Guys! Every time I get to partner with Nike it’s legit my favorite thing in the world, so I am beyond stoked to bring you today’s post all about running & their new LunarEpic Fly Knit shoe. ( You KNOW I love my Nike FlyKnits… I even wore them to the Chanel backstage beauty party a few weeks ago… With a dress! ) When my real life loves of running, high quality athletic wear, fun patterned pants & adventures with my favs all intersect and I get to call that “work” — damn, I feel like a lucky girl.

Firstly… These pants. This view. Do you die or do you die? There is something so enchanting and cozy about the rain and fog in Los Angeles, because we don’t get it very often. Running in the rain has got to be one of my top five favorite feelings in the world- not only does it keep our body heat down so our bods can perform at their very best, but it also just feels so calming and cathartic. Every time I run in the rain I feel like I’m shaking off my stress & worries with every step. ( It sounds cheesy I know but it’s so true I couldn’t not mention it. )

This running journey has been such an awesome change from my usual workout routine. Never have I felt so strong or capable in my own body than when I go out for a powerful run. Yes, yoga makes me feel strong and there is something to be said for the deep stretching, intense spirituality and meditative qualities that yoga brings to the table. But there is something so strengthening about running that I can’t get enough of. It’s a full body experience where every muscle, every ligament has to work in sync in order to make it happen and to make it enjoyable.

Also, running can be hard in a way that other workouts just don’t really come close to. It tests our boundaries. High intensity interval training is hard. Yoga can be very hard. Pilates can be freaking unbearably hard. But distance running is one of those curious types of exercise that puts our bodies to the test and really shows us what we are made of not just physically but also mentally. You can stop to take breaks, but if you have a distance or a time goal in mind there really is no choice but to just pick yourself up and keep going– and I love that about running. The act of running and sticking with it has strengthened my mind way, way, way more than I could have ever imagined.

I told you guys about how much I loved running the 10k a few weeks ago for a few different reasons. One was because the shorter distance was pretty wonderful after running a full 26.2 miles 3 weeks before that, but another was because I tested myself a little bit and ran at a much faster pace than I am used to. It made me feel like a real “runner” in a way that I hadn’t exactly felt before or even realized that I hadn’t felt before that, if that makes sense. It brought up so many emotions and so much reflection about where I am in life right now, my relationships, my focuses, and more. I couldn’t believe what a full mind trip was going on while I was basically full-on sprinting. Coolest feeling ever.

I’ve also gained a new perspective on self-care, balanced nutrition, stretching and resting thanks to all the running I’ve been doing. You can’t run distances without being seriously cognizant of how you’re treating your body when you’re not running. It makes you think twice about the food that you eat so that you are always properly fueled and don’t have any yuckiness in you that’s going to weigh you down, and it makes SLEEP and muscle restoration so beyond important. For me, that has been a HUGE explanation behind why I caught the “running bug” so quickly — I needed that permission to rest. I needed that massive reminder that I was living life at way too fast of a pace for my own comfort.

The self-care I’ve developed has even helped me realize certain things about my personality that I didn’t know, like how much alone time I need in order to recharge and how much better I feel when I get into bed super early and wake up early… Ah! Even thinking about it makes me happy. (Lol, I am a dork.)

Where Am I in My Running Journey Now?

I have taken some time to rest and recharge after the marathon in February, but I have slowly but surely been getting back into my shorter runs during the week and I am going on my first long run in a while this weekend. I am training for the Vine Body Sole half in Napa this May… And I’m excited to get back in the game and train! With my personality, having something to train for really helps me stay on top of my goals. Otherwise, I have so many other things going on that other parts of my life start to take precedence. It’s that extreme personality thing. If you have that type of personality too (a lot of us do), all you need to do is reflect a little and figure out what you need to do in order to stay on top of your goals & keep your routine in check. Then do it! It’s okay if that means doing things differently than a lot of your friends and other people you know — that’s the beauty of being YOU.

LUNAREPIC SHOES! Best Thing Ever.

So now. Let’s talk about these Nike LunarEpic shoes. They are freaking awesome. They have a great fluid-feel to them because of the precision-lasered Lunarlon that they use in the sole, so every step you take feels smooth and supported. They are SUPER soft (a must for me when it comes to any kind of shoe) with a pressure-mapped outsole to provide targeted cushioning. The coolest part of the shoe, to me, is the top– they are considered a mid-rise flyknit so there is a little sock-like portion at the top that keeps them extremely comfortable and secure on your foot.

They’re good for jumping too… Don’t worry, I tested it out for you 😉