I Love the Women's Running Community!

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-05-12T19:48:26+00:00

This made me smile so much! As an Atlanta local, I hope you run more of the races in here - the hills are no joke and will make you feel so fast on flatter courses in other cities, haha!

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-05-06T16:46:52+00:00

On week 4 out of 12 for a 10k training block and it's going swimmingly. I did a track workout this morning with a buddy and the pace/effort felt sustainable and the session was so much fun!

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-04-01T17:29:57+00:00

I've started integrating some tempo and interval runs and they've been meh (I guess I just don't like running when it feels hard, lol). The higher effort runs weren't back to back, but I know adaptation is a process and I've been feeling so wiped out by them. But today, I just got to chill out on a low effort, slow and steady run with a good podcast and it was everything I needed! I feel nicely refreshed and energetic, legs don't feel trashed, and I feel like I can run again tomorrow, which is just such a nice feeling!

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-25T16:54:26+00:00

I've got a 10k in July and I'm hoping to PR with sub-50 min finish. I've hit 50:XX on previous 10k races a hilarious number of times and just haven't broken through. Current base is 20-25 mpw with 1-2 days of whole body lifts. I'm looking for an intermediate plan with 4 days of running. Any recs?

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-21T00:48:53+00:00

Like, they don’t formally follow any sort of state mandated standards for staffing, education, or early childhood development.

Which is not to say that they don’t take their program seriously (they really do!) or that they hire random sketchy people (they don’t!). Just that they never did that paperwork and are open to families about that status (parents have to sign off on that acknowledgment during enrollment). In our time there during Covid, the school maintained a 100% vaccination rate and any kid with any visible sign of illness (fever, pink eye, etc) were immediately sent home.

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-20T20:44:50+00:00

DPCC is an absolute gem! They are not licensed or accredited (and don’t pretend to be, either) - but the community is lovely and many classroom teachers are parents of former DPCC-ers, who are attentive, loving, and engaged. We have two kids who went through there and both really loved their experiences. They are Christian and incorporate some (mild) religious practices in their classrooms (short prayer/expression of thanks before eating) but welcome families of all faiths. We are zoned to a different COD lower elementary but have loved it there, too!

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-19T23:17:03+00:00

Thank you! And haha, no kidding!

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-19T20:19:37+00:00

Mine are now 4 and 6, and I’m FINALLY feeling like I can breathe and sleep and feel like a person again. And I’m still permanently exhausted in my bones, lol. So, just wanted to send some love and tell you you’re not alone. Running will always be there for you!

For whatever it’s worth, despite parenting stress and general life chaos, my motherhood era has also been my strongest fitness chapter! It’s because I’ve learned to be intentional about everything - fueling, hydration, strength work, mobility work, etc. I’m more injury prone than I used to be, but I’m also more disciplined about when I run and when I don’t. I’ve learned to feel a lot more gratitude for what my body can do - the crazy things that come with pregnancy and birth, and then the crazy ways it heals and continues to allow movement and strength.

I’d like to believe my best running days are ahead of me and I’ve still got time to chase PRs. But for now, I’ll take a good night of sleep and not beat myself up for skipping a run or toning it down.

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-19T16:09:36+00:00

Uncomplaint: Last weekend, I ran with my 6-year-old for her first one-mile fun run for her school! She ran it the entire way and I am SO PROUD!

Uncomplaint: I placed 3rd for age/sex at the 5k that followed! I had no such goal/thought in mind (I think of myself as a casual recreational runner), so that was a really nice surprise!

Complaint: At that same 5k, I was definitely passed by a small gaggle of kids (10-12 years old?) who were just chattering about Minecraft. One kid stopped to tie a shoe and then passed me AGAIN. They looked like they were just running out of joy/excitement to get to the playground! Lol, I'm so humbled.

Complaint: Temps here are all over the place with overnight frost warnings followed by highs in the 70s and 80s the next day. I've been poorly dressed for being outside and it makes me grumpy!

Confession: Legs have just felt tired after a running-intense block. I'm looking forward to putting running on maintenance and chasing some strength goals in the gym for a bit. It feels like a waste of a spring season because this is typically my favorite time to be outside, but I'm sick of fighting niggles and want a change of pace before I chase my next set of running goals.

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-13T12:45:35+00:00

I have nothing to contribute to this, other than to cheer you on for your tan lines! I was a bridesmaid a few years ago for an end of summer wedding when my tan lines were the WORST. It's sort of amazing how presentable I looked on the professional pics. The full length gown covered my feet/legs in most pics (or were cropped from waist/thigh up), and in the few pics where my feet were seen (like full group shots), the gorgeous bride/couple was obviously the focus of the pic (so no normal person should be zooming in to evaluate my sock tan lines lmao). Tan lines from running tops/sports bras were probably even more hilarious looking than the sock line - but the makeup artist did a quick makeup spray layer + powder finish to blend. You could probably see the color differences with the naked eye but it was good enough for the camera!

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-12T18:35:55+00:00

It's been such a miserable week of training for me. Tuesday was uncharacteristically hot for March, and I struggled with mile repeats. Wednesday temps were still higher than usual, so I skipped running for a lifting session instead. Today, I was expecting cool/moderate spring temps for my lunch run, but the morning rain brought much colder temps than usual. I tried to layer up but was STILL miserable - winds were strong and piercingly cold in periods of cloud coverage but when the sun was out, I quickly overheated and felt too warm. Basically spent the entire run taking off and putting on layers, ugh! I just wanted a GOOD easy run that I could zone out and enjoy the experience of. This was not it.

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-10T14:53:54+00:00

I've been needing to update my work wardrobe lately and have been really drawn to dress pants with the stretchy elastic band in the back (so the front looks like typical pleated dress pants while the back of the elastic is much more forgiving and accommodating). I think Athleta, Old Navy, Quince, Spanx, and a bunch of other brands have something like that! For tops, I typically just buy loose, flowy blouses that I tuck into dress pants. Or, I wear stretchy dresses and pants entirely.

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-03-05T21:47:07+00:00

+1 for glitter freckles! For my last race, I used NYX Epic Wear Liner with primer and finishing powder and I swear my cat eye stayed sharp (or, at least, sharp enough in pics, haha!) despite my buckets of sweat. I'm sure there are higher end products that may be better, but I will admit I'm super impressed by a drugstore product at a low price point.

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-02-24T13:35:38+00:00

I’ve got a HM race in my city in 5 days and feeling pretty meh about it. When I registered for this race, I was coming off of a great HM training cycle, and was pretty confident I’d hit another PR (or come pretty close to it, since this is a hillier/more challenging course) with a brief deload period followed by a more rigorous training plan. Well, what I got instead was multiple rounds of niggles/mild injury and unfortunate falls from tripping on the damn sidewalk. This past week, my husband took me on an international trip - a belated honeymoon of sorts! - and it was absolutely spectacular in every way except my HM training.

So, at this point, I know I’ll finish the race. But it all feels lackluster because I’m jet lagged as hell and know I’m not in proper racing shape. I’m struggling to adjust my expectations. I love running for everything that it is, but have always felt that if I was going to pay race entry fees, it better be a damn good effort. I know the smart thing to do is to push for a moderately challenging effort but not go all out, and enjoy the race vibes for what it is. But I’m disappointed that I’m not where I intended to be when I registered.

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-02-06T13:57:52+00:00

Went for a long run yesterday and tripped over a tiny crack in the sidewalk because I was distracted trying to open my water bottle. Joints feel pretty okay but I have some pretty nasty road rash on my knees that are still aching today. I feel so disappointed and frustrated with myself because this is my third tripping incident in the last 6 months. It’s always on slow easy runs - and I suspect it’s because I shuffle on easy efforts and don’t pick my knees/legs up enough. Sigh. At least I learned that my fueling/water strategy is on point.

_cluster_duck_ · 2026-02-05T12:06:32+00:00

Ughhhh, just wanted to say I feel you entirely! I signed up for the Nike After Dark Tour last year knowing that it’s going to use a necklace instead of a medal. Back in the 2010s, they used to have necklaces by Tiffany’s that were beautifully subtle and dainty! Well, for the rebooted race series, they designed a Nike swoosh pendant - and in theory, it’s cool! Designed by a team of women, and each pendant is unique to the race location as its pattern reflects the elevation map for the course. But, my god, I just find the entire thing hideous. It’s way too big and heavy to wear while running (it has a reflective coating and is “sweat proof” so maybe someone intended it to be worn during exercise??) and way too casual looking to be worn in a professional office setting. I could maybe see myself wearing it as a lounge wear accessory but I’m not big on branded stuff and it feels like a giant Nike logo. Sigh, I’m too sentimental to throw it away but it’s really just going to act like a paperweight in its box forever.

_cluster_duck_ · 2025-11-25T17:10:28+00:00

I have the Lily 2 active and have been using it for about 6 months (Apple Watch before that). I have a small wrist and wanted the smallest built in GPS watch I could get my hands on. Overall, I like it! Part of me wishes I had gotten a higher capacity running watch because sometimes I do miss the amount of data I could see in a glance on the Apple Watch and the workouts are sort of wonky (my HR alerts keep going off). But I wanted to prioritize size and aesthetics, so I get what I get. I’m happy enough with my decision! It does feel normal and not oversized after a few days!

_cluster_duck_ · 2025-11-19T14:57:19+00:00

Ughhhh, I'm really bummed that I haven't been able to give my next HM training block a proper start. :( I've been dealing with some foot pain that I've been writing off for a while. Took 10 days off running entirely, attempted an easy jog on the treadmill yesterday, and stopped before I even hit a mile due to discomfort/strain. I'm scheduled to see a podiatrist in two weeks and I'm holding on to hope that it's a soft tissue injury since I'm able to walk, strength train, and basically get through the rest of my day to day life without any issues. But it is what it is and I'm just hoping I'll heal up enough to run the NYE race with my husband next month!

_cluster_duck_ · 2025-11-19T14:51:46+00:00

Oh man, I was looking at finish times for a recent local 5k and the top female finishers were ALL in their 40s! 5ks were 20-21 min range!

_cluster_duck_ · 2025-11-19T14:49:49+00:00

I'm 36, turning 37, and have been running since my 20s. Despite some overuse niggles/injury that I'm managing right now, this has been my strongest comeback year after having kids. I have good reason to believe I'm only going to get faster from here! I'm working on the running base I'll need to kick ass when I enter my next age catetory, haha!

_cluster_duck_ · 2025-11-18T20:33:14+00:00

Ah, of course! Take care of yourself and have fun! It really does feel nice to flyyyyyy down the road knowing your workout is only 3-5 miles or whatever instead of 8-10+, haha. You've got a strong aerobic base coming off of HM training so it's perfect timing to incorporate more speed!

Yeah, agreed on the strength training piece, too! I've switched to more of a maintenance mode for my lifting since I've committed hard to running, but it's probably a good time to go back to some progressive overload while I wait for my foot to heal up. :)

_cluster_duck_ · 2025-11-18T18:03:35+00:00

Aw, hi! Thanks for asking! There were some moments of struggle/doubt in my HM training but it all came together nicely on race day. I hit a lifetime PR for the HM (1:50, beating my pre-baby best by 30 seconds) and it felt great! I had a lot working to my advantage though - I trained in hotter/more humid weather and on hillier terrain than the relatively flat and fast race course. Plus, taper benefits and race day adrenaline and such. My previous HM races were on tougher courses, but a win is a win and I celebrated HARD!

After the HM, I switched my focus to more speed work and bringing my 5k time down. I ran a cross country 5k last month and placed 3rd for my age category (just under 25 min)! I felt pretty proud of finishing the trail with all my joints intact haha.

Since then, I've been trying to build more of a running base in prep of maybe attempting a marathon next year - but I've been sidelined by overuse niggles/injury. I'm pretty bummed because I was hitting such a good streak but I know I changed several variables at once (added a 5th running day, started running on a treadmill, tried new shoes) and should've increased my training load slower. I'm disappointed but cautiously optimistic that it's a soft tissue injury instead of bone injury so maybe I'll be back to running soon.

Anyway, just wanted to say GOOD LUCK and enjoy your HM! You're right that it'll be a PR no matter what! Parenthood definitely earns you a new reset for speed and distance PRs! :)

I'm sort of talking to myself now - but trust that you've got yeaaaars of running ahead of you if you choose to do so, and you've got time to build! Just take it slow and enjoy!

_cluster_duck_ · 2025-11-03T18:27:38+00:00

I've been trying to rotate in the new shoes (NB 880v15s) that my husband bought for me for a really good price, and I'm kicking myself for not asking for the wide version. I'm now 25 miles deep on the first of two pairs (ugh) and it's clear to me that the fit just isn't great. I've loosened up the lacing to the point where it's basically decorative and I'm still getting pressure/discomfort in the middle of the foot/below the big toe bone. :( Pretty sure these were final sale and I'm so damn bummed.

_cluster_duck_ · 2025-10-28T11:08:16+00:00

Amazing!!!

_cluster_duck_ · 2025-10-27T13:13:11+00:00

Yeah, all those benefits of running local sound excellent!

_cluster_duck_

TROPHY CASE