For those of you new here I’m currently training for London Marathon, Boston Marathon, and yikes, I signed up for Marine Corps Marathon too! I said I never wanted to run three marathons in a training cycle ever again, but here I am, doing it again. This will likely be the last time I run three in one training cycle and this time I mean it. 

I’m approaching training this time in much the same way you would train for a relay race. I plan to give it my all at every race but I won’t be all-out racing at any one of them. Instead what I will be doing is giving my all on that day knowing that each race is only ⅓ of the overall picture. 

I’ve trained for and run multiple marathons in various ways, but this approach has been my favorite thus far and works well if I am not aiming for a fast-for-me time or a Boston qualifying time. 

When I threw my name in the hat for Boston Marathon I honestly didn’t think my time was fast enough to get me in this year. It came as a bit of a shock when I received the acceptance email. Boston is 8 days after London so recovery has been something I’ve been really focusing on.

One aspect of my recovery that I’ve been extra diligent about this cycle is making sure that I’m rehydrating as quickly as possible after my runs. The heat and humidity in Northern Virginia have felt next level this summer. My schedule has been all over the place so most of my runs have been during less than ideal temperature conditions. I’m someone who sweats more than your average man, so it’s really important for me to not dig myself in to a hole during or after a run. 

During a marathon I start hydrating in the first five miles. Based on how much I sweat, if I don’t start hydrating early and often I’m playing a game of catch up the entire race, something that hasn’t ended well in a few races.

Because of the sheer volume that I sweat, I often lose a lot of sodium and can finish a long run covered in what I call “a salty dust” – it’s basically what remains after my sweat has evaporated! Sodium is one of the electrolytes that contributes to unwanted muscle contractions – if you don’t have enough it can lead to cramping, something I’ve suffered from on long runs and during races. 

As a new runner, I didn’t realize just how important hydration on runs + during races was. I drank a lot of water once I felt thirsty, but it was already too late by the time I started hydrating + I wasn’t replacing the electrolytes I was losing. I didn’t make the connection till years after I started running between late-race muscle cramps & not being properly hydrated.

Pedialyte Sport has been my go to hydration this training cycle, it has a scientifically designed balance of sugar and sodium. I like the way Pedialyte Sport tastes but what I like even more is that it’s designed with 5 key electrolytes (Potassium, Phosphate, Chloride, Sodium & Magnesium) for fast rehydration and muscle support that quickly replenishes fluids and helps to replace the electrolytes I may be losing. Even a relatively small loss in fluid can completely change your body’s concentration of electrolytes such as sodium! In order to continue to train at this level + strength train, it’s imperative that my body is fully hydrated so I can recover and get back out there again as quickly as possible.

Their Strive for 5 hub has exclusive content from myself and others! There are 5 levels that you can unlock for a chance to win a really awesome spin bike + other cool prizes! You have from now until October 7 to visit the hub and enter. Visit PedialyteStrivefor5.com to get started!

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Before heading to South Walton I checked out the Watercolor Inn & Resort website, the place where I would be staying, to see if there was a gym or fitness center that I could use while there. Score – there was, so I packed gym clothing on top of what I was already bringing for running. Thankfully because I was traveling from a colder climate (it was snowing in Virginia when I left) I didn’t feel the need to bring anything other than shorts and a tank for my runs and a tank and leggings for the gym. I also packed a bathing suit, plus quick drying athletic apparel just in case I had time to squeeze in paddleboarding on top of everything else. 

As a marathoner I’m unfortunately accustomed to websites touting “miles of trails” and then arriving at a location and finding out that by miles of trails they mean a mile or two. More often than not the “path” that they claim is great for running is nothing more than sidewalks. When I arrived in South Walton I immediately saw the path that was mentioned on the Visit South Walton website, which was an actual path that truly went for miles – 18.5 to be exact! The path ran along Scenic Hwy 30A and went past absolutely darling towns like Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach. Not only is the path popular with runners it’s also a well liked spot to ride a bike. Next time I visit I definitely plan on renting a bike and exploring the various towns on two wheels vs just on my own two feet! 

One of the many things I appreciated about South Walton, Florida was the ease of which it was possible to log training miles. When I’m in the thick of marathon training, I often don’t want to travel because I don’t want to have to run what feels like a million little loops in order to fit in a long run. My typical long runs range in length from 16 to 22 miles, so you can imagine how fun running a one or two mile loop over and over is – read: not that fun. 

If I do have a vacation planned during marathon training I will often move my long run to the day before I leave in order to not risk the loop scenario. The issue with that is, that then I’m typically tired and sore the next day. Nothing puts a damper on the excitement of a trip like not feeling one hundred percent yourself while sitting in cramped quarters in a car or plane. 

South Walton felt like a runner’s dream. Not only did I have miles of paved paths to run on, there were also plenty of soft trails in Grayton Beach State Park. Because of the extensive trail system there was no need to move my long run or skip it all together. 

Two of the trails that I would recommend if you are trying to rack up the miles is the Grayton Beach Flatwoods Trail which was 4.5 miles or the Timpoochee Bike Trail which was 18.6 miles. The trails in South Walton were so cool that one morning after breakfast I went on a walk on the Grayton Beach Flatwoods Trail just to be able to admire the surroundings at a slower pace. 

As a self proclaimed running nerd, there are few things in life more enjoyable than running a long run and hanging out at the beach for the rest of the day. The white sand coupled with the emerald green water made Seaside an absolutely breathtaking place to hang out after being active. 

I’m someone who loves to eat and who is often RUNgry from all the miles. I loved that there were an incredible amount of options for delicious yet healthy food in South Walton. I definitely recommend Black Bear Bread Company if you like good coffee and what felt like endless pastry and bread options. I’m gluten free and was pleasantly surprised they had delicious gluten-friendly bread options!

If you are more the type who enjoys a post run drink, I loved the restaurant attached to the WaterColor Inn where I stayed at, Fish Out Of Water. When I say really liked, I mean it – one morning I went there for breakfast, another day I went there for a post gym workout Bloody Mary and lunch, later I enjoyed a delicious dinner there on my last night. I promise you won’t be disappointed if you choose to head here! Oh and did I mention the views?! Want to watch the sunset one night? Asked to be seated on their seaside outdoor patio and enjoy watching the sun paint the sky the most glorious colors over the Emerald Coast. 

I’d be remiss if I also didn’t mention one of the other restaurants I visit while down there, Surfing Deer. The food was AMAZING, the drinks were delicious and if you go at just the right time you can catch the sky turning colors through the large front windows as the sun sets. You can thank me later for this recommendation!

If you find yourself thinking, all that sounds lovely BUT I am someone who finds it hard to get motivated to be active on vacation. Here are my tips for getting moving while also enjoying resting and indulging on vacation. 

• Prepare ahead of time by researching where you are visiting to see if they have trails, a gym, etc. Having a loose game plan ahead of time will help motivate you to act on it while on vacation.
• Pack appropriate attire so you feel comfortable being active.
• Be flexible! You might be someone who wakes up early and runs, but on vacation you might want to sleep in or your family would like you to join them for breakfast. Be flexible with when you fit in your activity – it might not be at an optimal time but anytime you can fit it in is optimal in my book!
• Focus on the after feeling. The last thing you might want to do is go for a run if you stayed up late enjoying drinks at one of the many delicious restaurants or bars South Walton has to offer. This might not be the best run of your life, but moving your body is a surefire way to kick start your day and make you feel great. 
• Leave the stress behind and enjoy yourself. A vacation should be just that!! Don’t stress about your workout, fit it in when you can, have fun, maybe try something new, or just generally be happy about whatever ends up happening. While yes you may be training for something and feel the need to fit in a long run or what not, the truth is at the end of the day, missing a week of training isn’t the end of the world and who knows maybe the extra rest and relaxation will benefit you in the long run, pun intended!

Questions about South Walton or how to train while on vacation?! Send me a DM on instagram!

The post Staying Active On Vacation: South Walton, Florida appeared first on Dorothy Beal.

One of the main questions I continually get DM’s about on instagram is what the best running shoes are. My response is always the same – there is no ONE best running shoe! The best running shoe is the shoe that works best for your unique body. What works for me might not work for you and what works for you might not work for me. 

On top of that – depending on the day or type of run you might want to wear different shoes. The shoes I like to run in for long runs aren’t always the same shoes that I want to run in for an easy 5 miler. 

So how do you find the perfect shoe for you if someone can’t just give you a blanket answer?

First, most brands will have the type of shoe you need, so once you figure out the type of shoe you need you can then find what shoes in that category might work for you. 

If you want to give ASICS a try, a brand I’ve been running in since 2000, they have a SHOE FINDER on their website! The only caveat is that it’s helpful to know if you need a stability or neutral shoe. 

First the SHOE FINDER asks your gender, so it knows what shoe you would prefer, men or women’s. If you are a woman who prefers men’s shoes click men’s or vice versa if you are a man who prefers to run in women’s shoes for fit or color reasons, etc. 

It then asks you what terrain you plan to run on – trail or roads. Trail shoes are different than road running shoes. Pick whichever place you plan to run on more. I occasionally run on trails but more often than not wear my regular running shoes for those runs. Trail shoes are not going to be comfortable in the long run if you primarily run on the roads or a paved trail like I do. 

It next moves on to what your typical weekly mileage is. This is important because “Beginning runners and runners logging long distances may want extra cushioning to provide comfort and protect joints. Paired with your specific goal, distance can inform which materials and technologies will suit your needs.” That being said you might like extra cushioning even if you are an experienced runner who runs a fair amount of mileage each week. You can explore that later, but for now just stick with what you typically run weekly and let the calculator do its job!

Want to give ASICS a try? I have an awesome giveaway over on my instagram page today to enter to win a pair of ASICS running shoes of your choice! 

Your running goal is up next – further or faster? Many of us will say but wait – I want both. I hear you – I too want both! My suggestion would be to pick faster if you are looking for shoes to wear during speed workouts, to possibly race in, or if you plan on running shorter distances. Pick further if you are increasing your mileage on singular runs or your weekly mileage or if you are training for a long distance event such as the marathon distance. Again this is an option you can go back in and play around with later if you want to see what options the SHOE FINDER will give you if you change this variable. 

Lastly you chose the level of cushioning you prefer – regular, extra or maximum. 

It’s that easy! The SHOE FINDER then gives you recommendations based on those choices!! 

The post ASICS Shoe Finder: Finding the Right Running Shoe for Your Unique Body! appeared first on Dorothy Beal.

I frequently get asked what my favorites are, so in an effort to cut down on the mess that is my instagram DM’s I’m going to put my favorites in to a series of blog posts so I can send them over to you whenever you ask!

First up are my favorite black shorts. I’ve been running races for the past 20 years and blogging for 11 so you could argue that I’ve tried a pair of shorts or two! I HATE wasting money on gear (…I actually just hate wasting money in general) so these are my TOP favorites because I’d hate for you to waste money on gear too!

Keep in mind that shorts are truly a personal preference. What I love, you might not and visa versa. If I had to pick 6 pairs of shorts to keep and toss all my others, these would be the ones I’d wear on repeat.

MALO PR Shorts: These are my go to tight black shorts. I have a bunch of them in the prints as well and have worn the printed ones in multiple different marathons. According to their size chart I should be a smaller size than I purchased but when picking out shorts I have to consider the size of my waist compared to my thighs, which are much thicker in relation. I often struggle to find jeans that fit because if they fit my thighs, they gape in the waist. If your body is like mine then you might want to consider sizing up. I have noticed that the solid colors of these shorts feel tighter than the prints – just as an FYI. I’ve had some runners tell me that the legs roll on them – they don’t roll on me – that’s usually a result of not having the correct size for your body type – though sometimes tight shorts just roll up in general. If you want a longer version I have the MALO Little Bit Longer Shorts and like those as well. They are also super cute as a lifestyle piece worn with a big comfy sweatshirt!

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Athleta Hustle 3″ Shorts:

If you are looking for looser black running shorts with liners these ones from Athleta are one of my favorites. I find I chafe less in shorts that are shorter so that’s why the majority of my favorite black shorts are shorter. When a short has a longer inseam there is more fabric that can bunch between my thighs vs using some type of glide with a shorter short. The fabric on these shorts is really soft and dries quickly.

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ASICS Road 3.5″ Shorts:

Another one of my favorite looser black shorts with a liner are these ones from ASICS. I often struggle to find looser running shorts that fit comfortably because they don’t stretch like tight shorts. When I get a size large enough to fit my thighs then they are swimming in my waist, that’s not the case with these shorts from ASICS – they fit perfectly. There is a draw string in these shorts so you can get them over your hips and then make them tighter in the waist. The back of the shorts is slightly longer than the front, which is barely enough to notice while looking at them, but makes a big difference in coverage while running. Wore these for LA Marathon this past March and like them so much that I just ordered another black pair the other day.

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Lululemon Hotty Hot Short II 2.5″:

In comparison to the Athleta and ASICS shorts these ones from Lululemon are lower rise (though in this picture they don’t look that way!). They sit more on my hips than the other two and while you can pull them up a bit they are still low. That being said I like having different styles of looser black shorts with liners. I gravitate towards these shorts more in the summer than in the winter months because I like tucking in a tank top in the winter to keep my stomach warm and there really isn’t much to tuck in to in these shorts. I wore them for Berlin Marathon and loved them + did not chafe at all (I always use glide though because I’m just someone who chafes in general).

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Rabbit catch me if you can 2.5″:

Another favorite that I’ve worn during multipe marathons, including Boston Marathon are these black ones from Rabbit. They are tiny in comparison to the other shorts I’ve mentioned – so I gravitate towards them when I’m feeling fit. They are the type of short that makes you forget you are even wearing shorts. I like that the back pocket is 100 percent functional – I’ve stuffed gels in there and had no issue with them bouncing while trying to run fast-for-me.

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Day Won Biker Star Short 5″:

I love love love Day Won for their size inclusivity. They go from a size 0 to a size 32 in this short. When I first pulled the shorts out of the bag I wasn’t sure they were going to fit because they looked really small, but they fit perfectly. The fabric is a bit thicker than my other tight black shorts and offers more compression, so even though they may look smaller than you actually need, they fit perfectly (they suggest sizing up if you want a looser fit). The rise is higher which is nice on days you want more support. There is also small pocket which is great for holding a gel and an ID or something similar.

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I haven’t used the “d” word because I just don’t like it. I don’t want to be someone who is getting divorced. No one walks down the aisle (I didn’t walk down an aisle which in hindsight makes me laugh a little) thinking that their marriage is going to end. If you thought it was going to end, why would you even let it begin. Yeah, yeah the better to have loved and lost thing, and yeah I get that but I’m also a bit bitter and jaded and all that jazz, so maybe better to have not loved and not lost is sort of how I feel right now.

So yes, I’m getting divorced but I’d like that to not define who I am as a person. I’d like to just be me going forward, only this me doesn’t have rules I never signed up for. This me doesn’t have to fake smiling on the outside when I’m not smiling on the inside. This me says, yeah I cried on my run today and I had a hard time breathing because it felt like a full on panic attack.

I could say oh yeah I’m fine every time someone asks me are you okay, but sometimes I’m not fine. I think it’s okay to both be OK and NOT OK at the same time. In this season of life I’m giving myself grace and letting myself feel the emotions that bubble up rather than stuff them down.

I spent a good portion of yesterday crying, which sucks because I had my kids and I don’t like crying around them, but for the most part I shut my bedroom door and just let myself cry and then would pull myself right back together again and return to mom life. Today that feels silly. Today crying is laughable, well other than when I ran in to a friend at Target and started crying while talking to her BUT my point is that I don’t feel the need to fake it anymore. I’m going to cry and that’s okay. I’m going to feel on top of the world and that too is okay. I’m going to do things that people tell me not to do or advise against and that is also ok, because this is MY life now and I don’t have to live it for anyone other than myself and my kids.

So yes, I’m okay….thanks for checking on me. Welcome to the real me.

The post Are you OK? appeared first on Dorothy Beal.

Sponsored by Zappos

If you have followed me for any period of time you know I’m always talking about the benefits of rotating running shoes. Either rotating between different shoes from the same brand or what I prefer, rotating running shoes between different brands. There are a multitude of benefits in my opinion to doing this, one of which is injury prevention.

Today however I’m going to talk about having a go-to brand in your running shoe rotation.

I like to think of your go-to running shoe brand as an old friend.

“Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver the other is gold“

Yes, I like to try new shoes to see what’s out there but on runs where I don’t want to experiment, my shoe of choice is a reliable go-to that reminds me of past good runs. When I put this shoe on I know that if I have any issues on the run that day, it wasn’t the shoes. Saucony has been one of these brands for me since I first became a runner 20 years ago.

The Ride is one of my favorite go-to neutral running shoes. In August I first tried the new update to the Ride, the Saucony Ride 13.

I was a fan of the update and have continued to run in the shoe weekly. It was time for a new pair so I ordered a different color from Zappos.

Unless I am absolutely head over heels in love with a color way, I try to never buy the same color way twice in a pair of shoes. I want the mental association that comes with a new to me colorway being a fresh start.

Zappos has all four colorways of the Saucony Ride 13. I went with the Coral/Alloy color way this summer and decided to go with the Alloy/Black color for fall/winter!!

I wear a 8 in regular shoes and am typically an 8.5 or a 9 in running shoes. I went with an 8.5, my typical size in Saucony shoes, and they fit perfectly. I’m a neutral runner who rolls a bit to the outside (supinate) so I always run in neutral shoes. 

Tip: when trying to find the perfect fit for a pair of running shoes. You can use socks to make them fit better. If the shoes are a tad big, wear thicker socks, if they are just right as is, wear thinner socks.

What I love most about this shoe:

Straight out of the box comfort – there was zero “break in” time for me.

The shoe laces – this might sound silly, but anyone who has had their shoelaces come untied during a race knows that shoe laces matter. The laces are puffy and round so they don’t come undone at all.

The tongue is attached – I can’t stand it when the tongue of a shoe moves all around and slides down to one side of the shoe. The way the Saucony Ride 13 is designed it feels like the shoe is wrapped around your foot – almost as if it’s just an extension of your foot.

Comfort mile after mile – because I am able to try a lot of shoes I’m sensitive to notice when a shoe starts to feel not so great after a while. This shoe literally feels great on mile 1 and on mile 300. I like it so much that after I’m finished using it for running, I wash them and then wear them as everyday shoes.

As someone who is currently limiting my contact with other people because of the pandemic, I love shopping at Zappos. I’m a Zappos rewards member so not only do I get free expedited shipping, I also earn rewards on each purchase. Most of my recent orders have arrived within a day or two! I also really like their return policy. I get 365 days to decide if I want to keep an item or return it. I rave about Zappos for a good reason – I’ve literally never had anyone tell me that they didn’t enjoy their experience ordering from them!

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Running alone means I have a lot of time to think and overthink.

When my youngest, Colton, was in preschool I had roughly 2 hours and 45 minutes to run and do anything else I needed to get accomplished without him in tow. My runs didn’t feel all that enjoyable because when I was running I was calculating how much time I could cut from the run if I ran faster or how many miles I could squeeze in if I just ran some of my errands with him.

My to-do list would consume the majority of my thoughts on the runs. Sure almost 3 hours sounds like a lot of time but any parent can tell you that window of time can fly by in an instant.

My runs didn’t feel all that enjoyable and instead felt like something else I had to check off on my to-do list. One day I decided that I needed to take back that time and make the run truly an escape. I quit thinking about my to-do list. It took practice, in much the same way that it takes practice to bring your thoughts back to your center when you are meditating, but once I got the hang of it, it made every run that much better. Once I felt I mostly had mastered that, I started adding on things I wasn’t allowed to think about during the run. Essentially I attempted to leave any stressors at home and used the run as an escape in order to recharge.

Colton is in 4th grade now and I still don’t allow myself to run through my to-do list while running. I don’t think about who I need to email back or that project I’m late on, I don’t run through what I need to get at the grocery store or how much laundry is piling up. I literally leave my worries at home and allow myself to enjoy the run.

Yes there are days I’ll find myself running on rage or getting upset about things outside of my control, but for the most part I try to keep the run as my escape. 10/10 recommend.

The post The Sweetest Escape appeared first on Dorothy Beal.

The elite edition of the London Marathon 2020 is this Sunday, October 4th. London was going to be my last major marathon finish I needed in order to earn the Abbott World Marathon Majors 6 Star Medal. When London was postponed this spring I was initially disappointed. I trained hard all winter for what was hopefully going to be one of my faster for me marathons and while I was able to swerve when Tokyo was canceled and run something else, I had hoped to better my time at London. That being said London being postponed was a blessing in disguise, I honestly wasn’t ready for my six star journey, as they call it, to be over.

I was sad about London being over before it even began. This is something I continuously struggle with…I know that almost everything ends and that it’s just a normal part of life, but I sometimes have a hard time being fully present in a moment because I know it’s already a memory on some level. If the memories will keep happening, then it’s not a big deal, but when it’s something that may never happen again, I feel a bit sad before it’s even happened and certainly long before it’s over.

I’ll never forget the first time I went to Kona to watch the Ironman World Championships, it was my first time visiting Hawaii and for someone who loves watching endurance sports, it was Hawaii on a whole other – better – crazier – more intense – level. Lost in thought one afternoon a friend asked me what I was thinking about. When I said oh I don’t know, just in my own world I guess, he responded, you are already sad this is over, aren’t you?? I had literally never shared that, that I have this weird? quirk so I was taken aback. Yeah I was sad, I was in paradise and I was already sad it was over, even though it wasn’t close to being over. He told me that it was only the last time I would spectate that race if I wanted it to be the last time, that if I wanted to go back I would find a way to make it happen…and I did, two more times.

The more I like something or enjoy something the more I’m preemptively sad it has ended. The thing is I know logically that endings make room for beginnings and not going on the same life adventure repeatedly makes room for different, often better, adventures.

I’ve run Marine Corps Marathon 11 times, but up until I ran The Great Wall Marathon I don’t think I fully realized that yeah it’s fun to run the same thing over and over, there is a sense of comfort there, but there is also something exciting and fun and truly much needed when you try something new and step outside of your comfort zone (even if that something new involves a hell of a lot of steps of varying sizes, that you don’t totally feel prepared for).

I signed up for the virtual London experience thinking I would run 1 mile every hour for 24 hours with a couple of hours being more than 1 mile. I was honestly really excited about it and then you know, plans changed (in a good way, but not one I’m ready to explain)…

The crazy person inside of me keeps telling myself to bust out a marathon. Drive to the end of the trail in the dark, park and just jog for hours, walking when needed and finish 26.2 all at once. I know I could do that…which yes I am grateful to have a body that can handle my nonsense, but I also don’t feel like that’s very smart when I’m under an abnormal amount of stress right now + I don’t have time to lay around and recover from what that will do to my body.

So I’m choosing not to do the 24 hour thing, choosing not to be a moron and run 26.2 miles off no training and I’m choosing to not dwell on it or care. I have exactly a year to get myself together so that at the finish line of London, I’m not sad it’s already over, I’m just fully present in the moment with my friends (and medals!!!) and ready to drink lots of whiskey + dance the night away.

p.s. Don’t @ me and tell me London 2021 might not happen either, I’m a bright side person and I’m choosing to hold on to this dream 🙂

The post Make Plans, God Laughs appeared first on Dorothy Beal.

I was part of their beta tester group and couldn’t wait till it launched so I could talk about it. Why do secrets feel the worst – lol!?!

The InnerAge 2.0 test tests 14 biomarkers that determine your biological age as compared to your chronological age. I’m not sure what age I was expecting it to come back at but I’m highly competitive with myself so when it came back with 35 I felt let down – I REALLY wanted it to be lower. After consulting with InsideTracker, it turns out that anything under your chronological age is really great. Most participants of the beta group were actually older biologically than chronologically, which made me feel a bit better about my 35!

I have 6 biomarkers that are raising my InnerAge and 8 that are lowering it.

If you are wondering what exactly a biomarker is, you aren’t alone. When I posted a Dear Dorothy on my instagram page the other day that was the most asked question about InsideTracker. If you CLICK HERE it links to a FREE e-book that explains everything you need to know about biomarkers.

My iron and ferritin levels (my ferritin is currently 30 ugh) have consistently not been where they should be so it was no surprise that my TIBC (total iron binding capability) is adding to my InnerAge. I’ll continue to try to figure out that piece of my “health puzzle” as simply supplementing didn’t work for me.

The other 5 that are raising my age I had no clue what they were or how to improve them, thankfully InsideTracker takes the work out of figuring out how to improve biomarkers. On the right hand side of the screen in your individual dashboard there is a link you can click that tells you how to improve each individual biomarker.

The biomarker lowering my InnerAge the most is one I’m excited about (yes I’m a nerd), my LDL. My LDL was high in January when I took an Ultimate Test and honestly it made me mad – lol. I consider myself a mostly healthy person, so to have a cholesterol level that was in the high zone made me feel terrible. I have this thing about wanting to live for a really long time. My best friend from 2nd grade often laughs at me and is like but yeah who actually wants to live to be 100, you would be so old, and I’m like ummm yeah me, I do. My great grandmother lived to be 100 and got to meet Chloe when I was pregnant with Miles. We have a photo of 5 generations all standing together and I think it’s the coolest thing ever. My grandfather passed away last year at the age of 90 and my grandmother just turned 90 this month! She still does yoga, goes for walks, and is generally an active person. I want to be like her!!! It’s literally a life goal of mine to live a very long life!

After testing in the high LDL range I followed some of the InsideTracker recommendations and have since then lowered my LDL significantly! So yay to being younger on the inside than I actually am and yay to being competitive with myself and making it a goal to lower that number on my next test!

If you want to try InsideTracker for yourself (they are a partner) you can use code: mileposts 

The code gets you 20% off the Ultimate or Vitality tests and for a limited time the InnerAge add on is complimentary if you use my code! (I don’t see who uses it and I don’t get anything from it, if you are the type of person who is worried about that!)

Questions? Send me a DM on instagram!

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Sponsored by Zappos

Let’s talk about Brooks!! One of my very first jobs in the running industry was selling running shoes. The store I worked at is where I first fell in love with running and started to consider myself not just a girl who ran but a runner! 

One of my go-to shoes during that time was the Brooks Glycerin. Shortly after I graduated from college there was an opening for a local field marketing representative for Brooks. After applying for the job twice, I eventually got the job (a lesson in not giving up!!) and I have loved the brand ever since. It’s been 15 or so years since I worked for Brooks but I’ve continued to keep their shoes in my running shoe rotation, specifically the Glycerin. 

I ordered the Brooks Glycerin 18 from Zappos on Friday afternoon and by Saturday morning they had already shipped! Patience is a virtue I joke, that I was not born with, so I’m a huge fan of how easy it is to order from Zappos and how quickly whatever I order arrives!

I’m a Zappos VIP (FREE to join) which is why I often purchase shoes from them. One of the perks of being a VIP is that when you return an item you don’t have to wait for it to make its way back to Zappos before they credit your payment method back. This makes for no-stress, easy returns!

The Brooks Glycerin 18 is a solid neutral shoe with a 10mm offset. I’m a neutral runner who rolls a bit to the outside (supinate) so I always run in neutral shoes. Brooks states on their website that in this version of the Glycerin there is a “reconfigured midsole allows more DNA LOFT cushioning underfoot for extreme plushness.” I completely agree with their description of how the shoe feels. It literally feels like I’m running on clouds while also not feeling so soft that it feels unstable. 

I mention this all the time but I’m going to repeat it again – one of the main ways that I’ve managed to stay injury free for the past 20 years has been rotating my running shoes. You can rotate your running shoes one of three ways, between different shoes from the same brand or different shoes from different brands, or a combination of different shoes from the same brand plus different shoes from other brands. 

One of the main complaints I hear about this practice is that not everyone can afford to have a zillion pairs of running shoes, which I definitely can appreciate. If you can budget the money in advance, rotating between two pairs of shoes can actually extend the life of each pair of running shoes by giving the shoes a “break” between runs. 

Running shoes typically last between 300 – 500 miles. You will hear about runners who can get higher mileage on a pair or those who start to feel niggles at 250. In my experience as someone who has been running races for 20 years you absolutely get more mileage out of any one running shoe if you aren’t wearing that shoe every single day. Buying two pairs at once can often help you save money in the long run if your shoes last longer. 

It’s also always good to keep in mind that running shoes should be primarily kept for just running, not only is this a great mental practice to get in to so that when you put on your running shoes your body knows it’s time to run, but also because a mile walking around the grocery store is the same as running a mile. If you want to cut down on cost, wear other shoes when walking around and save your running shoes for running. 

Brooks has always been a brand that I’ve felt feels great straight out of the box. There is zero break in time for me, so instead of running a couple of shorter runs in them to get used to them, I can jump right in to whatever mileage I have planned for that day!

I’m wearing the Greenlight 7” Short Tight in these photos and LOVE them! I’m always on the hunt for good black running shorts and while these are longer than what I typically wear I am a big fan of these shorts. The side pocket is perfect for holding gels and the pocket is even big enough that it holds my phone while running! I have last years version of these in capris and have loved the mesh paneling on the side.

Zappos has 11 colorways of the Glycerin 18. The colorway I have is the Black/Blackened Pearl/Latte color way. I’ve been a fan of black running shoes since Des Linden wore all black Brooks running shoes when she won the Boston Marathon!

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