Southern Yankee

After just six months of consistent running, I can say this with total confidence: My mind is infinitely calmer at the finish line than when I start. It’s filled a void I didn’t even realize was there, and that satisfaction is pure gold.

Watching TV in 2026 sucks. It takes forever to launch the right streaming app, log in with yet another password, and hunt around for what you want to watch—there’s no simple channel guide anymore. Everything is buried behind clunky menus. Non stop ads. Sports end at 12am. Madness.

@BHLevesque Beautiful 🤩

6 pound prime beef tenderloin. Joe’s Butcher Foxboro. Smoking it tomorrow for Easter. 🐣 🥩

@jasonparker216 I love this Enjoy! 😊

Little dude’s first movie theater experience. I might be more excited than he is

@FitKateFitness Great job finding time my friend!!! 💪🏻

Today was nonstop: work, shopping, and a 'quick' stop at my friends' that definitely wasn't quick 😉 The day just flew by! But I still made sure to get my Pull training in – emergency edition 🔥 #pull #run #Saturdaynight

Who is your confirmation saint?

@arianaelena97 💪🏻

Hi, everyone. Shoutout to @SouthernYankee for supporting my marathon fundraiser!!!! Thank you thank you thank you 😊 I WILL post a silly running pic for every Twitter donation! #11 me when it’s 5F

@runliftrunlift Really informative, David. Thanks for sharing.

What is a long run? There are actually two types of long runs, relative and specific 1- A relative long run This depends on the individual. For a true beginner, running continuously for 30 minutes will be a challenge, whereas someone very fit and durable can run for 2 hours (or longer) basically any day they choose. There’s also a consideration of fitness and efficiency in terms of distance covered. If a beginner walks some to keep it truly easy (70% HRmax) and their pace is 13:00–15:00/mi (8:05–9:20/km), their 90–120 minutes time on feet will result in less than 10 miles (<16 km) and that’s fine. Contrast this to a very fit runner flying around at 7:00/mi (4:20/km) easy pace. They can easily knock out around 13-17 miles (21-28 km) without too much effort in the same time. This is why “a long run must be ___ miles” is gatekeeping nonsense. It’s better for most people to think in terms of duration and heart rate. A relative long run is also relative to where you are now. You have to train at your current level of fitness and preparation. When I came off a 6 month injury of no running 2 years ago, my “long run” for the first month or so was around 6 miles (~10 km) / ~1 hour, even though in the past I’d done long runs of marathon distance or more. In fact, one of the strongest predictors of injury is increasing your long run too much too soon. I’d be cautious about doing more than a couple miles increase at a time, though experienced runners have a better sense of what they can handle. ⸻ 2- Specific long run Races have distances to cover, so if you sign up for a marathon, eventually you’ll need to make your long run specific to the event. You want to be able to run the distance. This is why I wouldn’t recommend anyone sign up for a marathon until half marathon distance feels relatively comfortable for them to do as a long run. For a 12:00/mi (7:30/km) easy pace runner, that’s about a 2.5 hour long run to cover half marathon distance. I’ve coached numerous runners in the 3:45–4:30 marathon range, and we go through the same progression: • Build their weekly long run up to 2 hours • Get their base runs longer (60–90 min) • Establish a mid long run of 90 min When this is in place they are ready for a “marathon build” where we will alternate between gradually extending the long run to 2.5–3 or 3.5 hours and putting the mid long run and long run back to back for 3.5–4 hours total. Assuming 11:00–12:00/mi (6:50–7:30/km) easy pace: • Long run ≈ 18 miles (~29 km) • Back-to-back 2 hour runs ≈ 20 miles (~32 km) in 24 hours Once they feel good, “I can cover marathon distance comfortably jogging,” we add some race intensity or close to it, but control for load, so the long run will be of shorter duration. This is a long run specific to the needs of that 3:45-4:30 runner. For a 3:00 marathoner it will look different, especially in the sharpening phase. ⸻ That’s my take on the two types of long runs, relative and specific. Each plays an important role in training.

@JamesNunan Heck yeah. Looking forward to my hour run tomorrow. Have a great weekend James

@SouthernYankee The fact that it works during your hardest weeks is the whole point. Training isn't something you fit around work. It's what keeps you sharp enough to handle the work. Thirty minutes bought you a clearer head for the rest of the day.

One of the most stressful weeks of work in recent memory. Once my run starts my brain stops focusing on my stress and worry and immediately calms down. It’s like nothing else exists while I’m running. It’s magic.

@jwalkermobile I’m going to need to create a James Walker bookmark folder… 😂

Man do I wish I had taken better notes back when I was making all these, most of the dessert recipes are from 1994 to 1997... (I'm using AI to help me recreate old recipes, reference graphics etc from back "in the day.")

@ken_trails End of fiscal year at my company. Lots on the line. Got it done. ✅

@SouthernYankee What are the stressors at work?

@DaneDe4orest Thank you Dane. Happy Good Friday to you. 🙏

@SouthernYankee Keep on crushing it, RJ!

@ken_trails The price of AUR obviously :)

@LaurabG32 Whatcha cookin?

Gotta start getting ready for the seafood fry tomorrow!

@EndureInFaith Hope you feel better soon friend. 🙏 Water with some Baja gold salt works for me, although I know headaches can be much more than just a sodium issue. I’m such a baby with headaches, I don’t wish them on anyone.

Started a new cycle of cluster headaches.... please pray for them to go away quickly, as it derails my life pretty hard 😔 Happy Good Friday to everyone, though! Enjoy your time with family and friends this weekend, and don't just be an Easter only church attended y'all 😉

@exfatloss Damn!

Pushing 1.5-2g of caffeine today. Mistakes were made. 5 celsius and 5 coffees. Btw Celsius very sub-par energy drink, would not buy again. Just tried it cause it was on sale.

@CarilynJohnson The flat earthers aren’t trying to mutilate children either. 🤷🏻‍♂️

The Flat Earthers will keep telling us the earth is flat and these men will keep telling us it isn’t about biology. At least with the flat earth belief they can say “only a few people have been to space and seen Earth!” EVERY person on the planet KNOWS what a woman is.

@CarilynJohnson Wow. I got 6. 😂 Nice work 😴

I nominate myself for the Olympic Napping Team. Evidence - my 3 month training log:

@eda2026 Love your necklace

Good morning to all health and fitness freaks from around the world.😘

@v224info Hahaha the look of SHAME. Hahaha Great pic.

First time in 7 years we had a steak and grilled pita theft in our home. All food missing from the counter. Gee, I wonder who the culprit was. Hope he enjoyed the picanhas the sob!