WOW. Your sweet comments on the blog and my instagram yesterday were so so nice. Thank you so much. You guys are the best and I feel really lucky to have you:) A lot of people have asked how we met—> we were set up on a blind date and we clicked instantly (although, I was my normal awkward self of course for that first date and talked a million words per minute and told stories that had no relevance to anything)…. It was weird because I even told about 8 people leading up to the blind date that I had a really good feeling about this one. So yeah, that’s how it went.
PS we are both doing the Utah Valley 1/2 marathon next month (June 11th) too! The last time I did this race I did the full marathon… you may have remembered that one. I didn’t run for 1.5 months leading up to the race (I only did pool running) and then I went and did the marathon. My sister ran with me in flip flops and jeans for the last 5+ miles of the race to get me to the finish line. I LOVE this course and they put on an amazing race… just hoping I’m a little bit better trained for it this time around:) The last time I ran this 1/2 marathon I was 29 weeks pregnant with Brooke and it was one of my favorite race experiences to date… she was always the best running partner.
Okay, back from that random tangent! Yesterday was a full day of goodness.
Brookie and I had a bunch of errands to do and she got a little cut on her toe so she insisted on using the stroller which brought back fun memories of all our adventures in the stroller.
She couldn’t wear her shoe because of the minor cut either. She was sure excited to see her aunts though.
My mom came over for a little bit and she insisted that I post this picture that she took… This is how I iron when I am in a rush. Just put the ironing board under my shirt, iron and you are good to go.
At Costco my dad bought brooke the skirt that she will never ever want to take off again.
Yep, it’s not coming off for awhile.
We saw my niece and she showed us some pretty sweet gymnastics moves.
We are getting in a bad habit of having dessert for an appetizer… the red velvet cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory is ridiculously good.
Noodles with chicken and marinara sauce then made an appearance in my life.
Followed by some Tuesday night baseball.
And Lego building before bedtime.
Also, I saw this duck family yesterday and I felt the need to take a picture and show you because they were so cute.
——————————————————————-
What is the next race on your calendar? Anyone running Utah Valley? Has anyone done this one in the past?
Cheesecake person? What’s your favorite kind?
What did you have for dinner last night?
What was your HARDEST race experience ever?
-That above marathon experience and Tucson last December was really rough ha!
81 comments
Katrina @cardioandkilos
I just had carrot cake cheesecake the other night and it was the greatest cake I’ve had in a while!! So delicious – I love carrot cake with a cream cheese icing so this was like that but taken to the next level!
I love that duckling picture :) I keep riding past geese and goslings on my way home and saw a pair with A DOZEN goslings! I may also have started saying hello to all the geese and their babies so I might be a little crazy.
Flower
Running with a migraine was my worst experience ever , and it’s also why I don’t have another race on my calendar yet .
Congrats on the new guy ??
Michele @paleorunningmomma
Always a place in my heart for cheesecake! Cookie dough cheesecake might be my all time favorite but cherry is classic. Hardest race experience was running a marathon both sick and injured, definitely not repeating that ever again!
Sarah @ SarahRuns26
Utah Valley was a terrible race for me, but it was such a beautiful course! I want to come back for redemption!
I do like cheesecake, but it is never my first choice of desserts. I’m really not entirely sure why either.
If I had Brooke’s skirt, I probably wouldn’t take it off either! I sometimes use my flat iron to iron small spots on my shirts. If I need to iron more than it can handle, I change clothes. I hate ironing!
Natalie
Seriously SO happy for you!! :)
My most difficult race experience was probably when I ran a 15k a couple of years ago with the worst case of plantar fasciitis EVER. Every single step felt like I was pounding down on a knife. I think that was worse than when I ran a half marathon on a broken hip or a 25k that started at midnight and gave me HORRIBLE stomach issues. Although, that midnight race might actually win.
That chicken looks AMAZING. Is that a dish from Cheesecake Factory??! If so, I am going to have to try it.
Michelle
Love cheesecake!! I usually go for a turtle kind of flavor. Caramel + nuts = happiness.
Spaghetti squash with ground turkey meat sauce was for dinner last night. And there was tons so that’s what we’ll be having again tonight! So glad I won’t have to cook again!
Gretchen
Yay for finding a new running partner :) I’ve been trying to get Dan to run with me but he won’t do any more than a 5k. Better than nothing, plus now I get some alone time every day!
My next race is a 5k this weekend, but my next “big race” is the Seawheeze half in Vancouver in August! So excited for that!
Sarah
What sandals are you wearing at the baseball game?! They’re cute and look like they have a little wedge to them.
lindsay
You know I love this! <3 you and him and brooke and MISS YOU!
Hollie
It sounds like you have had quite the experience with the Utah Valley race series. I’m excited to see ho this year goes for you Janae.
Like I said yesterday, I’m glad you’re happy where you are. If you’re happy, that is most important.
Emily @ My Healthyish Life
My hardest race was the NYC Marathon in 2014. I ended up getting hypothermia from the weather/wind and the last half was just miserable. Of course I signed up for another race right after that because I still loved it…
Dinner last night was chicken and zoodles! Similar to yours :)
Karien @ Running the Race
So happy for you, Janae – he looks like a really great guy. All the best :) .
Bri Bliss
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake & Dutch Apple Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory are my favorite! We always go for my birthday & New Years Day – I have no idea why we go on New Years, but we do – to celebrate with some sweet goodness!
Kim
O’s Fan! I love it. I live in Baltimore and love to see them being represented in Utah!
sara
same!!
Deb
Ditto!!
Katie
Ditto x2!! ?
stina
Ditto x 3! ?
Vet Tech Runner
My next race is this Sunday! I am running the Horseneck Half Marathon in Westport, MA… It’s along the beach! :)
I don’t eat cheesecake often but it is delicious and if offered to me I would definitely accept!
I had my mom’s homemade chicken and rice soup last night with a sandwich! Simple but delicious :)
My hardest race experience ever was probably a half marathon I ran last year in July. It was 80 degrees at the start and I wasn’t trained properly after coming back from a foot injury.
Linda @ Running4two
I LOVE everything about this and I am SO HAPPY for you!
PS I also love that he is a Baltimore Oriole’s fan. Go O’s!
Tracy
Hey Janae! I made your peanut butter bars for the first time yesterday. They were great! I tried to save enough to take to my book club, but they were so tempting after my run!
Meagan Leanne
Trying to get back into running but I’ve been feeling iffy lately and the weather has been so uninspiring around here… blah. I love Brooke’s new skirt! I need to have a girl so I can dress her in all the adorable clothes. My baby will be much better dressed than me lol.
Colleen @ CSmith Run
The next race on my schedule is actually a 1-mile race this weekend! I haven’t done an all-out mile since high school so it should be interesting. But the big one coming up is the Anchorage Marathon in exactly a month!!
Kaytlin
Hardest race= the last “half” marathon I ran where I did 3 tempo-like runs the week before. Silly, silly, silly…
When the guy is running the Boston Marathon= you can’t make me go recovery pace, even if you tied me to an anchor.
Someone runs her feelings…
Anyway, I LOVE that you and the man both run! Have you read this Kristin Armstrong article?
http://www.runnersworld.com/chatter/girl-talk
It is all about why loving another runner (when you are a runner yourself) has its perks!
Happy Wednesday!
Beth
Dessert first: Yes! At least for my son. He actually eats MORE dinner if he’s already had a treat because he’s not rushing through and saying he’s done just to get the cookie or whatever. Parenting genius!
Amy
Congratulations on the New Guy. You look so happy :)
My next race is Saturday. A 4 miler through a local apple orchard. Running it with my mom, sister, brother and sister-in-law. Ridiculously excited about it.
That cheesecake looks amazing! My daughter and brother both make awesome cheesecakes. My daughter made a caramel apple one that was so good!
Annette in GA
How cool to have a boyfriend who is also a runner!! (And he’s quite handsome- BONUS!!) It’s so fun to be able to run together & go to races together. My husband was my inspiration for starting to run. He was doing triathlons & I loved going to events with him so I decided to try some 5ks (while pushing our son in the stroller). Now I run 20 or so races each years (thankfully I’m no longer pushing the stroller) & he’s still doing triathlons & our son is 7 & sometimes running races with us.
Seeing Brooke in the “twirly skirt” brings back lots of fun memories of my niece going through that phase- so cute!!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats
Omg the skirt and the ducks totally made my day. And if I had a skirt like that, I’d never take it off either.
Rebecca Jo
I now need a little ironing board so I can do that trick – I just go normally as a wrinkled mess :)
I wouldnt ever take that skirt off either. That’s what being a girl is all about :)
Nina
Your guy is very nice looking and the two of you look pretty happy together. Nice! I’m happy for you. My cousin has a chocolate lab as well and they are particularly active. Her dog, Molly, is 8 and is still a nut.
I love the Godiva chocolate cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. My husband and I share it and usually still have leftovers.
My hardest half was the last one and it was an easy course and I was trained. Just a really rough day. San Francisco was challenging with the hills but I was ready for that.
I forgot to take something out for dinner so I defrosted shrimp, sauted it with garlic, added broccoli, made an ancient grains salad and a green salad. Done. (I always have “emergency foods” on hand. Something that can cook quickly or that I’ve made and frozen. If not, there’s always eggs).
R
My least favorite marathon feeling-wise was the one in western Colorado where I had a random asthma-like attack (mild start at mile 8, major problems by mile 14) that left me so low on oxygen my whole body was one giant, curled inward, massively contracted cramp. I hid in the porta potty at mile 21 for awhile and walked most of the last 10 miles (I really should have just quit but…stubborn). My least favorite course though was the downhill one outside of LA last fall…the first 15 miles were 4x steeper than St George’s canyon section and the next 9 miles were 2x steeper. I love downhill sections (St George, Ogden Canyon, Slacker Half) but that was just too much for me.
Taylor
I had zucchini noodles with pesto and veggies for dinner last night! My worst race experience was my 2nd half marathon… it was so hilly, I was just not into it, and I cried for at least half of the race… but hey, I did finish it!
Bethany (Lulu)
I love that he runs with you! That is the best. My husband runs with me too and it’s literally one of my favorite things we do together.
Last night I made “Chipotle” for dinner. Brown rice, beans, corn, salsa, lettuce, and of course guacamole. It totally hit the spot.
Amanda @ Exploring Life & Things
The hardest race I’ve ever ran was a half marathon last spring. It was extremely humid and I just wasn’t mentally in it at all. Which then made it the longest 13.1 miles ever haha.
Steph @ loveandlunge
cheesecake is everything. I used to hate it but then my boyfriend introduced me to the good kind and I’ve changed my way. oreo cheesecake is heavenly.
last night’s dinner was taco salad. packed with all the fixins’ and it was drop dead amazing.
Jenny
All the cheesecake (excepted cherry) is my favorite.
I need to be better at ironing. Because most of the time it just doesn’t happen haha.
I’m loving that you’re sharing a little about your guy. That’s super exciting!
Sarah
Hardest race- a near DNF on an extremely hilly half marathon course that I was under conditioned for! It was brutal (worse than mile 22 in a marathon in my opinion from experience!) but I’m proud I came through and finished!
I meant to comment yesterday- I LOVE nordictrack!! I own one and it is my favorite treadmill compared to gym treads, hotels, etc. Yours looks beautiful!! I hope you get lots of glorious miles on her!
So great to see you so happy. What’s better than a boyfriend & running partner in crime all in one!:)
chiara
Philly half marathon last November. it was my first race and I pushed myself at the beginning not knowing what to expect. I walked from mile 8 and threw up at the end. I later found out I had an untreated stomach infection.
You and the guy are so cute!
Wendy
So happy for you and your guy! I love that he runs with you! I run almost every race with my hubby. It’s a great way to spend time together!! He’s a cutie, and obviously makes you happy! :)
I LOVE cheesecake! Really any kind of cheesecake too, but especially any kind that includes chocolate!
The hardest race I have ever done was the New Year run in LA this past January 3rd. My hubby and I did the double header, 10k at 6pm followed by a half marathon at 8pm. We were in the height of marathon training, so the distance wasn’t the issue… it was just so hilly! Constant hills from about mile 4 through mile 10 or 11!!! WOW! But the whole experience of running a race a night was really cool!
Amy Krue
You both look so happy! How exciting :)
I don’t discriminate when it comes to cheesecake. Turtle is my go-to when available. Caramel is my biggest vice!
I give you credit for ironing. I am so bad about it. I try to get clothes out of the dryer as soon as they are done so that ironing isn’t needed for most items. That sounds so lazy as I write it.
And I wanted to comment yesterday and forgot – Good luck to Josse this weekend!!
Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona
You two are so cute together!
Laura
PLEASE replace that iron with Downy Wrinkle release…you will NEVER look back!!
Brenda
I’m assuming your new BF is the one in the Orioles hat as well!?!?! I live in MD and and totally approve of him :) Watch out about the Lego’s…once you kids get hooked you’ll end up with the Lego movie in your house!
I think your awesome for even ironing by the way…who has time for that?!?!
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul
That skirt is adorable! And you two make a cute couple! :D
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious
Dinner last night was Spiralized sweet potato with turkey & eggplant. My favorite casserole! How long have you guys been dating?
Laura
My worst was a marathon last year where I went into it undertrained (had been sick for awhile which derailed some long runs) and then it was ridiculously hot. This added up to a miserable experience!
I’m not a huge cheesecake fan, but whenever we go to Cheesecake Factory I always get the white chocolate raspberry. It’s my favorite.
Yay for having someone that loves to run too!
Donna
Im running the vitality 10k in london on the 31st. Sounds mad but never done a 10k before. A full and a 1/2 yes. But never a 10k… a test of speed for me.
Oh it has to be the new york cheesecake for me.
Oh and maybe ask mum to teach the brookers to iron ??
Karrie
Kids can be soooo dramatic. Am I right? I’m stealing that ironing trick for sure! Love that idea. If I had a skirt like that, I would never want to take it off either! She is too precious. My guy and I ran our first half marathon ever together and I will always cherish those memories :) We are running our first marathon together this December but hopefully we can fit some shorter distance races in this year as well. Sometimes we run a race together and sometimes we don’t. It just depends on our goals. You and your guy look so cute and happy together. I’m happy for you!
San
Hello :) new reader here, race running newbie… already love your blog! I’ll be running my first half-marathon in SF in July (good luck with your HM!).
Cheesecake? I love the classic kind. The best!
I had a chicken burrito last night. Yummy!
Shalyn
Could not be happier for you – he is a runner and a hottie!! And does he play baseball?? That would seal the deal for me!!
Good for you – I pray all good things for you!
Meredith @ the cookie chrunicles
Aw I love her new skirt! I wouldn’t take it off either! Cheesecake Factory chocolate cakes are my favorite but I know their cheesecake is great too! So happy you found a nice boy :) wishing you only the best!!
Emma @myfullfatlife
What a cute picture of you two after your half! You both look so happy!!
I stop to take duck pictures too. They are just adorable.
For dinner I made halibut and cauliflower.. trying out this whole cooking thing again after years of takeout. :)
Becky
Okay you and your boy (or I guess man? ha) are SOOO cute!! Heart eyes all around! So fun that you get to run together!
Loribeth
My hardest race was my last full marathon- I was significantly slower than my first time but I still finished it. I love plain cheesecake with strawberries or cherries on top!! And my next race is June 4th!!!! My favorite half-so excited!! Ps-looks like a good catch with your guy :)
Ali
Raspberry cheesecake is amazing! Dinner last night was roasted asparagus with lentils and romesco sauce. Healthy and pretty tasty!
Paige
Well, this post just makes me smile! It is so good to see you grinning from ear to ear! Oh, and now I want cheesecake! :)
Molly
I am so happy for you Janae! You looks so happy and it’s simply fantastic :)
I also loved to see your man wearing an O’s baseball hat! I’m from Baltimore and a huge Orioles fan so it made me smile to see him repping the O’s in Utah!!
Rachel @ Simply Rachel Nicole
I love that you are so happy! I’m so glad you found a keeper. :) Brooke not wearing shoes because of a little cut totally reminds me of my little girl ha! So fun, but a tinge dramatic. ;) Having dessert as an appetizer is probably the best idea that I’ve ever heard of. :)
Debbie @ Deb Runs
So the burning questions that’s on all of our minds is: Who’s faster, you or your boyfriend? ;-)
The Hungry Runner Girl
hahaha I’m a tiny bit faster but he has way more endurance (he has done an Ironman!!!)
Clark
Is it a dealbreaker if your bf isn’t wearing Brooks? (Obv. not).
Have fun. Life’s too short to do otherwise.
Meesh
YUmmmmm cheesecake! It gives me stomach troubles, but it is so delicious its worth it on occasion! Any kind except chocolate, I am in!
Marissa @ Run Riss Run
My hubby runs with me too and it’s the best! It gives us so much time to connect and I love being able to go over our day or to have a break from our kids (especially while traveling!) Also, I remember your sis finishing that race with you. She really is the best!!
My next race on the calendar is a 1/2 that finishes off a beach series for me, the 1st of that series sucked. I had shin splints like I’ve never had before, so I did a lot walking. I’ve also signed up for my 2nd marathon in November (eek!)
I am not a cheesecake person :( It always looks so yummy, but nope. And I definitely cannot do red velvet cake because the red dye gives me wicked heart burn. Boo! Dinner was zoodles with a cauliflower alfredo sauce (yummo!) garlic knots, and spinach salad.
Kate
I’m excited for you! YOu look so very happy:)
I had chicken, a sweet potato, and green beans. Simple, but one of my favorite meals.
Honestly, my hardest races were the 800 meters in high school. It’s pretty much just a really long sprint!
Olive
Oh my goodness… the photo of your man building legos with Brooke… heart melted! :)
Jessica
Your boyfriend is wow. So goodlooking! Thrilled for you, Janae! You deserve every piece of happiness.
Lindsey
I’m so excited for you! You both look so happy! Having him as a running partner must be so fun, too.
Cheesecake should be an appetizer before every meal.
Next race is the Denver Hot Chocolate 15k in October. Any race that ends in hot chocolate and fondu is my kind of race. Utah Valley looks so beautiful!
Hardest race was a half marathon where I barely trained due to injury and still tried to run it, so I hobbled through the whole thing. Lesson learned very quickly.
Dinner was chicken enchiladas. Yumm.
Deb
He’s obviously an awesome boyfriend since he wears an O’s cap (says the Maryland girl) Go O’s! :)
Molly
My next race is the River Run (a ten mile race from Henderson, KY to Evansville, IN) this Saturday!
LOVE cheesecake! Favorite is anything involving chocolate…probably turtle!
For dinner last night I had a “Mexican rice bowl,” which is rice mixed with Hormel turkey chili, refried beans, Ro-Tel tomatoes, corn, cheese, and ranch dressing.
Back in 2012, some friends and I ran a 15K race called Harmageddon out at Harmonie State Park in Indiana. I’d run that distance before plenty of times leading up to the race, but not on trails, plus it was almost 100 degrees that day. It’s the first and only time I’ve EVER stopped to walk during a race; it took me almost as long as it had taken me to run a half-marathon just a couple of months prior; and at the end I just lied down on the ground. A friend who finished just after me came and lied down next to me, and I told her, “They should have called that race Death in the Woods.” She laughed really hard; we’ve referred to that race as Death in the Woods ever since.
Mel
So happy you’re happy! You deserve it! And he’s cute, you will make such cute baby siblings for Brooke! (getting ahead of myself???) Lol
Ashley C
So happy for you! The boy is cute!!!
Erika @ Barbells & Bookends
Next race as of now is the Big Sur half marathon. I did the Pixie Dust challenge at Disneyland a couple weeks ago and that was fun.
Favorite cheesecake is definitely Red Velvet from Cheesecake Factory
Dinner last night was swai filets with a few potato chips, lol so healthy.
My hardest race experience was the Carlsbad half this past January. I’d been doing Whole30 that month so I hadn’t been eating any pasta or bread to help fuel my body for runs. I ran out of steam at mile 3 and ended up walking the last 10 miles. I was discouraged and exhausted. Never again will I attempt Whole30 during a race month.
Erin Shmidt
Hi!
My sister taught me to use my straight iron as an iron for my clothes. Just put one side on outside and one on inside! I never iron with an iron now!! :)
The Hungry Runner Girl
THAT IS BRILLIANT!! I need to try that asap!
Julie
I’m more impressed that your sister ran 5+ miles in jeans & flip flops! Whoa!
Daisy @ Fit Wanderlust Runner
Next race for me is the Rock n Roll San Diego! It’s only a few weeks away so I am pretty excited. I did my last long run today. :)
Tiffany
I iron my clothes with the flat iron I use for my hair. I have a toddler and ain’t nobody got time for real ironing :)
Congrats on the new man! Does he get invited to Sunday dinners with the family (true test of the relationship)? ;)
The Hungry Runner Girl
He sure does:) He fits in very nicely!
Kristina Running
HAH! Pro ironing tip! Thank you!
You and your new guy look like running royalty. Such a cute pic of you two after the race! :)
When it comes to cheesecake I do not discriminate! All the flavors are good with me!
Shellie
SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! Been following your blog for years <3 Also, I met my now-hubby on a blind date too and we've been married 10 years :)
adrianna
ok…just realized my question on another post was answered in this one; oops!
you two are SO. CUTE! super happy for ya girl :)