was so cold, it came out in two chunky blobs. I gagged hard on the last swallow. However, within minutes, my heart rate slowed back down to an aerobic rate, I no longer felt hungry and, more importantly—my stomach felt *zero* impact from the gel! No digestive issues whatsoever. As someone with a sensitive stomach on even the easiest of training runs, I’m definitely going to invest in a box of once the weather is less polar vortex-y!

Do you ever have a run where you forget to check your Garmin and suddenly realize you’ve run further than you intended? Like when you’re running endless laps on an indoor track, talking nonstop with a friend about , thinking you’re running fairly slow?
Tonight’s intended 6 easy miles turned into a one-hour MP tempo run 🙌🏻 If that doesn’t give me confidence, I don’t know what will!

Did you catch this race?!

http://www.espn.com/athletics/story/_/id/20318081/iaaf-world-athletics-championships-2017-emma-coburn-courtney-frerichs-finish-1-2-women-steeplechase-final

Read this, because you likely missed one of the best races in running history Admit it, sports fans. Yeah, you -- the one waiting for football season (American or European) to start. You couldn't care less about the women's steeplechase. But, right now, you should care. You're missing something amazing.

Let's get . Or at least I'll get honest. (No, Liesl and I did not plan matching outfits! 😂)
My hip and knees still hurt and it SUCKS. It's spread down into my right hamstring and I can feel the change in gait as I run. Finally, a picture forced me to see how bad my hip drop is. 😔Time to step out of the racing scene and heal.
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No Limits 15K, 3rd female overall in 1:06:23 (7:08/mile pace), the final race of the Summer Racing Series.

Legs up the wall after pacing the team on their last mile repeat (6:36).

Cooler weather this past weekend made for great running conditions. Surrounded by my running family and some of the most inspiring runners I know, the New Haven 10K proved once again to be one of the best races in our area.
I aimed for a sub-43, and came away with a 41:46 (6:44/mile pace) with mile splits of 6:43, 6:43, 6:46, 6:45, 6:41, and 6:50, with a finishing kick at 6:11 pace. Not only did I pace myself well, but I placed 3rd female overall (1st and 2nd were earned by extremely talented girls literally half my age) and got a bit of my confidence back.
I wonder what next weekend's 3RRC 15K at Swinney Park will have in store? It'll be my longest run and/or race this year!

Almost unbearable heat & humidity in Indiana this summer may slow us down, but it won't stop us!
Yesterday, a thunderstorm chased us around the greenway and back to the track for the 1st annual Northside Spy Run 5K. Flashes of lighting, claps of thunder, and the promise of rain kept us going, even though the air felt like hot soup strained through tired lungs.
My official time was 21:14 (6:51/mi) as I represented FTW, just a few blocks away from their award-winning running store.

I was looking for a very specific photo of me... it took like 30 minutes. In the process, I found this photo from the Crooked Lake Freedom 5 a few years ago. I had no idea it even existed. It's like the sun was shining directly on me.
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Have you come across interesting race photos of yourself?