THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST (running is cheap?!) + Dinner w/My Family (it has been way too long).

SUNDAY STUFF:

Once these glasses go on, she doesn’t want to take them off for a while.

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We started our Sunday in our normal way with blueberry waffles with strawberries on top.

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Brooke goes on a treasure hunt throughout her waffles for the blueberries.

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Made our way over to church for a few hours and made some lunch right when we got home!

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Salads for lunch!  I know some people out there don’t love fruit on their salads but I’m not one of those people! Spinach, romaine, feta, apples, chicken, strawberries and poppyseed dressing (we buy the Brianna’s brand of this).

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We painted Brooke’s fingernails and toenails (hence, the towel) and then we all fell asleep waiting for it to dry;)  Not much better than Sunday nap time.

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Once we woke up, my parents invited us all over for dinner at their house.  My sister now has a walker on her hands and a sprinter… she gets in a lot of miles each day by just chasing them around:)

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My mom had one of my favorite meals, a baked potato bar!

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She also had this salad from Costco.  It was everyone’s first time trying this and it was gone so fast… get this if you go to Costco.

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My sister is in the middle of redoing her entire kitchen so we haven’t seen each other a lot but it’s always good to get to catch up.

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Andrew brought this in for dessert and it was a hit;)  My sister chose gummy candy over chocolate, maybe that is where I get it from.  Her absolute favorite gummy candies are the Mango Mango gummies from Trader Joe’s.  PS for the last 3ish years I keep hearing different rumors that a TJ’s is going to be built by us and then it never actually does.   It’s hard getting your hopes up so many times only to be let down again;)  I guess I could just make the 20 minute drive north more often but I’m just asking for one within a mile of my front door, is that too much to ask?

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Running is the cheapest sport right?  You don’t really need much each time you go out the door for your run;)  This image below made me laugh pretty hard because some days (especially for races or long runs) I feel like I am taking my entire life with me out on the roads.

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I came up with my own perfect race day checklist below. I sure hope it can help you for race day (and you can add in any of your extras in the blank spaces).  I have definitely forgotten different items over the years!

One year for a half marathon, that I was really wanting to race, I completely forgot my fuel (and I NEED fuel if I am planning on racing a half).  My friend gave me something that she uses and I still thank my lucky stars that trying something new during a race didn’t kill me (it was pure luck, do not try this).  I have forgotten my sunglasses a few times and the sun seemed to be brighter than normal during those races.  One time I forgot my anti-chafe gel (BOSTON)… and it rained the entire race so I had some very nice chafing marks all over my body from that.  I have forgotten my Garmin watch CHARGER once on a destination marathon (luckily, a friend of mine that was there had the same charger… heaven forbid, I run without my watch).   It happens, we all forget things from time to time but hopefully this list will help you to not forget anything (you can pin it so it is easier to find when you need it… the pin save button should appear on the picture if you tap on it on your phone or if your mouse goes over it on your computer:)

HRG Race Day Checklist

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Ever forgotten something important for your race!?!?!  What was it and how’d you do without it?

Fruit on salads… yes or no?  Any other toppings that you don’t love on your salad but everyone else seems to love?

MAY IS HERE!! Who has a birthday this month or some other big event!?!

Would you say running is a cheap sport or do you disagree with that?

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45 comments

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Do Brooke’s glasses come in adult sizes?! This running checklist is everything I needed! I always end up jotting it down on a post it..and the inevitably forgetting something. Printing this out to reuse over and over again!

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I always enjoy fruit on salads in the spring and summer. I had a great pear and mango salad with spinach the other day.

Those sunglasses for Brooke are too cute. She is adorable.

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Do Brooke’s glasses come in adult sizes? Love the race checklist! I always end up jotting everything down last minute and inevitably forgetting something. Printing this out to use over and over again!

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I cannot imagine running very far without sunblock, chaptstick (also with sunblock), and anti-chafing stuff. The only thing I’ve ever forgotten was chapstick. I was only running three miles, and it wasn’t even a race, but I was miserable the entire time. For some reason, if I don’t have chapstick, it makes me feel 10 times thirstier. No idea why!

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I would say running is a little bit of both –> once you have the kit and the shoes, it isn’t that expensive but you tend to need quite a lot of kit when you start! I probably spend the same on running kit as I do on a gym membership –> I guess it all depends on how expensive your kit is!

I LOVE fruit on my salads –> I really love it when I go out for dinner and a restaurant gets this. I love berries and grapes, mango is also a good one –> it’s like having an extended dessert :)

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May is here and I have a big vacation planned wooo!!! Fruit in salads YES! Love berries and figs! You are officially the waffle queen- they always come out perfectly!

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Your dress is so cute! You look great in the pre church photo! Have a good Monday!

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Running is cheap in theory, not so much in practice ;) I feel like running/working out gets all my money. All I ever want to spend money on is running clothes/shoes/accessories. Luckily I’ve managed to keep my spending in check as of late (not that I don’t have my eye on a new running watch or anything like that!)

I like fruit on my salads, but I’m the weirdo that doesn’t like dressing. Like, at all. Not that I eat a whole lot of salads, but I will always ask them to hold the dressing when I do get one.

Things I’m looking forward to in May: the end of the school year means work gets MUCH less busy -AND- my boyfriend is coming home on leave (he works on deployment for the government) in two days!!

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FRUIT ON SALAD!!!!! I’m very on board with that-my son is a salad crafter I swear. He knows my love of fruit on salads and will concoct one with pomegranate seeds, shredded anything (my favorite is kohlrabi and carrot shreds), and grapes. I have a fructose intolerance so am careful to not over fruit it. But get this…..one time he put on dark chocolate shavings. I was totally weirded out but who says no to a kid. I’m hooked. About twice a week I put chocolate on my salad (it’s so good with romaine in case you are wondering)

Technically running is cheap considering the only thing really necessary is a pair of shoes. BUT, come on,……cute apparel, seasonal gear (jackets, vests, mittens, hats, etc.)……..

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One year when I raced the Houston half, I wasn’t prepared AT ALL. It POURED right before the race started and for most of the race, and I had nothing to protect me while I was standing there at the start line. Everyone around me had come prepared with trash bags and ponchos, and I didn’t even have a hat. Plus, it was SUPER cold. Thankfully I did have a throwaway shirt that I ditched after about two miles, but it didn’t help much–it was cotton, so all it did was soak up the rain. I also didn’t even bring any hair products with me (not even a hair dryer or flat iron), so after the race, I went back to my hotel and showered (washed my hair with whatever shampoo/conditioner combo the hotel had) and drove back home with wet, moppy hair (it doesn’t look great when it air dries).

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What a great picture of you guys! You clean up so well :)

I am one of those people who really dislikes fruit in salad. I just don’t enjoy mixing fruit with savory food, for the most part, although I don’t mind raisin or dried cranberries every so often. It’s funny because I am not very picky when it comes to food, but too many toppings/fruit in salad is a no go for me. I prefer to keep it simple.

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I forgot my earbuds for a race once! Luckily Adam was able to go out to a CVS or something and buy some cheap ones. The quality wasn’t great but it was so much better than not having anything!! I would have died without them!

Those waffles look AMAZING!!!!

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i don’t love fruit on my salads but sometimes i enjoy it. dried cranberries if those count are great on the salads with candied nuts though!

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So I actually bought that same brand of salad at Costco the other day, but it was the chopped kale/brussels sprouts one with poppyseed dressing. And it was also so good! I had never seen those salads before and I will certainly be buying them again. I am not a fruit on salad person. Only in very rare circumstances. I hate hate hate hate beets. I cannot do them on salads or on anything else.

I do not think running is a cheap sport if you do it right – buy the right shoes, gear, enter races, and most importantly, properly take care of your body when you aren’t running!

I am so excited for May! Thursday is my boyfriend and I’s one-year anniversary which I am very, very excited for. :)

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Uhh I forgot sunnies for a race once and it was the worst. I got so annoyed I had a horrible time.
And we have something super exciting on this May because I’m expecting a baby in 2 weeks :)

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I think I like everything on salads. Chris describes it best when he says my salads are spinach topped with everything else we have in our refrigerator at the moment.

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Love fruit on salads. Your salad reminds me of the Panera strawberry poppyseed salad.

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I love fruit on my salads! Especially berries and pears!

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i love fruit on salads! i pretty much love anything on salads. the more the better.

no birthday in may but i do have a HALF that i am planning on racing and a trip to puerto rico shortly after!

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I forgot a sports bra at my last half. A freaking BRA!!! Thankfully a running store within 1/2 a mile from the race start had opened early so I was able to get one in time.

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Brooke is too cute with her sunglasses!

I have forgotten chapstick and gum before, no bueno. But thankfully nothing more major than that. My music did randomly stop yesterday during my 1/2 and that was a bummer.

I am making chicken, strawberry, feta, and spinach salads for dinner tonight!

You can make running cheap(er). And it started out like that for me but the more I liked it, the more I wanted to invest in it. I think the races are the most expensive thing right now; I wish we could use them as a tax right off!

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Forgot my sports bra for a track meet in college. Thank GOD the college bookstore had one! OYE!

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Once I forgot my chapstick and phone.

I love fruit on my salads! Brianna’s Poppyseed is a favorite in our house too!

I think running can be cheap and can be expensive depending on how much you invest in shoes, clothes or races. Compared to other sports, definitely cheaper.

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Sometimes I like fruit on my salad, other than tomatoes and avocado. When I add berries, pears or apple I leave the tomatoes off. I don’t like them together for some reason.

I think running can be inexpensive; you need good shoes and a decent sports bra for most workouts (Zumba, elliptical, or even walking in cheap bra is not fun). It’s when you start racing and wanting gear for long runs that you can start racking up expenses. When I’m sticking with lower mileage I don’t spend much…

I didn’t bring sunglasses to my second half marathon because it was overcast. We were also expecting a nor’easter and the wind was kicking up a lot of from the beach. I quickly figured out why everyone around me had sunglasses on. I ended up turning my head a lot and closing my eyes a few times.

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I love fruit on salads!! One thing I don’t love much and that everyone else seems to adore in salads is bacon. I don’t know, I guess the texture is nor for me.

May is a very important month. I will present my capstone today, and that means the end of graduate school for me. Also, I will also start working full time. Last but not least, it will my mom’s birthday and that’s always important.

I will agree that running is a cheap sport. I know that running shoes are not cheap, but to be honest that’s all you really need. All of that hydration gear, special clothes, or any other stuff are optional for the most part. An expensive sport will be paintball, where you have to buy bullets every time you’ll be playing.

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YAY for MAY!! This month, I am finally cashing in my Christmas present from Jesse and we are going to IRELAND! I cannot wait!

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I’m all about fruit on my salad. I’m right there with you on the spinach/strawberry/poppy seed dressing. It’s a classic combo.

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Brooke’s knee pop in that sunglasses photo is perfection!

Fruit on salad is always a yes! Gummy candies though? I would be fine if I never ate them again, but if I had to pick one, peach rings are pretty good.

I once forgot goggle at a triathlon. Luckily there was a store with booth set up that morning and I bought some right before the race started.

Speaking of triathlons, running is definitely the cheapest and most convenient of the sports!….and the most fun.

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I once forgot my garmin. Which is very unlike me cause I normally set out everything the night before. This was a local 5k so I think that’s why I wasn’t on top of things…

I was a little bummed I couldn’t see my splits after, but I did pretty good (for me) so I wasn’t upset about it.

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The last marathon I did I forgot my watch! I realized when I heard someones watch beep but we were already too far from the hotel to get it…. My mom and sister went back for it and so I got it near kilometre 21 but it didn’t do me much good then. Not my worst marathon but it definitely wasn’t my best either.

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I love fruit on salads. The more toppings the better in my opinion!

May 25th is our 26th anniversary! Time flies when you’re having fun.

I don’t think running is cheap, but it is easier when you travel a lot as opposed to cycling. Running shoes are a lot easier to pack than a bike ;)

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Ran a marathon this past weekend….. Charged my iPod 2 nights before…plugged my headphones not realizing it was on….got to the race and had a dead iPod…..Ran the marathon without music…..actually, really enjoyed not have music…ended with 6:37 Pr and finished in 3:23:48….so, its all good!

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I think anything can become expensive and burdensome. Once it feels complicated it’s usually not fun or productive anymore and it’s best to just scale back.
I haven’t raced for several years until just a couple of weeks ago. I did that race in memory of my nephew who passed away a year ago on that date and it was just a short 5k. In fact I forgot everything but my phone. Not even headphones. But it didn’t really matter since it was a short one anyway.

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I cannot do fruit on my salad and if I get a salad with fruit on it I eat all of the fruit off first and then eat the salad. I just can’t do it! I think running is a cheap sport when you first start, but once you really get into it and/or start racing, it can get pretty expensive. Especially if you run Disney races or anything crazy expensive like that!

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I love fruit on my salads! The nuts and berries salad from Zupas is amazing!! May is a busy month for me. My sister is getting married and has her reception and my other sister is graduating high school, all in Colorado. That plus working full time, taking care of the kids, trying to stay consistent with my workouts and eating, starting the home buying process, cleaning house….I’m exhausted just thinking about it haha! Running can be a cheap sport but in my case it is not! Happy Monday!

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Do you mind sharing which fuel belt you use? I have a marathon on Sunday and I don’t think my current fuel belt is going to hold all my fuel + my phone (I have an iphone 7). Do you carry your phone in your fuel belt? Any recos are welcome!

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ANNIE!!! Good luck on your marathon on Sunday! I’m so excited for you:) I use this: https://www.amazon.com/Hipster-Training-Pak-Medium-Black/dp/B0187XG1QI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1491074014&sr=8-1&keywords=nathan+hipster+running+belt&linkCode=sl1&tag=thehunrungir-20&linkId=2d0773cb912f155c7b3063e1047d238e

AND LOVE IT!! My phone fits perfectly and so does everything else. It is the best thing I’ve used! So excited for you!

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Thank you so much, Janae!

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Ever forgotten something important for your race!?!?! What was it and how’d you do without it?
At my first marathon I realized halfway there that i forgot my Scratch labs electrolyte mix that I had been using during training. I was super sad but luckily my boyfriend met me at mile 18 with a pack and a big bottle water to save the day! He also had Krispy Kreme donuts waiting at the finish! I picked a winner :) :)

I’ve never been able to handle fruit on my salads. Something about mixing the sweet taste and lettuce weirds me out. But maybe I should try again sometime!

My sisters birthday is in May!

I’d say running is not as cheap as everyone thinks! I mean technically all you really need are shoes buuuuut those are so important and aren’t the cheapest accessory. Also I’ve developed my own list of necessities even on a short run and those items add up after so long!

Oh and PS Sunday naps might be the best thing ever. ;)

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Running is a cheap sport compared to cycling! Runner’s World had a hilarious list of reasons why running is better than biking, and cost was definitely up there. My favorite, though, was “I don’t have to inflate my running shoes before going for a run, and during a run my running shoes will never go flat and require me to stop and make repairs.” ;)

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Thanks for the checklist!!! I ran a race a week ago and FORGOT MY GARMIN!!! I was so frustrated. I love getting that data. I seriously don’t know how I forgot it….

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Awww, your little nephew walking!! That household just got a little bit crazier ;) Hope your sis is surviving her remodel!

Love fruit on salads, we almost always add either berries or apples or pears or mandarins, whatever’s in season. What’s funny is that I don’t love fruit salad itself (in that case I prefer my fruits separate from each other).

And at first, running seems expensive just with the price of shoes. But when I think of how much a new mountain bike or ski boots cost, running is cheap!

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I’m sure I’ve forgotten a thing or two here and there over the years, but I do have reoccurring dreams that pretty much everything goes wrong on race morning and usually I’m barefoot at the starting line and look down to see that I don’t have my running shoes on…

Oh my, that pose Brooke is striking in the picture of her standing alone… You are going to have your hands full!

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Yes, fruit on salads! My favorite salads contain a combo of 5 things. Greens, fruit, nuts, cheese (strong &/or stinky), dressing.

We have an other big event event happening this month… My oldest daughter leaves for college away from home next weekend. She’s going earlier than her August move-in date so she can work (get the job before all the other new students arrive!). She’ll be staying with her grandparents since they live in the same town as her new school. I don’t know how I am going to handle all of this! :-(

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I ALWAYS forget chapstick and it drives me bonkers.

Not a huge fan of fruit on salad but not opposed. Just prefer to keep mine savory.

May means that my classes are ending for the summer which I am really really looking forward to. I still have a ton of work to do all summer (lab, write master’s thesis, etc) but now won’t have the constraints of my class schedule anymore. =D

Running can maybe be cheap if you never do any races or buy cool new running gear but that just sounds boring. Also, why would you run then?!

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