The skills and talents that running gives to us and some time in Park City.

We went to Park City yesterday because I wanted to show Brooke around one of my absolute favorite places in Utah.

This was Brooke’s first time on a chair lift:

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We took the chair lift up the mountain to go down on the Alpine Slide.  I rode the slide as a kid and loved it so I was beyond stoked to take Brooke.  

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I think she yelled ‘THIS IS SO FUN’ about a hundred times on the way down.  

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And now I think she thinks that Park City is just as cool as Disneyland.  

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The more miles we run, the more skills we acquire.   I think we value the skills that we gain from running a lot more than a non-runner would but let’s talk about all of the incredibly important talents we gain from running.

-We learn to be able to throw a paper cup (usually with about 2 ounces of water or gatorade still in the cup) into a trash can about 6 feet away from us.  This skill is acquired even more so during those really tough races where we try to occupy our mind with anything and everything else besides thinking about how tired we are… i.e. placing bets with ourselves on whether or not we will make our cup into the trash can.

-Running has given me the necessary survival skill of knowing exactly where the best restrooms and drinking fountains are within 7 miles of my house.  

-A huge talent that I have gained from running—>  Being able to take a selfie while running, now that takes a lot of skills (or none at all but let’s pretend that it does).  

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-Running helps me to keep up with my math skills.  Figuring out how long it will take me to finish my run, what my splits need to be to hit my time goal or calculating when I need to turn around and head home helps me to keep up with my mathematics.  

-Running gives us the important skill of being able to tear open a gu wrapper with our teeth while we are running.  The biggest talent in this situation is to be able to actually eat the Gu.  If it wasn’t for running… I wouldn’t come within 10 feet of that stuff.  

-I think that running gives us the skill of understanding our bodies incredibly well.  We learn what foods work for us and what doesn’t leading up to a run or race.   We become talented at knowing our system pretty well, we figure out when we need rest and when we can push things.  

-I now have the skill that I acquired from running to be able to guesstimate the distance from point A to point B.  I can also tell you exactly where each mile marker is on many of my favorite trails. 

-Being a runner =s injuries periodically for a lot of us.  Over the years of running and experiencing random aches and pains we gain the skill of learning how to google/research the injury like it is our job.  We then try everything under the sun to heal the injury and become very talented at spending all of our money to do so.

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-Running has helped me to become very efficient at pushing myself extremely hard in the morning during my tough workouts followed by spending the rest of the day being as lazy as possible.  

-We learn the skill of checking the weather report obsessively leading up to a race.

-We become very talented at doing extremely strange things like taking ice baths in rivers after a long run, running way before the sun comes up in the morning or logging mile after mile on the hamster wheel (treadmill).  

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-Running has taught me the skill of iTunes usage.  This skill has probably robbed me of $$$$$$$$$ because I must have the perfect music to run to.  Maybe I just need a life but I am on iTunes way too much.  

-We become extremely talented at carb-loading and refueling our bodies after a run with all sorts of goodies (donuts—>  I’m looking at you).  

-I have gained the talent of being able to change clothing in approximately 30 seconds.  All of the early morning runs have given me this skill because sleeping a few more minutes before getting out to run is much more important than taking my time to get ready for my run.  

-Running has made me talented at being able to push through the pain/fatigue and it teaches us the discipline to finish what we set out to do.  Now those are some pretty valuable skills in my opinion.  

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What are some skills and/or talents that running has given you?

Who has been to Park City?  Favorite things to do and see there?

If you are a morning runner—>  do you take your time to get ready or do you sleep as long as possible and get ready to run really fast?

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87 comments

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I find it so tough to do math the harder I’m running! In the beginning of my run I have it figured out but then halfway through my brain shuts down. Running has definitely helped my sense of direction though!

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I am the same way. I remember my first marathon at mile 23 I thought I had a 10K left… And I have a BS in math. Oopsies.

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I am really bad about procrastinating. I get up really early, usually 5:30AM but I need coffee, and then I read the paper, watch a bit of the news and before I realize it, 7:00AM is here and then I rush out to get that run in…..

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I am the same way!!!

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I’m glad I’m not the only one! :)

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I’m the same… Even on a morning race I get up early, and still end up being late. Procrastinating is all part of the eraly morning ritual :)

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Running has given me the ability to sneak out of the house quietly so that my husband can get a few more minutes of sleep while I head off to a race.
I’m not an early morning runner, at all! I go in the afternoon and have all my stuff laid out for when j get home so I can make the most of my time. If I was a morning runner I’d sleep as long as possible and then get ready fast.

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I don’t run in the morning alot, but when I do I get up about 15 minutes before I have to be out the door running. Clothes, shoes, run. No time to think about what I’m doing.

I am really good at guesstimating distances based on the routes I run! I also have acquired the skill of being able to forget the pain of a long run or race when it is over, or else I may not have kept doing marathons!

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If you spend a lot of $$ on iTunes, you should try Spotify! you can add music to a playlist for free (to stream) or pay a monthly fee to download the songs. It’s been great for me and I can change my playlist every day and not pay a dime!

When I run in the morning, I wake up way too early. I’m always afraid of sleeping in and missing my run and then sleeping through work, so I’m always up before my alarm goes off :) Gives me time to get something to eat and drink and have my stuff ready for work though!

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I was just coming here to make the same comment. LOVE Spotify!!! Totally worth it to me to pay $10 a month.

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Check out the RWzelle playlists created by Elizabeth Comeau from runners world. Amazing running playlists!! I’m currently obsessed with week 6!

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Thanks for the suggestion! I love their pre-made playlists :)

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I came to the comments section to recommend Spotify too! With the $10/month fee you get basically unlimited access to all kinds of music and you don’t have to listen to commercials. You can also download all your playlists to listen to offline. (I like this because I usually run with my phone in airplane mode to save battery. Plus you can download the music while you’re on wifi, then you don’t use up all your data plan on streaming.)

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That slide looks like SO, MUCH, FUN!!

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Definitely sleep for as long as possible and then get ready to run as fast as possible! Sometimes makes for a hard run without having eaten anything, but I’m not getting up earlier. Not an option.

You nailed it with the things running teaches us. My brother told me a park near ours was about a mile round. Nonsense. One look and I knew he was wrong. Ran it with the Garmin; 1km. Ha! Thank you running.

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Ahhh the dry needling picture! I have so many of those on my phone, every time I get needled I feel like I need to somehow record how hardcore I am ;)
But literally, nothing has kept me healthy and running like dry needling/chiropractics!

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I can relate to knowing the distance from point A to point B. I play this game both while running and while cycling where I try to figure out the exact mileage my garmin will say at any moment. I think it just keeps my brain occupied.

I am a morning runner. I wake up a bit before 4 am but don’t leave until 4:30 am – 4:45 am. Must have coffee, breakfast and read blogs first!!

Park City has exactly what Winter Park, CO has for the summer. Rides, alpine slide, mtn biking — so much fun!!

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These are all great! Running has also trained me to type in my phone password without looking… And while bobbing up and down.

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Park City has a special place in my heart!
Loved zip line.
Sammy’s Bistro, No name Bar and Saloon, The pizza place across from Kneaders, and Main Street Deli. (so many good eats.)

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Running has taught me the ability to tie my shoelaces with gloves on! I am absolutely a morning runner and will be up and out the door within 10 minutes of my alarm going off. Any longer and I will probably just head back to bed! Happy Wednesday!

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I love that we have all acquired these very important skills from running! I get ready for my morning run pretty quickly but I do usually have some coffee before I head out.

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I can push farther and harder than I ever thought was possible, take ice baths like a champ, and am no longer bashful about peeing in the woods!
I went to park city for the film festival (for work) and loved the skiing!
I make sure to have a little time to eat and drink something before my morning runs.

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Yes to the math thing! When I really want to quit I start doing random calculations (what is my pace in ft/s…5280 ft per mile, each pace about 2 ft, and so on) and then check to see how close my estimate is lol

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Skills running has given me: Being able to say that I can do ANYTHING after having run a marathon! Because running marathons makes me feel invincible.

I love Park City! I have mostly only been in the winter for Sundance, Xgames stuff, etc. Never got to do the slide.

I take about 15 minutes to get ready for a long run in the morning so I need my time.

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Running has sharpened my mental math skills and made me really good at entertaining myself with just my thoughts for an hour or more.
I’m a morning runner but I take some time to have coffee, a banana, and do some dynamic stretches to wake up my muscles.

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That does look like so much fun.!!
And aren’t us runners a smart bunch ;) definitely agree with all of these

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Yeah. Only running could make an ice bath so attractive afterwards. My legs feel so good in the ice bucket after a run. Any other time, I’d run to the other side of the room to avoid it.

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I am a total morning runner but I do need to be up for a little before heading out the door. One cup of coffee plus something to eat, a few minutes to digest and then I am out!

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So I just got back from a week long vacation in California (My boyfriend and I drove up the Pacific Coast Highway from LA to SF/Napa) and I had SO MANY of your blog posts to catch up on, it made for a delightful morning.

A question I have for you that’s pretty unrelated to this particular post is: how many miles do you shoot for per week when you AREN’T training for a marathon? My training doesn’t begin until July and I feel kind of lost without a dedicated plan right now, but I also want to make sure I don’t get burned out (especially in this summer heat and humidity). Any advice?

You and Brooke are adorable. Really, reading your blog is one of my favorite parts of the day.

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Math is super hard when running. The farther I go, the worse I get. I’m a super nerd thoigh, and I actually try to do simple addition, subtraction, and multiplication while running to keep me occupied.

When I run in the morning I definitely take my time. I get up and have 1-2 cups of coffee before I go anywhere.

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Brooke is so fearless! I was TERRIFIED going up my first lift, and that was just a few years ago!

I’m definitely more of a morning runner than evening, and I usually need at least 30 minutes before I walk out the door or else I’m fumbling around half asleep!

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I’ve never been to Utah, but Park city is on my must see/do list if I ever get the chance!

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These are all spot-on! I have also acquired the skill of changing in public without exposing a thing. And going to the bathroom faster than I thought possible.

I’ve never been to any park like that, but the slide looks so fun!

I run in the morning and usually just up and go. I don’t need too long–as long as I have enough time to brush my teeth!!

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I sometimes sleep in my running clothes to savor every last minute with my down comforter!

Running has taught me how to maximize the use of dry shampoo and avoid washing my hair at all costs. :)

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Ok so back in the 80s when I was watching Sesame Street, in the credits there was always a slide like that. Is that that slide?! My 5-year-old self always thought it was the coolest thing in the world, but I had (and have) never seen something like that in real life!

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I love that I can tell distance without clocking it. You said that one too, but it’s been one of my favorite things about running.

When I run in the morning I sleep as long as possible and get ready as fast as Ivan. But I know I do much better if I wake up at least a hour before I run. That doesn’t mean I do that though.

Park city is so fun! We did the alpine slide and roller coaster for our anniversary last year. It was a blast. I also love just walking around down town and seeing all the fun little shops on Main Street.

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I can relate to so many on this list- opening/eating gus, knowing mile markers on all my routes and getting ready really fast for a run.
I am most definitely a morning runner! I give myself 10 minutes in the morning to get ready but for longer runs, I give myself enough time to eat and drink something.
I have never been to Park City but your pictures make me want to go!

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I love this list. The iTunes bit is so true, and so is the part about the injuries. I swear whenever anyone gets hurt or sick they phone up “Dr. Suzy” and I tell them what they’ve got and how to get better. Now I just need the accompanying BMW and beach house in Maui!

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We love park city too!! We try to go once each season because it is so uniquely gorgeous there year round!

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P.S. did you see that shalane Flanagan was just up in park city too? How cool is that? :)

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Ick. Stop the GU’s Janae!! The ingredients are scary and only cause a sugar crash later. Look into non-processed stuff. There are lots of natural or homemade options that provide sustained energy. I like TheNaturalNutritionist(.com.au) suggestions. :)

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I’m a casual runner but running has taught me that the runner’s high is a real thing! And Park City looks like a super fun place to spend a day.

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What a fun trip with Brooke! I want to go down that slide!

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Totally agree on the math skills and knowing the distance to anywhere within a 7 mile range of my house. Then it creeps people out when I say oh yeah that’s about 3.8 miles away…

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Awe it looks like you had a great time.

I do think running allows us to really learn our bodies. We can understand why and how we are most susceptible to injuries and our personal trigger spots.

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-Running gives me mental toughness, which helps me overcome every obstacle in life! It also gives me the professional skill of stuffing my face 24/7. I eat all day, and that takes some serious talent ;)
-I always get ready super fast so I can get back faster to eat breakfast!

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Haha I definitely laughed at the math one- I spent the second half of the Berlin marathon working out how slow I could run and still make my goal time!!

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We have an alpine slide like that in Oregon. So much fun!!!

Running, especially while I have been pregnant, has reminded me that I can do hard things, it doesn’t always have to be pretty, and it’s all about balance. My experience these last 6 months has been unlike any other – quite humbling.

I am all about running in the morning hours and couldn’t think of a better way to start my day. Something about the fresh air and sunrise. :)

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Oh my gosh, it’s funny how true all of these are! ( with the exception of the paper copy in the trashcan, I’m not sure I’ll ever master that one) my knowledge of gas stations is superb, there is just nothing like a fountain drink from the gas station!

I think one of the biggest things running teaches us is that we are capable of consistency. So many people struggle with this but I think as a runners are assessed of nature really helps us here!

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Running has helped me organize my thoughts and let go of anger. If in upset or mad, running always gives me the ouket I need to reset my emotions and let go of what’s not important. I’m working on a 3rd stress fracture and honestly about to give up on everything. No doctor has been able to figure it out nor do they want to help. I saw an orthopedic about my recent heel pain that feels very familiar to the calcaneus fracture I had in my other foot last year. He said to me what do you expect me to do “in a surgeon.” I’ve given up on doctors and getting answers because they don’t care and they don’t advocate to get you the right care. I’m treating myself as if it is a stress fracture because I can’t get a doctor to help me. It’s so frustrating. I guess you can say running has eliminated any faith I ever had in medicine and doctors.

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I totally hear you on the running giving you mad math skills. I was terrible at it before my workouts depended on km to mile pace conversions and suddenly I’m a pro!

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Running has given me the skill to be able to get up before the sun does on the weekend! Only a runner is crazy enough to get up that early on Saturday and Sunday just to beat the heat!!

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I’m not a morning runner at all. If I do have to race or do a run in the morning, I get up super early to “be ready” to run and not have to stop – if you get what I mean ;-) That is really the only thing that bothers me about morning running….

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Park City is one of our favorite skiing places. I have never been there in the non-snowy months though. It looks pretty great!
Running has given me skill to get going in the pre dawn and accomplish a lot!

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The last time I was on an alpine slide was when I lived in Colorado back in 2006, but I remember really loving it! I’ve never been to Park City but it looks beautiful.

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Those pics make me want to go back to Utah SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad!

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i’ve done the whole selfie-while-running thing. always blurry, but always fun. :)

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I slept until 5:03 and was out the door to meet a friend at 5:05…now THAT is talent!!
I’m also on ITunes WAY, WAY too much. When the charges come out of my checking i’m all “whhhaaaaatttttt is that!!!”

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I love alpine slides!!!! At my high school, we had Mountain Day every fall and the whole school would have a day off, we’d bus it up to an alpine sledding place and sled all. day. It was SO awesome!

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Oh my! That list is hilarious and so so accurate, which makes it all the more funny. Yeah, we certainly do pick up on some strange habits. I’d say I’ve gotten very good about coordinating work clothes with tennis shoes. Sometimes (like most times) my runners feet can’t handle heels.

And, Park City looks awesome and so beautiful!

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Park City is home for me and I’d recommend checking out the Utah Olypmic Park when they are doing a freestyle shows (Saturdays & Sundays, I think?), Wednesday night free concerts at Deer Valley, 4th of July Parade & Fireworks and the zip lines at the Canyons Resort (SO fun!).

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Thank you SOOO much for the recommendations! I am adding them to my bucket list! THANK YOU! Your home is beautiful:)

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I have also become great at spending all of the money to figure out my random aches and pains. I’m still trying to figure out what is causing mine, so I’m glad I’m not the only one that seems to be obsessed with the doctor!

Have you tried using Spotify instead of iTunes? It has basically all the same music but you just pay a monthly fee instead of per song so it would probably save you a ton of $$. :)

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Yes, yes, yes. Just this morning I got dressed, with one eye open, in the dark, in less than a minute. My socks didn’t exactly match, but that is just part of our charm.
Also, I totally agree with the cup toss. During my 1/2 marathon I was undefeated in cup toss. If it was a game or HORSE, I was the champion. Boom.

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I’m the girl in 6 AM barre with bed head and last night’s clothes on because I literally woke up 4 minutes before walking in. So…yeah.

Park City looks pretty fabulous!

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This is weird, but running has made me extremely, almost scarily good at telling time! I never wear a watch, but my internal clock usually knows exactly what time it is (or how much time has passed) and I can guess what time it is within a minute or two.

When I run in the mornings, I am up and out. Two reasons…1. More time at home = less time running. 2. The more I procrastinate, the more I get in my head and just want to skip it! (It’s not likely I’d skip it all together, but it’s just easier for me to go go go!)

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I like to get my workouts done first thing in the morning too. If I wait it tends to not get done.

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I literally could not spit, at all, before I started running. I can proudly say that now I spit like a pro, and with fairly good accuracy!

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Checking the weather report obsessively (I mean like a pro) is something I am currently doing for my race tonight. It just keeps getting darker and darker as the day goes on….
I’m not a morning runner, but when I have to get up for a race, I’m sure to lay out everything I need the night before so I can get ready in less than a minute morning of.

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Aw that slide looks like so much fun!

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Running has definitely made me more in tune with/aware of my body not just physically but mentally. Knowing what is “possible” is so much more than I ever imagined has a huge impact on both. (And also, knowing the best restrooms and water fountains in Central Park and every pebble on the bridle path like the back of my hand. And being able to jump out of bed at 6am and not groan!)

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I’m a morning person and take my time in the morning so I can enjoy it…so I get up at 5am so I can enjoy breakfast, walk the dog for 45 minutes, get changed into my run gear and THEN go for my run. lol

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Awww what a cute picture of you and brooke on the slide! HA I love that she yelled “this is so fun” as you went down!! precious :)

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I love to run in the mornings, but sometimes when I anticipate a difficult time getting up – I sleep in my running clothes; minus the shoes. Now is that the ultimate in morning laziness?

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my boyfriend and i were just in park city a few weekends ago. it was rainy but so beautiful! i loved just walking around and finding new trails. we also went to the US Olympic Park, walked around the downtown a lot and checked out the Natural History Museum. There’s really no place like it!

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These are great! I agree, swallowing a Gu while running takes skills….so does doing a half run, half shoe tie at the same time, you know, step loop, step loop, step quick loop loop loop.
I haven’t been to Park City but Mt. Hood here in Oregon has a similiar park during the summer with an Alpine slide, and it is an absolute blast for adults and kids alike!!!

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I love the Alpine Slide! So much fun!

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I agree with all the other posts about running helping my math skills! The longer I run the more I try and break down my run into little chunks and try to figure out how many smaller segments I have left! I’m also trying to become a morning runner. I have such a hard time with the 530 alarm and rolling out of the bed when its still dark out. I regret my decision to stay in the bed when I get home from work and its 90+ degrees outside or we’re having more thunderstorms!

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Running has taught me how to nap in a sportsbra. I used to have to work ridiculously early and I’d run after work but sometimes I’d need a nap first. Changing into the sportsbra first pretty much ensured I’d wake up and run

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LOL!! Love this post! Running has DEFINITELY made me keep up with my math skills! ;)

xo

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Tonight show= my new favorite flavor!!!! Seriously, it’s the best!!!

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Do you eat before your morning run? If yes, what? I always struggle with this. I like to be up for about an hour before I eat. But I feel like I need to eat before a run and I have a hard time finding an option that doesn’t upset my stomach.

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I throw on my clothes and get out the door, otherwise I might go back to bed #struggle
So many fun things to do in Park City in the summer! I have only been there in winter and it is stunning.

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I go to bed in my running gear so I can get a few more minutes in bed! Especially important at the moment as it’s cold here (nz) and I don’t want to go out in it until I have to! I don’t tend to eat before my morning run unless it’s 10 miles + . If I do it’s usually a slice of toast with peanut butter.

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Learning to spit! That was a hard one to master! Learning to be more patient- and – grateful – in running and in life.

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This is hilarious. I totally agree with obsessive weather checking and knowing about the best restrooms and water fountains.
Things running has taught me: a good night’s sleep is irreplaceable (even with tons of coffee)

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I used to go up to Park City to go to the outlets, but now that the outlets are in Lehi I don’t make it to Park City. But I may have to try out the Alpine slide now! :)

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