This is not a “new year, new me” thing.This is a “finish the year stronger than you started” thing. The Black Friday Challenge starts right after Thanksgiving dinner 😉... - Daily workout - Daily step goal - Daily writing prompt - Daily check-in post - 0 alcohol - Start Black Friday → End Jan 1st. More to come in the next couple days! We start Black Friday... We finish together. Let’s go.

35 degrees at the start. Just enough bite in the air to make you question your sanity for showing up this early on a Saturday. But that first mile hit, the chatter started, and suddenly the cold didn’t matter anymore. What began as “let’s do 10k” somehow turned into “let’s keep going.” Nine miles later, we looked at each other, laughed, and said, “Guess we’re doing a half.” Over 2 hours of steady miles, honest conversation, and that kind of quiet gratitude that sneaks up on you when you realize how lucky you are. To still be able to run, to reconnect, to feel alive out there. It’s easy to get caught chasing pace, distance, or the next PR… but days like this remind me it’s really about the people beside you and the stories that happen between each mile marker. Blessed for mornings like this... cold, spontaneous, and full of meaning. Tagging my training crew and saying thanks for reminding me why I fell in love with this in the first place. What’s the last unexpected run that turned into something unforgettable for you?

Man… there is nothing like a Midwest fall run. Crisp air, leaves crunching under your shoes, that little burn in your lungs that somehow feels good, like your body finally woke up and said, “Alright, let’s go.” Me and Rikki knocked out 4 miles today, and I swear it’s the kind of run that reminds you why you fell in love with training in the first place. Cool temps. Big breaths. Zero expectations. Just two people doing life side by side, step for step. These are the runs that built everything for me when I was struggling with direction a couple years ago. Not the race days… not the fancy workouts… just the quiet runs where you get a chance to reset your whole brain when the world gets loud. I try to do at least a couple of these fun easy runs per week. Something simple, Something conversational, Something that reminds me that running is more than training… It’s therapy with a better view. 😅 I’m curious — what’s YOUR favorite kind of run right now? Long? Slow? Fast? Early? Nighttime? Treadmill? Trail? Drop it below ⬇️ I wanna hear how you all reset and get your mind right.

Hey Beyond The Run Family — wanted to drop something for anyone here grinding, building, or chasing a big goal. These are 5 things I wish someone told me earlier in my amateur years. They would've saved me time, mistakes, and a whole lot of frustration. 1️⃣ The boring stuff wins... Master sleep, hydration, recovery, and the tiny details. They compound. 2️⃣ Pressure doesn’t disappear — it evolves. Going pro didn’t remove pressure. It made it heavier — but also more purposeful. 3️⃣ Your mind quits first. The mental game is 80% of this whole journey. Train it like you train your body. 4️⃣ Your circle = your ceiling. The people around you shape your level. Choose wisely. 5️⃣ Protect your identity. If your sport becomes your whole identity, you’ll burn out.Stay human. Stay grounded. Which one hits you the hardest right now? Drop the number in the comments — I wanna hear where everyone’s at.

Just wanted to get the ball rolling in here, so I’m dropping one of the handwritten notes I’ve been working on. This one always hits me pretty hard: “If you don’t come from a healthy family, make sure a healthy family comes from you.” That’s something I’ve had to remind myself of over the years. A lot of us didn’t grow up with perfect examples… but we do get the chance to build something better now. Whether that’s with our kids, our partners, our friends, or even just the relationship we’re building with ourselves. Small steps. Daily effort. Choosing the higher road even when it feels uncomfortable. That’s the work. That’s the change. If this speaks to you, feel free to drop a thought, a story, or even just a quick “same.” No pressure — I just want this tab to slowly turn into a place where we can be honest without judgment. More handwritten notes coming soon. — Jace