Friday Favorites (hill running?) AND YOUR RUNNING ACCOMPLISHMENTS!!!

HAPPY WEEKEND!!! Let’s get right to business with some of my favorite things!

-Hill running (well, I am trying to convince myself of this one).  I haven’t been much of a hill runner (except for when I got into trail running for a bit) in a long time.  My PR marathon (ehhhh almost 6 years ago now) was done after a summer of living in a super hilly area of California where multiple hills were an everyday thing.  I’m taking that as a hint that our bodies respond well to hill training and that I need to get to know them well again.

Half mile w/up, 8 x .4 mile hills (I held a steady state pace on the ups, downs and flats of this run ((a little under 8:00 for the whole run)), half mile c/d.  About 7.4 miles total with a heart rate of 400 on the uphills… I have a feeling my legs are going to be quite sore because they have been treadmill/flat roads only for awhile.  

PS I love finding hills that have grass next to the trail/sidewalk/street so that on the way down I can run on the grass to avoid too much pounding on my joints!

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-This little picture of Brooke.  Her eyes melt me.

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-I started wearing lipstick.  We’ll talk more about it next week but I’m excited about it (clearly I have a very exciting life these days;)

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-Steven Tyler concert with the girls.   We had great seats and danced the night away.  

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-Welcome to my life:

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-Dinner provided by Costco (roasted broccoli with olive oil and garlic salt is my current favorite).

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-Dessert provided by RubySnap cookies in SLC.  If you come to Utah then you must have cookies from RubySnap, Swig and Smart Cookie… and if you need somebody to accompany you to these three places you know who to ask (me).  

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-Gymnastics lessons are sure paying off!

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***FAVORITE INTERNET FINDS THIS WEEK:

WORKOUTS/RUNNING—>  Killer Barre-based booty burner… perfect for runners wanting to strengthen our glutes, A Scare That Taught Me To Listen To My Body!!! (so important!!) and 5 Ways A Morning Run Will Change Your Life… loved the part about gratitude:

FOOD——>  Anne’s Creamy Mexican Chicken Chili Soup—>  I can’t wait to try this for a family dinner coming up, Chicken Sausage and Spinach Frittata (easy, packed with protein and veggies..I want it now! ), Hash Brown Breakfast Bake (because this is something Brooke and I will both love and will give us a few blasts:), Instant Oatmeal Bites (the more yummy food I can grab on the go, the better), the BEST 5 Oils For Your Kitchen (super interesting) and a reader sent me this recipe for Swig cookies because she knows of my deep love for them!

This picture from the Olympic Trials Marathon… the love for your running buddy/teammate is pretty dang powerful.  

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Time for YOUR amazing accomplishments! Please send in your accomplishments to [email protected] if you want me to post them!

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*LAURA!!!  “My names is Laura and I’m a 26 yr-old from Ohio. Since I was about 3-4 years old, I’ve had asthma which then turned into exercise-induced asthma. I never ever thought I could be a distance runner because even playing basketball was difficult to do.  Regardless, my wish was to run a marathon or half-marathon.   Last year, I decided to finally make my wish a goal and signed up for the 2015 Cleveland Rite Aid half-marathon.  My goal was just to finish and prove to myself that even though I have exercise-induced asthma, that doesn’t have to hold me back from running long distances.  I’m proud to say that I completed my first half-marathon in 2:26.  It’s not a fast time by any means but I finished and reached my goal.  I’m running the same race again this year button instead of going for completion my goal is to finish in 2:10.”

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*ANNE!!!  “Last year at 59 I started the 60-day Insanity Program.  I felt so strong and healthy that I decided to start running again.  I had always been an off again, on again runner but I had never done any competitions.  I decided to try for a half-marathon.  From March 2015 until January 2016 I completed four!!  And now at 60 I have more halves this year.”

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*MY MOM!!! “I was able to walk 1.5 miles on the treadmill pain free! I know most of you can easily sprint 1.5 miles but for me this is big! Six years ago a flu shot damaged my immune system which caused, among many things, asthma and severe neuropathy in my feet.  I have not been able to walk more than a mile since then without a lot of pain.  I am now setting my goal to make it 2 miles! Janae has been soooo supportive of my goal!”

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*LAURA!!!  “Yesterday I ran the Red Flannel 5 Mile Run as a gauge of where I’m at right now as I head into half marathon training.  I was so proud to run a PR of 45:29! I ran my fastest mile ever- 8:29! This is coming from a gal who averaged around 11 minutes miles when I ran my first half a few years ago.  Based on this race, I can’t wait to start training for a spring half to see what I can do!”

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*ANNIE!!!  “Today I ran 16 miles for the first time!! I am training for my first full marathon (the Big Sur Marathon!!).  Before today, the farthest I’ve ever run was 15 miles and that was about 5 years ago.  My run took me all over Seattle.  Several hours later and I’m still flying high from the accomplishment!”

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*JEN!!!  Last weekend we traveled to Martha’s Vineyard and my sister-in-law and running buddy/BFF and I ran the MV 20-miler.  The wind chill was expected to drop temperatures to -2 as the day went on (and it definitely did!) so they rerouted the course a bit and reduced the race to 15.5 miles.  It was the first time Katy and I have really trained through the winter.  We live in Connecticut and had some blustery long runs under our belt.  It was COLD but we finished!!  …And luckily my brother (Katy’s husband) and my boyfriend cheered us on halfway and met us at the finish line with clam chowder! #theyarethebest

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Anyone else training for the first marathon right now?  What about Big Sur—> anyone training for that one right now or have you run it in the past?

Share your favorite HILL WORKOUT PLEASE… I have a feeling I’m going to need some good ones (PS loved the ones you shared on Instagram too)!

What are the best cookie shops in your area? Pretty please share in case we ever travel to your area:)

Have a long run or race this weekend?  Let us know so we can cheer you on!

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67 comments

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There are a number of hills in my area. My suburban is separated by a slight rise in elevation so there are a few loooooooong hills. There are three streets that have wide sidewalks and everyone runs up those hills. I have a “hilly route” that takes me up and down three hills. Perfect for training for a race that has bridges like NYC.

No racing this weekend! I’m hoping to resume training for the Ottawa marathon

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I did the Boston to Big Sur challenge a few years ago. Big Sur is such a beautiful race!

I love everyone’s accomplishments! That’s awesome that you’re mom was able to walk pain free! That’s amazing! And holy cow – Anne is 60!? She looks like she’s in her 30s! Anne tell me your ways so I look that good when I’m 60!

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I weirdly love hill running. Nothing like that bad a.. uhm, butt?, feeling afterwards!! :)

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I’m not doing Big Sur but I am doing a marathon that same weekend! It’s also the weekend before I leave for my wedding, so I’m hoping that by training it’ll make the day come faster :) I have my longest training run ever this weekend- 17 miles!

Congrats to your mom! So sweet that you included her and that’s a HUGE deal for her to walk that far! Go mama!

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Cookies are my favorite. I have to say that the toffee doodle cookie from Starbucks is pretty amazing. I found a similar recipe online and made my own a few weeks ago and they were even better warm and right out of the oven. No running for a few more days as I wait for my upper respiratory infection to be 100 percent gone.

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I ran big sur last year and it was hands down the most gorgeous, hardest race of my life. Those hills are KILLER!!

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Big Sur is on my bucket list!!!
We don’t have any really great cookie shops in my town….we are a sad town I know!
I love hills!! Love love love them! I do mix it up and run out on the cross country courses at some local towns too and make sure my uphills are on grass/trail. They are much more challenging for me that way.

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I LOVE hill training! I like to do tempo runs through hill loop routes. It hurts so good.

One of my favorite cookie places is Tiff’s Treats for sure! There’s also a really good place in my area called JD’s Chippery. I want to try that Swig place you always talk about!!

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Nashville is home to the famous Christie Cookie company! And Goo-Goo clusters (not sure if you’ve ever had one of those). AND Moon Pies. Basically we eat a lot of sweets. And fried food.

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I’m still mourning the Peanut Butter Moon Pie. :(
But, Salted Caramel is my next fave!

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Technically Chattanooga is home to the moonpie!! ;)

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That cartoon is a little too real for me!!

I LOVE the lipstick look! I’ve recently gotten into it too.

Also so proud of your mom and the other runners this week! Gearing up for an 18 miler tomorrow…Supposed to be rainy but warmer than last week at least. Hope you and Brooke have a great weekend!

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Ahh those cookies look so good! If you ever make it to Chicago, stop by Insomnia Cookies in Lincoln Park … OR go to Sweet Mandy B’s and just get everything.

Love the lipstick … Keep rockin it.

And congrats to your mom!!

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I am training for my first full – it is 6 weeks away!! Ran a lovely 16 miles last Saturday and it was hard but totally worth it. Tomorrow I have a half marathon in Boulder City that finishes at gorgeous Lake Mead :) the Big Sur Marathon is on my bucket list!! Go Annie!!

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I need to add more hills to my training also! Today I have my last long run of half marathon training, and it’s raining again – always seems to rain on long run days!

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I love reading all the running accomplishments! It’s so inspiring, it makes me want to go for a run right now.
I’m not training for anything, so no long run for me this weekend. At the beginning of the year I decided no half marathons (maybe one if I really want to) so I can focus on other things.
If you ever come to Northern Colorado, you have to try Mary’s Mountain cookies. They’re soooooo good!

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I don’t know that my long run will happen because I was suddenly sick with a stomach virus last night!Ugh. Love that picture of Brooke! Best cookies here hmm so many places in New York especially in the city. Near my house torta fina is awesome for giant fudge frosted black and white cookies.

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Hill runs used to intimidate me until I realized I have to run hills because all of the runs I did had at least two hills in them. When I do hills I usually jus incorporate them into my normal run by going on an extra hilly route. Somehow over last summer I learned not to mind them so much.

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Great work ladies!!!!! And Janae congrats for your mum! I am a neuroscientist and I know that a codition like hers can be very very painful!! It is indeed a great accomplishment :D
No long run for my this weekend but I do have my second 10k race! Goal –> sub 1:00:00 10k!

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I’ve heard Big Sur is a good full. I’m not currently training for any marathons now…maybe one day but 5ks/13.1s are too much fun.

I love cookies with an overwhelming amount of frosting. Those are my staples.

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Wow! Brooke is getting really good!!
This makes me love Fridays even more! Congratulations on all the accomplishments. These are all so inspiring and motivating!
I’m training for my first 1/2 marathon on February 27th.
Tiff’s Treats are some pretty good cookies if you are ever in the Houston or Dallas area in Texas!
I just have an easy 8 mile run this weekend since I’m going in to a taper before the race.

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Yay for your mom!!
And yay for hills! We don’t have hills in Charleston. I hate it.
I have a speed workout this weekend that I’m excited about! And I have new running shoes coming in the mail!!
Big Sur is on my marathon bucket list. It’s the most beautiful place in the world. To the runner above running it, you should post a review!!
Happy weekend!!!

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Go MOM!!!!!

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LIPSTICK! I am terrible at real lipstick, but am totally LOVING this new “color enhancing” balm from Birch Box – https://www.birchbox.com/shop/arrow-boost-color-enhancing-lip-balm

Found out about it on another blog and had to try – LOVE IT!

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I’m training for my first marathon this year! It’s not until the Fall so I’m focusing on strength training at the moment instead of lots of miles. BUT I am really looking forward to a long run this weekend as I haven’t run aside much lately.

I love that your mom made your running accomplishments section! Glad to hear she is feeling good and hitting her goals!

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Brooke is too cute!! I’m just going to take it easy this weekend, but I am sure I will get a run or two in on my treadmill while I catch up on some shows! Have a great weekend!

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Congrats to your mom! So cool! Love that you included her :-)

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everytime your sweet momma is on the blog, i get teary. she reminds me so much of my mom! except the sleepovers with the grandkids. maybe your mom can call my mom and tell her how awesome they are?!?!?! ;)

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I have a great hill near my house I use for hill repeats but I never thought about running on the grass on the way down, that’s a great idea.

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I absolutely LOVE that video! It says everything I feel about running. While I can no longer run (bad hip), I’ve found other ways to still get that mental and physical high. I encourage all runners to find other fitness loves because you just never know when you may have your last run and will never be able to do it again. It’s easy to forget how much you have and how lucky you are in those moments.

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I’m into the taper for my first marathon – Rock ‘n Roll New Orleans is next weekend! I’m excited, but nervous.

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I’m running the half! Good luck on your first marathon!

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So happy for your mom, and good job everyone!

I’m so sore from my recent PT I don’t think I can run for about a week.

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I love hill workouts! I have a few places I go with friends and we just run all the hills…usually a 6-8 mile workout with warm up and cool down.

These cookie pics make me want to visit Utah. I love cookies!!!

Fort Worth has some great cookie places: Stir Crazy Bakery, Bluebonnet Bakery…my favorite is the Beverly Hills cookie from Celebrity Bakery in Colleyville.

I’ve never run a marathon. I like the Half Marathon the best. I’m getting lots of peer pressure to run a marathon.

So happy for your Mom! So glad she’s doing better…that must be so frustrating for her. Good luck to everyone racing this weekend!!

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I just had costco blackberries for breakfast (with yogurt and granola). Word.

Did you know you can buy the Ruby Snap cookie dough frozen at Harmons? Then you can just bake them individually (or all dozen at once) whenever your craving strikes. Let me tell you, the chocolate mint cookie has a gooey mint center so it tastes aaaaamazing 10 min post oven removal. #treatyoself #yourewelcome

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Your mom seems like such an AMAZING lady <3 <3 Now I know where you must get it! :) (I have never gotten a flu shot, but now I don't think I ever will!!)

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Awww love everyone’s success stories! omg and when kids do stuff like that on the play ground I immediately imagine everything that can go wrong. I’m going to have to just turn my back when I have kids…

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Your mom is a rock star!!!

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I LOVE reading all the accomplishments! They are so awesome!!

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My neighborhood is pretty much all hills, so I don’t really go out of my way to do hill training. I actually wish there were some flatter areas around me, because the flats are where I get passed the most in races!

I haven’t looked at my training plan for this weekend yet, I think I have a 9 miler on the schedule. Feels short after marathon training last year!

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Lots of hills where I live – our rental on Oahu has a killer stinger getting back to it. I think it hits about 18%!

Lots of great cookies on Oahu – The Cookie Corner, Honolulu Cookie Company and Big Island Candies. Come on over and I’ll treat you :)

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Love that lipstick! Please share your lipstick insights, I don’t know why lipstick is tricky for me. My Boston Marathon training continues, I have had a lot of lonely treadmill miles so I am ready to hit the road with friends tomorrow. My favorite hill training is to run up and down Snow Canyon State Park, it’s such an all around great workout. Swig is my favorite cookie spot in St. George, but I did order some Girl Scout cookies from a student and I will soon be in Samoa and Thin Mint heaven.

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I love running up hills at the end of my runs………..tired legs but what a workout!

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I wish I was as flexible as Brooke! I am hoping to run a half marathon this year. I was in the middle of training when I found out I was pregnant and because I was high risk I had to put that on hold. I can’t wait to get back to it!

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I am training for the Big Sur marathon! Woo! It will be my second full marathon and I never even thought I would run one let alone more than one!

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Training for Big Sur and have 18 hilly miles tomorrow. Technically 13 of them will be hills with a total of 1151ft gain. I personally like hilly runs. It just breaks up the run! I did Big Sur in 2007. It’s by far my favorite scenic race so I can’t wait to get back there. Keeping my fingers crossed for a clear cool day!

Thanks for sharing other people’s accomplishments. Keeps me inspired.

Have a great weekend!

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Oh wow! That is quite the climb you have for your run tomorrow. I hope it goes well and hope you have a great race when it comes.

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I’m also a recent convert to lipstick and have built a pretty decent collection. Such a fun and easy way to look put together. I love all the running accomplishments, so inspiring!

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That video was beautiful and I’m having a coffee now in my dressing down about to head out for 9 miles. I am 20 weeks away from my first marathon. I haven’t ran this far in a long time so am a little but daunted but I know I can do it.

I love lipstick, especially pinks. I need to get some good cookies in my life…might have to bake them.

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Hi Janae.
I will be running 17 miles on Sunday – training for my first full marathon in 26 years! and it is THE BIG SUR!! I can’t wait – so excited for The SUR! Coming over from England and will be spending a week in Monterey :)
Brooke is sooo cute!
Have a great weekend xx

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Congrats!! That sounds like so much fun. I hope you have a lovely visit and an awesome race. I grew up in Santa Cruz in the Monterey Bay. If you haven’t been before, I am sure you will love it. It is such a gorgeous place to be.

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I am all about lipstick! For me it makes me feel so good and I LOVE all of the color options. You look so good! :) And that meme of eating healthy is TOTALLY me haha! Curse you late night desserts! ;)

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Congrats to everyone – those are some awesome running accomplishments! I’ve been forcing myself to find some hills in my long runs as I train for the Zion Half – and I’ve been putting up paces much faster than anything I’ve ever seen in my long runs. Hills really do make us better runners (but they still hurt).

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OMG. tears at your mom’s accomplishment. i LOVE that. ;-)

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Uh hills, I only really like them at the end of a run. I think they make you feel super accomplished though! And I’m all about the cupcake shops, but would never turn down a good cookie ; )

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I wanted to run Big Sur so badly, but didn’t get picked from the lottery. :/ Two of my friends are training for it, though! My next race will be the Philly Half Marathon LOVE Run in April so training for that right now. :)

Love the post about taking care of your body…totally agree. It’s so, SO important. It’s crazy how closely dehydration can be tied to our heart rate. I started putting protein in my smoothies and was getting terrible heartache (I’m 24 so it seemed strange), which I’m pretty sure happened from dehydration. Since I started consciously drinking more water, I’ve been fine.

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Hey Janae! I just wanted to tell your mom: “Way to go!!!” My FIL suffers from SEVERE neuropathy in his feet as a result from a medication rare side effect and seeing him deal with the excruciating pain is awful. That is amazing she is training through it and walking!

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Loved hearing about everyone’s accomplishments! Very exciting, happy, and inspiring. It has been forever since I have done hill running. When I used to live in Provo (I’m in Seattle now) I had a loop run that went up and around the temple and then through the neighborhoods above the temple and would run up the big huge steep hill to the trail head for the Y trail. I wouldn’t go for time or anything like that, but I would be sure to fit in that hill loop at least once a week and it was rewarding to tell the difference as I got stronger and stronger after doing it for some time. It was probably equally mentally strengthening for me as it was physically strengthening.

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I was planning on starting marathon training but have a stress fracture. I am in a boot for 4 weeks. I am part of a group called I Run for Michael and was hoping to qualify for Boston and send my medal to my girl who is 2 and has Tay Sachs. So now I will have to switch plans up, disappointed mostly that I may not get to present her with that Boston medal.

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I’m training for my first full. Grandma’s in MN. i love to read how great everyone is doing! Big Sur would be awesome.

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Yeah remember how insaid one marathon was enough. Yeah I changed my mind too.

I live in the cold Midwest. So it occurred to me if I did an East coast and West coast 26.2 I might be fully satisfied. Then it only made further sense to make the East coast the biggest marathon in the world with the (I assume) most spectators in an urban race – aka NYC. And then the West coast would have to be the most scenic marathon with the fewest spectators – aka Big Sur.

Big Sur is, hands down for me, the most beautiful place in America. (I’ve been there a couple times and I have outlaw inlaws who live in the Monterey Bay area).

So that’s my goal I won’t be able to do it this year. But by next year I’ll hope for lotto success (or pay through the nose to be a RW VIP).

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Great running accomplishments! Love these!

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I ran the Big Sur Marathon in 2010. Of all of the 17 marathons that I’ve run, that course is the most beautiful!

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That video was super. Thanks so much for posting it. Gotta watch it again.

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I also have a love for broccoli! I get the huge frozen bag from Costco and go through it fast.

I am training for my first full marathon. After finishing the Hershey Half Marathon in October I knew it I was ready to make the jump to a full. I am super excited. It’s May 1.

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I decided to run my first marathon this year and even registered for the lottery for the NYC marathon, but I just found out that I am pregnant! This is amazing because my husband and I were doing IVF and our first cycle didn’t work. We each have a child from our prior marriages but we both wanted one more. SO I guess now if I get the spot I won’t be running it :) I know there are lots of women who do run marathons while pregnant but I’m not sure it’s smart for me to train for my first one ever while pregnant. I will still try to do a half in early April, though.

Today I have a 6-7 mile long run planned. The weather in CT has warmed up to 40 degrees and it is sunny! I SO can’t wait.

New Haven, CT has a great cookie place called Insomnia Cookies.

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I love that your mom is on this list- woohoo!

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