A Gutsy Girl

Heal your gut. Heal your life.

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You Got This

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“You got this,” seemed to be the mantra that played over and over in my head before I fell asleep last night.

You may have seen the post on Facebook or Instagram, but yesterday at my 7th half marathon, I finally PR’d again for the first time since my first half marathon in 2009. More on that in a bit…..

You Got This

Saturday

It all started Saturday morning. Ryan and I took the kids to coffee and the farmer’s market, and then Ryan had to leave to go to a golf event for work all day. 

You Got This sarahkayhoffman.com

We needed some things at Target, so I took the kids by myself. 

It was still morning, but even then, Target was packed. I parked. I got the kids out, one-by-one, then we went into the store. Every single time I take all three by myself, it’s chaos. There really is just no way around it. Amiya still goes in the Ergo, Isaiah in the front of the cart, and Samarah in the back. They are loud, they sometimes fight, and there is always a meltdown or two. 

Never fails. 

But I’m pretty used to it, and it’s okay.

So we did Target and headed out. I put the girls in the car and shut the door. I started wheeling Isaiah around to his side (the right side), when a man pulled his small SUV out of the space directly to my right, rolled down his window and said, “You need to learn how to park. You cramped me backing out.” 

My right, rear tire was literally on the white line (everything else was inside the white line), and I had parked like that because when I got there, I was parked in on the other side and I needed a little space in order to get all the kids out.

I stared at him because I thought he was kidding. He had clearly seen me struggle with all three children, so I was thinking he was about to say something like, “Just kidding. Good luck with all the kids.” But then, nope, nothing. Just a lecture, rolled up his window and drove off.

It took every single last ounce of patience in me not to scream total obscenities at him. I haven’t been livid like that in so long. What’s wrong with people?!

I got Isaiah into the car, I got into the car, sent Ryan a picture of the scene and story, took several deep breaths and drove off. 

On the way home, a man was trying to get out at a busy intersection. I stopped to let him get out when no one else would. Because, well, I had a decision. Pass along the horrible actions or create something good. I chose the latter.

A one, two, and three-year-old and a man with no class…..I’ve totally got this.

Sunday

I wish I had a big story about the race yesterday (like what I learned at my 10K), but I don’t. 

The goal for this race was to PR. That was it. In 2009, I ran a 1:48:30. I wanted to pace at 8:15/mile or less. And I did it. But honestly? I’m not sure how. 

You Got This sarahkayhoffman.com See Jane Run Half Marathon 2017 PR Alameda California

Around mile 5 already I started to fade. I went in and out of feeling good from miles 5-13.1, but mostly I felt less than great. But still, I kept on telling myself, “You got this.”

I kept my eyes ahead, and while I thought it was a super pretty run, it was an extremely mentally challenging run because most of the time I was running alone. I steadily passed about 5-7 people, letting only 1 re-pass me. 

Towards the end of the race, I kept looking at my Garmin, and she told me during that last .75-ish miles that I had to move fast or I would, in fact, miss my PR. And at that point, that was not an option because I had spent the better portion of 7 miles feeling blah so what would another mile be? 

As I sprinted to cross the finish line, I saw 1:47 on the clock (but also knew I started several seconds after the clock began) and also threw up (well nothing came up, but all the motions happened). I have never ever thrown up after a race or workout in general.

But my whole body was spent, and sometimes I think this has to do with the fact that I don’t just run races, I run them while also battling a healing journey still. Running is super stressful on the body for the normal runner, much less someone like me. (And no, I’m not giving it up. It’s not currently an option, and you’ll understand why sooner rather than later likely.)

Anyways, the people at the finish line were amazing, and quickly got me water and food. I drank all the water I could, and then I was perfectly fine.

Ryan is amazing (as always) and brought the kids to the race so they were all at the finish line. We all left together, grabbed a latte on the way out of town, and headed home. I spent a few hours relaxing, and once Amiya and Isaiah were up from their naps, we all went to the pool.

Later that night it was confirmed that I did in fact PR. I clocked in at 1:46:49, and for only consistently training about 5 months now, I was (and am still) super excited!

You Got This sarahkayhoffman.com See Jane Run Half Marathon 2017

My next goal would be to hit 1:45, but I also want to spend some time lifting again. I’m re-dedicating two full days to lifting because I miss the balance. 

Shaving off another 1:49 might take quite some time. I have this amazing running mentor, and we talked after the race. She told me, “My improvements came over the years with consistency. Years ago I ran a bunch of 1:35’s. I could not budge past that. My goal for years was 7 minute pace. Which is 1:31:45. I kept plugging away at the training and one day skipped right on past 1:31 and ran 1:27!!! It takes consistency and keeping on doing the do. Trust me in this…. it all comes in time. Consistent training and recovery and your body builds fitness. Trust the process!”

Again, I have only been at this for 5 months. I feel optimistic, healthy, and happy for all that lies ahead – in so many facets.

Monday

And here we are, Monday again. I am thinking about all the weirdness, greatness, and everything in between from this past weekend.

During it all, no matter, remember……you got this, I got this, we got this.

Xox,
SKH

The Race Within

Filed Under: Inspire, Love, Wellness, Workouts Tagged With: , , , ,

Yesterday I finally hit a 10K PR. And while I was running it, my emotions rose to the surface with the overwhelming feelings around the race within.

At dinner with some girlfriends on Tuesday night, one asked me, “Have you always been a runner?”

I laughed.

I have said it here before, but I need to say it again……I was never a runner. My friends joked all throughout high school that I ran like an elephant. Each season we had to do the timed mile run, my mind told me I’d do it in under 10 minutes, but my athletic abilities clocked me in around a 12-13 minute mile. I always felt so inadequate as a runner. 

“So how did you get so fast,” they asked me on Tuesday night?

Let’s be clear. I’m not so fast, but I will no longer argue about how far I’ve come since then.

The Race Within sarahkayhoffman.com 10K

The answer is…..I’m not really sure what happened or what I did that took me from that 12-13 minute mile to today, except that I fell in love with running (I hated it in high school), and I started practicing and staying consistent.

But up until yesterday’s race, I have been competing with everyone and anyone but myself. And then it happened….

The Race Within

I ran my best race yet. I paced at 7:45/mile for 10K (6.2 miles, in case you didn’t know) (the watch shown in this post is off). My total time was 48:03. Out of 42 females aged 30-39, I placed 4th. Out of 189 total females, I placed 13th.

And yet, while running, there were older (and younger) men, women, and children who passed me.

There were older men and younger women pushing strollers who passed me. 

On the flip side, I passed older (and younger) men, women, and children. 

I passed people that “looked” far fitter than me and got passed by those who didn’t.

But when I was trotting along, the things I told myself, my breathing patterns, the adrenaline rush, all of it…..had zero to do with anyone else. 

It was 100% the race within.

Someone beating me or not beating me would not make me better, faster, or stronger. Only I could do that.

And when I crossed the finish line and looked at my time, I felt a joy that I have not felt in so very long. I ran a race with myself and no one else.

I felt overjoyed with a 7:45 pace knowing that I have only been consistently running again for less than 5 months (and during each of those 5 months, there are a solid 5-10 runs that I am not able to practice Tempo or any kind of hard runs). 

It’s so easy to compare and contrast in the world we live in today. Everything and everyone is in our faces. Highlight reels 24/7 makes it hard to feel like our own PR’s are not worthy. 

The Race Within sarahkayhoffman.com 10K PR Danville CA

But guess what? They are.

They are because another’s story is not yours. Their circumstances are not yours. Their season of life is not yours. 

I learned yesterday that fighting for and challenging myself based only on the race within is far more fulfilling than looking horizontal to someone else’s race.

Xox,
SKH

p.s. It wouldn’t be truly successful if I didn’t learn something for improving, though. I learned: KT Tape is invaluable, and I need to tape my right knee, too (I only taped my left calf yesterday), I must learn to pace better the first 1-2 miles (or I’ll never make my half PR) – ugh – adrenaline, I need 2 pairs of shoes to swap in and out of for training (bought them immediately after the race yesterday), and I need to keep focusing on Tempo runs to push through even harder. And also, shorts. I need to wear shorts. I wore a tank and pants, and the pants made me waaaaay too hot. (As we’re teaching Amiya to say, “BOOM!”)

5 Gatorade Alternatives

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Love, Special Diets, Wellness, Workouts Tagged With: , ,

In honor of the Boston Marathon this upcoming week, I put together 5 Gatorade alternatives because, well, hydration.

I don’t drink Gatorade for a myriad of reasons, and even though you might think that the top reason is because of its gross ingredients, it actually isn’t. I mean, of course, I’d never buy it for those reasons, but even growing up I rarely drank it because I think it’s gross. And at the end of the day, taste does matter.

While at Expo West 2017, I scouted out many different products so that I could put together this post around 5 Gatorade alternatives for those of you who are looking for one.

In addition to many recommendations, I have a huge list of reasons why, as an athlete/endurance runner, you do in fact need something other than just plain water. I worked with Nuun‘s chief nutritionist and endurance runner, Vishal, on this post. But please make note that this post was not sponsored. I am in no way, shape, or form being paid for it so, beyond the nutrition facts, it is 100% my opinion.

5 Gatorade Alternatives

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12 Facts (and Other Information) Relating to Endurance Hydration Needs

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5 Gatorade Alternatives www.sarahkayhoffman.com #hydration #healthyliving #runner #fitness 12 Facts Endurance Training

  1. During endurance exercise, your stomach will naturally be exposed to stress. Proper hydration (with the right mix of carbs and electrolytes) will mitigate the stress put on the stomach by delivering fluid to working muscles.
  2. The goal for endurance hydration is to get oxygen to working muscles, water helps transport oxygen to muscles faster. The right carb/electrolyte mix will help water transport oxygen much faster. 
  3. It a myth that you do not need to hydrate or fuel the first hour of a long run or workout. Your intestines (which will absorb the nutrients you consume) will be under the least amount of stress during the beginning portions of a run. Therefore, drinking early and often will allow you to maximize absorption of those nutrients.
  4. Carbohydrates play a critical role in both hydration and fueling. Carbohydrates via hydration help absorb fluid and electrolytes. Carbohydrate via food will help give you the energy you’ll need for the run.
  5. The grams of carbohydrates that are in your sports drink should NOT count for the carbohydrate needs for fueling. 
  6. Osmolality (how concentrated the solution is) of the solution plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of the sports drink during the stresses of endurance exercise. Research has shown that sports drinks with an Osmolality slightly lower than what is found in your blood will allow you to maximize gastric emptying (how much substrate is actually absorbed) rate.
  7. For hydration, aim to consume 16-24 fl oz per hour or per sweat rate.
  8. Hydration for runners varies greatly for the duration and intensity of the workout or race. For runs less than 90 minutes, all your body needs are water and electrolytes. Additional carbohydrates are not required, as the body is not under the stresses of endurance exercise where it needs an accelerator (carbohydrate) for absorption. 
  9. Certain environmental conditions, such as high heat, humidity, and/or altitude will require a bit higher consumption of fluids during the run.
  10. Going into the run properly hydrated, or started in the euhydrated state will ensure a piece of mind that you’ve done everything you need maximize the role of hydration during exercise.
  11. An optimal sports drink for endurance runners will contain a clean, pure multiple sources of carbohydrates (no more than 3.5 grams per 100ml), and all five electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, and Chloride). 
  12. Using more pure sources of carbohydrates will allow the body to absorb and utilize them much more efficiently. 

With all of that in mind, here you go….

5 Gatorade Alternatives

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5 Gatorade Alternatives www.sarahkayhoffman.com #hydration #healthyliving #runner #fitness

  1. Nuun Active. I have currently been using Nuun Active for longer runs, even though it contains Stevia (this is the only Stevia in my diet and because it’s just a minuscule amount, has not caused my Perioral Dermatitis to flare). This is what I carried along with me for the Livermore Half. It was the first time I have ever carried a beverage during a race, and I will never go without again (shown here in my Salomon Soft Flask).  5 Gatorade Alternatives sarahkayhoffman.com Livermore California Half Marathon Hydration
  2. DRINKMaple. With just one ingredient (organic maple water), there are 46 nutrients that contain naturally occurring polyphenols, antioxidants, prebiotics, minerals and electrolytes. I didn’t drink this while racing, but instead immediately upon finishing the race.DRINKmaple – Animation from hyperbolous on Vimeo.
    As an added bonus, my kids absolutely love it. Samarah calls it, “Mommy’s special water,” and she’s always sneaking in the pantry to grab a bottle. 
  3. Nuun Performance. This product was just released (like this week), but I got a behind-the-scenes taste of it at Expo. I am most excited for it because this one contains no Stevia. It is designed for activities 90 minutes or longer or high intense shorter activities. It contains a blend of highly bioavailable electrolytes, including potassium chloride needed during sustained exercise, and has the ideal sources and ratios of electrolytes and sugars to maximize fluid and nutrient absorption and muscle function.
  4. Coconut Water. In certain emergency situations, coconut water has been used for IV hydration due to its high electrolyte content and the fact that it is sterile if used directly from the inside of the coconut. People all over the world enjoy coconut water for its multiple benefits and sweet taste source) Some of my favorite coconut water brands include Rebel Kitchen (keep an eye out, this one should be launched soon as I had it at Expo West 2017), CoCo Libre Organic Coconut Water, and Purity Organic Coconut Water.
  5. Low-Fat Chocolate Milk. Like quarter to never will I recommend anything be “low-fat,” but studies show that this could be a Gatorade replacement. With its balance of electrolytes, protein, carbohydrates and fat, chocolate milk enhances the body’s ability to recover after physical activity (source). Keep it organic, and grab THIS new one from Organic Valley.

Some may have just read through these 5 Gatorade alternatives and are thinking 2 main things:

  1. But what about plain water?
  2. Why doesn’t she recommend just making your own?

DRINKMaple 5 Gatorade Alternatives sarahkayhoffman.com

So here are my answers.

  1. If you are working out intensely or 60-75+ minutes in total, then you need something more than plain water provides. These days I’m all about drinking plain water as often as possible (I learned some hard lessons about not drinking enough a few months back), but drinking water and other beverages for health vs. endurance/athletic training are not the same things. That said, there is this cool new company called OXiGEN that I discovered at Expo West that has something more than water, but less than Gatorade and contains 100x the oxygen of regular water, (and the OXiGEN shot has 5x that amount). I tried it, and loved the effects, but was it placebo? The jury is still out for me.
  2. I, of course, always am an advocate for making your own whenever and however you can. In fact, if you want to, here are some great links to do so: Organic Sports Drinks, Three Recipes for Fast Recovery, and Natural Electrolyte Sports Drink Recipe. But look, the reality is that for me personally, I just want my electrolyte and recovery drinks to be made by the professionals. It’s kind of super important. Yes?!

But also, time….I make our nut butters, not the sports drinks:)

What is your favorite Gatorade alternative?

Xox,
SKH

5 Gatorade Alternatives sarahkayhoffman.com 5 Gatorade Alternatives sarahkayhoffman.com 12 Facts (and Other Information) Relating to Endurance Hydration Needs

Running is a Metaphor for Life

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Every single time I run, I learn something new about myself or about life in general. Running is a metaphor for life, and I believe deep down that that’s what keeps me going, tells me I’m never going to stop.

Shortly after the I finished the Livermore Half Marathon yesterday, I posted this on Instagram,

One run can change your day, many runs can change your life.

Running is a Metaphor for Life sarahkayhoffman.com Livermore Half Marathon

For a few weeks now, I have been battling an ankle/calf injury. I decided last week to give in and not run (or really do much of anything) for an entire week with the hopes of at least making it to the finish line. Between that and the extra help of KT Tape (p.s. I totally need some hot pink KT Tape now, too!), compressions socks that a friend borrowed me, and a wrap around my ankle, my ankle/calf held up just fine. 

I did get mild cramps (I’ve talked about how running – on certain days – induces these for me HERE) around mile 2-3, but luckily when I slowed down and breathed for awhile, they went away and never fully developed.

Ironically, the two things I was most worried about were ultimately not what held me back from the PR that I was (and always am) shooting for. Around mile 5-6, my quads started burning badly. It started before 2 miles of awful hills (miles 7-9) and by that time (mile 9-10-ish) they just felt almost numb so somehow my body went on autopilot. But because they were so tight, sore and achy, I had to stop – FOUR times to be exact – for a super short time, so that I could “squeeze” them with my fingers to work some of it out. 

Yes, yes of course it helped. But I had to stop FOUR times. My heart hurt a little as I crossed the finished line, and saw the time because it truly wasn’t that far off my PR (Nike Women’s in San Francisco, 2009: 1:48:30). (And for the record, I was like 26 when I did that with no children, no injuries, perfect training, and had a major Nike support system leading up to it.) If I didn’t have to stop, I would have PR’d, barely, but still would have. Here were my final results from yesterday.

Running is a Metaphor for Life Livermore California Half Marathon sarahkayhoffman.com

When you run long distance, you learn something very quickly….there is a lot of time to think. I told a friend I’d think about the impact of running on health while out there on Sunday. Honestly? It was the first race where I feel my mind didn’t really want to think and overthink, but instead just be right there, with my breath, and the strides, for the moments.

Running is a Metaphor for Life sarahkayhoffman.com Momentum Jewelry Livermore Half

But after, I returned to my thoughts, and they all came down to the fact that running is a metaphor for life.

5 Ways Running is a Metaphor for Life

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5 Ways Running is a Metaphor for Life sarahkayhoffman.com

  1. The battle is with yourself. I love this quote, “Running is nothing more than a series of arguments between the part of your brain that wants to stop and the part that wants to keep going.” (unknown) Because it’s true. Do I think running is competitive? Of course! But I think the real battle is deep within. When your body hurts or you’re not sure how you can crank out one more mile, the only person you compete with is yourself. I love what Kara Goucher says about the inner voice, “My inner voice has always been a struggle for me. If I don’t work on it, it will be quite self-defeating.” These voices and this battle show up in life daily.
  2. Pain vs. pain. There are two kinds of pain. One that means don’t go anymore or you’ll get hurt. The other means this is hard, really hard. We experience the same types of pain in life, and it’s so important to know the difference and to make decisions based on the type of pain. 
  3. There will always be someone faster and slower than you. And in life, there will always be someone smarter, more successful, taller, thinner, funnier, prettier, etc., etc. than you. But their circumstances, both in running and life, are also different. They don’t share your same journey. And this then wraps back to number 1 – the battle is with yourself.
  4. Every day is not a PR. Do I always go into a race hoping to PR? Yes, of course. But with running, just as in life, not every day is a PR. And in fact, it should not be because if it was, all those PR days would be meaningless. If every race, and every day, was a high, that’s all we’d ever know, and it would no longer be extra special. 
  5. It’s about training, not the race. I kept on seeing all these signs on the course, “You’re almost there. Get to the finish line so you can be done.” But in running, and in life, there isn’t really ever a finish line. If I didn’t view running as a journey to the next race, I’d never enjoy the running process. Setting a race goal is absolutely important, but just like in life, once we hit that goal, we don’t just stop what we’re doing altogether. Instead, we arrive in those moments, and then keep moving forward to the next.  
5 Ways Running is a Metaphor for Life via @SarahKayHoffman

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I don’t run for the abs (because I’ll **never** have them). I don’t run because it always makes me feel 100% (because it doesn’t, recovery is still fairly hard for me). I don’t run because I think it’s the best and most optimal way to overall health, vibrancy, and wellness (because it’s not – I don’t care what anyone says).

On the best of and worst of days, running is there. 

I run because running is a metaphor for life, and in my life, the emotions run wild when I wildly run.

Running is a Metaphor for Life sarahkayhoffman.com Livermore Half Samarah Isaiah

p.s. What’s next? I’m spending this week getting my body back to feeling great. Today I have a massage scheduled, and then I’ll be doing weight training, biking, and walking the rest of the week. My super-fast and talented friend Carrie is helping me move forward to the next race and suggested the week off of running (at least until the weekend when I can potentially do a few miles). I’ll spend the week building my next training schedule for the next race, The San Francisco Half Marathon (though, I do wish I were doing one in June. I had my sights set on San Diego Rock ‘n Roll, but I’m not sure that date works in our schedule). I know for sure that I don’t want to do a full marathon any longer. I really love the half marathon distance, and I believe that with the appropriate shoes, analysis of my stride, appropriate rest and recovery, and training schedule, I will PR and then PR again, and again:)

Xox,
SKH

Week 5 Bigness Project

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It was a hard week for me, but nonetheless, on Sunday I finished week 5 Bigness Project, the 14-week hybrid strength training journey I’m on.

  • Click HERE for the recap of Week 1 Bigness Project.
  • Click HERE for the recap of Week 2 Bigness Project.
  • Click HERE for the recap of Week 3 Bigness Project.
  • Click HERE for the recap of Week 4 Bigness Project.

Week 5 is the same as week 4 with regards to exercises, sets, and reps. 

And honestly, it wasn’t even the lifting that made my week so hard. In fact, most lifts, I continue to feel stronger.

Week 5 was a major struggle on the running circuit, though.

I am starting to feel like an elephant with rollerblades on when I run, and this is not to correlate elephant with “I feel fat.” The correlation is just that my legs feel heavy, and my training runs feel awkward and harder than usual.

I improved zero with respect to running this past week, except maybe a little improvement mentally because I had to.

The beginning of the week was just very average, but by Friday on through to week 6, I just felt so off. 

I don’t want to make excuses because I try my best to avoid that, but on Thursday I had to do a 12-hour SIBO breath test strict diet followed by a 15-hour complete fast. And on Saturday when I woke up for the weekly long run, my never-a-friend aunt flo came to visit. 

The SIBO test re-triggered my SIBO, and if you want to know the truth, I spent most of Saturday (yes, even along the way during my run) after the long run and all of Sunday in the bathroom. 

(enter sad, sarcastic face) It’s so awesome that I can’t even describe it to you. 

But this is a blog about doing life fearlessly while living with autoimmune + SIBO (more on all of this soon, hopefully tomorrow).

And again, I’m not making excuses. But I also know that for me, super strong runs barely ever happen unless I’m near 100%.

Week 5 Bigness Project sarahkayhoffman.com Workout Fitness

Week 5 Bigness Project

Click HERE to join along the journey via Instagram (+ I put a ton of food + my workouts on Instagram Stories, too!)

Monday: Off! Just a long walk.
Tuesday: Leg Day, Quad Dominant, followed by 3 x 1200’s paced at 7:37.
Wednesday: Chest and Back. Later that day I did 7 miles at 8:21/pace.
Thursday: Leg Day, Hamstring Dominant. 
Friday: Off!
Saturday: Long Run (13.62 miles at 8:23/mile pace). I did this run in the vicinity of where the March 26 half is at. It was hilly, and I realized that I am nowhere near in good enough shape for hills. Back to the drawing board.
Sunday: Arms and Shoulders, and then a long walk.

This week, week 6, is actually just a cut week for lifting. By “cut,” I mean, there will be no lifting (most likely). (I’ll resume week 6 either next week or right after the half, depending on how I’m feeling.)

I’m heading to Expo West on the official blogging team. 

It’s supposed to be “peak week” for my training since Saturday will mark 2 weeks until my next half marathon. My goals are to run, run, run through it all, and just work through my mental challenges. 

This is just a bump in the road, and definitely not a battle to quit. 

Week 5 Bigness Project sarahkayhoffman.com Quote Quotes Life

Xox,
SKH

Week 4 Bigness Project

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On Sunday I finished week 4 Bigness Project, the 14-week hybrid strength training journey I’m on.

  • Click HERE for the recap of Week 1 Bigness Project.
  • Click HERE for the recap of Week 2 Bigness Project.
  • Click HERE for the recap of Week 3 Bigness Project.

During week 4, many of the exercises get an added set. The notch is turned up during weeks 4-5, but I had to listen to my body.

After last week and the awful quad burning I got during my runs, I reached out to a super strong runner I know from way back in the day when I worked at a health and fitness club. She gave me three main tips, all of which I implemented immediately. They were as follows:

  1. Don’t overdue the strength training leg days so they are so burned out you can’t run.
  2. Run at least 1-2 slow miles almost every single day, just to keep them going.
  3. Slow down the long run.

Results? A much better week for the old quads! I never felt that deep burning sensation, and yet, quite honestly, not too much changed.

I kept the arms and shoulders + chest and back according to Bigness Project plan. On the leg days (both quad and hamstring dominant), I reduced the amount of sets from 5 to 2-3, depending on how much it would work the parts of my legs that were overworked (i.e. squats).

Most days I ran, but slowly. In fact, I made note that on those days I was even singing to myself. Running and singing…..ah, bliss.

And last week’s long run was significantly slower than the prior week. I ran 11 miles, pacing at 8:33/mile. 

Week 4 Bigness Project sarahkayhoffman.com Half Marathon Training

Finally, I actually started foam rolling. From my How to Build the Best Home Gym blog post, I quick ordered the PROCIRCLE Foam Roller, and it’s just lovely. We keep it in our room, so throughout the day and at night before bed, I’ll roll a little. The grooves in it really help dig into the quads (and my lower back). I highly recommend it! 

Week 4 Bigness Project

Click HERE to join along the journey via Instagram (+ I put a ton of food + my workouts on Instagram Stories, too!)

Monday: Off!


Tuesday: Leg Day, Quad Dominant, followed by 2 easy miles paced at 8:59/mile.
Wednesday: Tempo Run. A total of 5 miles with the middle 3 around 8:49/mile.
Thursday: Leg Day, Hamstring Dominant, followed by 1.5 miles slow and 6 x 400 sprints.
Friday: Arms and Shoulders.
Saturday: Long Run (11 miles at 8:33/mile pace).
Sunday: Chest and Back, followed by 2 stroller miles (with my main man Zay) paced at 8:42/mile. I actually had planned to do like 3-4 miles, but the BOB wheel was about to fall off. Such a pain, even though Isaiah thought it was funny!

I am trying yet another new thing this week to see if it will help my training even more. I’ll report back next week!

I feel like I continue to see such positive changes, both mentally and physically, and after talking to a friend this past weekend, realized that I really don’t want to be a year-round marathon training bug. I just don’t think I have it in me to be a marathoner, and that’s okay because this is my journey.

 

If I had a #Paleoish dinner party, and I was the host, this is the apron you’d see me wearing. I got it at @owlboxvintage……and I love it. Here’s why. . . . You know how you come online, to Instagram, blogs, or anywhere else and you start to think, “I wish?!” Well, I don’t. I used to. And then I woke up. . . . I’ll never have bikini washboard abs. I won’t be the perfect mother. I won’t have a clean house – like ever. I won’t be the fastest, greatest, strongest, or anything that ends with -est. Because I prefer the -ish. . . . Here’s the deal…..the journey I’m on was created a looooooong time ago through bad choices, no choices, and even unforeseen choices. I didn’t **choose** to have many of the outcomes I do today, but at the same time, I now **choose** thank GOD daily for the ones that emerged. ????????✨ . . . You must love your journey. And guess what?! When you do, and you stay in your own lane there is no traffic. ???? . . . Have a beautiful Saturday night, friends! Xox ✨ . . . #iin #paleoishmama #iamwellandgood #healthylifestyle #quotes #shareyourbliss #inspire #love #life #Saturdaynight #zen

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I do, however, kind of feel like I want to be a year-round half-marathon training bug. Doing so still allows me to do things like the Bigness Project, and gives me a sane(r) schedule. Plus, I really love the 10-mile mark!

Week 4 Bigness Project sarahkayhoffman.com Jen Sinkler Kourtney Thomas

Tell me: Do you prefer half or full marathon training? And why?!

Xox,
SKH