5 thoughts that keep me going during speedwork.

I have trained harder for this upcoming marathon (it is in June) than I have ever trained for a marathon and it is because of these girls:

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There is no way I would have gotten up to run at 5:30 this morning without them.  

Our workout for today was 3 x 2 miles fast.  I forgot my garmin this morning (I was kicking myself for forgetting it on a SPEED DAY… ) so I knew I had to keep up with them in order to know my splits (my main motivation today;)

12 miles total average pace 7:21

3 mile warm-up and 1/2 mile recovery after each set (2nd recovery longer because we really needed some water).

**1st set of two miles = 6:15 average pace

**2nd set= 6:12

**3rd set= 6:20  (huge hill so effort was about the same).

cool-down and a semi fast finish (we are attempting to finish our hard workouts fast so that our legs think that is just normal to always finish fast during a race)

PS don’t be jealous of my awesome fashion, I had to roll my compression socks down because I was so hot (57 degrees when we started! I am used to 30)

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The 5 things I thought about that made me keep going when I wanted to stop:

1.  “I’m just doing one set” (or I tell myself during the second one I am just doing two).  I trick myself into thinking I am just going to finish the one I am on and then be done… that helps me to get through the one I am on and then by the time I finish the recovery jog I am ready to go on and do the next one.  

2.  Your brain is just TELLING you that you are tired.  Your legs aren’t actually going to fall off, your silly brain just thinks that they are.  

3.  Doing this workout and staying strong today will make race day feel so much better.  Pain now = a little less pain on June 14th.

4.  I am pretty sure that Eminem made his song, ‘Till I collapse specifically for my speed work sessions.  Thank you Eminem, I really appreciate you because your song gets me through some tough runs.  My favorite part of the song:

“Find that inner strength, get that motivation to not give up and not be a quitter.”

5.  Easy day tomorrow, easy day tomorrow, easy day tomorrow (repeated 400).  My easy days are my rewards for really working hard (even though I secretly kind of love the hard workouts too).  

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A fried chicken sandwich last night somehow did not kill me off today.  It was delicious and after the last few weeks of giardia I needed a calorie dense meal.  

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Brooke is on a ‘I have to have my hands 100% clean 100% of the time’ thing right now.  She just holds her little hands out for me or my mom to come clean at least 20 times in one meal.

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And random—>  my right arm is chaffed raw after today?  I guess I am used to running in jackets or something because my arm feels like it has been completely rubbed off from my tank top.  

Have an incredible TUESDAY!

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What thoughts (or songs) get you through a tough workout?

Chaffing… do you get this?  Where is your most common chaffing spot?

Who has an April birthday?  What day?

Last thing you ate?

-a mini bowl of cheerios before my run… time for 2nd breakfast.

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96 comments

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My son was like that too, didn’t like them to get dirty. Now I have to remind him to wash them all the time.
calling on God gives me more strength to finish something hard. Music can get in the way sometimes.
I chafe on my thighs really bad and this pays half marathon I was just ending my period and forgot to take my panty liner off before the start and forgot it was even there but when I got in the shower after my race goodness gracious that was the worst chafing of my life!

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Buy Body Glide, it will change your life!

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My son has an April birthday! He is going to be 7 on Thursday.

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Great job with the speed work! I have been doing some sprinting with two guy friends and my motivation is trying to catch them. It will never happen but I can sure try ahha I want to finish fast so they don’t get to turn around and see my beautiful IM IN PAIN face : )

Chaffing – thigh chub

I ate a banana!

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Great workout!

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I had two hard boiled eggs this morning and I drew faces on them and gave them names because I’m sorta weird like that…or I was just excited to be running again after almost 3 weeks off! Gooooooooooo Meeeeeeeeee.

Awesome speed work for you today, color me impressed.

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Holy leg muscles Batman. Talk about intimidating. And by the way it took me three tries to spell that. Not a normal flaw for me. I must be having an off day. ;) You guys look amazingly strong.

I hope you are feeling better soon if not already. Nothing about that little illness sounds fun.

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I have this really, really corny, simple thing I keep telling myself during hard workouts: “You can do this”. Works every time :) .

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Hope you’re feeling better!

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I tend to get chaffed in the spring too when I first start wearing shorts and tank tops. Not so much on my arms, but on my legs where my shorts rub on them. Then after the first few times I guess my skin toughens up, and it doesn’t bother me for the rest of the year. :)

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I love listening to Eminem as well when I run! “Remember The Name” by Fort Minor is a good one too for a tough workout, and I also love “Anthem Part Two” by Blink 182.

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I chafe when I wear inexpensive running shorts. It chafes the lower back, but I usually don’t know until I take the shower. Ouch, ouch.

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Yay speed work! I usually just tell myself that I can do it and I can stop in X minutes.

I have one sports bra that chafes badly at the straps – so I don’t wear that one running

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Yikes, those are fast splits! I usually forget (maybe on purpose ;)) to do repeat 2 milers when I’m training for a race.

I usually put on the Pink or Rihanna Pandora stations to get me through tough workouts!

I just home-made pumpkin bread topped with peanut butter for a snack. :)

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I always tell myself I only have one more set until I stop, but then I never stop until I do what I set out to do from the beginning! Lying to yourself is really helpful sometimes. ;)

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April is one of the rare months that we have zero birthdays! I kind of like it because otherwise we have just way too many!

I also get chafing on my arms from tank tops. I have to put lots of body glide there to keep it at bay.

Last thing I ate was a bowl of ice cream last night (or does coffee this morning count?).

Way to go on those speed sessions!!

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You are going to rock your marathon Janae! All of your posts about your runs and splits sound like you are putting in a lot of hard work that will pay off!

I do get chaffing…between my legs when I am wearing shorts. I need to either wear running tights more or wear Vasoline. Hopefully that wasn’t TMI haha.

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Apples last night.

Chafing under the armpit once was enough. I got rid of that tank.

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3/4 of my family have April birthdays! My son (4/1), my daughter (4/18), and myself (4/19)! We celebrate and eat cupcakes all month long!

My hard workout mantra is “if it were easy, everyone would do it!”

Last thing I ate: a Lara bar for breakfast. It was good, but that pic of burger and fries looks way tastier! I swear some of my best long runs have been preceded by such a meal!

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I used to get chaffing under my arms for the longest time when I first started running. What I noticed is that it was happening because I would wear cotton t-shirts…I know! Rookie mistake. But since I’ve stopped wearing cotton, the chaffing is gone.

Last thing I ate: my homemade tortilla soup. It was excellent!!!

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Some day I will not be able to do this.
or
If I feel pain I am still alive.

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Nice speed work! I’ve been working on speed but nowhere near your caliber. My dad’s birthday is in April. And I chafe too but in really weird and random places. I utilize Vaseline a lot. Lol. Have a great day!

-Rachel @ runningonhappy.com

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Nice job on your speed work! I’m sure it’s so nice to have that accountability and encouragement from the other gals.

Chaffing is the woooorst. I get it under my arms or on my thighs sometimes. Thank goodness for Vaseline!

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Wow what an awesome job on your speed work! And that sandwich looks awesome!

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I sing just keep swimming in my head from Finding Nemo if it is a short interval to get through. I also have a theory that you can do anything for 2 minutes-it is great for sprint work!

If I wear the wrong tank, I get chaffing on the inside of my arm. I never notice until I’m in the shower and it burns!!

The last thing I ate was an apple with peanut butter for breakfast.

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I always trick myself into thinking I have just one more block/lap/mile/etc. it’s such a mental thing! Last thing I ate: leftover Easter egg. I swear they taste netter dyed :)

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I miiiight be able to keep up with you if I was on a bike. Or in a car :)
I just had oatmeal with mango, pineapple and coconut. Quite delish!

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I always chafe under my sports bra. It’s awful. I’m pretty sure I will have a scar. I started using Run Guard. I love it. Love. Love. Love.

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I’ve been chafing a lot on my underarms. It happens more during speed work because I think I pull my arms in closer to my body or something. It’s weird and super annoying.

To get through tough workouts, I think about how I want to show my kids that doing hard things is with the effort. That even when you think you can’t do something, you may be super successful just by trying. My kids provide great motivation.

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During my tough workouts (especially my strength training ones) I picture the muscles I am working or my heart pumping fast and for some reason I picture the toxins and gunk that might be there getting flushed away out of my arteries….okay should I’m typing this and it sounds sooo very strange, haha! But I promise it works and makes me feel healthy while I’m working out. Oh man, too many science classes lately. :)

April 13th baby!

I hope I’m not responsible for the hand washing thing throughout the whole meal, haha! Actually, I do….because it is adorable! :)

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That Eminem song is one of my favorites! I also think about those people who have hurt me. not physically….just those people who have taken advantage of my kindness or weren’t honest with me etc. It riles me up and fuels me to run stronger an release those feelings.

My boobs can look like war victims from chaffing. I wear those super industrial sports bras from Moving Comfort but they usually have underwire and trap lots of moisture…i’ve discovered this great anti chafe stuff made by Mission and I’m loving it. It’s sort of greasy like vaseline. (Glide just couldn’t handle the challenge). So very little chafing these days. =)

I just ate a handful of plain potato chips.

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That is a very solid workout! Nice job! I need to find some people to train with, bc one of my training partners moved to NYC and another isn’t really training for anything right now. For some reason, most of my friends don’t think it’s fun to get up at 5am and run until they want to puke. :)

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Awesome job on the running! Your pace is stellar! Let’s go by Calvin Harris is my butt kicking song when I’m starting to give up. Also love to finish with I Lived by One Republic. Reminds me why I’m doing it.

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Chaffing stinks! I used to always chafe under my sports bra in different spots where the edge rubs against the skin. I kept thinking that I needed to find the “perfect” sports bra, then I realized I should just coat myself in Body Glide and I’d be good to go :)

Thought that gets my through speedwork: Run the mile that you’re in! I try to forget that I have other miles to run, and tell myself to just finish the mile that I’m in and then I can reassess whether I want to keep going or not. Of course after a recovery period I’m always ready to go for the next mile!

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I constantly think about what I will eat after my long, tough runs. I get chaffing on my arms a lot – I never remember to put on body glide and kick myself afterwards when my arms are sore!

Great job on your run today!

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Way to rock that speed work! Dang you are fast!

Chafing is totally the worst. Ouch! I think vasilene should help!

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Haha! I thought I was the only one! Number one of your list is my mantra!! Even though as I’m saying it, I know I’m lying and that I’m going to do them all!!

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Ha – my arm chafes too after speed workouts too if I am wearing a tank top instead of long sleeves. I never understood it but it happens. I guess my arms aren’t toned enough these days….I hate speed workouts but when I can really dial in and focus and then achieve the pace I want, I am super happy.

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You are going to rock your marathon, Janae! Are you still working with a coach?

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My daughter turns 8 on Friday and she STILL can’t stand having sticky hands. She actually won’t eat certain foods like honey if she knows that it isn’t a shower night…she has major sticky issues :)

Both my girls have April b-days (5th and 25th) despite the fact that one was due at the end of March and one at the beginning of May. So April is quite a busy month at our house!

So impressed by all your speed work – you are going to have an amazing marathon!!

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Your speed is inspiring! I currently love the song Ten Feet Tall (by Afrojak feat. Wrabel) and Take Me Home (Cash Cash feat. Bebe Rexha). No chafing for me that is one running prob I haven’t had for some reason!

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Ahhhhh I LOVE ‘Till I Collapse. I haven’t listened to it in a while I need to put it back on my playlist. I love Lose Yourself by Eminem too. It has such a good beat. Basically Eminem knows what’s up…

OMG chafing. I get it on my left upper thigh on long runs when my shorts are too short…unless I load up on Vaseline.

Last thing I ate was an apple – I’M STARVING.

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I would have to agree with you Janae. You have had some seriously great runs this training cycle and I cannot wait to see you break 3 hours! I don’t know if you mentioned, are you still being coached?

Which Brooks shoes are those? I thought the Brooks flow but didn’t realize there was a blue option…what do I know.

Oh and I get the worst thigh chaffing but that’s my own fault since I wear runderwear in the rain…

Anyways enough questions for today.

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The last thing I ate was a handful of Annie’s White Cheddar Bunnies – such tasty crackers!!

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My butt =( always chafs. I guess it’s all that extra jiggling!

I do number 1 for all my runs. I’m only running 4 miles (5 times) heh

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Top Songs to get me through workouts
Lose Yourself by Eminem
Elevation by U2

I usually Chaffe in btwn my upper inner arm and body…. also at my bra line… so annoying and it freaking burns!!!

The last thing I ate was Stacy’s Pita Chips in Parm Garlic Flavor.. delish

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other songs
Jai Ho
Ready to Run by the Dixie Chix
Stronger by Kanye
Drunk in Love by Beyonce
Breathe by Fabolous

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Wow!!!! That is awesome speedwork!!! I just think of how good I am going to feel when I am done!!! Or I envision a super fast runner (i.e. Kara, Shalane, Desi) working really hard. Last thing that I ate was a bowl of honey nut cheerios :)

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Yeah I get chaffing under my arm and..ahem…on the underside of my chest. TMI I know but I figure this is a safe space among fellow runners ;) Body Glide is my saving grace!!
Last thing I ate was oatmeal with brown sugar and strawberries. Yum!

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I just ate some killer pancakes for breakfast.

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I love eminem!!!! 95% of his songs are great to run too. He has great beats and sometimes his anger motivates me to keep on movin’

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Yikes! Time for some Aquaphor!

My thighs are still super duper chafed from where I ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll a week ago. I even put Vaseline on them and everything, but I should have known better – I just couldn’t find my tube of Aquaphor!

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I have an April birthday! April 9th!

I get chafing on my arms/armpits at the beginning of every warm season when I pull out the tank tops too!

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Janae, I have a post request for you. I’m training for a half right now (5 weeks into the hansons half method and LOVING it) and though I’ve done speed and strength runs before, I’ve always been awkward at tracking them, which means I’m always a little inaccurate, usually do to the recovery intervals. Could you do a post about when you use a track (I’m guessing no for a 3 x 2 run?) and when you decide to run on a trail/street for fast running. Also, how do you track it on your garmin? Do you stop it during recovery? If so, how do you know it’s a half mile (if not on a track). Do you reconfigure the km/mi for a track workout? It seems like there are a lot of ways to do it, and I’m wondering what you do, since you’re a running beast.

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Last thing I ate was a cheese stick as a snack in between my clients this morning. Great work on the speedwork today!

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Where is that sandwich from?! It looks delish!!!

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That is a seriously impressive speed session – and those leg muscles. Wow!

I usually count down the minutes until it’s over – you can run for three minutes, one minute etc…

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Now that it’s warming up, my new running motto is: It’s okay, I didn’t need skin there anyway. Like underneath my bra band, totally didn’t need skin there.

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“I am strong, I can do this” gets me through tough workouts.
I get chaffing in the strangest places, definitely more so in warmer weather.
The last thing I ate was wasabi peas.

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I love buckcherry- their songs from the album 15 are just awesome!

I secretly love hard workouts too! And I know I need to do MORE of them!

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Ah chafing is the worst!!!

My inner thighs are mainly where I chafe :( The worst was in Boston two years ago – I usually put on vaseline for runs, but it all washed off in the sprinklers there. The water felt really good at the time because it was so hot, BUT the chafing afterwards was ridiculous. I usually keep things to myself, but definitely screamed in the shower after that one!

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My mantra is that Kelly Clarkson song, Whatever doesn’t kill you…I also think about my Dad who had a severe stoke while running. He is still here, but is not the same as he was, but I am beyond thankful to still have him in my life.

Chaffing is my middle name! My bra line and under my arms are always red and angry. So pretty during bathing suit season!

I am glad that you are feeling better and eating what you want.

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Three incredible sets of legs there!

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I post songs on my blog all the time that I find motivating…although my style of music tends to differ at times from others. I really love Diddy’s “thought you said” featuring Brandy. Its pretty old but holy heck does it get me pumped. I also started a 5k listening to Carly Rae Jepson’s “call me maybe” because it randomly came up on Pandora, and that really got my juices flowing! Weird.

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I usually get chaffing around my upper and inner arm from my sports bra, once I chafed my collarbone area though…. that was odd.

Just ate a pbj :)

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you are doing such a great job with your marathon training. i just know that you’re going to ROCK your marathon!

aww brooke is just the cutest :)

i have an april birthday (the 5th)… yup, that’s why my parents named me april. so creative, right? ;)

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Great picture!

I have never really done speedwork………….each race I have trained for I really only focused on the distance building, but this time I am starting to add other workouts in the mix. I am not fast, and right now I can only hold a 6 minute pace for 1/2 mile, but I am hoping if I keep up with it I can improve my time. I have a half marathon on June 7, and last year I ran it in 2:03, this year I want to break 2 hours. I know I am never going to be the fastest, but I just want a race time with a 1 in front! And when my full marathon comes around in November, I hope to beat my first time of 4:04 and come in under 4 hours.

I love listening to music when I run, it drowns out my heavy panting in the humidity…gotta love the South in July! I love fast country songs (I do live in TN!) and any song with the word “run” in it. Also some Vampire Weekend, John Mellencamp, Bowling for Soup, New Kids on the Block, NSYNC, and Backstreet Boys!

Last thing I ate…Special K white cheddar popcorn chips………….try them…so good!

Have a great week!

PS your Easter picture is perfect :)

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I can relate to this post my first two halfs were 2:06 and 2:04 then I added some speed work etc and ran it in 1:59. So cool u ran a full in that time getting inspired for my first full this year!

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Thanks! Good luck with your full!

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I used to nanny three little girls and I remember that phase, it was super fun with twins :)

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Songs- Spin Me Round (Dead or Alive) and Gangster’s Paradise (Coolio). Maybe not the most inspirational but I jam so hard to them that I forget I am running when they come on.

I chafe on my thighs if I run anything over 5 miles without body glide. I hate it when I don’t know that I am chafed, and am surprised by the pain of the water hitting that raw skin when I get in the shower. The worst!

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Thanks for the great Eminem song! I downloaded it and listened to it for most of my run today. Have you heard Not Afraid by him? That always gets me through the last couple of miles!

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What gets me through a tough workout is thinking of how much better it will feel when I’m done.

Chaffing….HORRIBLE!! I get chafed near my underarms and from the band of my sports bra. ZIIINNNNNGGG!! the pain of a post-run shower!

Last thing I ate…..Cadbury Chocolate Eggs!

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‘Til I Collaspe” might be the best running song ever! I was hitting a wall during a recent half marathon and then Eminem spoke to me! It was perfect timing!

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My husband’s birthday is in a week! :)

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You are so fast! Inspiring!
I like to tell myself, ” I can survive anything, even torture, for 2 more minutes (or however long/far)”

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Anyone who has chaffing issues, needs to buy Body Glide! Changed my life, for sure.

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You ladies were flying! Do you do these runs on a sidewalk, track, road, path/dirt trail? I find some terrain easier than others when doing speed. Typically if I am battle through a workout to complete each mile (or interval) I imagine someone important at the finish line whom I would love to see. Or I imagine someone cheering me on and telling me to push through. Visualization techniques really help me stay strong. And chaffing? I get it at the most random times, particularly on my side under my right armpit. But only my right.

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You girls are so fast! I think I’m one of the lucky ones that hasn’t experienced chaffing yet.. blisters are another story though!

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Ugh chafing is the worst! I get it around my sports bra or under my arms where my tank top rubs against them. I try to remember to use vaseline before I run. The worst feeling is getting in the shower after chafing– ouch!!

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Without body glide I have some serious chafing on my inner thighs when I run in shorts. It’s dumb.

The last thing I ate was chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream :)

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So fast…. I just ran my 2 mile race in 12:30… no idea how you do it 3 times! My favorite running song is Low by Flo Rida. I just love it! Last thing I ate was dinner – I made a quinoa sweet potato kale chili! Yum!

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The clean hands! My kiddo is going through this phase too. Tonight she was eating yogurt (all by herself, what a big girl!) and man, was she messy. After every single bite she held up her hands for me to wipe off with a wet cloth. She didn’t seem to mind that the yogurt was all over her face, as well.

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I get chafe marks randomly, it’s very bizarre. Like I got a chafe mark once from my sports bra- the same one I’ve worn many times and not doing a longer distance. Also from my arm band (for my phone), but that one makes more sense. Last thing I ate- popcorn!! Way too much popcorn…wait, is that possible? Nahhhh.

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Pics of you and these other amazingly scary ladies keep me motivated. If you can do it, why can’t I?

Strangely the spot for me that gets the most chafed is at lower part of my sternum – where most sports bras have a seam. Believe me, this is not because I am big-breasted; i am a 34aa. On long runs (10+miles) its gotten rather raw and bloody, which 1) made me feel like a real bad ass and 2) led me to obsessively seek out sports bras with TRULY NO SEAMS. Expensive but worth it. Score!

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Songs… best day of my life – american authors… roar – katy perry … only one – yellowcard…. matthias replaces judas – showbread…. hopeless wanderer – mumford & sons

Chaffing… between my thighs mostly. Body glide does me wonders.

April 18th!!

Salad from chipotle.

Maybe Brooke should go into the medical field with her clean hands obsession!!! :)

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ok she has you trained, give her napkin and tell her to do it herself

I chafe everywhere, so not fun

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I have an April birthday! April 24th to be exact!

My favorite song to get myself through a workout is “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”!

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I am a total Jay Z fan for running and for lots of life. His tough bad ass attitude makes me think I can take on any challenge anywhere.

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I got chaffing when I got a new sports bra so I used what I had on hand…Lanisoh nipple cream. Love that stuff…I’ve breastfed 3 babies a year and a half each you’d think I wouldn’t chaff lol

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When I try to do speedwork I remind myself that I do all sorts of other hard things, I can deal with this.

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When it comes to speedwork I always tell myself “this is the last one” to trick my brain.

My most common chafe spot is right under my sports bra. No matter how much body glide or how many different sports bras I try, it just keeps happening. Oh well.

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I think about a lot of random stuff when I run, but I also listen to music. “I Will Wait” by Mumford always pumps me and and it came on during the last 5 minutes of my last half marathon so it really got my adrenaline going to finish strong at the finish line.

I don’t really chafe for some reason. I mean I have of course, but if I ever do it’s on the bottom part of sports bra on my chest and that hurts!

Last thing I ate was a Carnation instant breakfast :) Happy Wednesday!

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Chafing? I know it well. I use alot of BodyGlide in the summer (on my thighs so I can wear running skirts and around my sports bra band – sometimes I still chafe there if it is a very hot day). I did my first “tank top” run about 2 weeks ago – and OUCH! I had my armband to hold my phone/music and the velcro strap rubbed a hole in my side where my arm was moving back/forth. It is still healing. Showers are so painful when you have chafing – the burn the burn!!

Last thing I ate – a banana, now on to get my hot chocolate/coffee mix treat for the morning!

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Sometimes I chafe where my iPhone armband rubs! I’ve just figured out the wonders of BodyGlide so I’m hoping this problem is solved.

Last eaten? Beef Broccoli with rice! Oh wait. Nope. Almond/Coconut Milk Ice Cream. Worth it!

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Thanks for the song recommendations Janae.. I downloaded Till I Collapse and added it to my playlist. Today it helped me power up a hill that always gets me. I wasn’t even tired at the end! Wishing you happy training and an awesome Mother’s Day!

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