Mileage Monday: Night Run or Police Interrogation?

Mileage Mondays: Week One

Hello Vibrant Fam!

As part of this wild and wonderful race toward the NYC Marathon and Tokyo Marathon, I’m creating some rhythm with content—and Mondays are now officially Mileage Mondays. Each week, I’ll be sharing all things training: the highs, the lows, lessons learned, and everything in between. So without further ado… let’s dive in.

The Comeback… or Chaos?

This past week, I jumped right back into training after the United Airlines Half-Marathon. Now, should I have taken a couple of rest days? Probably.

Should I have eased into training with something light? Definitely. Did I? …Of course not. 😅 That’s just not my style.

Instead, I downloaded the Runna app and jumped headfirst into a new training plan. After all, my next race is coming up fast, and I’m still chasing that sub-two-hour half-marathon.

So what was Day 1 of training, you ask? Hills.

Fresh off a half-marathon. HILLS.

Our relationship was immediately tested. But I did it. I pushed through. I survived.

New Plan, New Territory

Throughout the week, I followed the Runna training schedule—which is completely new for me. I’ve never stuck to a formal plan before, so this is outside my comfort zone. But honestly? It’s kinda fun.

One of my favorite workouts was the progression run—I had never done one before, and I really enjoyed it! That said, my only complaint: my watch and phone couldn’t agree on pace, so the robot voice from Runna was really testing my patience. Ever start your day mad at a robot? Highly recommend... 😤

But hey, it worked—I walked away with my 3rd fastest 5K time!

Reality Check: Rest is Real

Of course, the week wasn’t all highs. I got humbled real quick.

Saturday’s long run was “just” 6 miles. Easy, right? I’ve run 13.1—this should be a breeze.

Nope. Not only do I think I pulled something in my left shin (OUCH), but I’m also pretty sure someone called the cops on me.

Why? Because I was running in the dark, and three—yes, three—different times, cop cars rolled through the neighborhood with their spotlights scanning the streets… and my face. So, yeah, I cut that run short at 3.4 miles. Between the shin pain and the flashlight interrogations, I took the hint from the universe. 😂

This Week’s Lesson: Listen to your body. 

Always.Whether you're training for a marathon or just pushing through daily life, your body is always talking. Let it rest when it needs rest. Don’t ignore pain. And please—for the love of your legs—hydrate and fuel properly.

It’s a new week, y’all. Let’s pull our britches up, lace those shoes, and keep this journey a’movin’.

Stay vibrant 💛

Short Note:

🏃‍♂️ I'm running the 2025 NYC Marathon & 2026 Tokyo Marathon as a charity runner for Tackle Kids Cancer and the American Cancer Society. If you’d like to support the cause, you can donate here:

American Cancer Society | Tackle Kids Cancer

Thank you for being part of this journey 💛