37 Ways My Running Has Changed + Happy (Belated) Birthday to Me

Wow! You know you are busy and your blog has taken a backseat over the years when you forget to do a blog post for your birthday. Jeesh!

As an adult, your birthday is kind of weird in that as a kid, you tell everyone its your birthday–not out of narcissism but because you are truly excited about it. You throw yourself a birthday party, invite all your friends over, and celebrate with all your friends and family. As an adult, it is kind of weird to throw your own birthday party or talk about it being your birthday unless someone else brings it up.

Anyway, a week ago I celebrated my birthday. I ran 7 miles for turning thirty-7! I had to work in the morning and the evening, so there wasn’t a lot of celebrating, but I enjoyed some time with my boys.

In honor of my 37th birthday, I am sharing 37 changes my running has had over the years. I got this idea from Hungry Runner Girl’s post she did a few days ago, so I thought I should follow suit. When I started thinking about everything that has changed, I realized there were quite a few things, so here are 37 of them!

1. I wear a lot less cotton now when running. (Make that none.)
2. I now wear more than one pair of shoes. (I currently have 16 pairs of running shoes.)
3. I have been spoiled with good socks. I don’t wear the multi-pack of socks from Costco anymore and now understand why good socks cost twice as much.
4. I use a GPS watch now to track my running stats. Before that, I used a basic chronograph watch and every run was an 8 minute/mile pace.
5. I trust my gut a lot more.
6. I hired a coach.
7. I’ve become a mom (x2) and still love it just as much.
8. I now wear racing flats instead of my daily trainers for races.
9. The trends in food have changed. I used to eat a lot of Chobani yogurt and sandwich thins, but this has now been replaced with collagen, coconut oil, and quinoa, which will also be past trends in five years. (Ha!)
10. The only time I use headphones is while running on the treadmill, and I now listen to podcasts over music.
11. My weight lifting is a lot more body weight exercises.
12. Our trips/vacations are sometimes planned around my races.
13. I spend a lot more time recovering now by stretching, foam rolling, icing, etc.
14. I now take an iron supplement every day because if I don’t I suffer from anemia.
15. A 10-12 mile (even 14 mile) run in the morning before 8am is common place when I’m in the midst of marathon training.
16. Marathons used to scare me (Okay, they still do.)
17. Nike Tempo shorts have been replaced with much more flattering options.
18. After years upon years of running intervals, I can now start a 200, 800, or 1600 meter repeat and know exactly how fast/slow to go depending upon the distance.
19. Three miles used to be my minimum, now it is four miles.
20. I don’t wear underwear with any of my running shorts. So many of them have a built-in liner, and for whatever reason I don’t wear underwear with spandex shorts either.
21. I now don’t bat an eye at spending $100+ on a good pair of tights. (And they are worth every penny.)
22. I didn’t know many elite athletes when I first started running, but I feel as though I really know who they are through podcasts and their social media accounts now.
23. I used to never wear any lighted gear when running in the dark. Now I do every time.
24. Racing involves wearing the lightest and least amount of clothes possible now. (Ha!) I will often race in buns and a cropped top or shorts and a sports bra.
25. I never thought I would be as fast as I am, and I’m not done pushing that envelop to see how fast I can get.
26. I have a lot more black toenails now.
27. I race a lot more than I used to.
28. I used to subscribe to Runner’s World, but now I just rely on social media to give me all the information.
29. I no longer can stand wearing loose fitting clothing like wide leg pants when running.
30. I am now a coach for runners.
31. I don’t save all my race bibs anymore.
32. I tend to shop at running-specialty stores rather than big box stores.
33. Everything is lighter and less bulky–shoes, GPS watches, and clothing.
34. I now know how to construct my training into precise training blocks with build-ups, cut-back weeks, an appropriate taper depending upon the race.
35. I have specific tights and workout gear for running and some I only wear for lounging or athleisure wear.
36. I have a husband who is my #1 fan and supports my crazy addiction.
37. While there have been a lot of things that have changed over the years, the one thing that hasn’t changed is how much I love running. I’m addicted as much as I was when I first started 25+ years ago!