Running takes a lot of self-discipline + a Few Friday Favorites + The Dodo!

Thursday morning run!  6 miles @ 9:10 average pace, a little bit of rain for the last few miles and a gorgeous pink sunrise about .2 miles into my run (**I don’t run in the dark by myself… the flash on the camera made it look darker than it was).   Some days you just wake up with energy and eagerness to hit the pavement and some days you don’t.  Yesterday was a rare day where I jumped out of bed excited to get moving but most days are not like that.  Currently the excitement doesn’t happen until a few miles into the run and sometimes not until the last .1 mile of the run:)

I think runners need to give themselves a pat on the back for a second.  Running a lot of times is just plain ol’ hard.

It’s hard to get out of bed and out the door, it’s hard if we are tired/sore/not feeling great.  It’s hard when we have set-backs and running around in the heat/humidity/freezing cold is tough work.  But we keep doing it because we know the benefits make all of the hard stuff worth it.   That takes a lot of self-discipline to continue to do something that can be super hard along the way just because we know the end goal is worth it.

So, keep setting that alarm clock at crazy early times or running after a long day of work/kids/life.  Keep pushing yourself out of that comfort zone and continue to run when quitting sounds a lot easier.  It pays off on race day, in our health, in our stress/anxiety levels, in our energy levels for the rest of the day, in endorphins, in our relationships, in building our fitness.  All of that self-discipline we use to get out and run (or do whatever work out that you love) pays off in a million ways.

Take a moment (right now please) and just pat yourself on the back or buy yourself a donut or a new running tank;)

I was pretty proud because I have a new strength workout that I’m trying (I’m going to do it a few weeks before I review it) and I did that after my run too!

These two woke up in quite an interesting mood:)  PS yesterday Knox’s friend’s mom told me that Knox went to school and told his friend that he was feeling really sad.  The friend asked why and Knox replied he was so sad because he just found out Michael Jackson passed away before he got a chance to go to one of his concerts.  He might be the current biggest fan of MJ that is four years old on the planet.

IMG 4355

Knox is gone this weekend and Andrew will be at the hospital so we decided to get in some really good time all together up in SLC yesterday.

IMG 4391 IMG 4387 IMG 4385

If you ever see me laying on a bench outside, don’t worry I’m okay… I just really love laying down right now and if it is hot outside then odds are I’m taking rest breaks on the bench.

IMG 4395

Since we were in SLC, Andrew had the great idea to go to The Dodo which is one of my favorite restaurants but we never go since it is far away.  Potato soup with their smoked turkey sandwich.

IMG 4408

Followed by my favorite part about The Dodo.  Their pie.

IMG 4418

I had the banana cream pie and Andrew had the coconut cream pie…  we shared them, the best way to do it in my opinion.

IMG 4421

A close up on the coconut cream pie because it was almost too pretty to eat.

IMG 4413

The kids fell asleep on the way home so Andrew and I drove around looking at ‘dream homes’ which we love doing.

IMG 4425

—————————————————————————————–

I have a few Friday favorites to share today!

*To go along with what we talked about a few days ago with Disordered Eating and Runners, Erin shared a great recommendation!  She struggled with amenorrhea for 15 years and she is now pregnant (CONGRATS GIRL).  She said that the book, ’No Period Now What’ really helped her… check it out if you are struggling!  Also, this article about Orthorexia is a really good one.

*My mom gave us this amazing deshedding brush to help with all of Beretta’s shedding and OH MY GOODNESS.  It is life changing.  I can’t even believe how much it has helped with her shedding.  You use it once a week and I swear we have approximately 85% less dog hair that we vacuum up each day;)

IMG 4061

*We have a doctor’s appointment today which is always a favorite for me.

*With ice cream back in my life I am fully embracing it and making up for the 6 months without it in my life.  If you haven’t tried these, please do soon.

IMG 4054

*I asked my sister for her Friday Favorite and this was her reply… LUCKY.-

IMG 4365

*Brooke understands and practices my favorite way to eat a meal… save the best for last ha.  I looked over at her plate the other day and she had eaten all of the crusts off of her sandwich and saved the middles for last:)

IMG 4135

*This quote… it always grounds me, reminds me what is important and where I should be focusing.

IMG 4264

*Shakes… ice cream/custard mixed with oreos eaten while in my pajamas.  Brooke was really into donuts while I was pregnant with her and she still is so I’m guessing this baby is going to have a lifelong love for shakes.

IMG 4173

*This one might seem silly but when both kids are fresh out of their showers/baths and into pajamas and Brooke let’s me brush her hair… it is my favorite (especially if all of this is happening by 6 pm;).

IMG 4038

*If you need some motivation this morning to run…

—————————————————————————————–

What are some of your Friday Favorites? How is your running (or working out) each week PAYING OFF for you lately? Have any Friday night plans you are looking forward to? What is your opinion of the absolute best pie.  Any non-pie lovers?  -I like pie more than cake, cookies and most brownies.  If you are a banana cream fan, you have to try the one I made HERE!

You May Also Like

55 comments

Reply

I’m with Brooke: I always eat the crust first on my sandwich. :) I’m not a big pie fan, though. Every once in a while, I like some apple pie, but it’s not often.

Friday favorite: I get my stent out this morning, and I CANNOT WAIT!! It had to stay in for 3-4 days after my kidney surgery, and it is so painful and uncomfortable. Getting it out means no more suffering and moving toward total recovery! And I really can’t wait to start running again. I’ve missed it so.

Reply

I am right there with you… crust first! YAY FOR HAVING the stent out this morning… I am SO happy Natalie!

Reply

This school year is a lot different for me from last year in that I have 8:30 classes every day… No more leisurely 2- or 3-hour runs in the morning every day. But I’ve been getting up at 5:45 every day to do what I can, and I’m surprisingly loving it. I have a lot more energy that early than I thought I would.

I’m opposite to you in that for me, pie is far inferior to cookies or cake, but I still do love homemade pumpkin pie or (even better) sweet potato pie.

Reply

Grant, I am so glad that you are loving the 5:45 wake-up and runs! I hope that you get some amazing homemade and/or sweet potato pie this fall! Enjoy your weekend!

Reply

The absolute best pie (to me!) is peach pie. Berry pie (strawberry, blueberry, etc) is second. I can keep going, if you want…

I don’t believe there are people who don’t like pie. They might think they don’t, but they just haven’t met the right pie yet. Pizza is pie. Cheesecake is pie.

Reply

I am drooling over your list of pies Lynn:) Hahah I totally agree with you on your last statement!! Enjoy your weekend!

Reply

That was filmed in Oregon!! I live in a wonderful place for running :)

Reply

I want to come run with you in Oregon!! GORGEOUS!! Have a great weekend Liz!

Reply

Um… YES! If you’re ever in Portland and need a slow running buddy, let me know!! :)

Reply

I was thinking the same thing!! I kept pausing the video to look at things haha. Love Portland :)

Reply

Always LOVE your Friday favorites! Is there a link for your Fall clothing faves? I didn’t see it. Happy Friday!

Reply

That was totally my bad Holli! I am so sorry… I meant to put on together and totally spaced it last night and published it with the links. You will see it next week for sure! SORRY and I hope you have a beautiful day.

Reply

Oh, no worries at all! Looking forward to next Friday ;)

Reply

That pie looks amazing! We fell in love with SLC (and Utah in general) on a family trip last month and hope to go back soon. Adding that restaurant to my list! Running paid off with a 3:32 marathon in Iceland a couple of weeks ago, so I’m thankful for that! Friday night plans include 90 min of yoga (ouch) followed by dinner with running friends (much better). Hope you have a great weekend!! My husband is working too, so I know the feeling of trying to squeeze all the family time in. :)

Reply

Okay, a marathon in ICELAND KATIE and you finished in 3:32… WOW! Huge congrats and that is so cool, I want to come do it with you next year:) Enjoy your yoga! Come hang out with me this weekend! Thanks Katie and have a great day!

Reply

Thanks for reminding me I need some new running clothes! My sports bras are in a sorry state and need to be replaced…
I really want to try Rabbit running shorts :)
I need that coconut cream pie in my life – I’m obsessed with coconut in desserts!
I shared my Friday favorites on my blog this morning…I am making slime next week in my science class (I teach 8th grade), so I tested the recipe this week and I can’t wait for my students to try it out!
Enjoy your weekend :)

Reply

I usually save the best for last too ha ha.

I’m way more into cake than pie. In fact, the only pie I like is pie that resembles cake or mud pie which is almost all whipped cream and pudding LOL.

I’m slowly building my base and feeling stronger doing so that’s paying off.

Reply

Poor Knox. I was really sad in Michael Jackson died too.

I love pie. Lemon cream, strawberry, chocolate, peach! Basically any pie. I don’t get it all that often but I sure look forward to it in the fall/winter because I get it a lot then.

Reply

Friday Favorite: Southwest Chili Lime Ranch Salad from Panera.

Toss up between apple, blueberry, and strawberry ruhbarb.

Reply

I wish we had Panera here… I guess I need to come out and visit you and we can go get that salad:) I hope your day is a beautiful one Erica!

Reply

When I did my first tempo run a month and a half ago or so, it did not go well. Yesterday was the second one where I hit my paces and didn’t feel like death at the end! Running also keeps me sane and helps me clear my head about bad days. I love ice cream pies! Just a graham cracker crust with different ice creams layered on top of each other.

My Friday favorite is my boyfriend! Hopefully that’s not cliche but I’m super grateful for him keeping me sane and being so supportive of me with things that are happening in my life right now.

Have a great day :)

Reply

My Friday Favorites can be summarized in three words — Chocolate Almond Pie. It’s this amazing pie/tart that a local restaurant makes and it’s crust is this crunchy miracle made with almond flour and chopped almonds, so it’s super crispy — then this smooth and sweet almond butter mixture is layered on top and is capped with a thick layer of chocolate ganache. They serve it with almond gelato and I swear I could eat a slice of this pie every day.

Reply

I have never tried chocolate almond pie… that sounds SO amazing!!! They need to build their restaurant in Utah too;) Enjoy your weekend Susie!

Reply

My favorite pie is Key-Lime Pie :) Love it.

My running pays off on me becoming a little bit more faster, just a little bit. Then I have to take a week off due to some strange pain and when I come back I get to that same exact starting point. That’s my situation right now after almost two weeks off due to intense hamstring pain.

I’m traveling for this long weekend. So I’ll be attempting to go for easy run at a new place to me. Should be fun. Let’s see how that goes.

Good luck on your doctors appointment today, Janae:)

Reply

The pie looks amazing! I love all things caramel so those magnum bars look tasty too! Thank you for the video. It was very motivational. I loved it. Do you remember the Nike inspirational commercial about the heavier runner? I get inspired by that one because I am a heavier runner and want to feel like I am not crazy for running, even though many people say I am.

Reply

I am not a huge pie person except for pumpkin pie! I just don’t like pie crust! I’m more of an ice cream and candy kind of gal!

Reply

I don’t like pie at all, but I LOVE all thing coconut, so this might be the trick to make me a pie lover. Looked amazing! I think my Friday Favorites these days are good2go bars and Fridays ;)

Reply

I need to send you a piece of this coconut pie;) Love your Friday Favorites!! Enjoy your weekend Madeline!

Reply

Potato soup is one of my favorites. The one you had looks delicious.

My Friday plans include work, and then my boyfriend and I are getting together for a date night. I’m still not sure what we’re going to do, but I’ll be happy spending time with him no matter what.

Reply

I love that quote. So necessary. It is now the background on my phone.

We are heading to San Francisco in the morning for vacation, so I am really looking forward to that! Have the best weekend. :)

Reply

I like the inside of most pie but not the pie crust, unless it’s a cookie type crust. (I make my quiche crustless as well)

I feel like my running speed is coming back up a bit. (well, not every run but I expect that). We have some unusually cool weather right now which is so delightful for running in.

Friday favorites: cool temperatures, coffee in the afternoon (I love coffee but only have a couple times a week as it makes me hyper), and running a long run with friends who run around the same speed. (I like running my shorter runs with faster friends and easy runs with my slower friends).

Reply

Oh my goodness… I loved that video! Today is a cross-training day for me, so strength training and pilates ( a huge favorite for me)! I have been really struggling with my mental fitness while running these last couple of weeks, so my running pay-off has been getting through the hard runs, knowing it is in fact making me stronger! I think we do forget that sometimes running is just hard! But those hard points in our running cycles do have great benefits for us when we come through them :)
No big Friday plans for us. It has been so hot and humid here, that we may just have family movie night in the comfort of home and air conditioning… ha! Tomorrow night is our oldest son’s high school football game, and we all love those :)
Happy Friday!! :)

Reply

I hope that your strength training and pilates is amazing today! LOVE the pay-off that you mentioned! Enjoy your movie night at home, that sounds perfect to me:) Enjoy the football game too!

Reply

My Friday favorite is that I get taco pizza for lunch because my lovely mom is off work this week and said she will have it ready and waiting for me when I get my lunch break at work! I am really looking forward to it!
This week has been rough at work – really busy, high stress, lots of stuff happening at every moment. Yesterday I was mentally exhausted, I wanted to just go home and sleep, but I went for a run in an area that is not one of my usual areas – it was sort of out near the country, little to no traffic, and just quiet. I turned off my music and just took advantage of the peace and quiet. It felt almost cathartic – I have been stressed out and I felt so great after my run in the perfect weather that I almost wanted to cry tears of relief! Other workouts are good but there is something about running outside that just makes me feel SO much better. Which is why I am also looking forward to a run after work today! :)
Best pie… that’s tough. Can I pick one for each season?!?! I would say a three way tie between pumpkin pie, lemon meringue, and caramel apple pie (my mom makes it and its to die for!).

Reply

Kudos for getting up and running early in the dark- but get some reflective vest or something on for you and that precious cargo! Black in the dark?!

Reply

So the picture made it look like it was darker than it was because the flash… I actually don’t ever run in the dark by myself. The sun was out within a few minutes of the run! Thank you so much Laura!

Reply

I need the de shedder and I need it now. Digby is outside most of the time and I am still finding hair all over my floor. Grrrrrr.

You can take Knox to the Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil. Michael Jackson died the day Evan was born. So, randomly enough, I think of his death every year.

Brooke is a smart girl. I eat every meal with the goal of trying to make my last bite the best ratio of whatever it is I am eating. Not like I take eating/food too seriously or anything.

Reply

Do you guys want to try ours before you buy one to see if you want it!? BRILLIANT… looks like we need a Vegas trip soon. Want to come?

Reply

Yes and yes. I bet Knox would be in heaven if he went to the show. I can see him dancing along with it ;)

Reply

I love that picture of the two of them asleep in the car!!
I prefer brownies over pie, but I still love pie…..especially cherry pie! My husband says pie is his favorite dessert, and his all time favorite is pecan pie.
I have started to notice my paces are a bit faster……so can’t wait for the weather to cool off and maybe I can hit below 9 min miles……….I am not fast……….ha!
Tonight I am pet sitting for a sweet black lab and probably binge watching some tv shows….(hubby can’t come with me tonight, but he can tomorrow!)

Reply

I was actually just telling someone last night that I really don’t love pie. If I had to pick a favourite, I think I would go with pecan. :)

Reply

Our Friday night plans are to go to the nearby canal and look for a monarch caterpillar. One for school and one for home. To watch the whole caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly process. Weekends nights are hopping around here. Fave pie ever….lemon meringue. OMG – it’s pit pie I can’t get enough of. I’ll eat it slow and enjoy every bite. But good ol caramel apple pie with the crumbly top is a close second.

Reply

Thanks for the tip on the de-shedding dog brush. I have a yellow lab and I’m thankful for my Roomba vacuum, but will definitely be looking into this. :)

Reply

Let me know how you like it Tracy? I’m so happy to have less hair everywhere (I NEED A ROOMBA)!

Reply

Pie is my absolute favourite food in the world!!! Pumpkin comes first, but it’s closely followed by blackberry/huckleberry/raspberry. Savory pies are great, too.
Running is going so well for me this week! I’m just getting into training for my second-ever half marathon, which will be in November. I was sidelined with a hip injury for about a year and a half, so I’m soaking up every drop of goodness from these runs and feeling so grateful that I get to do them. It’s paying off by making me happy, and I also feel stronger!
Also, Knox’s love for MJ is amazing. My favourite MJ song is “Man in the Mirror,” without a doubt. Good running song, too!

Reply

Oh, pie! There is this little town about an hour away where the Amish have a restaurant, and they make the most delicious pies, it’s totally worth the drive. The last pie I had there was peanut butter cream, and I’m still thinking about it. They also make huge cinnamon rolls like the size of your head. SO SO GOOD!

I know you didn’t ask this question, but my daughter (who is almost 11!! where does the time go?!) used to get a lot of tangles in her hair. We tried Original Sprout detangling spray and it has been a game-changer! It smells amazing, like salon hair, AND it works like a charm. Just a couple sprays and her hair is smooth and easy to brush. We’ve been using it for years now and it’s worth it!! :)

Reply

I feel exactly the same as Knox, I was so sad when MJ passed and that I would never see him in concert. His song “I will be there” is my absolute favorite (from the very first ‘Free Willy’) I bet Knox and Brooke would love that movie.

I LOVE the running video thank you! :)

Reply

My favorite pie is banana cream pie (my grandma’s was the best) and pumpkin pie!!!
My friday favorite is leaving in a few hours for a nice long relaxing weekend at the lake with my family!! xoxo have a wonderful weekend!

Reply

I loved your post about running discipline! I have been working a lot lately and have not been making time for my morning runs, but today I did make time and I have felt so great all day. My mood is way better and I am sure I am 100% easier to work with when I run in the morning compared to days I don’t run (unless it is a specified rest day of course!) :) I hope you have a great Friday!!! ps – I told my younger sister about the train race and she really wants to do it someday, maybe we will see you guys there next year! :o

Reply

YES COME NEXT YEAR and we can run together! It was such a fun race. So glad you got in a great run this morning and I am just like you, my mood is so much better the rest of the day if I run!

Reply

Thanks for that video! I really love it. Only runners would understand, right?

Reply

Sooo much ice cream in this post! Too bad it’s bed time or I’d have some right now! I can always count on your blog to inspire me to have dessert!

Reply

That coconut cream pie looks delicious! My lab sheds so much, I need to get one of those brushes!

Reply

I agree…drives me nuts when my husband orders the same thing as me. So much better to order two different things and share!
Thanks for sharing the info about disordered eating etc. I’m a recovering anorexic and just had my second baby at almost 41. My husband and de facto running coach encouraged me to put on some weight, which made me faster/stronger and then I got pregnant!
Lastly, my older son is a big meat eater. I’m mostly vegetarian but are lots of meat when pregnant with him. My nephew’s first word was actually donut!!

Reply

I’ve been off running for a little over two months (which feels like forever) after mysteriously hurting my ankle (tearing a muscle? The docs weren’t sure), but I just started up consistently again this past week! I’ve played it safe for the last couple weeks with half mile jogs and lots of stability work, but I decided to go for it a little more this week. First with a mile, then a short fast/slow workout, then a glorious four miles. And, honestly, it’s been kind of a rough morning mentally, so I might head out for some slow miles while I have zucchini bread in the oven. It pays off in a HUGE way for my attitude and mood. Hope you’re having a fantastic weekend!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *