Fartlek Fanatic

Solid Mail Day yesterday! Two of my favorite brands arrived, along with a new one to try out!

became my number one gel during last year’s training for Berlin Marathon. The overall taste, nutritional value and ease of digestion are all reasons I continue going back to it.

was kind enough to send me a sample pack along with a shaker bottle, and I’m stoked to try out their cookies and superfood fuel! If you have ever read about the Tarahumara Tribe, you’ll recognize one of their main ingredients. 👌🏼 Thanks Raul!

As for , you know that’s my jam. 😎 Check out that new race kit! 🔥 Temps are starting to rise and that 2” inseam will hit the streets soon!

Who doesn’t love opening packages on a Friday!?! Do you have anything special on the way?

More enjoyable miles around the soccer fields this evening, as my youngest daughter had practice this time. How is everyone’s Friday night going? Any of you have big plans for the weekend, or next week for the Mardi Gras holidays? Let’s hear it!

Medal Monday with some Houston bling! The was VERY well organized, from registration and expo all the way to the finish line. Everything was a breeze and the atmosphere was phenomenal. Corrals were spacious enough to stretch if needed. Starting miles kicked off with excitement and quickly spread out, allowing space to breathe. A few rolling hills just after the half way mark, due to over and underpasses, but mostly flat and fast otherwise. Crowd support was strong and evident, but not so much that you are constantly overstimulated, like some. Water and aid stations are plentiful and and water was offered at nearly every station, if I remember correctly. The volunteers were awesome! was also offered at certain points along the course. All in all, I give the Chevron Houston Marathon an A+ and it is definitely one that I’d highly recommend. 👌🏼

Yep! It doesn’t seem running related at all, yet running plays a large factor in many aspects. I’m tapping back into my true self this year, rather than following what I “should be doing” or “what everyone else is doing”. I am my own unique individual and a highly unique one at that. We all are! And that’s one quality that I cannot let slip away. I’ve always been one to pave my own path and I’ve felt that I was losing grip of that in 2023. I became too influenced by what others expect of me and the path I “should” be chasing. You see what I’m saying? We are all originals, so let’s be original. 😎 2024 is going to be fun. 🤟🏼

Some days I get to run when the sun is shining. Not often, but sometimes. 🌞 As runners, we need all the Vitamin D we can get.

We all have our go-to when it comes to hydration. For me, it’s G.1.M. Sport from . You know I’ll always present you with what I like best and I’ve also been known to show you the things that I didn’t like along with my fails in trying new things. So, here’s a favorite of mine. The NFP is to my liking and the sustained energy I receive from G.1.M Sport is superb. So, any time I have a run of 10 miles or more, I’m preparing this in my water bottle the night before and stowing it in the fridge. This way, it’s quick and easy for me to grab like a ninja during those early morning hours and not wake the family.

Let me know, what’s your go-to hydration choice? I’d love to hear what works for you.

It’s almost Thanksgiving and I still don’t want to put clothes on. 🤷🏻‍♂️

A tad brisk this morning, yet it felt oh so good! It’s amazing how much easier it is to breathe when it’s cold and the humidity drops to 60%, rather than 90%.

Did you know that humidity plays a role in your overall VO2 Max stats along with heat? Studies show that in dry heat, VO2 Max drops by over 5% as compared to cooler, more comfortable conditions. In hot and humid conditions, VO2 Max can be dropped by over 12%, in comparison. In general, heat causes the body to work harder to keep a cooler, core temperature, which means that your heart rate will spike relatively quickly, causing runners to not last as long during workouts. When high humidity is added in, it becomes twice as hard to keep that cooler core temperature and also harder to deliver as much oxygen to your muscles due to moisture in the air. In summary, don’t compare your VO2 Max to other runners on this platform. You never know what conditions they are facing at their location.

Don’t you just love a pair of white kicks? The only problem is keeping them white. 😆 They look fresh as can be when they’re bright white though!

I’m back on the streets! I wonder if my neighbors have missed me. 🤔

Next training block fueled by grit, determination and a tad bit of revenge. Running Gods, be kind to me. 🤟🏼

Here’s a throwback to one of my final workouts before Berlin,… because I still haven’t ran since Berlin… and I’m really ready to run again. So there’s that. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Oh, and this was the night I decided I was going to race in the Endorphin Pro 3 Pandas. 🤟🏼🐼 Nothing scientific, simply feel.

It’s been a wild day and I leave for NYC tomorrow morning, so I’m stoked about that. Might even run around Central Park while there. Who’s in the city that intends to run over the weekend? Let me know. 😎

Buenos noches!

Berlin Marathon, you taught me more than I could’ve asked for. Now, to shift and confirm the lessons learned. Only the future will tell.

I’ll elaborate further on my experience very soon. For now, g’night world! 🙏🏼😴

A marathon wouldn’t seem right without a flat lay, right? Here’s flat Joe. My kit, shoes, fuel, belt, music. Everything I’ll have on but the Sport Shield and my deodorant. Lighting in my room isn’t the best, so I grabbed the lamp and stood on top of the bed while holding it in my hand and snapping the photo. Us runners are definitely an interesting bunch. 😆 Get a good night’s sleep and best of luck to all the marathoners tomorrow morning! Set those legs free and I’ll see y’all at the finish! 🤟🏼😎

Berlin, I’m coming in hot. By that, I mean heat acclimated. So, I hope those 50° temps with little to no humidity gives me that boost I need!

Only 4 more weeks until Berlin. I’ve been taking this training block, one day at a time before I could even realize, and or down to you only one month before I take to the streets of Berlin, as well to think that I only have roughly 2 more weeks of intense training before we start to taper down. Over the next four weeks, I’m going to place emphasis on my recovery and nutrition, so that I can be my absolute best on race day. This training block has been one hell of a ride, and I look forward to closing it out and allowing the results to surface. Who else has a race approaching soon? Better yet, who else is running in Berlin?!? #running #runnersofinstagram #marathontraining #runnersworld #run

The many looks of a the long run aftermath where you feel you completely drained and you’re just glad you made it home without passing out. It happens. Now, time to focus on recovery.

About last night... After a long travel day home from Isla Mujeres, we returned in time to pick our girls up from gymnastics, eat dinner with them them tuck them into bed. After that, I had to have a deep discussion with myself because I needed to cover some training miles and also make up for the workouts I missed while on vacay. It was a tug of war between being tired and knowing I needed to jump on the opportunity to cover some ground. So, while having 8 on the books for the day, I set off through the local neighborhoods while hiding a water bottle of in the bushes just in case. I wanted to get some miles back from what I missed. Therefore, I wanted to see how I felt because I may go beyond 8. Although tired, I felt the run was going smoothly, so I opted to go two more. In the end, 10 smooth miles in my new Triumph 21 and my new pair of Fuel ‘n Fly shorts.

Getting to bed later than anticipated, I knew I’d need to sleep in the following morning. Even though I just covered 10 miles, my body still needed to catch up on sleep, proper nutrition and hydration. I needed to find my rhythm again. Garmin also verified how I felt this morning. I need a reset. So, I chose to relax today and focus on getting work done. Now, after a big dinner, I’m soaking in Epsom and I’ll be in for an early bed time.

Long run in the morning and I’ll sink back into schedule. For now, know that you may not always be able to hit every workout and you also may not be able to make miles up without doing more damage than good. Sometimes you simply have to rest up and pick up where you left off. I’m still eyeballing my goal and it is nowhere near wavering. However, adapting while living and loving life will be inevitable at times. We can’t beat ourselves up.

Sometimes running takes you places and sometimes you take running places. Either way, we explore more than the average person and tap into what the world has to offer just a tad deeper. The world is our playground. 😎

We are all out here doing our best. Between balancing life at work, life at home, social life with friends and our personal self care, such as training, meditation or a craft, doing our best is all that we can ask for. We all have rather hectic, beautiful lives and being able to step away for “me time” periodically embraces our inner growth and allows us to “breathe”. Whenever we are able to “breathe”, we are able to clear the mind, and suddenly become a better parent, spouse, friend, coworker, boss, human. So, always remember to prioritize and take the time to “breathe” periodically. It’s our reset. 🤟🏼😎

Highlight of this show are the Kinvara 14 and the AFO 3” Split Short.

I’ll be out of commission for a bit with some slightly sporadic posts that may or may not come during times of relaxation from me, my wife and kids running amuck on this island! I hope everyone is having a fantastic week!

Six glorious miles, exploring as the sun rose this AM.

Hello Summer! Proof that my sock game is consistent. Check out that defined line, ! 👀

Bone conduction technology has been a game changer for my favorite passion, running, as a whole. With the safety it presents to the running world and the quality sounds it generates, it allows me to enjoy every run to the utmost, fully hearing my surroundings while clarity music also motivates my every step!

With that being said, I want y’all to enjoy the best bone conduction headphones on the market as well! Starting on 5/26, is launching their SUMMER SALE! And good news, from 5/20 to 5/25, you guys can have early access to the summer sale by using my unique code, JOEWILLY20, to get 20% off on OpenRun Pro(& mini), OpenRun(& mini), as well as the Open Move!

The sale applies to these three Shokz products specifically, plus their mini models, and is applicable to US sales only.

#

Looking towards this next marathon training block, like…

Patient, Progressive, Persistent. Those are the three P’s I will need to implement over these next 18 weeks, if i wish to hit my mark. It’s time to get gritty. 🤟🏼😎

We ride at dawn!! 🏃🏻‍♂️ Okay, more like 8AM. Courir Du Festival 5k here we come!

Almost time to take a spin with hundreds of others and simply have fun! 🤟🏼😎

After two wild weeks of Disney, Zurich Classic and a Taylor Swift concert, it’s time to get back into the groove. So, I grabbed my trusty Ride 15 from Saucony, the Garmin HR monitor, UCAN Edge and my Goodr sunglasses to enjoy this beautiful evening stroll. 21 weeks out from and it’s almost time to jazz things up!

What’s your default shoe within your ? Mine is and has been the Triumph for many years. It’s the shoe that I log the majority of my miles in, as it is a high cushioned trainer that handles my long runs and easy miles with ease and comfort. Basically, a large percentage of my base miles take place in this model. One other constant is ’s Accelerate Performance socks. I’ve been using these socks since 2019 and they’re my go-to by far.

For our Disney trip, I took two pairs of Triumphs, version 18 and 19. I could run in them and walk all day in the parks with comfort. The colorful 18 model is on its last leg, as it has hit that 350 mile mark and that’s when I like to retire them. I ran in both pairs throughout my latest training and the black pair of 19’s are roughly half way through their running lifespan at the moment. It won’t be long before I need to refresh the rotation with a new pair of Triumphs. However, I’m remaining patient until it is needed. I also love the Saucony Ride, which takes a big load of my mileage as well.

So, tell me what shoe model is your absolute go-to. Also, what’s your sock of choice?

*Note: is having a big sale on all their socks at the moment. 😉

This morning’s shenanigans involved several laps around Caribbean Beach, which is a lovely 1.4 mile loop. Conditions were quite sticky but it is nothing new to me. Humidity is good for the skin, right? 🤷🏻‍♂️😆

Vacation like a champ and do all the fun things, while never veering from your goals. 🤟🏼😎

This is a first and I had to capture a photo! Two generations of flat lays in the same household. My oldest and I will both be running at the this weekend. She’s running the kid’s 1 mile and I’ll be running the half marathon.

This will be her first race by herself and I’m excited to see how she does. As for whether or not she’ll pace herself accordingly, we shall find out! As for me, I signed up last minute and will be running alongside a good buddy of mine, , as he tackles his first 13.1. 🙌🏼 All in all, I’m excited for my daughter as well as my friend. It takes guts to step out of your comfort zone and do things you’ve never done. I 100% admire that! Meanwhile, there’s nothing like getting out there and supporting our local community! The kids run is this morning and I’ll be running the half tomorrow morning. Let’s GEAUX Acadiana! 🤟🏼😎

Going on 3 1/2 years of wearing as my chosen headphones and at this point, it’s difficult to imagine wearing anything else. 👌🏼

The Shokz Spring sale is fast approaching, but you can have early access to the sale by checking out the 🔗 in my bio and using “JOE15” at checkout!

*Early access discount available to US residents only.