Are you thinking about your running goals for 2026? Maybe this is the year to run farther or shave some time off that PR?

Have you fallen into any of these common scenarios that cause runners to plateau?

• Having a plan only when they have a race coming up on the calendar. 
• Setting big goals for a race or build and find yourself burnt out with working training into a busy schedule.
• Using the same training program over and over again.
• Trying to get faster or go up a race distance but find your body breaking down with the increased training load?

In the last post I shared how runners can use cycle stacking  to reach new levels in their running. If you haven’t had a chance to check that one out yet, scroll down and give it a glimpse as this all might make a little more sense as we are going to get to work on how to actually work those cycles into your calendar to set you up for your best year of running yet. 

If you’re a mom juggling your running goals with running a family, havi...

Imagine a lasagna made of just noodles...no sauce, no cheese, just noodles...layers and layers of noodles... 

This is kind of what running is like when you train for the same thing over and over again. 

Imagine what might happen if you filled in those periods of time between races with purposeful training. Training that helps you address areas of your running that could use a little work but get a little lost in the shuffle of needing to focus on certain things to be ready for a race.

Enter cycle stacking. 

Much like putting all the layers together in lasagna: noodles, sauce, cheese, meat/veggies. You end up with something so much better than if you just had a big pile of one ingredient.

Cycle stacking helps runners add variety to their training and avoid injury so they can stay consistent and improve their performance year round. It's an absolute game changer allowing them to start their race training with so much confidence. 

While this tool is helpful for all runners, it's eve...

100 miles: 26 hours, 23  minutes, and 51 seconds. 

A little over a week ago I crossed the finish line of my first 100 miler. II can do stairs normally and get up at night to go to the bathroom without dreading the first few steps, the skin on my feet is toughening up, and the fall air has me craving a run (I will likely stick with hiking the dogs a bit longer). It all still feels a little surreal and I don’t yet have the words for all of it but wanted to capture it while it’s still fresh. I have always had a love for reading other runners’ race reports, especially about trails and ultras so thought it fitting I share mine here. 

Why 100 miles? 

I’ve fielded this question a lot this year and honestly I’m still not sure. I remember sort of stumbling across this race a few years ago and it just stuck in my head. I’ve always been enchanted by stories about thru hiking on the Appalachian Trail and ultra races like Western States and The Barkley. As a family we’ve always loved being outsi...

Race day might get most of the glamour – the medal Monday pics and finish line photos with the family – but in reality it is a really small percentage of your running. 

If you want to improve your time at your next race and continue to see progress in your running long term, you need a way to train that helps you work on your weaknesses and highlights your strengths. The best way to figure this out – take a look at what you’ve been doing.

This post will walk you through how to  reflect on your last training cycle and get clear on how to use the time you have to train more effectively.

Grab a pen and paper and answer these 3 questions. (List out anything and everything that comes to mind.)

What worked?

Ex. Slowed down and fueled long runs and was able to function well all day. 

Started getting up and doing 2 runs per week in the morning-helped with consistency.

What didn't work?

Ex. Aimed for 2 strength sessions per week but usually ended up skipping the Sunday one. 

Felt a lot...

If you're finding this after finishing a race, first off congratulations! If the race went how you wanted, that’s awesome! If it didn’t quite go as planned, I hope you're still able to give yourself a pat on the back at some point. 

I know for me and I think for a lot of moms, it's so easy to get sucked right into moving onto the next thing. We often go from finishing a training run to getting kids ready for school or crossing the finish line to opening snacks. So I hope you get a minute to just sit with your race, either to celebrate your day or feel the sting of putting in the work and not getting the outcome you wanted (either one are worth celebrating). 

I want to help you use your most recent race to make the next one even better. If you are a runner who wants to continue to improve and enjoy running for years to come, it’s time to view your running like you're creating your unique guidebook for yourself. 

And your most recent race is an important chapter so let’s take 5-10 min...

You’ve Survived Toddler Tantrums but What Can You Do About Your Own Taper Tantrums? Are you a week or two out from your big event and thought the hardest parts of your training were behind you. And while you are excited for your fast approaching race you’ve also found yourself a little snappier than normal  with your people? Maybe you’re bouncing between a sudden need to rearrange your entire kitchen and wanting to rot into the couch eating costco sized bags of chips? Perhaps you’re a little freaked out because runs that on paper looked very easy have felt hard or you're starting to notice random niggles in new places?

If any of this sounds like you, you’re not alone, you’re having a taper tantrum. Don’t worry, just like you figured out what to do when you cut your 3 year old’s sandwich wrong, you can figure this out too. 

First let’s get clear on what a taper is. 

The taper is a window of time (usually 1-2 weeks) before a race where a runner decreases their training volume (mileage...

If you’re training for or thinking about signing up for your first half marathon as post kiddo, these are 5 things I learned the hard way when I tried but didn’t make it to the start line of my first half marathon as a mom. This experience led me to dig deeper and figure out how to make running work as a mom and these 5 things will help you too.

Find a Plan that Works for You Now: The biggest mistake I made was trying to use the plan I followed before having kids and being frustrated with myself when I couldn't follow it. I can still remember trying to do the sweaty sports bra dance so I could  get back into a pumping bra after cramming a 5 mile run into 45 minutes all so I could check a box on my training calendar. My hips and calves constantly felt tight and the joy of getting out for a run was replaced with feeling like I had to do it. While I was able to do this for a few weeks, it wasn't sustainable and led to me feeling burnt out and giving up on doing the race. Once I found a ...