FAQs

General Running Questions

What music do you listen to?

I never listen to music when I run outside. Only on the treadmill, and I am terrible at making playlists. I usually recruit friends to do it for me. Any takers?

How/When/Why did you start running?

Try these posts for more about how and why I fell in love with running.

What sneakers do you wear when you run?

I currently train and run long races in Mizuno Wave Inspires. They retail for about $100, but you can find them for closer to $80. I also have a pair of Brooks Racing flats, that I use for races of the 10k distance or shorter.

How often do you replace your sneakers?

I usually replace my sneakers after 300-400 miles.

Races are expensive! How can you afford to pay for so many?

I am part of a running club that pays for many of the races I run. Look into local running clubs in your area because there is no skill or speed requirement to join many clubs and there are tons of perks to belonging to one!

Where do you run?

Where I currently live, I am unable to run. I almost always drive to my parents’ house and run from there. Depending on the distance, there are many routes my dad and I like to run.

When you go out on a long run, do you run a 5 mile course a bunch of times or do you have predetermined routes?

I almost always complete long runs with my dad and we usually do an out and back run (10 miles out, 10 miles back) or a big loop that encompasses many small towns. Sometimes in the winter, our options are limited and we get stuck completing multiple loops but it is not preferred.

Does your boyfriend (now fiance) run too?

NO, but he is very active. Dan hates to run. He doesn’t see the point of it, but he is very supportive of my running addiction. He plays soccer 1-2 times per week as well as golfs, and plays racquetball with my dad.

What is your favorite race distance?

I get asked this question all the time and I really have no answer. I used to love the 5k because it is short, but these days it is probably the most difficult distance for me. I can’t say I have a favorite distance, more like favorite races because of the course or atmosphere.

When you aren’t training for any specific event, how far do you run?

Another difficult question because the answer is always changing! It depends on the weather and what I feel like doing that day. Most months of the year are filled with races of one type or another so many times my training is geared to something. If I head out for a run just because I feel like running it could be 5 or 6 miles.

Marathon/Marathon Training Questions

How long does it take you to run 20 miles??

Well, that depends on the pace, obviously, but I usually try to set aside a solid 3 hours for a run that long.

Don’t you get bored, running for that long?

For me, running is a lot of things: exhilarating, painful, inspiring, exhausting, etc. but it has never been boring.

What training plan (if any) did you follow for your first marathon?

For my first marathon, I trained with my dad and we followed an old runner’s world plan that concentrated solely on mileage. There were 3 tiers for the plan depending on how many miles you wanted to run a week and we followed the intermediate one which peaked at about 50 miles and included 5- 20 milers (although we only completed 4). It was a good plan that got us to the finish line, but I didn’t like that there was no guide to how fast/slow to run the miles. For my 2nd marathon we followed a low mileage, high intensity plan that only recommended 3 runs per week: track, tempo, and long and told you exactly what pace to run each one at. There are also pros/cons to this plan which I talk about more in depth here.

Would you recommend it to a first time marathoner?

As far as recommending a plan, it depends what your strengths and goals are. I get bored with high mileage and no speed so I probably wouldn’t follow that first plan again but for a first marathon it was a great plan and it got me to the finish line!

General Fitness Questions

What else do you do to stay in shape?

I love Pilates. I take both mat and reformer Pilates classes. I also try to strength train, spin, and take the occasional yoga class.

Have you ever considered a triathalon?

I would love to attempt a triathlon someday, but I would have to start with the sprint distance, because I am not a strong swimmer!

Diet Questions

What is your diet like?

My diet is not as clean as I would like it to be and I am constantly playing with it. I have done a bunch of different diets in the past and I was never able to stick to anything that was too extreme or strict.  What eventually worked for me, was when I put my mind to getting healthy and not losing weight. Unfortunately, running has never been enough to keep the weight off and I eventually needed to change my diet and add strength training to my routine. I try to focus on eating a lot of fruits and vegetables but I have a tremendous sweet tooth and love dessert. I also try not to eat out too much because there are so many calories in restaurant dishes.

Do you stick to a certain number of calories or just kinda go with however you’re feeling intuitively?

I don’t get caught up in counting calories because it makes me crazy. I do know I eat a lot more than my less active friends and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I also eat frequently to stay full.

I notice that when I run harder/farther, I’m obviously much hungrier, and I’m just not sure how much is enough to keep me satisfied without eating too much.  Do you have any advice on this?

I always try to fuel after (and before a run) and like to add fat/protein to stay fuller longer. I eat a lot of peanut butter or almond butter because it has both fat and protein.

Cooper Questions

What kind of dog is Cooper?

Since we rescued Cooper from a kill shelter, we don’t know exactly what kind of dog he is. We know that his mother is a lab, and we assume his father is Welsh Corgi.