The family bday party and Boston training week #7

And 29 is off to a very great start.  It is very exciting to me that Brookie is old enough to blow out the candles with me.  

Let’s start with dessert.  My mom had ice cream sundaes for us and a big ol’ apple pie for dessert.  

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Mer (my grandma… she is the coolest ever) brought over her Valentine’s cards for us.

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Looks like we are going to Yogurtland today:)  PS my grandma’s penmanship is perfect.  

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I have requested my mom’s lasagna pretty much every birthday that I can remember.  I don’t know what it is about it but it is just my all-time favorite meal. 

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Brooke loves it just as much as I do.  It’s in our DNA.

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The plate of happiness.  Marathon training calls for carbs.  

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Curly has graduated to the big kid’s table.  How do they grow up so ridiculously fast!?

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We did the present thing.

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And Brooke took over the bag of popcorn that my mom gave me.   All I wanted this year for my birthday was a gift card to get my car cleaned and food.  Priorities.  

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We were all quite the party animals! PS the way Brooke has her arm makes it look like she is taking a selife:)

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Oh and at church I got a One Direction Valentine and I was pretty excited about it. 

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Monday:  10 miles @ 7:43 pace!  Zoned out to music on the treadmill and I don’t remember much:)

Tuesday:  8 miles @ 8:00 pace.

Wednesday:  5 MILE REPEATS!  10.3 miles total.  Warm-up & 5 mile repeats @ 6:17, 6:15, 6:14, 6:15 & 6:10.  .25 mile recovery jog + 1-2 minutes of getting a drink etc after each mile repeat.  Difficult workout for me… turns out that sleep before a tough workout is always a good idea.  I really just had to just get through each mile one at a time and forget that there were still more to do.  

Thursday:  Taught spin and didn’t run.  

Friday:  16 miles at an 8:00ish pace (forgot to start our Garmin at one point)!  Birthday run in the sunshine and with friends.  Pretty darn perfect.    

Saturday:  10 treadmill miles @ 7:33 average pace.  

Sunday:  OFF!  Rest day!

54.3 miles total.  My excitement for Boston is building more and more each week.  

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How old are you turning this year?!

What was your best run last week?  Details please!

Favorite dish that your mom or dad makes?

Do you have a different name for your grandparents?

-We have always called my mom’s parents Mer and Grandad!

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98 comments

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Looks like you had a lovely day – the love of family, friends and loved ones is such a huge blessing! Have a great year!

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I’ll be 35 this year!
Best run: 20 miler pacing a CMM training group. Pacing is so much fun:)
Grandparents: Nana, Pooh, Gran, and Grandpa

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Oh man.. I understand your bad run this week! On Saturday I ran 7 miles after going out for brunch and having a big stack of pancakes drenched in syrup… not that smartest choice! I do have to disagree with you though, because MY grandma’s lasagna is the best ever ;)

I turned 16 last month!

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I will be 31 this year! How did that happen?! Looks like a fun birthday party! Food and a clean car sound like something I would ask for as well!

Best run was my long run yesterday. 16 miles felt good!

My mom has a soup recipe that I don’t think I can ever get tired of. Even now when she makes it she brings me over a container of it so I get some too. Best mom ever!

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Awe I’m glad your birthday went well. It sounds like you are starting 29 off to great start. I turn 25 this year, quarter life crisis right?

My best run last week was a 21 mile run at 7:40 pace. It was the last workout before my marathon. Now just time to taper :-)

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Great job Hollie on your 21 miler! SPEEDY!!! You are going to rock Arizona… I cannot wait!

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Looks like a great birthday celebration!

I’ll be 33 this year. Wow, I’m getting up there! ☺️

Annabelle calls my parents Grandses and Poppy.

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Looks like you had such a wonderful birthday!
This year I’ll be turning 26.
Best run last week was an easy 7 miler outside. With such a cold and snowy winter this year I savor every run I can get outside!

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I’ll be 20 this year! Lasagna is always my birthday meal– it’s hard to beat.
I call my grandparents “Gee” and “Daddy Gee” haha!

And my best run last week was a 7 mile run with some 8 x 1 minute hill repeats thrown in the middle, jogging back down the hill for recovery.

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I can’t believe it’s getting so close to Boston! Just a few more weeks to go and you’ll be in the taper already! Your training is going so well, I’m really happy for you that everything is clicking now!

Best run last week was the half marathon I ran yesterday. It was my fifth half and my second fastest time :).

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Lasagna and apple pie sounds glorious..

Your grandma is the epitome of adorable.

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I had some crazy runs this week and last………….we are moving into our new apartment and have been cleaning and unpacking until 11 every night so I only got 3 days of running! That, and the weather is getting nasty this week here in Tennessee!

My mom always made the best french toast and also her mashed potatoes were divine! My dad does wonderfully at cooking a turkey, esp with pineapple and brown sugar on top of it!

And I turn 30 this month!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the 27th………………I love February birthdays, but 30 means I am an adult for real, right? EEK!

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I’ll be turning 42 this October.
My mom makes the best stuffing.
Still on the DL. No exercise at all has happened in the month of February :(

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I turned 29 on the 8th this month! :)

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My mom makes the best wild rice. It’s actually my grandma’s recipe (and she made it way better), but it is still something I get really excited about eating.
I also turn 29 later this year!

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I’ll be turning 30 this year, which is kind of exciting and depressing at the same time :)

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Looks like a great training week and birthday! Still can’t believe you got through that tough workout on barely any sleep!

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sounds like an awesome training week for you! happy bday. i’m at ~40 miles per week right now which is my sweet spot for training :)

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I’m turning 28 this year, but I have a while to go (I’m a December birthday!).

It was FREEZING on Saturday morning, but I had an awesome run outside – 6 miles. My fiance ran the first 3 with me and it was a slower pace while we talked. I sped up to almost race pace for the last 3 and felt great! 18 miles total for the week. Right on track for my half marathon training plan.

We’re getting 8-12 inches of snow today so I’ll be back on the treadmill for this week’s runs.

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What a fun birthday weekend! LOVE that you had froyo. Priorities.

I love my mom’s lasagna, as well, and she makes the world’s BEST green bean casserole. Seriously. It is beyond words good.

Hope 29 is a STELLAR year for you!

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I’ll be turning 28 this year. My best run this week was on my treadmill, which is currently stuck on an incline. lol. I did 4 miles uphill. There is way too much snow outside in the Boston area to even consider an outdoor run right now!

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I will be turning 21 this year! Which feels weird to say because I just turned 20 at the end of December. I usually request the same meal on my birthday: my mom’s salmon with roasted sweet potatoes and an avocado salad. I want it now :)

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Looks like a great bday! I turn 32 this year but not until October so I still have some time:) Boston will be here before you know it!

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I turned 29 last month!! But I am going to celebrate my half birthday in July when the weather is warmer. :)

I called my dads dad Granddaddy Alexx and my moms dad Grandpa Hank. Both my grandmas died either before I was born or within a year of my birth. :( so I’ve only known step grandmas.

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I will be 37 this year. Yeah, I can’t believe it either. Time seriously flies!

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I love reading your adventures! happy birthday :)
This year i am 31!!
my best run this week was @parkrun on saturday morning where i managed my to meet my goal pace!!
My goodness my mum anything baked… like raspberry coconut slice or rock cakes or shortbread like grandma made <3
My kids call my mum "Mardi" and my dad "Poppop" :)

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Your grandma is the cutest! And I love getting those old school Valentine’s :) I got a Frozen one last week from one of my students! Haha!

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I will be 32, ouch. Where does the time go? Looks like you had a wonderful weekend! And seriously, how cute is your grandma?!

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love the tradition of birthday lasagna!

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training is looking great Janae!!! :) can’t wait!!

your grandma is the sweetest! xo

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We just moved to Italy, where we learned that lasagna is a one time per year meal. The Italians eat lasagna for Carnevale, or what we would call Fat Tuesday. The basic reasoning is that lasagna is a hearty meal with lots of meat, which is something most Catholics give up for Lent. You can’t even find lasagna noodles in the stores any other time than February! So an Italian eating lasagna at any other time of the year would be like us eating a Thanksgiving meal in July. Crazy, right?!

Have a wonderful birthday =)

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I have always loved my mom’s lasagna too. It’s the best! Your birthday dessert looked so TASTY!!!

And, I’m turning 28 this year, but if anyone asks I’m going with 20. ;)

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Happy Birthday! Looks like you had a great day. We always go to my favorite restaurant and bake cookies. Hope you got some great presents too!

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I will be turning 23 this year! My best run was a ten mile run where I averaged a 8:45 minute mile which is pretty fast for me, I love to see progress!

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I turned 18 this year!! My family are French so I call my grandparents, Mamie & Papy! My mum makes the best mashed potatoes, I ask for it every single year for my birthday, I don’t what it is about it but it’s so delicious. That is the cutest card ever!!

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turning 27! ah!
best run… probably one of my shorties, but i was just getting over being sick and so i felt LUCKY to be out running =]
i seriously love every dish my mom makes. like, i couldn’t choose because that would be disrespecting all the other meals. i do always request banana pudding for my bday though!
we call my grandparents cookie and poppi <3 have a wonderful day and week, janae!!! xx

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I’ll be 35 this year (on Thursday!)!

Your grandma is absolutely adorable!! :-)

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Curly looks so grown up!! Birthdays are a big deal in my parents’ household — even though I’m the youngest of my siblings (24), my mom still does birthdays like your 5 years old, which I love. She decorates the whole house, has party hats, cake, etc. Gotta have a proper bday celebration!

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My best run was my long run. It was supposed to be 14 on a trail with my husband which was fun…but SO icy. I bailed out after 10.2 because I was 1/2 running 1/2 ice skating. He had Yaktraks so he was fine. When I got home though I decided to go out again and did 8.3 more at an awesome pace and felt strong.
I am turning 35 this year.
My kids call my husbands parents Gigi and Papaw

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I’m so glad you had a great birthday! Hooray!

Brooke looks so grown up, it’s unbelievable! Her hoar is getting super long too, I love it!

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Sounds like a fun day! Birthdays are the best. I’m turning 30 pretty soon- still not sure how I feel about that. Enjoy your training!

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I’m turning 38 next month, which is fine. But I’m already starting to think about what I want for my 40th birthday. I’m thinking I need to find some awesome destination race for that year. Need to celebrate in style.

I don’t live close enough to my parents anymore but I always had my mom’s lasagna on my birthday too. My mom makes the best lasagna. She also makes a fantastic german chocolate cake. Obviously I need to go for a visit asap.

My best run this week was an easy 6 miler on Saturday. The weather was absolutely fantastic…it made up for the brutal 13 miles I ran on Thursday!

Now, let’s talk about the skirt you are wearing to church. Looks like a pencil skirt? I love it…details please!

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I LOVEEEE my mom’s bacon and brussels sprouts!

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That lasagna looks amazing. I love lasagna, but my parents only make the freezer style kind.

I think I could eat lasagna every day!

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I already turned 24 this year!
Best run (only run) was the Hot Chocolate 15k. First race of the year!
My favorite dish that mom makes is her spaghetti pie. I can never say no to that!

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Happy birthday Janae!

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I was just thinking that a couple posts ago, Curly looks SO GROWN UP! She’s such a gorgeous little girl, and her and Brooke look so much alike!

I’ll be 25 this year, and I’ve always called my grandma Mimi :)

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That is so sweet your grandma gave you treat money! Such a grandma thing to do. <3

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Thanks for taking the poll! I think I’m your oldest reader at 47 :)
Nobody could possibly tell though…except when I brag that I’ve been married longer than most of these readers have been alive. LOL. Cause I’m cool like that.

I love lasagna but haven’t had it since Celiac reared it’s head…ugly or not. I should make it. My family would like me. And here’s a fun little fact. ALL I wanted for Christmas AND Valentine’s Day was to get my car detailed.

They said I shouldn’t have to get that as a gift, I should just get that because it needs to be done. Um…anyone else see the hole in this story? Yep. Still have a massively dirty car. Sad day.

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I love how you said you zoned out to music on the treadmill on Monday and don’t remember much. Those are the BEST runs. I can head out for a run and come home and barely remember anything. I call it my moving meditation!

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Your grandma is sooo cute!! Love that card! And I love Brooke’s spunky smiles haha, looks like a fun weekend!

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My parents are definitely of the microwave era. The food I grew up on always came from a box. When I’m homesick, I eat this: http://on-cor.com/images/stories/OncorProducts/ChickenParmagiana.png

lol – Probably why I’m so easy to please now :) Which is good because it isn’t uncommon for my husband’s cooking experiments to include a lot of beets.

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and P.S. Happy Birthday! Looks like you had a great weekend!!

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Turning 22 this year! :)

My best run was my speed run. Since my 8 week running hiatus, getting back to running has been tough, but thankfully, I’ve been regaining my speed very slowly. I was able to maintain between a 9:00-9:30 pace which is on the faster-ish side for me.

Chicken Tetrazzini. Yum.

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It’s just so wonderful your family lives closeby! Mine is across the country, and I hate it. My Mom is a great cook and I love her pasta dishes as well. Happy Monday!

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You’re grandma is adorable!
I’m old, turning 48 this year. Yikes!
My mom used to make me prime rib roast and Yorks hire pudding for my birthdays.
I ran 6 1/2 miles in the snow on Saturday. It was a great run!
My grandparents were Gramma and Pappap and Granny and Granddaddy. I still have my Gramma

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Why no bday or vday celebration with the man?

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We actually broke up not that long ago:(

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Omg I’m sorry :( I should have thought that question through before posting. How rude of me. I’m sorry x2!! His loss for sure.

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Maureen, I once went to work without my wedding ring after lotioning and forgetting it and declared my sad self “single for the day”. I was so bummed. I looked at my friend and saw HER finger without her wedding ring and said, “you’re single too! We can be single together today”.
She burst into tears. They had separated and decided on divorce the night before. My blunder trumps yours A LOT. Yours was nothing.

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Thanks Tess I guess we all suffer from foot in mouth disease sometimes :) Our hearts are in the right places though!!

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Happy Birthday, seriously are ALL the omen in your family genetically blessed??? Your grandma is ADORBS! Have a great year, stay happy!

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27 on the 5th of August ahhh! It feels like such an intimidating age…

Looks like you had an awesome V-Day and birthday weekend! Family time is the best way to celebrate imo.

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Happy Birthday! Don’t forget.. you get to give yourself about 10 gifts! Treat yo’self!

My grandma lives in Israel .. so we call her Savtah.

My mom makes an amazing asian crunchy salad… which iceberg lettuce, rice noodles (the skinny ones in the can–NOT the fat ones in the bag), green onions, slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, and a dressing that has brown sugar in it. She hasn’t been making it for holidays recently because otherwise I LOAD up on salad. :( .. but I just make it myself!

Your grandma is adorable! Love that card too.

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I’ll be 65 in July. Probably not your usual demographics but I still love your blog.

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I love my mom’s chicken enchiladas. Mmm I could eat those all the time! I will be turning 25 this year. I’m sure it will be a great year! Boston will be here before you know it- you might still be running in the snow since they have so much!

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Well, I just turned 25 so I’m officially a quarter way through life ;) All of my grandparents have different names: Grammy, Poppop (x2), and Mommom. Mommom is my personal favorite, but there’s SO many versions out there! My mom wants to be “Nona” (Italian for grandmother), but whatever my niece decides to call her will be the winner. Lol

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My grandfathers died before I was born but I had a Gran and a Granny :)
My kids have a Gramma and Grampa, and your Mer is just so beautiful!

I love my mom’s brussel sprouts and cheese sauce and I will be turning 52 this year.

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how do grandparents always keep their cash so crisp?! it’s impressive.

i call my grandparents nana and papa and they are the very best! they are almost 80 and hiked Machu Picchu last year…i want to grow up and be just like them!

happy birthday month to you!!!!

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24 in 2 weeks! I’ll be spending the weekend in NYC with my momma – can’t wait! It’ll be her first time in New York.

Best run last week was the 11 miles I did outside before the blizzard. The run itself wasn’t actually that great given the ice/snow/sidewalk traffic situation, I was just so happy to be OUTSIDE! The treadmill is starting to get old.

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Thanks for sharing your birthday celebration with us. Happy Birthday to you, all month long :-) Your mom’s lasagna looks amazing…nomnomnomnom.

I’ll be 45 this year…wow – that’s crazy to type! Best run last week was 7 miles in just over 60 minutes which is speedy for me…and it was beautiful outside! Felt like I could have gone on and on, but I ran out of daylight. This winter in FL has been excellent!

Any meal my mom makes is a fave…but the all-time fave is baked ziti. Delicious and always in huge quantities so there are plenty of leftovers.

Memere and Pepere were my mom’s parents (it’s French) and Grammy was my Dad’s mom. Sweet memories :-)

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I handed out One Direction valentine’s cards two years ago to random people at the bar – I was wearing a hot pink tutu. I gave one to this really cute guy, who I ended up dating six months later for six months. I didn’t think he remembered me when I met him again in August, but he said “You’re the girl who was running around in a pink tutu handing out one direction valentines, of course I remember you.”

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I love how close you are with your family. :) It reminds me of my family, and sometimes I feel weird about how much I hang out with my parents… but they’re awesome! We call my mom’s mom “Grambi” and her husband (step-grandpa, I guess) was “Papa Tom.” I’m down with different grandparent nicknames; we never got Grandma and Grambi mixed up!

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I’ll be 41 this year.

Favorite meal: My dad’s spaghetti

Best run last week: four miles on the treadmill. At a snail’s pace, but I don’t hang with the big dogs!

My daughter calls my parents Baba and Dziadza (we are 100% Polish)

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Cute skirt Janae! I love reading your blog and I’m not a runner! Hope you had a fantastic birthday week!

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Thanks so much Michelle! I hope you are having an amazing day!

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Lasagna used to be my favorite food…until I got food poisoning from it! No more for me :( :( :(

This weekend my best run was a trail 13.1 race!

Grandparents names are SUPER weird –> mamoo, papoo, peepaw, and mimi

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what an awesome birthday! HA I love the picture of brooke looking like she’s taking a selfie :)

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I turned 30 this year and so far it has been pretty awesome!

I signed up for the Chicago Spring Half Marathon so Im going to be hopping back on the treadmill a little more consistently than I have been. This weekend I did a quick 4 miles and remembered why I like running outside!

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I’m so glad that you had such a good birthday weekend! I want to try your mom’s lasagna! It looks so good! I call my grandparents on my mom’s side Nana and Papa, and I am actually the one who came up with it! I was trying to say grandma as a baby and said ga-nana instead so the nana part stuck! My mom makes so many amazing dishes, but I love her homemade sweet pork so much!

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Looks like a truly fantastic day…and that plate of food looks absolutely delicious! :)

I’ll turn 34 in August this year – time is just flying by!

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I know you have said you have been struggling with the long runs, but you regularly run 10 miles at a faster pace than your long run. Is there really much of a difference between 10 or 16? maybe I’m crazy but for me once I get into double digits I feel like I can run anything but getting to 10 is the hard part! Anyways great training!

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I’m turning 36 in just 3 weeks! *gulp!*

My mom made this tator-tot casserole that I since have made vegetarian… so good. Man, I haven’t had that in ages. Must make soon!

I adore how happy your family always looks over food. My kind of people!

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46! Just last week on the 11th…..every year just gets better….you are still such a pup! ;-)

Also, Is it just me or is Brooke looking more and more like Curly every day?

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just turned 32! And in better shape than I was in high school, and quite possibly than when I was a college athlete! Ran my long run (12) with my college bestie who, when I first started running almost 3 years ago, I couldn’t keep up with. We ran 9:04 average for 12 miles, but my highlight workout was running a record breaking 5k time for me last Tuesday at speed work – 23:04!!! Keep it ROCKIN straight to Boston girlie!

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Jeni, that is so so awesome! Keep up all of the amazingness! AWESOME JOB on your speed work last Tuesday!

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Hey Janae, I was randomly wondering whether you are planning on doing any 5ks this year? I know you did a couple last year to help with speed. I am askng because I do a free park run 5k every week and would love any tips you had :)

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Hey!! I am not signed up for any currently but I really need to, they are so so great for training and getting faster. My biggest tip–> don’t die ha! JK!!! I’ll work on a post about this! Thanks and have an incredible day!

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Thanks Janae, I die every week, I prefer longer distances (I ran a marathon before I ever ran a 5k) and am a fish out of water! Happy Birthday!

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I’m turning 47 this July. no crisis, no ouch – whatever year it is make it the best. Most things are possible with some work.

I miss my grandparents.

I love my mother’s lasagna. I also love that she made 2 cakes for my birthday each year. One strawberry cake and one chocolate ice cream roll. She always went all out for us.

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So glad you had a great birthday!!

My Mom has been making duck with an apricot stuffing every Christmas since I was born. I love it so much!

My kids called grandparents Nana and Grandpa :)

Still cross training… can’t wait to start running again. Had to give up on going to Boston this year, but can’t wait for next year.
I love hearing about your training!! Have a great day!

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My favorite meal is my mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup with homemade chicken broth and homemade noodles. So good!

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This year I PROUDLY turn 40. Next month Actually!! I’m excited! Most women dread turning 40, but now that I am running and taking better care of myself I”m looking forward to it. I am also running my first ever half marathon in the same year I turn 40. No old lady business here!
My best run last week would have been my long run on Saturday. Not because it was on the mill at the gym, but because I’d been sick all week and that was my first run since the previous Sunday. It felt so good to run again. Then I got sick again, and missed my run on Sunday…however, It still felt great!
No favorite dish my mom ever made. She is not a good cook, so I never really liked meals growing up. Maybe that’s why I was so thin all the way through my living at home years!!

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I’m turning 31 this year – I’m not sure how that happened so fast!

My best run last week was my mile repeats! I have been struggling with some random ankle pain and it was the first run back where I was feeling strong and sure of my speed again.

My mom makes amazing calzones. They are a pain to make, so they were always something special.

My great grandmas were Nanny and Great-grandma in Santa Rosa – that was her full title. :) My grandparents were always grandma and grandpa on both sides.

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Your mom’s lasagna looks really good, I can see why you’d request it.

I’m turning 33 this year.

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I turned 46 last Friday. We share a birthday (and I grew up in Orem so it’s almost like we’re twins). Happy birthday!!

I’m training for my first marathon and I’m constantly hungry. I normally lean towards a lower carb diet so adding carbs has been difficult for me. Lasagna is definitely going on the menu this week!

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Looks like such a great day! That lasagna looks so good

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Happy birthday, my dear! Rock solid week of Boston training!

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