A group run with my girls, a video and our favorite gear from Old Navy !

Last weekend I had an amazing opportunity to put together an event with some of my absolute favorite running partners.  We were able to get outside to enjoy some fresh air, get those endorphins and enjoy our usual random conversations.  We all loved starting off this New Year with a fun morning together to jumpstart our health and fitness goals!  We all wore our favorite Old Navy Activewear pieces (they are having an amazing sale right now) for our morning together.  We got to celebrate the start of 2017 and all of the exciting things up ahead for us this year!  What better way to stay motivated and active this year than by getting some amazing activewear from Old Navy!  This post is sponsored by Old Navy.  Everything we are wearing below is from Old Navy in case you need some amazing workout gear!

Brooke in activewear is my absolute favorite.  I’m glad that she is learning at the ripe old age of 4 that activewear is the best thing to wear:)  It wasn’t until my 20s that I finally realized this undeniable truth about clothing.  Old Navy by far has the cutest activewear for kids (and adults) in my opinion!

Running with friends has always been one of my absolute favorite things to do!

Each and every one of these girls has given me the best experiences while running on the roads, treadmill or trails.  I have so many special stories with them that I could write a book, but instead today I’ll just share a little bit about my running with them.

Megan S:  She has been my favorite travel running buddy.  Between St. George, Arizona and California trips together, we have run together in many new places.  Exploring a new route (and her kicking my trash on hill repeats) have been the best with her. Megan is the one that convinced me (and it took a lot of convincing) to run my first marathon.  She is the one that fills my water bottle if I am on a treadmill at the gym, keeps me entertained with the best stories and teaches me strength training moves so I don’t get hurt every second.

Jessica:  When I was living at my parent’s house right after my divorce, Jessica lived just right down the street from me.   We became instant friends so when I found out she ran, it was like a match made in heaven.  She is my trail running girl.  We get into such deep conversations while we are out there that I completely lose track of how long we have been running.  This girl CRUISES up those hills.  She has met me countless times to run before it is light outside so that I can start my long run at 5 a.m.  She is so incredibly strong!

Josse:  I first met Josse a few weeks after I first moved back to Utah.  After a few group runs with a bunch of people, Josse started texting me to meet just her for runs (I felt so cool).  We would meet pretty much each morning and run together no matter what the temperature was and no matter how early it was.  I’ve cried to her on runs probably 100 times and she always knows just what to say to help.  She motivates me to train harder.  We’ve trained for many marathons and half marathons together and we have decades more of that kind of training in the future.

Candice:  Candice and I met through blogging 6 years ago (wow) but it wasn’t until I moved back home from California that we started running together.  On those weekends in the beginning when Brooke was gone with her dad and I needed something to look forward to, Candice always planned a gorgeous run for us to do together.  One year she drove down to the St. George Marathon just so she could watch Brooke while I ran.  We also spent MONTHS together pool running when we were both injured.  Our talks together are always the best.

Megan D:  This woman provides me with so much laughter during a run that it produces side aches.  She cares so deeply for her people and the second anything happens in my world she is there in two seconds to help.  She has been sidelined from running for a while now but she is back and I see MANY runs together in the future.  I’ll also never forget our not-so-great decision to eat 1.5 lbs of Maverick froyo the night before the Ogden 1/2 Marathon when we were staying at her parent’s house.  Or the bday cake and Tilamook ice cream the night before a long run (we will never learn).

Last Saturday morning these girls met me for a run, breakfast and an amazing time catching up on everything in everyone’s life.

I think we might laugh too much which starts hurting a bit when you are running in 10 degree weather together.  Each of them absolutely love their Old Navy Activewear and they’ve all been wearing different Old Navy Activewear for years now!  Don’t they look amazing in their gear:

Utah sure is beautiful this time of year and getting out to run in it takes activewear that keeps you warm AND dry like Old Navy’s selection.

One of the many reasons I especially love running with these girls is because it is our kid-free time together;)  When we do something else together during the day or night we each have kids with us which is GREAT but we get in a lot more talking together when we run some miles together.   I like to call early morning runs with my friends my ‘social hour’ for the day!  It’s that me time when we take care of ourselves before we go home to take care of others!

We went out for a little over 4 miles together.  It was the first time we all ran together at the same time which was exciting to me, I think this needs to be a monthly tradition!

I know, Josse is quite flexible!  I’m impressed.

Utah, you are gorgeous.  This is the river that a few of my running friends and I used to jump in (from the hips down) after our long runs when training for marathons.  Clearly it makes for the perfect ice bath (we never went when it was quite this cold out but this river stays pretty cold year round).

After our run we went inside to warm up for a bit by the fireplace.  I had little gifts for each of the girls from Old Navy.   They cannot wait to be twinners: I got them this tank, these leggings and this pullover!

Our food arrived at the table.  Hot chocolate and an omelet with melted cheese and toast on the side is kind of a perfect way to refuel after a run.

I think about food while I run… you do too right?

Special thanks to Lindsey for taking these pictures and my mom for watching Brooke (Andrew was at the hospital all day)!

In case you are wondering what we were wearing for our group run and breakfast:

I’m wearing:  This full-zip fleece hoodie, this v-back long sleeve and these leggings!

Jessica is wearing: These leggings, this tank and this fleece pullover!

Megan S is wearing:  This 1/4 zip pullover and these leggings are a similar style.

Candice is wearing:  This pullover and these tights!

Megan D is wearing:  This pullover and these leggings!

Josse is wearing This jacket!

Also, a few people have asked about my outfit from my Instagram post the other day—>  This jean jacket, this sweatshirt and these leggings.

I have a little video that I made from our run and breakfast together (and Brooke’s dance moves are also included).

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What do you think about the most during your runs?  Who else thinks about their breakfast during a run? 

What is your DREAM post run breakfast meal (if you could choose anything that you wanted)?

I’d love to hear a story or two from you about your running partners and why you love running with them!

What is the COLDEST temperature you have ever run in?