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Feeling like the Black Hood with a side of Betty Cooper preppy pink 🖤💘 (p.s. when is @thecwriverdale coming back to TV?) Finished out 41 miles for the week - first time over 40 since CIM! . Waited till the real feel was up to 3 degrees and took to the roads for some easy recovery miles. My hamstrings get pretty tight running on a treadmill and I didn’t think a second day in a row would feel so great so with the sun shining, I headed out and got things done. Honestly, with the right gear that I’ve invested in over the years, it didn’t feel that bad. Only real issue was my sunglasses kept fogging up from the warm air coming from my neck gaiter so I ended up carrying them most of the way since seeing was kind of important with all the ice on the road! Living in the Midwest means dealing with extreme cold in the winter and extreme heat in the summer. Fall and Spring are pretty nice times to run around here but as much as I hate the crazy weather, it’s really made me a stronger runner. Out of all the races I ran last year, only one had truly ideal race day weather, and all the training through different elements really helped me cope with whatever conditions were thrown my way. Boston got really hot and after training through a Midwest winter, I shouldn’t have been prepared for when the temperatures hit 70 degrees on the back half of the course, but I think all the winter training where my lungs were burning and working overtime came into play. At Indy Monumental, race day was 28 degrees and it was the coldest day we had since the previous winter, so again, I shouldn’t have been ready for it but training through summer’s heat and humidity had built an efficient system that was able to handle this new extreme. At least where I live, if I waited for the perfect day to go out for a run, I could be waiting 3-4 months depending on the season, and so sometimes we just have to suck it up and find a way to make things happen, whether outside or inside. I long for warmer days, but give me all the crazy weather now so I’m prepared for whatever race day will bring! . . . #winterrunning #chicagorunner #riverdale #runnersofinstagram #runnergirl #strongerforit #marathontraining

The treadmill is never my first choice but it’s a tool I’m thankful to have access to. I choose to go outside most days - snow, rain, heat, humidity, etc., but icy days make me nervous. When I slipped on black ice (thankfully I caught myself before falling) yesterday just walking the dog, I knew I was likely going to keep it inside today. A few of my friends and fellow Chicagoans did go outside and kudos to them for doing so, but we all know what’s best for us and I knew after running on snow and ice during last weekend’s long run that I’d likely be changing my stride again if I did so/seeing cars fishtailing on the street made me nervous that I’d potentially be hit, so indoors it was! 12 miles, 633 ft of elevation gain (yes, you can work that incline indoors, too!), and one throwback movie later (John Tucker Must Die), and I checked off the long run box for the weekend! 45-50 mph wind gusts are on their way and it’s going to drop to a balmy 6 degrees overnight with a real feel of -19 so I have a feeling I’ll be hopping on the trusty treadmill again tomorrow. It’s for sure not my favorite, but it helps me get the job done and for that I’m thankful! . . . #treadmill #treadmillrun #winterrunning #chicagorunner #babyitscoldoutside #snow #runnersofinstagram #findaway #runnergirl #makingithappen #winterwoes #runhappy #run

It’s normal for your body to change throughout the year. It’s unrealistic, and unhealthy, to stay in peak fitness year-round. That doesn’t mean you can’t be “fit”, but one of the harder things about long distance running can be going from peak fitness, including how you look, to the off-season or down-time where the mileage is much less, you aren’t as strict on your nutrition, and those muscles that were once at their strongest are a little less toned. Truthfully, it’s one of the things I still struggle accepting when it inevitably happens; just today I put on shorts that fit a little tighter than they did a couple months ago and it wasn’t a great feeling, but I recognize that my body has done something amazing for me every time I complete a marathon training cycle and I have to give it grace. I know that if I continued to keep my body at the fitness level it was at for the few weeks leading up to CIM for much longer than that that I would just be risking injury and burnout. It’s possible to be body-positive and also feel a little uncomfortable in your own skin in the off-season - I love my body, but I can’t sit here and honestly tell you I love the extra bloat and less muscle definition. But I respect the process and appreciate all my body does for me throughout the year and so yes, I’ll eat the cookies, cut down on the mileage, let my body go through its natural changes, and trust that it will serve me well in the long run (did I mention eating all of the cookies?? 🍪). . Left Photo - Summer Peak 5K Training; Right Photo - 5 weeks post-CIM . . . #runnersofinstagram #runnergirl #run #runlove #bodylove #runchat #transparency #marathontraining #offseason

A couple weeks ago, I put down some thoughts on paper for what 2020 might look like in terms of running and shared them with my coach. After some back and forth, I’ve come to realize it’s likely going to be a building year to be able to tackle bigger goals in the future based off of the more challenging courses I’ve picked; coming off of the high that was 2019, it’s quite a bit sobering and left me in a bit of a funk. I want to set bigger, scarier goals, but I also recognize that I’m approaching a point where I’ll be fighting for single minutes instead of 10+ minute marathon PRs and that every minute is going to be harder to take off. But I’m not writing my 2020 story just yet. There is so much runway ahead this year and I’ve always believed that hard work and commitment can take you to places you’ve only dreamt of, and so I’m going to keep dreaming big and showing up to make deposits into the fitness bank. I’d like to think if I was an investment I’d be a good one to bet on because I’m in it for the long run 😉 . . . #goalsetting #goals #2020vision #teamsugarruns #runnersofinstagram #runningfunk #runnergirl #chicagorunner #run #runlove #marathontraining #roadtoboston #bostonmarathon #boston #bostonbound #goodinvestment #commitment #dedication #motivated

99 Days till Boston says the countdown on my watch. This weekend rocked me and reminded me how I’m not always in control. 48 hours of a migraine brought on by an abrupt weather change rendered me useless for much of my two days away from the office and unfortunately that’s sometimes how life goes. When it was at its least annoyance, I was finally able to go explore a new trail that’s been on my bucket list for awhile. The trail was packed down with snow and quite icy in some sections where it had melted and then frozen over again, but my bulky waterproof shoes seemed to do the trick for the most part. My lungs burned in the cold air, especially climbing steep hills that were definitely not “rolling”, and yes, I stopped to snap a couple photos when I finally made it high enough to see the scenic view (and let’s be honest, on two of those steep hills where I started sliding backwards down the ice 🙈). Could’ve opted for the plowed, salted streets but for some reason adventure was calling and I’m glad I answered because today I built more character, and probably some stronger quad muscles 😉 . . . #hills #hillspaythebills #marathontraining #marathon #bostonmarathon #roadtoboston #longrun #runnersofinstagram #characterbuilding #run #waterfallglen #winterrunning #chicagorunner #chicago #winterwonderland

20 mph winds and delayed onset muscle soreness should have made for an unpleasant run but surprisingly although my pace didn’t show it, mentally it was one of the best runs I’ve had since the marathon. I really can’t explain it - my quads were stinging from Tuesday’s leg day, my first heavy lift since CIM, and at times I would get hit with wind that felt like a wall I couldn’t break through - but I was so happy to be running and grateful for every step. Last year when I was in a funk and opened up about it, shortly after the same thing happened, so I think there’s something to this whole transparency thing and being able to admit that running’s not always sunshine and rainbows even though that paints a prettier picture. . I’m excited about this weekend as it’s possible a big snow storm might be coming! It might mess with my running plans but there’s something about the thought of getting snowed in for the weekend with the fam that warms my heart ❤️ . . . #runnerthings #runchat #letsgetsnowedin #letitsnow #run #running #runnersofinstagram #girlontherun #roadtoboston #bostonbound #marathontraining #bostonmarathon #winterrunning #chicagorunning #chicago #runnergirl

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