Friday Favorites, an important day and YOUR Amazingness!!!

I know the kids don’t look thrilled to be pausing eating their snow cones to take a picture with me but that’s because they weren’t thrilled.

These two love snow cones more than pretty much any other treat on the planet even though only about half of the snow cone actually makes it into their mouth.   It’s always fun to have two four year olds covered in stickiness.

They had quite the random conversation over the course of the 20 minutes it takes to eat one of these and it was fueled by sugar.

On the drive home we passed by where Andrew and I got married last July.  My favorite memory.

We spent the rest of the day at home…

And we finished off by watching Sing (I LOVE this kid’s movie).

Time for a few of my FRIDAY FAVORITES (with a few affiliate links)!!

*My current favorite running tank… I just got this from Brooks and I’m in love. So soft, I love the colors and plenty long enough!   Perfection for running.

*My five goto running songs right now: There’s Nothing Holding’ Me Back, Whatever It Takes(SO GOOD), Transmission, Perfect Places (just came out and I love it) and Family Tradition.

*I’ve always felt like the hangry definition wasn’t fully complete until I saw this one that included… ‘especially sweet things.’  Now it is complete for me.

*It’s National DONUT DAY (a very important day)!!!  I really hope you go and celebrate today and grab a donut (if you like them:) or you can make my favorite blueberry fritters if you want:)

*Did you know there are DONUT PEACHES?!?  It made me really happy to see them… the perfect combination of two foods.

*An external battery charger that is small and fits right into my bag… I use this ALL OF THE TIME because I forget to charge my phone (and everything else) at home.

*BrooksWOMEN IG account… it’s new and full of stuff for women runners!

*It’s the weekend which means a lot of you have long runs up ahead of you… I LOVE THIS article and have loved it for years.  If your goal race pace freaks you out at times remember—>  “The secret is, you should almost never feel like you could run a full marathon at goal pace in training.  If you do, it’s likely your goal is far too easy.”  This article talks about what it is during a race that helps you to do that pace for the full race!

*I often get questions about my favorite running headbands—>  THESE are my go to headbands.  I love them.  They don’t even budge during the run and they keep every piece of hair out of my face… the best.

*Cherries.  I’ve never really been that into cherries but this year Andrew keeps buying them and we all can’t stop eating them… this might be a pricey Friday Favorite between the four of us but it is worth it.

*Important question… Would you rather have cookie dough (without the eggs so it won’t hurt you) or cookies to eat?  I say cookies and Andrew says cookie dough.

ALSO… a random public service announcement for runners!!! If you have noticed that your feet have started hurting during the run or other times throughout the day, LOOK AT YOUR SANDALS.  The warmer weather = less supportive footwear usually so pay attention!

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Please keep sharing your running accomplishments… you inspire us ALL!!!!  Send them to [email protected]  !!

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Whitney!!!  “Memorial Day Weekend I completed the Run Across Georgia relay race with 11 other people.  The run benefited the House of Heroes, which supports veterans and their families.  We started in Savannah on Friday night and ended in Columbus Sunday afternoon (260 total miles).  The heat and hills were awful at times, and no one really got any sleep, but it was an experience I will never forget!  When the race got hard, I reminded myself of the people who gave their lives for our country, and it made what I was doing seem so easy.  I went in to the race having never met the other team members, but I can definitely say we were all friends by the end!  Not only was it a physical challenge, but it also challenged me to get out of my comfort zone and put myself in an environment where I knew no one.  I can’t wait to participate next year!”

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Elizabeth wrote this about Rainey!!!  “Last March, Rainey was supposed to run her first marathon at the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach.  The morning of the race, she got very sick (likely with norovirus) and had to go to the emergency room.  She missed the race.  She was heartbroken.  Another friend and I decided to put on a virtual marathon just for Rainey, which we called the Rainey Check Marathon.  We had more than 50 local runners come out to support Rainey with water stops, cheering stations and her very own finish line party.  Runners joined her for several miles at a time.  The local news covered it, and the story is HERE!!  A few more details on my blog post, which is HERE!

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Megan!!!  “I ran Jeremy’s Run 10k in Maryland on Memorial Day! It’s an annual race I do that is in remembrance of a boy who died of a prescription drug overdose years ago and would have now been my age (31).  His mother has put on the race for the past 9 years to raise money and awareness.  I ran it with my aunt and we both placed first in our age groups!”

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Tammy!!!  “I ran my first half marathon last weekend! I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in December, so returning to running after a relapse has been difficult to say the least!  But when I saw the MS Half in Dallas was donating all proceeds to the National MS society, I knew I had to do it!  It was a slow time, but I’m so beyond thankful these legs got me through 13.1 miles! I couldn’t have done it without these two girlfriends with me (I’m in the middle).  Now to find my next half!;)”

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HEATHER!!! Blog and Insta!  “First off, I’m a beginner.  I started running a little over a year ago.  I have run a few 5K’s and a couple of 10K’s and I wanted to try a half marathon but I wasn’t sure if I had it in me. I actually have had a weight problem most of my adult life, fluctuations up and down.  I had lost 80 lbs over the past couple of years and honestly I just lacked the confidence in myself to sing up.  I started doing some research online and found a local half marathon and a beginner training plan (Hal Hidden Novice Half Marathon training plan) and started the plan without even signing up for the race.  It wasn’t until a couple weeks before when I read a post Janae =wrote about how you know if you are a runner that I started to gain the confidence I needed.  Then two weeks before the race when I ran my first double digit run I knew I felt confident enough to actually sign up for the half.  I will NEVER forget that run.  It was the kind of run where everything goes right.  Beautiful cool day, nice breeze, and my body was feeling amazing and energized.  I ran 10 miles of the race course that day and when I was done I immediately went home and signed up for the race.

I ran the Lake George Half Marathon in April 2017. It was a really hilly course that ran along the lake and since I had run on it two weeks prior I felt confident and was beyond ready to go.  I had gotten the perfect fuel that I had tested before the race, I had the perfect breakfast and a good nights sleep.  I was feeling AMAZING and was keeping a pace in the low 9’s (which is speedy for me) without much effort.

Everything was near perfect until mile 6-7 when I stepped down funny on my left leg and felt a pain.  It was a mild pain, I could definitely feel it but it wasn’t too bad.  Then at mile 9.5 on a huge incline I realized my leg was HURTING bad!  I could barely run but there was no way I was going to stop since my main goals were to 1- keep running, 2- finish, and 3- have fun!  I kept going doing kind of a jog limp for the last 3.6 miles and anytime I was feeling down I smiled since I remember Janae mentioning it helps on her blog and it worked!  My pace went from the low 9’s to the high 10’s and I was pretty disappointed.  I knew my pace wasn’t quick enough for a sub 2 hour half which was a dream but I knew it was a huge stretch for it to actually happen anyway.  I figured I would finish around 2:15 and I ended up crossing the finish line at 2:10:21 with a pace of 9:59.  I really wanted my overall pace to be less than a 10 minute mile so I just made it.  I really wonder what my pace would have been if I hadn’t had the shooting/stabbing pain in my leg… I’m proud I finished either way.  This race was one of the biggest accomplishments of my life.

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Lara!!! “This past weekend I completed my fourth half marathon and I PR’d!  Two years ago when I did my first half my time was 2:59!  But this past weekend I did it in 2:11!  It truly shows that you can do anything you set your mind to!”

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The winner of my SURVEY!! Thank you everyone for playing:) Email me Kailey!

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Married readers—>  Where were you married? 

Have any Friday Favorites to share with me PLEASE!?

Which is better in your opinion… cookie dough or actual cookies?  Is there anybody reading that doesn’t like cookies?

Have a long run or race this weekend?  I want details!