My Better Half 10k 2026

I wasn't going to run this race this year...it was too early to be my birthday race, and therefore it felt skippable. But photos of the shirt and medal changed my mind, and I quickly decided I could tack a couple miles onto the 10k and get a good, final long run out of it. 

I'm so glad I did.

A New Season of Running

I've been running for over a decade, but I'm still learning things. My latest lesson comes in the form of seasons. I've known about race season for years now, but as we transition from summer to fall after months of canceled races, I've found my running seasons look different than they have in the past.

I have been in a season of limitation. It was a necessary mindset for the time being, but now I'm ready to enter into a new season of expansion and rebuilding.

Survival & Excuses

Last spring, when news of Covid was new and especially terrifying, I think we all entered some sort of survival-mode. I know I did.

From April to early September, the vast majority of my runs didn't exceed two miles, and from April to July that was pretty much by design. The stress of selling our house, moving, working from home, quarantining, moving again, and basically facing the great unknown that was life this spring thinned out my stamina. At the time, running was solely an outlet for my stress, with no goals or expectations in mind. It was about survival. It was about staying sane.

Short & inconsistent. Just doing what I could.

My energy for performance was minimal, and that's fine. It's normal. I know myself well enough to know that when I'm dealing with a lot of stress, setting running goals is a sure way to burn out.

Eventually, though, the rough waters of uncertainty receded, and life found some kind of stability. Our move complete, I settled into a routine. I could finally breathe again.

When some semblance of normalcy returned sometime in August, the limits I had set became an obstacle, and excuses followed. The elevation. The hills. The cold air and my sad little asthmatic lungs. These excuses are valid in that they are real, but my response to them was unfair to myself. 

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In all honesty, last night’s run was not good. I’ve been dealing with some intense and disruptive stomach issues this week, and I’ve felt lethargic and dehydrated as a result. Thank goodness this goofball can make me smile despite it all. I’m looking forward to the next one being better!

A post shared by Ali (@abk_runs) on Sep 2, 2020 at 9:56am PDT

Rather than acknowledging the excuses and working through them, I let myself give in to them and get comfortable where I was. Eventually, that comfort started to make me sad.

I began to believe I couldn't increase my mileage again. I began to believe these self-imposed restrictions were part of my new normal.

Resetting & Rebuilding

At this point in my running journey, I have no real desire to beat my old speed or distance PRs. My experience with compartment syndrome and recovery changed my outlook on running. Now I run purely for enjoyment, and I've let go of comparing myself to others or even to my past self. I haven't let go of improvement and growth, but the drive to meet specific goals just isn't there anymore.

If I were truly happy to run no more than two miles at a time for the rest of my life, that would be fine, but I began to miss my stamina. I began to miss longer runs. I began to miss feeling strong - feeling able to do more. I hated feeling like "two miles" had become a brick wall and every run longer than that was a challenge.

I pushed myself to 3.5 miles on this run and felt an absolute rush. I hadn't felt this good in a long time.

Coming to this realization, I worried that maybe I had held back for too long, and would never experience growth in running again. (Just the other day, as I struggled up a hill around mile three of my run, I said to Matt, with wry amusement, "Remember when I used to run marathons?")

So, I have this virtual 12k I'm excited about. I'm already late in completing it, but I've at least started building some mileage. When I completed my 5-miler last Monday, it was the longest I'd run since early March, when I ran six miles with a friend. My knees and quads really felt it.

This week, I ran another five. I was tempted to stop halfway through because the first lap was tough, but after a break to ditch my vest and use my inhaler, I found the second lap felt much easier and I finished feeling proud of what I'd accomplished.

The first run was fully flat and sunny toward the end; the second was a little hillier and super rainy.

I'm remembering that my body can do a lot more when I bother to put in the effort. What a no-brainer, huh? There's a mentality among athletes that you should push yourself to the point of punishment, and I find that mindset to be dangerous, but there is a healthy way to challenge yourself, and I am remembering how to do that and why I enjoy it.

I had forgotten the sense of accomplishment and confidence that comes after completing a difficult run. I had forgotten the little muscle tingles and aches after the cool down, and the way your body reminds you that you've done something tough.

I realize that I had kind of resigned myself to no longer being a distance runner, but now I know I was just taking a break and I can take on challenges again if and when I want to.

Super happy!

I am still happy to run for the joy of it, but maybe pushing limits can be part of the joy once in awhile.

ABK

Birthday Run & Festivities

I may actually pull this off.

Since coming up with my last-minute-most-abbreviated-training-plan-ever, I've successfully done what I needed to do.

Last weekend I ran six miles. Elizabeth joined me for the last two. It was rough and I walked a lot, but I got it done.

Despite a busy week, I got my weekday runs in, even if I didn't quite get the full 5 miles in I had planned for Thursday.

That was probably for the best, as I moved my 8 miler from Sunday to Saturday so I could fully enjoy my Saturday night birthday dinner, and I didn't want to tire my legs out too much. Despite some self-doubt creeping in, I was up early Saturday and ready for eight miles.

It was a beautiful, wonderful run. The weather hovered in the low-mid 60s, the sun only breeched the clouds in the last two miles, and my legs and lung felt surprisingly fresh. It was much easier than the previous week's six miler.

It was everything I could have wanted in my last long run (and longest run) before race day.

After a shower and nap, Matt and I went to Skillets for brunch. I had been looking forward to gluten free pancakes all week. Later, we picked up Elizabeth and Matt dropped us at Rocco's Tacos for our birthday dinner with Stacey and Jess.

Having gotten my long run out of the way, I was able to fully enjoy the table-side guac, two margaritas (Jalapeño and Black Diamond), tacos, and complementary flan without concern about how I'd feel in the morning.

Sunday, the festivities continued. My birthday is always on a long weekend, but of course this year we didn't celebrate with the usual trip to Fort Lauderdale and the A1A race, so we had to extend the festivities at home somehow.

These vegan nachos are the best!

Our friend James met us at the vegan festival downtown, then we all went to the Wonder Gardens where my birthday wish came true and I got to hold lots of birds and feed them and basically enjoy a little piece of heaven.

It should go without saying that this was a wonderful birthday. I feel ready for Gasparilla, more ready than I thought I would, and March has some exciting things in store. I think this year is going to be a good one for me.

ABK

Learning from Long Runs

The point of running long during training is twofold. Obviously you need to give your body and mind practice at long distances; you need to build up the strength and stamina to stay on your feet and moving forward for a certain duration of time.

(Quick tangent here, but I am so proud of myself for actually getting up early and going on long runs by myself. In the last few years I could always count on having a running buddy for at least part of a run, if not the whole thing, so this personal accountability is new and a very welcome surprise.)

Another 10 miles, done!

Anyway. Long runs are also essential for testing out what works (and what doesn't) for a run of that length so that come race day, clothes, gear, and nutrition are figured out.

So, because it's been awhile since I've run a long race, I have been paying close attention on my long runs to figure out what's working and what's not. I'm worried I'll forget some of these important lessons, so I'm posting them here.

1. Clothes. I am not surprised that my Skirt Sports bottoms (shorts, capris/tights, and skirts) have been wholly comfortable and have enough storage for 10-13 miles. (Actually, this makes making a final decision tough!)

Ah, Florida winter...you kill me.

I'm still figuring out my top situation, though. The weather on race day will probably call for a tank top. I haven't decided which tank to wear, but if I wear one without a built-in bra, I know for sure which bra I won't be wearing.

On my last long run, my Champion bra felt so constrictive until I'd warmed up, about 4 miles in. It was terrible. It's weird, because I usually like that bra, but it's definitely a no for race day because it's unpredictable. Instead, I'll likely wear my VS bra, which is comfortable, breathable, and never too tight.

Can you see where I tucked the shirt into my bra to help relieve the pressure?

2. Gear. I recently got some new PC Runners (my favorite running socks) for Hanukkah from Matt's mom. They are so comfy and soft when they're brand new! I will definitely be wearing them; I won't be wearing compression socks during the race, but I'll have some for after.

Obviously I'll have my new Garmin and my headphones. I will probably need to update my running playlist so I have reliably good tunes during the race.

The main gear question right now is my shoes. I bought a new pair of Ravenna 9s, and although they generally feel pretty good, they are giving me a hot spot on the fleshy part of my foot under my big toe. I don't know if they just need more breaking in or what, but for now I will be using them for shorter runs and giving them one more long run test before deciding if they're okay for race day.

They're so pretty, but I just don't love them yet!

If I can't wear the new ones, I'll wear an older, more reliable pair of Ravennas, of which I own too many.

It's between these two pairs. It's a shame I only own one pair of Ravenna 8s because they're my fav.

3. Nutrition. What's been working for pre-run fuel is a cup of hot coffee and GF instant oatmeal with PB2 powder and honey, with a splash of almond milk mixed in. (I guess I will need to travel with this stuff so I have it on race morning!)

Why did I take this picture before cooking? Blame waking up at 5:30am.

I try to finish eating at least 30 minutes before I start running. I've been eating one Gu (usually of the salted-something variety) around mile 6.5 (give or take a mile) on my 10-mile runs, and that's been perfect. I don't think I'll eat a second Gu on race day.

I haven't been drinking on my runs at all. Last weekend that really hurt my performance; I could tell I was thirsty. But I think if I hydrate really well in the days leading up to the race, I will be able to bypass the water stops.

It feels good to be figuring this stuff out again. In many ways I feel like a newbie and I don't want to make a silly mistake that throws me off my game...But I also feel like I'm getting a lot of good practice in and my body and mind are starting to remember and enjoy long runs.

Next weekend, maybe I'll aim for 11 miles!

ABK

Weekly Workouts: 1/30-2/5

Monday: Circuit at home. I completed a fairly easy full body circuit and then finished with some good stretches: pigeon pose and runner's lunge. My hip flexors and groin were much tighter than I expcted!

I put downward dog into the workout to make sure I really spent time on my calves.

Tuesday: 4 miles - bridge. It's been so long since we've done the bridge, I was honestly shocked by how steady and fast we were! I had no discomfort and the run felt all-around successful.

9:29 pace...It was nice and chilly out!

Wednesday: Circuit at school. I could feel a cold coming on but was able to persevere. Elizabeth planned this one and it was killer! We did four rounds for a fast and effective workout! I am really bad at explaining what these moves are - I should probably start taking some kind of photo or video of our circuits so we can recreate them.

We completed this workout with weights. I was so sore the next day; it was awesome!

Thursday: 4 miles. My cold symptoms were getting worse so we kept the pace easy just in case. I was pretty impressed that I was able to complete the run despite having a bad cough.

9:48 pace.

Friday: Despite Thursday's success, I opted to rest. My lungs were starting to feel tweaky and there was no real reason to force a run. This was a good choice because I was feeling much better by Sunday!

Saturday: More rest...but feeling better!

Sunday: We got in what will probably be our last double-digit run before A1A. It was extremely foggy for the first few miles, but once the sun burned off the fog it was uncomfortably hot. We did 10 miles at a brisk but steady pace and included the bridge at the end (miles 8-9).

My legs were distractingly stiff (but not painful) until mile three; they didn't warm up completely and feel good until five miles in!

I don't know how this bodes for race day. My legs feel good on all my evening runs no matter the distance, so maybe it's a morning run thing. Obviously the race is in the morning, so that worries me. But, this run set my mind at ease that I can run through it early on and keep a steady pace as long as we're not talking actual pain.

Total mileage: 18.

I'm still feeling good about race day! I think our goal of 2:20 is well within reach.

ABK

Weekly Workouts: 1/9-1/16

This week's recap includes two Mondays; we didn't have work today and pushed our long run back from Sunday because I was working at Matt's studio all weekend during the art festival! I'll post about that later probably. For now, here's this week:

Monday: It's been awhile, but I made Elizabeth promise to hold me accountable for cross training at school. We did two rounds of the core workout below and then I spent a few hours building our kitchen island.

// CORE FINISHERS ✖SIX PLANK VARIATIONS ⚡⚡// Aim for 3 sets and 20 seconds of these six exercises for a core burn. 💥 #fitfam #plank #core #fitgirlvideos #bodyweighttraining #bodyshopstrong

A video posted by Elise Young (@elisesbodyshop) on Jan 3, 2017 at 9:38am PST

Tuesday: My thighs were feeling Monday's workout! Tuesday's run felt fantastic; it was the first time we kept a really speedy pace since my calf issues. So liberating!

Wednesday: Rest day. I was in Sarasota all day for work; when I got back I went straight to an art showcase Matt was participating in. It was so fun to be his lovely assistant while he worked on the wheel.

Thursday: Another flat four miles. My legs are starting to feel what being back in training means, but in a good way. Lots of good, non-injured, happily-used muscle soreness going on.

Friday: Rest...Our friend Oden was in town and we went out to dinner. I began to notice some tightness in my lungs and wondered if there were some fires nearby, so I didn't mind the rest day.

Saturday: I got up and ran 4 miles alone before heading to Upriver Ceramics for a full day of schmoozing and selling art! My lungs weren't great and I started prednisone doses that afternoon. We met Oden and Todd afterward for dinner, drinks, and mini golf.

I stayed VERY hydrated on Saturday night...hence our long run moving to Monday! I also got two holes-in-one!

Sunday: Another long day (10-5) on my feet at the studio. My feet and legs were tired!

Monday: Elizabeth and I ran a nice 9.4 miles in the morning. We got to start a little late (8am) because it was "cool" and overcast. My lungs weren't great but they were better controlled than Saturday. I ran with my inhaler but didn't need it. My legs are still feeling strong and happy!

We look a mess.

Total miles: 21

Over all this was a great week! I'm so glad we got a real long run in because we have just about four weeks to race day, so it's crunch time! Our training was pretty derailed over winter break and we've had to make some major adjustments, but I still think our goal is within reach.

ABK

Weekly Workouts 11/28-12/4

Monday: Four miles over the bridge. I had to stop to stretch twice; my calves and shins just felt really tight. Like...hard. You know when you've got lactic acid buildup? And then a muscle cramp and the muscle is literally cramped up into a hard little ball? Yeah. Like that. I have no idea what caused it but I was really unhappy with it, obviously.

Tuesday & Wednesday: Volleyball game and practice, respectively. The season is almost over and then I can get back to normal cross-training!

Thursday: Four mile bridge run. I wore KT tape, compression sleeves, my Kayanos instead of my Ravennas, and took a salt tab before this run. I still had some aches, but we slowed it down and my calves and shins felt moderately better.

Friday: Four mile bridge run. I was in my brand new Ravennas. I did take salt again and was still taped, although less drastically than Thursday, and my legs felt 90% better. No pauses to walk or stretch needed.

My purple Ravennas have 204 miles on them; they really shouldn't be done yet...but maybe that's the contributing factor here. Or maybe I've just been dehydrated and stiff from volleyball and walking around at work. Who knows?

Saturday: Rest. I made sure to foam roll my calves; I also had Matt massage my left one, which had a sensitive hot-spot. I re-taped that calf and wore a compression sleeve to bed.

Sunday: 11 miles - no calf pain! I was so relieved to have a pain-free run. We kept a steady pace, stopping at mile 5.25 (bathroom, Gu, water) and 7.7 (water). I shouldn't have had water the second time; I felt so full and sick for the rest of the run.

I had some calf sensitivity after my post-run nap, but none during the run!

I know on race day I won't be stopping like that (water stops are faster, for sure), and if we want to keep a solid pace and have a realistic idea of our finishing time, we need to stop pausing my watch on training runs. I think I'll plan to wean us off bathroom breaks over the next few long runs.

Total miles: 23.

This was a solid week despite my leg issues. I haven't figured out what's causing them yet, so I'm just going to continue as many treatments as I can until they're totally gone.

ABK

Weekly Workouts 11/21-11/27

Monday: Because of our aborted long run on Sunday, we used Monday to run our usual 4 miles on the bridge. I felt much better and the run went well. I'm not sure why I felt so sluggish on Sunday, but luckily whatever it was passed.

Tuesday: I created an upper body circuit that absolutely killed us. It looks easy enough, but my arms (specifically my triceps) were still sore four days later!

My left arm literally buckled and I face-planted during my last round of shoulder-taps.

Wednesday: We didn't have work, so we made up the missed long run. 11 miles at a 10:26 pace. This is Elizabeth's longest run to date and it went really well! I felt strong; a little ready to be done toward the end, but we didn't need to walk or slow our pace.

I don't know why the quality of this photo is so awful. Maybe my camera lens was sweaty?

We walked once at 6.2 miles (I ate a Gu) and once at 7.5 (water/bathroom). Otherwise we just kept it moving!

Thursday: Thanksgiving! I rested and ate a whole bunch of food.

Three pies, cupcakes, carrot cake...In our house, we only eat dinner so we can have dessert.

Friday: 4 miles. In my parents' neighborhood there's one decent hill so I made sure to incorporate it into my run twice, in lieu of the bridge. Elizabeth sent me her splits and they were insane. She's getting fast! I think I may be slowing her down these days!

Saturday: Stretching, planks, rolling...just an easy recovery day.

Charlie got in on my workout, too.

I was also the guest Instagrammer on Skirt Sports on Saturday, so that was really fun! If you didn't get to see my posts, you can still go on their account and catch up.

Sunday: Unplanned rest day. I was supposed to run 9 miles but visiting friends, traveling home, doing laundry, and grocery shopping had to be prioritized.

Total mileage: 19

Considering the mid-week long run and the fact that this was a holiday week, I feel pretty good about my workouts!

Did you have a good week and a good holiday?

ABK

Weekly Workouts 11/7-11/13

Monday: I did this circuit, albeit modified and only twice. My legs felt a little tired from Sunday's long run, and I wanted to focus more on upper body than legs, so I modified the jumping moves and focused mostly on arms and planks.

// THURSDAY WORK ✖️ FULL BODY WORKOUT ⚡️⚡️// 8 exercises, 40 seconds per exercise, repeat for 3-4 round of all 8 in order. LETSGO. 💪💪 #circuittraining #workoutvideo #exercisevideo #fitfam #fitgirlvideos #fitchicks

A video posted by Elise Young (@elisesbodyshop) on Nov 3, 2016 at 9:57am PDT

Tuesday: 4 miles over the bridge. This run was fast because I wanted to be home in time to shower and watch election results. Needless to say, the energy flatlined quickly once results started coming in.

Wednesday: 4 miles after volleyball. This run was a lot more sluggish. I've found in the past that running while grieving is really hard for me, and I knew this run would be therapeutic but not easy, and it wasn't. It was nice to be with Elizabeth and vent our concerns out loud, though.

Thursday: Upper body at volleyball. I did quick feet with the girls during warmups, then set for them and spiked at them for about 45 minutes. My arms are still sore two days later!

This was us, except instead of just touching the floor we dropped all the way down and then pushed up. My armpits hurt!

Friday: Another 4 miles over the bridge. Steady and decent run...not much to report! We did have some interesting splits.

Neither of us are feeling good enough to take our usual runfies this week.

Saturday: Rest.

Sunday: Too tired after a girl's night out to run in the morning, Elizabeth and I met for a rare evening long run. We did 9 miles at a 10:21 pace. We both felt really good; no fatigue or aches until the very end.

This is only week two of training for this half, so I have a good feeling about February!

Total mileage: 21

ABK