Hello! Here are the 3 best questions from today’s @RunEatRepeat Instagram Story box. I picked these to share here because they’re helpful and/or informative for other runners. And there’s a question about the Dopey Challenge that I’ve been meaning to address. So, if you’re thinking about doing the Dopey Challenge and/or have any questions about it – put it in the comments or DM me on Instagram @RunEatRepeat.

Question: Would You Do the Dopey Challenge Again?

Yes – if a sponsor invited me to run the Dopey Challenge as part of a project. But I wouldn’t want to pay for it again. The race, transportation/travel and hotel add up to make it a very expensive ‘race vacation’ (I hesitate to use the word vacation here because it didn’t feel like one).

I also would consider doing it again IF I had a group of running buddies and we were doing it together. I think a girls’ trip with a lot of running is a blast. But, going with someone who doesn’t run or isn’t doing the challenge isn’t ideal.

I have a lot of thoughts about the Dopey Challenge and am still working on a post about it. If you have any questions or want me to cover anything specific – let me know. Leave a comment or DM me on Instagram @RunEatRepeat 

How did getting the RRCA Run Coach Certification impact your running career?

I got certified as a running coach because Run Eat Repeat was growing very fast! I was getting a lot of questions from other runners and wanted to make sure I was educated and informed to help as much as possible.

But to answer your question – I think it helped my running by making me feel more confident. It made me feel like I belonged in the running community a lil bit more. It may sound weird, but it’s hard to redefine yourself after growing up believing certain things (in my case that I was fat and not a runner). And that confidence helped me enjoy running more – which is the best!

Question: What are your current favorite running shoes? I used to wear Brooks Adrenaline but they lost me with the last update.

I used to be a Brooks Running Shoes girly 1000% too! I still like their shoes and mainly wear the Brooks Ghost now. But, after I broke my foot I needed something with a lot of cushion and started to wear Hokas (I’d worn them in the past and was familiar with their super cushion situation).

But, I didn’t want to stick with Hokas as my main & only running shoe. Now I have a few different pairs of running shoes that I rotate. Here are the shoes I wear to run right now – plus links to the ones I wear for walking / life.  I’d consider all of these shoes in the neutral category. They’re also all pretty light and have good cushion.

The best shoe for YOU depends on YOU. So, if you don’t have a favorite running shoe – go to a running shoe store to get fitted, tell them what you’re training for and your preferences. They’ll usually suggest a few options (if they don’t suggest it without prompt- ask them to give you 3 options). Then, try them on… walk around, run around if they let you or have a treadmill – and chose based on how they feel.

running shoes Mentioned:

Hoka One One Running Shoes (on Amazon) // Hoka One One on Nordstrom – I wore these after I broke my foot for some extra cushion to help protect it. I also wore these a few years back and really liked them. They’re super light and have a lot of cushion.

Altra Rivera Road Running Shoe (on Amazon)  // Altra Rivera Running Shoes (on Nordstrom) – Love! So comfortable. Altra Running shoes also have a wide toe box so if you have a lot of problems with black toenails or losing toenails – this might be a good option.

Altra Trail Running Shoes // Altra Train Running Shoes (on Nordstrom) –  I don’t wear these to run, I wear these for WALKING my dog and just life. That’s mainly because I don’t run trails because I’m scared of snakes and spiders and everything else that lives there.

Nike Air Zoom Tempo Running Shoes (from Nike.com) – I’m still wearing and loving these Nike Running Shoes even though the first time I wore them my foot completely bled through to the outside of the shoe and you could very obviously see it.

Brooks Ghost Running Shoes (on Amazon) // Brooks Ghost Running Shoes (from Nordstrom) – These are a tried and true favorite running shoe. They just feel fast and come in so many fun colors.

Keep Going with these: