(beanie, sweatshirt)

Andrew and I got to join Beck for his field trip Thursday morning!

The buildup to his first field trip of his elementary school career has been a big one.

OUR LAST KINDERGARTNER?!?!

Andrew and I then went hiking. We didn’t get to the snow, but I’m sure we will be hiking in snow shortly.

The weather allowed soccer practices to resume. Beck biked during practice.

Curly offered to make dinner yesterday and her famous Tikka Masala. It’s everyone’s favorite here, and nothing beats coming home from shuttling kids to a stunning meal on the table… I owe her.

Let’s jump into the favorite things for this week:

*I’m saying goodbye to every other shoe I own after I tried these that Dolce Vita sent me. Slide them on and go. They look good with both jeans and sweats and are extremely comfortable. I am in love.

*Hygge is my new fascination, and I plan on using each and every thing I learned from this and this book this winter. I’m ready to fully embrace the slower, cozier side of winter instead of just counting down the days until spring. Give me all of the candles, warm blankets, soup, soft lighting, and absolutely no reason to leave the house once the sun goes down.

*This hot chocolate (with protein AND caffeine) is going to be part of my Hygge routine. It tastes so incredibly good.

*Another part of my Hygge checklist is pajamas because they bring me so much joy. My top 2 right now are this pair, and this pair. SO soft and a simple joy I look forward to putting on every evening. Along with my Minky, which I’ve had for years. I love this blanket so very much… I travel with it anytime we drive for a trip. It is so luxurious.

*I shared more about the Suunto Race 3s on my IG yesterday (if you want to see it in action), but this watch is the best trail running watch that I’ve ever tried. My favorite feature is the free offline maps. This is life-changing for me on the trails because I get lost so easily. It alerts me a few steps after I take a wrong turn and helps me get right back on track.

*20-40% off leggings at Athleta! Also, my favorite long-sleeve is now on sale, too!

*It’s the Gap Friends and Family 40% off! My favorite sweater ever, this crew-neck (on its own or layered under sweaters), and my favorite dress. I also stocked up on sweatshirts for Beck and Skye.

*I just grabbed this sweater from Marine Layer… It’s perfect and on a major sale.

+Elemis fans–> The Pro-Collagen Rose Marine Set is such a great price right now, and the code HOLIDAY20 gets you another $20 off!

***You can check out my previous Friday Favorites here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.***

—————————————————————————————————

Tell me about your Friday night plans?

Anything cozy you are loving right now?

Do you get lost easily on trails or not so much?

Any pajamas that you love? Please share!

The post Friday Favorites! first appeared on The Hungry Runner Girl.

(shorts, vest, long-sleeve, AI background for my first time ever so I could remove other kids from their school out of the photo:)

Skye is now wearing the lululemon hand-me-downs;). Andrew is stressed about when she’ll want to go in and pick out some new things there, too.

Another 8-mile day. It’s kind of the perfect distance IMO. You get enough time to warm up and get into your groove, and you finish before you get too tired. I am guessing I’ll get plenty of 8-mile days in before Boston training starts.

Back to this post-run tradition.

Beck had his spotlight day at school, and it was so fun to get to be with him in class.

Max is always watching me. Beretta used to consume most of his energy, but now, it’s whoever he is home with;)

Marry Me Chicken Tortellini Soup for dinner and a fresh loaf of sourdough from a friend. It was delicious!

We went to the Harry Potter House two nights in a row. Here is their IG account if any locals want to go see; it’s out-of-this-world good.

And it’s all free!

Watching Vinny Mauri run Chicago was a lot of fun. I loved learning about his story of doing most of his training on a Planet Fitness treadmill. I cannot wait to see what he does next and how he performs at the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2028.

Here is my prediction: I’ll start seeing Vinny HERE, and I’m guessing he will start using Ed Eyestone as his coach and train with Clayton Young and Conner Mantz in Utah leading up to the trials. If anyone hears of this happening, please let me know;). And who knows, maybe Charles Hicks will join them all, too. I have NO idea anything about their plans, I can just see it happening.

—————————————————————————————

Any running predictions that you have?

What’s your go-to running distance? The one you find yourself doing most often when you aren’t following a plan?

Do you decorate for Halloween, or not your thing?

When you were young, do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up?

The post I am going to predict something. first appeared on The Hungry Runner Girl.

(vest, shirt, super old hat but this one is fun)

Nobody loves beanie weather more than Beck. He has been waiting for this moment since last spring.

Drama in the mountains! 8 miles at 8:22 pace.

Pulled up to this scene.

And then worked on Operation Get My Strongest Before Boston Training Starts.

Brooke’s soccer game, and Skye’s soccer practice were canceled because of the weather and so Andrew told me we were going to eat at my favorite restaurant in Utah for dinner-> Sol Agave.

Because life is too short to not get their Butter Cake on a random Tuesday night.

A few more things to talk about that I have on my mind (aka another tangent post;):

*Ummmm I would not have survived, it was SO cold.

*I pulled out the walking pad the other day, and Max was beyond confused about why I would be on this instead of outside in the pouring rain on a walk with him.

*I wrote this in my Notes app a few hours after finishing the St. George 1/2 Marathon. One thing age has taught me is to listen to my body a whole lot better. Cutting a workout short is MORE than okay if hitting the splits means digging way too deep into the well. I’ve learned that I perform so much better when I occasionally call it quits during a workout because my body is telling me to, rather than forcing myself to push through when my body clearly needs more recovery. I’m putting this here for anyone heading into a race who has missed workouts or hasn’t been able to finish every workout exactly as planned. Please don’t let that shake your confidence! It’s normal, and you can absolutely still hit your goals. Sometimes the smartest thing you can do for your training is know when to stop.

*Okay, one more from my nephew’s wedding that I love.

*Beretta’s ashes came home to us a few days ago, and it threw everyone right back into some deep grief. They arrived mid-dinner, and we all sobbed over dinner. We plan on taking her ashes to her favorite river spot and the mountains. We really miss her.

——————————————————————————————————

Anything on your mind today?

Anything you’ve learned about yourself and running lately?

Tell me something beautiful in your world today!

Has anyone reading been to Sol Agave? Do you love it, too?

The post Things on my mind, remember, missing her. first appeared on The Hungry Runner Girl.

(long-sleeve, hat, shoes)

It’s officially glove season (for me)! I am a wuss with my hand temperature and was the only one wearing gloves, but goodness gracious, I needed them.

PSA: This long-sleeve really is the best. They last for years and years through all of the crazy conditions and workouts I put them through, and the colors are always the best. They are a staple in my winter running wardrobe… and then I get home and go straight to my fleece top and bottoms to warm up.

We spent a very long time sorting Andrew’s old sports cards and finding every basketball one that we could.

Another rainy day kept us inside for the day.

I used this method to make some chicken parmesan for dinner. It involved an air fryer for the chicken, and the sauce and cheese cooked in the oven… it wasn’t pretty, but it tasted amazing.

Now for some good old-fashioned tangents. I’ve been doing these since 2010.

*I lay down on my back plenty of times after a race (and many workouts), but I’ve never gone straight to lying on my stomach like Amos Kipruto. I’ll try after Boston.

*Overnight whole apple oatmeal is an EXCELLENT choice.

*I am now obsessed with this idea:

*We watched this documentary about Olympic gold medalist and cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, and wow. A lot. And so vulnerable with her struggle with an eating disorder. She is amazing.

*My nephew’s wedding photos came in, and I wish I could go back to this moment. Officiating was so much fun.

*I am framing this one of Beck:

*Teenagers are the best. Do not fear. Andrew took this picture after school one day, and I think it’s another framer.

*I might be biking with Beck in the mountains one day, too, while I run. I would love that.

————————————————————————————————

Wuss with hand temperature too? Or do you hold out on gloves until you absolutely need them to prevent frostbite?

Give me a tangent!

Oatmeal person or no?

What did you have for dinner last night?

The post So many Tangents first appeared on The Hungry Runner Girl.

(tank, shoes, shorts, leaves.. priceless)

I’m asking a genuine question and not complaining (kind of;), but why does the crunchy leaves under our feet perfect weather season last 1/40000th as long as the snow and ice under our feet season? 8 miles @ 8:14 average and my first strength workout back in a few weeks.

I took Skye and her friends to Yogurtland after school on Friday, and because of the Panda next to Yogurtland, Beck chose that over froyo. I love to get as many flavors as possible into my bowl.

Saturday morning, Skye had an early game, and the coach’s dog is there every game. Seeing her is the best reward for Skye after working hard on the field.

Knoxie boy had a football game, and he crushed his new play.

And the real reason we are able to get my kids to each of their things when we have multiple places to get to at the same time–> my nieces.

We drove up north to visit my in-laws. I drove because I was quite carsick, and when the GPS told me we had 26 miles to go, I drove those 26 miles and thought about running the same distance, and it shocked me. THE MARATHON IS SO LONG. This kind of scared me for Boston;)

We went to a pumpkin patch right next to my in-law’s house to pick out some pumpkins.

They fed us and had so many fun activities for the kids.

Sunday night was dedicated to celebrating these three and their birthdays (Knox, my nephew, and his wife that we adore)!

We brought dessert. This has been a family favorite for quite some time.

Hot fudge not pictured.

We got our family pictures back from Lindsey Orton! I couldn’t be happier with them.

Love love love.

Lindsey took me and Brooke’s family pictures for years, then me and Andrew’s wedding photos, and plenty of photos since. She is the best.

TIME FLIES.

And a special shoutout to Beck’s watch tan line;)

—————————————————————————————–

I would love to hear about your weekend!

Have any family favorite recipes?

Do you get carsick? What helps you?

The post Genuine question, scared me, and the real reason. first appeared on The Hungry Runner Girl.

(shorts, top, shoes, socks)

Jess and I had to pull out our speed shoes for our first run back on the roads in order to keep up with our friends who didn’t race. 8 miles @ 8:27 pace.

We planned our run around the Harry Potter house. A couple in our county, put together the most incredible Harry Potter themed front yard. It is so good, I think they could have filmed the movies here. (I thought I got a better picture of the whole thing, but alas, I did not).

This is inside of Hagrid’s Hut.

Every single detail.

And then I met up with my sister to work on our non-profit. THE BALL IS MOVING! We have an attorney!

The temps could not have been better last night for Brooke’s games.

Just one more game this season:(

Now for some Friday Favorites!

*30% off EVERYTHING at J. Crew for their friends and family! I am in love with their perfect cashmere crewneck.

*I think this might be the best audiobook that I have ever listened to. It is officially in my top #5 books of all time. If you haven’t read/listened yet, please start today. I wish I were just starting it.

*This Jacket!!! I want to wear it each and every day. It’s incredibly light and looks SLEEK. This is one of those workout pieces I’ll be using for decades. It packs up small into the front pocket, which means I will always travel with it. It is also breathable, and water-repellent without feeling bulky.

*Bringing in the big guns for perimenopause. I adore my NEEDED supplements, and I’ve added their Peri Multi to my everyday routine along with Creatine Powder in my smoothies. I’m learning my body needs a little more support than it used to, and I love knowing I’m getting 22 nutrients that support the things I’m really focusing on right now: energy, mood, sleep, brain health, and hormone balance.

*Nutrafol launched their , tbrand-new Strand Serum,,and I’m so happy about it after just using it a few times. It’s a leave-in treatment designed to strengthen hair, reduce breakage, and keep strands looking healthier, and you only need 2–3 drops, which sounds pretty perfect for my hair that spends half its life in a sweaty ponytail. I’m loving this stuff.

*Our family pictures aren’t back yet, but I want to show you me and Brooke’s dresses (from a picture Andrew took) because they are so cheap right now.

*You can use the code HELLO30 to get an additional $30 off of my sister’s favorite hair dryer/styler that is on sale!

*You can check out my previous Friday Favorites here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.*

———————————————————————

What are your weekend plans??

Anyone else read The Calamity Club? Thoughts?

WHO IS RACING CHICAGO? (or cheering, or knows someone running it)

Any supplements you are loving?

The post Friday Favorites! first appeared on The Hungry Runner Girl.

I was carless for a good chunk of the day, but my trusty scooter got me to my friend’s house to then carpool up to the mountains…

When some friends wanted to do the same trail I did the day before, I was ecstatic. That’s how good it is right now.

Added bonus: We got to see moose yesterday. A mama and two babies. Moose really used to freak me out, but now that I see them all of the time, I’m not afraid anymore. I’ll still be overly careful, but it’s nice to not start climbing a tree the second I see them.

6.5 miles with 1200 ft of climbing.

Pink Pasta for dinner with some grilled chicken and a side salad. This is my kid’s favorite pasta recipe in the world.

I have a few things to go over today…

*Brooke has been going back to her roots with a top knot. I am pretty sure she wore a top knot for 4 years in a row as a little girl.

*My friend sent me this podcast yesterday, and it was so so good and exactly what I needed.

*Never have I loved a free long-sleeve shirt from a race more than I love this one from St. George.

*This was my sister’s bench she used for her Firm Workout Videos back in the 90s… did anyone else do those videos? It’s now her workbench, and you know big things are happening in terms of design when it comes out.

*Max is getting more and more back to himself again. I really wonder how his brain has processed losing Beretta.

*Andrew votes this one ot be the best Bloom ever.

*He is so into biking right now, and Andrew is trying so hard to contain his excitement.

*With his running form, speed, and love for biking, maybe he will be a triathlete?!

*We both said we will never do this course again because of how bad everything hurt in the end, but that has already worn off for me, and I want to do it again next year…

*I have a feeling Skye will definitely want to run this course someday.

—————————————————————————————-

Best race sweatshirt/shirt/jacket you’ve ever gotten?

Question from Skye–> If you could go any place in the world, where would you choose?

If you are going to scroll, what is your app of choice?

-IG for me and Facebook Marketplace for Andrew.

Last podcast you listened to?

The post Back to her roots + some Thursday Things! first appeared on The Hungry Runner Girl.