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Over 50, Running, and Not Done Yet
I’m over 50 and taking up running and walking. I hear all the time how “cool” it is that we’re sharing our adventures. People tell me they wish they could do it too. And every single time I say the same thing: If I can do it, you absolutely can too. We’re all in different stages of life. Our why is different. Some of us want to lose weight. Some are recovering from addiction. Some want to be able to move at 80. Some of us are quietly trying to outrun our own mortality. Whate
Mai Smith-Trau
5 days ago3 min read


The 99% of Running: Training, Gear, and Learning What Works
We have all heard it before—the race itself is only 1% of the work , while the other 99% happens during training . Living in a colder part of California, training outside has been an adventure of its own. We regularly find ourselves running in 30-degree weather , and there are days when we’re training in rain or snow . Learning what to wear to stay warm, dry, and comfortable without overheating has been a process of trial and error. Shoes: Finding What Works for Your Feet For
Mai Smith-Trau
Mar 72 min read


Kicking Off the Year: Our First Big Races of 2026
We’ve officially completed our first run of the year —well, technically our second. We started 2026 strong with a New Year’s Day run on January 1st in Auburn, California , and followed it up with what felt like our first big race of the season: a 10K and a Half Marathon . After coming home, we took a well-earned recovery week. That doesn’t mean we stopped moving entirely—we still focused on stretching and light gym workouts—but we did step away from structured treadmill trai
Mai Smith-Trau
Feb 72 min read


My Lifelong Weight Journey & How RunDisney Helped Me Break My Plateau
As some may know, I have struggled with my weight my entire life. Even at a young age, I understood I would never be the “skinny girl.” I wasn’t built like a ballerina—I was built like an athlete. In high school, I was incredibly active: basketball, volleyball, track, and softball . But as adulthood rolled in, everything changed. Work, responsibilities, parenting, and exhaustion slowly edged out my fitness routines. 🔁 The Cycle of Diets, Successes, and Setbacks Like many peo
Mai Smith-Trau
Dec 6, 20253 min read


Our RunDisney Journey: How We Started & Why We Keep Going
As some of you already know, our family has jumped headfirst into the magical (and sometimes exhausting!) world of RunDisney . From 5Ks to 10Ks and now even half marathons, this journey has transformed our health, our habits, and honestly—our lives. This is how we got here… and why we’re still going. 💍 From a Disney Wedding to Realizing We Needed Change The photo below is from our wedding day in February 2022. We celebrated in our favorite place—Disney, of course! We were ha
Mai Smith-Trau
Nov 22, 20253 min read
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