Running Unfiltered

When I trained for my   first half marathon , my fueling strategy was simple: water. That was it. I remember hearing runners talk about taking gels during runs and honestly having no idea what they meant. I was able to run 10, 11, even 12 miles with only water, so I figured I would be fine, and technically, I was... But after every Saturday long run, my legs were completely exhausted. Heavy, sore, and slow to recover. At the time, I didn’t realize that the missing piece was  proper mid-run fueling . How I Learned the Importance of Fueling During Long Runs When I started training for my  first full marathon , I kept hearing the same advice: If you want strong legs and steady energy through 26.2 miles, you need to fuel with carbs during your runs. That’s when I finally started experimenting with running gels. Once I began taking gels during long runs, I immediately noticed the benefits: More consistent energy Stronger legs late in runs Faster recovery after long miles Fueli...

When it comes to choosing the right headphones for running, sound quality isn’t the only thing that matters. Comfort, safety, and reliability become just as important once the miles start adding up. I learned that the hard way with my AirPods, and it’s exactly why I switched to Shokz bone-conduction headphones. The Run That Changed My Mind During a 20-mile training run, I relied on my AirPods to keep me motivated and locked into my pace. Everything was fine… until mile 14. They died. No music. No rhythm. No background noise to distract me from the fatigue setting in. Anyone who has been deep into a long run knows how much music matters when things get hard. Those final six miles felt significantly longer without it. By the time I finished, I knew something had to change. My most recent marathon training block I was using my Airpods on long runs and once they died I had wired headphones in my running belt that I would use as back-up. The wired headphones kept falling out of my ...

If you follow running influencers on Instagram or TikTok, it can feel like every runner has the perfect outfit. Perfectly coordinated colors. Effortlessly styled hair. Cute matching sets that somehow survive a long run without a single visible sweat stain. (Yes, Utah girls, I’m talking about you!) And if that’s not you, it’s easy to feel like you don’t belong in the running world. But here’s the truth: your running outfit does not define your ability or your worth as a runner. This post is for anyone who has ever felt insecure about what they wear while running and why prioritizing comfort over aesthetics is completely normal. The Pressure to Look Like a “Runner” on Social Media Running social media has turned outfits into part of the performance. Influencers show up to long runs in colorful Free People sets or perfectly styled Lululemon outfits, and suddenly it feels like that’s what a real runner is supposed to look like. But here’s my reality: I sweat. A LOT . Like sweat-like-a-p...

Do you spend way too much time making the perfect Spotify playlist for races or long training runs? Same. A lot of runners build playlists based on BPM, tempo, and what science says will make you run faster. But my running playlists? They’re built on one simple rule: If I love the song, it makes the cut! My everyday running playlist is a chaotic, wildly unhinged mix of songs I never skip. Songs I sing out loud to. Songs I dance to while running down the road. Songs that turn a long run into a full-blown concert with me as the main act! On long runs, I’m not just logging miles, I’m headlining a world tour! The Secret to Staying Motivated on Long Runs (It’s Not Just Discipline) One of the most common questions I get is: “How do you stay motivated on long runs?” My answer is always the same: Music. Certain songs. Certain lyrics. Certain moments that hit exactly when you need them. Like when Hannah Montana comes on at mile 15 of a 20-mile run and belts: “Who said, who said I can’t be Su...

If you spend any time on running Instagram or TikTok, it can start to feel like everyone is constantly winning. Every race is a PR. Every training block is “the best one yet.” Every goal is crushed effortlessly, with a highlight reel to prove it. But that version of running, the one where progress is linear and success is always guaranteed, is not the reality. This is my story of why  not every race is a PR , why chasing goals can take years , and why that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong!! My First Marathon and the Goal That Felt Reasonable My first marathon was the 2022 NYC Marathon. Like most first-timers, I had two goals: Goal A:  Finish the marathon Goal B:  Finish in under 4 hours At the time, that felt reasonable to me. I was new to long-distance running, motivated, and following a weekly mileage plan I found on Pinterest. My training philosophy was simple: run as fast as I could for as long as I could ( SPOILER ALERT: this is the worst running plan ever!)...

Like a lot of people, my running journey began during COVID. When gyms shut down and routines disappeared overnight, running became my way to get outside, move my body, and feel a sense of normalcy again. At first, it was simply about exercise and fresh air, but it didn’t take long for running to turn into something bigger in my life. From Casual Miles to Race Lines I started signing up for local 5K races just for fun. To my surprise, I was winning my age group at these small, local races. That unexpected confidence pushed me to go further and sign up for a 10K. I was nervous as I had never ran more than 4 or 5 miles. I crossed the finish line in my first 10K in 51 minutes, and suddenly longer distances didn’t feel so intimidating anymore. Stepping Up to the Half Marathon With COVID still going on and I was still out there running I wanted to push myself further. One night after (after one too many wines!) I signed up for a half marathon. I was terrified as running double digits seemed...