February was an interesting month. Compared to January, which felt really steady and predictable, February came with its own set of challenges and triumphs. My goal for the month was to consistently run four miles while also focusing on increasing my speed. Some days, I felt strong—like I could push myself to a faster pace and even sprinkle in some sprint training. Other days, I felt exhausted, like my body was resisting every step, and finishing four miles felt nearly impossible.

One of the biggest mindset shifts I had this month was thinking more about marathon training. I started experimenting with a new running approach that seemed to work well for me: running 0.90 of a mile at a faster pace and then walking the last 0.10 to slow my heart rate before repeating the cycle. This gave me the confidence to push myself while still maintaining some level of control over my endurance. I found that I could sustain speeds between 6.5 and 7.5 MPH (about an 8:00-9:00 minute mile pace) for those bursts. It felt challenging but doable, and it gave me hope that I might be able to apply a similar strategy for longer runs.

But then, the last week of February hit, and my energy levels completely tanked. It was one of those weeks where everything felt harder—not just running, but balancing work, motherhood, and life in general.

Most of the time, I feel like I have a decent amount of energy, but I definitely had a few days where I was straight-up burned out. And I want to share that here because it’s easy to scroll through posts online and assume that everyone else has this magical, perfectly balanced life where everything just flows seamlessly. I promise mine is not that way. With four kids—three of them boys, one of them a younger (and more stubborn) version of myself—my hands are full. Really, really full.

So, instead of forcing myself to push through at the same speed, I decided to shift gears and embrace a slower pace. And to my surprise, it actually felt amazing. Running at 5 MPH (about a 12:00-minute mile pace) was something I could sustain without breathing heavily or sending my heart rate soaring. It felt natural, like something I could actually maintain over a long period of time.

That realization led me to an unexpected milestone.

On the last Friday of the month, I set out for a long run with one goal: to take it slow and steady and see how far I could go without stopping. And, to my surprise, I made it 7.5 miles—the farthest I’ve ever run.

There were a few hiccups along the way, like the treadmill automatically stopping my workout at the 5-mile mark (cue minor frustration), but I restarted, sipped some water, and kept going. My original goal was to hit 9 miles, and I honestly think I could have done it, but then the childcare staff at the gym called me because one of my little ones refused to clean up the toy blocks. So, I wrapped up at 7.5 miles and called it a win. Jumped in the pool to cool off and finished relaxing for a few min in the sauna.

And it really was a win. Not just because of the number, but because of how I felt. The run felt good. It felt sustainable. And for the first time, I felt like running a long distance wasn’t just something I was working toward—it was something I was capable of doing.

Looking back, I think all the faster running I did earlier in the month helped build my strength and endurance in ways I didn’t realize at the time. Those speed sessions—where I pushed myself past my comfort zone—made my slower-paced runs feel so much easier in comparison. And that’s something I’ll carry with me into March: the understanding that balance is everything. Some days will be about speed. Some days will be about endurance. Some days will just be about showing up, even when I don’t feel like it.

February was an interesting month. Compared to January, which felt really steady and predictable, February came with its own set of challenges and triumphs. My goal for the month was to consistently run four miles while also focusing on increasing my speed. Some days, I felt strong—like I could push myself to a faster pace and even sprinkle in some sprint training. Other days, I felt exhausted, like my body was resisting every step, and finishing four miles felt nearly impossible.

One of the biggest mindset shifts I had this month was thinking more about marathon training. I started experimenting with a new running approach that seemed to work well for me: running 0.90 of a mile at a faster pace and then walking the last 0.10 to slow my heart rate before repeating the cycle. This gave me the confidence to push myself while still maintaining some level of control over my endurance. I found that I could sustain speeds between 6.5 and 7.5 MPH (about an 8:00-9:00 minute mile pace) for those bursts. It felt challenging but doable, and it gave me hope that I might be able to apply a similar strategy for longer runs.

But then, the last week of February hit, and my energy levels completely tanked. It was one of those weeks where everything felt harder—not just running, but balancing work, motherhood, and life in general.

Most of the time, I feel like I have a decent amount of energy, but I definitely had a few days where I was straight-up burned out. And I want to share that here because it’s easy to scroll through posts online and assume that everyone else has this magical, perfectly balanced life where everything just flows seamlessly. I promise mine is not that way. With four kids—three of them boys, one of them a younger (and more stubborn) version of myself—my hands are full. Really, really full.

So, instead of forcing myself to push through at the same speed, I decided to shift gears and embrace a slower pace. And to my surprise, it actually felt amazing. Running at 5 MPH (about a 12:00-minute mile pace) was something I could sustain without breathing heavily or sending my heart rate soaring. It felt natural, like something I could actually maintain over a long period of time.

That realization led me to an unexpected milestone.

On the last Friday of the month, I set out for a long run with one goal: to take it slow and steady and see how far I could go without stopping. And, to my surprise, I made it 7.5 miles—the farthest I’ve ever run.

There were a few hiccups along the way, like the treadmill automatically stopping my workout at the 5-mile mark (cue minor frustration), but I restarted, sipped some water, and kept going. My original goal was to hit 9 miles, and I honestly think I could have done it, but then the childcare staff at the gym called me because one of my little ones refused to clean up the toy blocks. So, I wrapped up at 7.5 miles and called it a win. Jumped in the pool to cool off and finished relaxing for a few min in the sauna.

And it really was a win. Not just because of the number, but because of how I felt. The run felt good. It felt sustainable. And for the first time, I felt like running a long distance wasn’t just something I was working toward—it was something I was capable of doing.

Looking back, I think all the faster running I did earlier in the month helped build my strength and endurance in ways I didn’t realize at the time. Those speed sessions—where I pushed myself past my comfort zone—made my slower-paced runs feel so much easier in comparison. And that’s something I’ll carry with me into March: the understanding that balance is everything. Some days will be about speed. Some days will be about endurance. Some days will just be about showing up, even when I don’t feel like it.