I am participating in a sponsored campaign hosted by the maker of Advil® PM and I received financial compensation and a free sample of Advil® PM caplets. All opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve been running fairly seriously for about 25 years, that’s hard to believe as I type out the words. In my mid to late twenties, I could zip through a marathon like nobody’s business – my marathon PR was just seconds away from qualifying for the Olympic Trails. Let me assure you, it was soul-crushing to see the clock ticking away as I approached the finish line – I had trained to perform better, yet was feeling quite “off.”   I returned by to my hometown and just couldn’t shake the funky feeling, still days afterward. Well, it turns out I was pregnant and that was the beginning of my journey into motherhood (I now have three teenage boys) and I wouldn’t change a thing!

In those early baby days, I took it pretty easy. I jogged with the stroller around the block and would occasionally enter a 5k or 10k fun run. In hindsight, I feel like this stepped-down time kept me from burning out and also preserved my body parts from wear and tear and being in a state of constant recovery. Family and friends were pushing me to return to racing, but I kept putting them off, “saying, not now but maybe when I turn 40.”  Well, that day happened and so I kept my word. Despite the fact that I had done very little training (just the “entry-level fitness maintenance,” as I like to call it) and hadn’t run a marathon in 12 years, I hauled my butt down to the Las Vegas Marathon and did pretty well, all things considered. I was happy and hooked again, but good gosh, was I sore — SO SORE! It was more my mental fitness that got me to the finish line than my physical fitness.

Grandma’s Marathon 1995 . . . San Antonio Marathon 2013! Not my first marathon, nor my last!

Thank goodness my husband is the best travel packer ever. Where I just bring a toothbrush and mascara, he brings a collection of toiletries, vitamins and small pharmacy of over-the-counter meds. That night, he dotingly delivered some Advil® PM to my bedside. Being a bit of a self-righteous purist at the time, I was reluctant to take the medicine initially — but thankfully I gave in! Not only did the Advil® PM deliver relief to my trashed quads, aching feet and sore elbows (really!), the “PM” part helped me drift off to sleep.

To this day, almost eight years later, I’ve been using Advil® PM regularly as part of my nighttime routine after a race or tough workout. It’s not uncommon (and actually expected) that recovery from intense physical exercise takes longer as you get older. As much as I don’t want to admit that, there’s some truth to that. Thankfully, Advil® PM provides me relief from these minor aches, pains and inflammation – plus, I get the benefit of a non-habit forming sleep aid as well!  For me, a pain relief product that also addresses sleeplessness a great thing — it’s hard to turn off my mind after both good and bad days of racing.

Advil® PM helped me bounce back from obstacle aches and pains!

So, today I am still racing ALL the distances, from 1 mile to marathon – I’ve even run a 50 mile ultramarathon for FUN! It was at this 50-miler I learned that a race doesn’t have to be a “race,” it can just be done for fun. That being said, it’s hard to keep my competitive side on the down low for too long. So, to keep myself the best shape I can be while getting older, I’ve starting mixing up my fitness to become stronger and more adaptable.

This has included about five years of CrossFit, Yoga, strength-training, obstacle course races and more. Of course, all of these activities also have their own recovery demands!  Off to Costco now to buy the big bottle of Advil® PM!

Of course, before taking Advil® PM, you’ll want to consult with your physician to make sure this product is right for you. You can visit for more information and a coupon!

Are you new to running or been at it a long time like me?  What do you do for your aches and pains? Please share in the comments below! xoxo Jennifer