Running Unfiltered

I am a huge fan of biker shorts for running. If you have thicker thighs like me, you already know the struggle. Those cute, flowy running shorts? They might look great, but for me they lead to unimaginable chafing — no matter how much anti-chafe lotion I apply. After one too many painful runs, I made it my mission to find biker shorts that could actually survive long training blocks. Shorts that don’t ride up. Shorts that don’t cause chafing. Shorts that can carry you through marathon training. And most importantly — shorts that are affordable enough to buy in multiple colors without burning a hole in your wallet. If you’re part of the thicker thigh club, this list is for you. 🥇 My Top Pick: Colorfulkoala 6” Inseam Biker Shorts My number one go-to pair is the Colorfulkoala 6-inch inseam biker short . I own multiple pairs, and they are truly my favorite running shorts. They do not ride up. Not on short runs. Not on long runs. Not during speed work. They stay put! Why I love them: The 6...

The first time I intentionally started running in Zone 2, I felt like a terrible athlete. Running slow felt wrong. Embarrassing, even. After years of associating effort with progress, easing back felt like failure. But it turned out to be one of the most important shifts I’ve ever made as a runner. Why Running Slow Felt So Hard I grew up with two older brothers who were deeply into sports and performance. I was always trying to keep up with them or beat them! That competitive mindset followed me everywhere. For my high school soccer tryouts, we had to run two miles in 15 minutes or we were cut. In elementary school, we ran timed miles in gym class, and I always wanted to win. Speed was the standard. Faster was better. Effort meant success. So when I was told to slow down, really slow down, it challenged everything I thought I knew about fitness. The Mental Battle of Zone 2 Running Zone 2 running forced a complete mindset shift. Instead of chasing pace, I had to focus on heart ra...

The Boston and London Marathons are only a few weeks away! The excitement of race day can be overwhelming, and the pre-race jitters are totally normal. If you're anything like me, you’ll probably find yourself wondering,   Did I forget something?   or   What if I’m missing an important item?   To help calm those nerves, I’ve put together a comprehensive race-day checklist. This will ensure that when you step up to the starting line, you're fully prepared and ready to race! The Night Before: Get Everything Ready The night before the big race is crucial for setting yourself up for success. Trust me, there’s nothing worse than waking up to dead electronics or not having your gear organized. Here’s your checklist to follow: Charge Your Electronics: Running Watch  – Make sure it’s fully charged so you can track your race. Phone  – You’ll want it for music, emergency contacts, or to track your time. Headphones  – Don’t forget to plug those in! The last thing...

Recently, there’s been a lot of online criticism aimed at running influencers who get injured, with much of the blame being placed on the Runna app. Many influencers are sponsored by Runna, so you often see them posting workouts, racing frequently, and unfortunately, sometimes dealing with injuries. But here’s the thing: running injuries are rarely caused by a single factor  and it’s not fair to blame an app. There are countless reasons runners get injured: increasing weekly mileage too quickly, skipping strength training, inadequate fueling, poor recovery, life stress, or running every run too hard. Placing all the responsibility on an AI training app oversimplifies a much more complex issue. I know this firsthand. During my first marathon training block, I developed IT band syndrome, and I wasn’t using any AI running app at all. I got injured because I ramped up my mileage too fast, didn’t strength train and ran nearly every run at a hard pace. Ironically, since I started us...