Ok we are right in the thick on prime running season. I hope that you all are having epic runs and smashing your training plans. For todays MONDAY MORNING CONVERSATION question we want to know.... WHAT IS THE BEST / FAVORITE PART OF YOU RUNNING CURRENTLY? it could be the excitement of you next race coming up.. it could be you telling all your friends the miles you are logging and they are not it could be your place list... it could be the weird shirt you just got from @Scott Birdsall Weirdo running co. BUT WHAT is it.... WHAT IS THE BEST / FAVORITE PART OF YOU RUNNING CURRENTLY?

OH that good ole "Warm up" do you even need to do it.... who has time for that anyway. Nothing says elite runner confidence like jumping out of your house , tying your shoes, and immediately trying to run a PR pace as if your body wasn't sitting in a chair 90 seconds ago. But here are a few facts... Research shows that a proper warm-up can increase muscle temperature by 1-2°F, improving muscle elasticity, power output, and efficiency. Research has also shown that a proper warm up program can help prevent in jury 30-40%. Furthermore studies have also found that runners who perform dynamic warm-ups can improve performance by 2-5%. Translation: your body works better when you don't treat it like an old lawnmower that should magically start at full throttle. Why? A good warm-up increases blood flow, gets oxygen moving to working muscles, improves range of motion, and helps your nervous system remember that today's mission is running—not scrolling social media. (But if you are scrolling be sure you include this page :-) Even elite runners spend 15-30 minutes warming up before hard workouts. Meanwhile, some of us (ME) are out here doing one ankle circle and saying, "Yep, that should do it." Me: Guilty... So I'm curious... For today's MONDAY MORNING CONVERSATION... What's your personal warm-up routine before a run? Do you have a detailed pre-run ritual, or are you part of the "first mile IS the warm-up" club? BE honest and share what is your go to....

Thank you so much for all of you that responded to last week's Monday morning conversation. These are the type of conversations that truly build a closer community because we see just how much alike we are and how we can help support each other better every day. So we have an another good one.... TODAY. WHAT IS ONE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH ABOUT RUNNING THAT YOU'VE HAD TO LEARN THE HARD WAY? Maybe it's: - You can't out-train a bad diet. - Motivation is unreliable. - Easy runs are supposed to be easy. - Recovery is training. - Nobody cares about your pace as much as you do. - Consistency beats intensity - add yours here. Every one of us starts with certain beliefs about what it takes to improve. Then running humbles us and teaches us something different. What's that one lesson running taught you that you wish someone had told you sooner? Always remember that, Running has a funny way of charging tuition for lessons we could have gotten for free. The problem is most of us don't listen until we've paid for the class." V

One of the major reasons we started Eat Cake Run club was to have a place where we all can get better as runners and more importantly humans. To do that we get the chance to be vulnerable and have real conversations and thoughts… So for today REAL TALK Monday morning conversation… WHAT IS ONE LIE YOU TELL YOURSELF—AND ACTUALLY BELIEVE—ABOUT YOURSELF AS A RUNNER? Maybe it’s: “I’m always slow.” “I’m not a real runner because…” “I’ll never be able to run that far.” “Everyone else is better than me.” “I am told old” Ads yours here … Because The truth is, we all have one. Running isn’t just physical. The legs may carry us down the miles , but the mind determines how far we’re willing to go. The biggest battles in running usually happen between our ears, not beneath our feet. In fact, I’d argue that running is 95% mental. The body is often capable of far more than the mind gives it permission to do. And if you’re thinking, “I don’t tell myself any lies…” Congratulations. You just found your second one. So let’s be honest this morning: WHAT’S ONE LIE YOU’VE BEEN TELLING YOURSELF AS A RUNNER, AND WHAT TRUTH SHOULD REPLACE IT? Share yours below. You might be surprised how many people need to hear the same truth today.

Ok this is a good one this week. You know those runs... the epic runs that just seem like you crush them with ease, the mind is good and the body is good and you just get to enjoy that high feeling... ( I hope you all have experienced this) SO... for today's Monday Morning conversation. We want to know when was the most recent run that you has this happen? Not your best most epic run even but the most RECENT one... Give us all the good details... the run, the conditions and the feels that it gave! We can't wait to hear them... Really it is why we run! OK answers now GO......