Tag Archives: Brooke

Yes, You Should Be Happy I’m Wearing A Backpack

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There’s a line in Swingers that always makes me giggle.

Okay, if I’m being honest, the entire movie makes me laugh- massive, clutch-my-stomach, tears-streaming-down-my-face belly laughs. But as someone who was a teenager in the 90s, a girl who dreamed of living in Cher Horowitz’s closet, this line takes me back to that time.

“I spend half the night talking to some girl who’s looking around the room to see if there’s somebody else who’s more important she should be talking to, and it’s like I’m supposed to be all happy ’cause she’s wearing a backpack, you know?”

Because we all had backpacks. I had a mini silver one, similar to the one Cher wore when she failed her driving test. (Purchased at Contempo, of course.)

90s fashion is making a comeback- flannel, overalls, docs and backpacks. Now, as a babywearing mom, I’ve carried a backpack for a few years. Don’t get me wrong, I love my totes, but it’s a lot more comfortable to have my things on back when I have a baby on my front, rather than carrying things on one shoulder.

As a runner, I know that a backpack can help save my core from unnecessary stress. It can help me maintain good posture throughout my day. And lucky for us, there’s a lot to choose from this season. Thank you, style gods!

My current backpack is the Herschel Supply Camo-dot backpack from J.Crew. It’s kid-size, so slightly smaller and just so cute. Below are some of my other favorites at various price points. I love the floral Marc Jacobs or the striped Baggu for spring, and the Pashli is just drool-worthy. My littlest just spilled cold “hot” chocolate all over my bag during a recent trip to Target, so if it doesn’t come out, I might be on the lookout for a new bag. Oh, who are we kidding? I am always on the lookout for a new bag.

Backpack, Backpack

Do you carry a backpack? Who was your teenage style icon?

Goal-Setting and Well-Wishing

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It’s January! I love a new year. I don’t make resolutions but I always find myself making goals and lists and trying to be a better me even without committing it all to paper. This also happens before a new school year (because that is it’s own year, really) and before summer (because Pinterest makes it a Big Deal).

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My fitness goal is easy. I want to PR in the half marathon. I will PR in the half marathon. My current PR is 1:57:52 and really, I just want to best that. But deep in my heart, I want to best that in a Major Way. So we’ll see. I’m focused on the Glass Slipper challenge right now, and increasing my weekly mileage closer to 30 instead of in the lower 20 range. I’m also working on getting faster- I’m still not fast enough to reach my current race PR (which I reached before my last pregnancy). I’m giving myself until December because I am very generous and also, I’m trying to be realistic. (my fingers are totally crossed for reaching goal A in April and doing Something Major in December though.)

I am also making some wonderful chore charts and calendars to do a better job cleaning my house. I know that’s really boring stuff, (for me and for you) so that’s all I will say about that. If I come up with an awesome system, I’ll let you know.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that my girlfriends and I have done a holiday gift exchange for the last ten years. Last month, we met for a delicious dinner, sans gifts but avec wine and good conversation. One of my girls said that this year, she decided that if she didn’t care enough to wish someone a “Happy Birthday” on Facebook, she would delete them from her friend list. I’m not really sure how this qualifies as a resolution (I will have less friends? I will only be friends with someone if I want to celebrate their birth? I don’t know exactly.) but it made me think. My husband hates those Facebook birthday wishes. He thinks they’re insincere. Perfunctory. I don’t have a strong feeling about them- I mean, who doesn’t like hearing a birthday wish, no matter how it comes?- But I prefer to text or call my close friends. In 2014, I’ve decided to take a page from long-term, snail mail penpals, Mer and Vic, and send birthday cards. I will likely have to send them in a batch at the beginning of each month, because I am terrible with mail, but I know it will make my people happy, and that makes me happy.

Hanging with my girls made me wish for more time with them, so I am definitely making that a priority in 2014.

These girls! My favorites for 15 years.

These girls! My favorites for 15 years.

Lastly, some friends and I decided to start a club. A fit club, with a goal of taking one new class each month. In the past, I’ve tried to form book club, wine club, craft club, mom movie night club- and nothing ever sticks. I think this one will- and it will be fun- and I can’t wait to report back to all of you on our progress.

As the Floridian of the Chicks, I want to welcome the runDisney runners to Orlando this weekend! It’s going to be a hot one, so hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and be sure to take a selfie by the pool so your friends are jealous.

Also, go to Epcot! The Frozen princesses are in Norway, along with a statue of runner Grete Waitz. You can have a cronut (omg, delicious) near Canada and a margarita in Mexico. All the salt and sugar will be good for your recovery. (So I’ve heard. I’m not a marathoner, so don’t take my word for it.)

Meeting Elsa and Anna was the highlight of our week (the 3 hour line was not).

Meeting Elsa and Anna was the highlight of our week (the 3 hour line was not).

I’ll be at the Magic Kingdom on Sunday to see our UCF Knights march in the parade. If you see me, stop and say hello and I’ll give you a high five and compliment your marathon medal. Happy running!

My baby with some guy. Who is he? (If you follow college ball, you probably know the Knights quarterback now!)

My baby with some guy. Who is he? (If you follow college ball, you probably know the Knights quarterback now!)

Roll call! Who is headed to the most magical place on Earth this weekend?

Do you make resolutions? What’s your fitness goal? What’s the best fitness class you’ve taken? Birthday wishes on facebook- yay or nay?

My Run Streak: By The Numbers

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The streak is complete! I repeat: The streak. Is. Complete. It’s been a doozy of a holiday season. I really need a nap. And a massage. And a pedicure. Can I sleep during the massage and pedicure?

35 days of running and most of it was fun, if not a little exhausting. (or maybe the tiring part was having all of the children home for two and a half weeks?)

I’m not really a numbers girl, except when it comes to running, so let’s break it all down, shall we?

Number of miles run- 100

After finishing my final miles of the streak and Dorothy's and my first miles of the new year! Bring it, 2014.

After finishing my final miles of the streak and Dorothy’s and my first miles of the new year! Bring it, 2014.

Number of times I ran with my entire family- Just once, on Thanksgiving morning. Coincidentally, the coldest day we’ve had all winter.

Number of times I ran on the treadmill- Twice.

Number of times I ran with three kids in tow- Four. My oldest rode her scooter while I pushed the other two in my Bob stroller.

This girl! She might be my new favorite running buddy (sorry, Sara). Her scooter PR is 3 miles.

This girl! She might be my new favorite running buddy (sorry, Sara). Her scooter PR is 3 miles.

Number of times I ran in a new location- Twice.

Number of times I ran with someone other than my regular running partner, Sara- Eight. “Want to go for a run?” became a regular part of my conversation.

Number of times I ran in a dirty sports bra- Three. Maybe my New Year’s resolution should have to do with doing laundry?

Number of times I ran while suffering from stomach flu- Three. Gross.

Number of times I surprised myself- Twice. First, that I could actually run a decent long run more than halfway through the streak. My legs were sore, my body was tired and still, there I was at mile 9, asking my friend Dorothy if she wanted to do more.

Second, I met another friend for 4.5 miles late in the streak and was able to hang with him at a 9 minute mile pace. I haven’t run that fast since before Wine and Dine! It felt great and made me realize I need to push myself more often.

Haven't seen these numbers in a while!

Haven’t seen these numbers in a while!

Number of times I ran on a full stomach- Once. Uch.

I logged my run into Daily Mile every day, but never tallied my miles until this past Monday- at which time Meridith received the following panicky text:

“Finally counted up my miles so far. 86.3. I want to shoot for 100 but that is completely unrealistic. Dammit. I wish I’d counted sooner.”

Followed by: “Eff. I am seriously trying to figure out how I can do 14 miles in three days. I shouldn’t have counted.”

I knew Monday had to be short because I had to run with the kids- and my oldest can only ride so far on her scooter- so I quickly found childcare and running buddies for the final two days and decided to go for it. My legs were tired (trainer Jen made me do about 500 squats earlier that morning) but I knew that the closer I finished to 100, the more those missing few miles would bug me.

My friend Danielle met me for a four mile run on Tuesday and towards the end she told me she felt good enough to do 2.7 more, knowing I had plans to meet Dorothy on Wednesday for the final four. I could have cried. (Okay, I admit it. There actually were a few tears shed.)

Running this streak showed me that I can run even if my legs are tired. That I am ready to push myself. That I can do anything if I set my mind to it. And finally, that I have some wonderful friends. Fit friends are the best friends, whether they cheer you on via text message, run with you while on their vacation, or push themselves farther to help you reach your goal.

Maybe next year I will do a streak with the plasma car.

Maybe next year I will do a streak with the plasma car. Who’s with me?

Now I’m ready for the next challenge- The Glass Slipper Challenge, to be specific. But first, I’m going to put my feet up for a couple of days. I’ve earned it.

Streaker roll call! How did it go?

Do you have a good schedule for laundry? I’m asking for a friend.

Putting the Clothes Back On – the Streak Is Over!

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(Oh, it wasn’t THAT kind of streak? My bad!)

First off, happy 2014!

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This morning I set my kiddos up with their newly acquired Wii U. I made sure they were both happy and content. They have zero concept of sleeping in, even if it is New Year’s Day (Dude got the sleeping in privilege today), so this was pretty early. As always, I told them, “If you need me-”

“- You’ll be on the treadmill in the basement. We know, Mom. Go, we’re good!” Pooks cut in.

Little chimed in with his usual farewell of “Don’t do anything dangerous!” as they continued to press the buttons on the controller.

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I knew that this month+ streak was going to be a bit of a challenge, especially with my kids being home for the last week and a half of December. However, I was determined to actually make this 35 day streak happen.

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My streak that I had planned for September for Alex’s Lemonade Stand came to an abrupt end 12 days into the month. I’d participated in the holiday streak before but thought nothing of missing a day here or there if my schedule didn’t allow for it or I was “too busy”.

Not this time though! I was committed to running/walking/crawling at least a mile a day, and I did it! Despite school functions, plantar fasciitis, errands, laundry, kids, weather snafus, and oh yeah, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas… I got it done.

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In other words, it worked for me. Maybe it will help you!

1. I decided not to take myself too seriously. If my mile was a 9:30 mile, that was cool. And if it was a 15:00 mile, that was cool too. There were many days that it was on the slower side, especially with my foot pain. And that was okay. I wasn’t doing this to be fast, I was doing this to endure.

2. Most days, I wasn’t content with a mile and figured I could do at least two. Some days it was three. But never more than that. Since I’m not training for a race right now, I was able to do what I wanted with no distance agendas, other than getting at least a mile done.

This song was my streak anthem.

This song was my streak anthem.

3. I had fantastic support system! Social media, I love you. My awesome Chick Brooke participated in this challenge which truly made a world of difference. We checked in via text. And pictures. And my bossypantsing her around.

Additionally, following my blogging buddies during the streak and chatting with them on their posts helped immensely. The Challenge Loop that Cyanne and Karen hosted kept me honest. And in search of dinosaurs.

dinoraur

So even though I was running every single run in the comfort of my basement, solo style, I was never truly alone.

4. My kids are finally at the stage where they are (mostly) self sufficient for a half hour. When Little was littler, I used his nap time as my time to tackle the miles. However, as a great big 4 year old, there are no longer any naps. If it’s just us in the house, I set him up with a snack and his favorite movie and then ran down the basement steps to the treadmill.

5. The earlier, the better. Rather than putting it off, I’d get my miles in ASAP. No matter what happened the rest of the day, I accomplished something for myself and therefore I was more productive in other areas of my life.

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Setting aside the half hour for myself, whether it be Tuesday, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve helped me to recalibrate every day. During a crazy and hectic month, it grounded me and that was invaluable.

Bring it on 2014! I’m ready for you!

Brooke will be posting tomorrow about her streak, but in the meantime, how did all our streaking friends fare?

My Year in Pictures

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To say this year has been an active one for me is a bit of an understatement. My 2012 ended with a newborn baby- my third- and I began 2013 with some pretty specific fitness aspirations.

First, I wanted to fit into my jeans again. (Is that really a fitness goal? Well, I wanted to fit into my running shorts again too. That counts, right?) I wanted run a half marathon before the end of the year and I wanted to train smarter and more broadly- to begin lifting weights and try different kinds of cardio instead of just running.

I’ve done the postpartum return to fitness before, obviously, but never with this much determination. Never with specific goals (Okay, with each babe, I have wanted to fit into my pants again. But it was super easy with the first two kids and really hard work this time around. I’ve been told it’s because I’m over 30 now. Sigh.).

At first, I walked a lot. Once I got the all clear from my doctor (6 weeks post-baby), I eased back into running on the treadmill and began working out with a trainer. I also tried barre workouts, zumba and returned to my favorite hot yoga class. When summer arrived and the baby grew bored of sitting at the gym with me, I began running in the early mornings with Sara- we ran longer and faster; each of us chasing our own goals.

By fall, I had some sweet definition in my arms. My pants fit again too- it took 10 whole months- and I was ready to tackle that half-marathon. Timing is everything, and I was grateful that this year was Vic’s year to run the NYC marathon because that meant she could run with me for Wine and Dine. I could have run it alone, of course, but it made it easier to have a friend cheering me along for those 13.1 miles.

I decided to do the run streak during this holiday season because I thought it would be fun (“Isn’t this fun?” is basically my motto for all things fitness.) and I love a challenge. Some days have been awful. Just yesterday, I sent Meri the following text: “I don’t want to run. I’m so tempted to stay in my jams and drink coffee all day.” Like any good, bossy friend, she told me to just get it done. Most days have been wonderful though, and while I don’t think I could ever be an every day runner, I’m glad I ended the year with all this running.

I’m excited to see what next year holds for me. I have three races on the calendar already- the Glass Slipper challenge and the Nike Women’s half in DC, and there are a few more I really want to run.

I’ve been thinking about my goals a lot lately, but since I’m not quite ready to commit to them here, I thought I would share some of my favorite fitness photos from the past year.

My first post-baby run. My warm-up walk included a nursing session.

My first post-baby run. My warm-up walk included a nursing session.

My view from the treadmill.

My view from the treadmill.

J and I attempted a monthlong wall-sit challenge. Yeah...we didn't complete it. But I got this cute picture!

J and I attempted a monthlong wall-sit challenge. Yeah…we didn’t complete it. But I got this cute picture!

The boy was totally tired of the gym at this stage. This was my last workout with him present. (which meant the beginning of very early mornings)

The boy was totally tired of the gym at this stage. This was my last workout with him present. (which meant the beginning of very early mornings)

Sara and I after hot yoga.

Sara and I after hot yoga.

The Bob got some love during the second half of the year.

The Bob got some love during the second half of the year.

My first postpartum race- the UCF 5 miler and 2 miler (I did both for the bling)

My first postpartum race- the UCF 5 miler and 2 miler (I did both for the bling)

Back at Wine and Dine again, and happy I got to run with my friend.

Back at Wine and Dine again, and happy I got to run with my friend.

Still working out with Trainer Jen. She makes me do all sorts of crazy things.

Still working out with Trainer Jen. She makes me do all sorts of crazy things.

Run streak! A long run last weekend with my friend, Dorothy.

Run streak! A long run last weekend with my friend, Dorothy.

What races do you have scheduled for 2014? Do you set yearly goals? Share your favorite fitness photo from 2013 with us on Twitter or Instagram! #favefitphoto

Ho Ho Ho! Chick Chat: Secret Santa Edition

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We Chicks love a celebration, and usually, we don’t even need a reason to throw confetti and clink our glasses in cheers. However, with the most wonderful day of the year upon us, we decided to shout ’tis the season in the most jolly of ways: with a Secret Santa gift exchange! Read on to find out who gifted whom, and see if there’s anything that you want to add to your holiday wish list.

Bec:

I was super happy when I pulled my sister-in-shoe-love in the Secret Santa grab! When I started thinking about what to get for Brooke, two words came to mind: Mom and baker. I’m sure you’ve gathered from her posts that Brooke is this awesome mom, and we have long shared a love of baking, specifically with our kids. So I themed my gift around that, with a touch of running in the mix. I found a t-shirt that that perfectly captured how I see Brooke, as a mother and an athlete. And as for baking, I sent her a my great-grandmother’s recipe for Sugar and Spice cookies, which are a Christmas staple in my house. I don’t give the recipe out to just anyone, since it’s been in my family for decades, I was happy to share it with a member of my Scoot a Doot family. Merry Christmas, B!

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Brooke:

I had a few ideas once I pulled Vic’s name but I hadn’t settled on anything specific. Early one morning, I was doing my daily “window” shop on the Anthro site (as one does) and came across this travel bag for fitness enthusiasts. Basically, the bag folds into a tiny pouch, taking up minimal room in your suitcase, and once you’ve run, yoga’d, hiked or whatever, you store your clothes and shoes in the bag for your return trip home. The lining of the bag keeps any stink or moisture from the rest of your suitcase. It took me about 30 seconds to decide that this was the perfect gift for Vic. She regularly travels for races (I got to see her for two of her three trips to Orlando this year and I’ll see her for at least two runcations next year) but doesn’t always get to do laundry on those trips. I hope she gets to use it a lot in 2014- come back and see me soon! Merry travels and Happy Christmas, Vic!

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Vic:

I was paired with the lovely Cam for our Secret Santa fest! I know I could have a blast here, as Cam is super-cool, laid-back and would be pleased with anything I sent her way. The pressure was off, so after consulting with another chickadee, I decided to get Cam something from Oiselle, the company I run for!

I love Oiselle and think everyone needs at least one item from the amazing Seattle-based company! So I picked a lovely indigo Runfinity scarf for Cam! (I really wanted to get her an orange one because Scoot chicks love orange – see our Scoot shirts – and Ragnar loves orange, and Cam loves Ragnar. Do you follow my rambling logic here? But alas, there were no orange scarves to be found… besides, indigo is far more versatile, right?!)

Anyhoo, I love scarves and wear them regularly in the winter so I knew Cam needed one too! Enjoy and Merry Christmas lady!!

camoiselle

Cam:

I was given Meridith for secret Santa and I literally thought of about a hundred things I would have liked to give her. There were a lot of goodies in my various online carts but when I saw the Ragnar Pro Compression socks came in hot pink, well I knew they’d be perfect for my favorite future Ragnarian. 2014 is the year we shall Ragnar together!

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Meri:

Brooke introduced me to the Alex and Ani company back in September during our Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation running streak when she picked up on of the bangles for our top fundraiser, Megan. I was so impressed with their positive messages and great customer relations through social media (so important!); I love the idea of supporting them.

Jess and I share a love of words and when I saw this Alex and Ani bracelet, I knew it had to be hers. We’ve been through lots of together over the past three years and the message of this bangle What’s for you will not pass you and I feel like it really applies. She and I both have obsessive personalities and together I think we’ve learned that good things happen with time, persistence, and also patience. Finding that balance can sometimes be daunting and I think this quote is a good reminder in achieving that balance.

However, this whole message of what’s for you will not pass you is a bit ironic, as the USPS tracking on the priority package shows that it went from New Jersey to Virginia. Last I checked, Virginia isn’t exactly en route to California, land of Jess. So the bracelet hasn’t exactly PASSED Jess, it just hasn’t arrived yet. *taps foot impatiently* Fortunately, her birthday present made it there on time so you can check that out! I got her this super cute, Kate Spade wallet in Vivid Snapdragon, which I think is very close to the Patone Color of the Year, Radiant Orchid. Holla!

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Jess: 

For those who don’t know, Bec is a fabulous cook. I wish I could say that I’ve had the privelege of eating her food, but I’m certain I will someday. My stomach is counting on it!

Of course, when I pulled her name, the first thing I thought of was “cookbook!” But there are a bajillion (literally) cookbooks out there in the world, so I checked with some in-the-know friends and they pointed me to The Fresh 20. What I love about this one in particular is that it focuses on using organic, non-processed ingredients for easy, healthy, delicious meals. Plus, there are 20 ingredients in the entire book, so it’s not overwhelming.

Happy cooking, Bec! I will be at your front door at 5:30 tonight.

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Do you Secret Santa? I’ve (Brooke) been doing a gift exchange with my best girls for ten years. This year, we decided to scrap the gift part and keep the food and cocktails. I can’t wait! What’s your favorite holiday party drink? Cheers!

Everything’s Coming Up (Radiant) Orchids

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Happy Monday, dear friends! Jess and Brooke here, to discuss a very important topic.

Earlier this month, Pantone named “Radiant Orchid” the IT color of 2014, and as two Chicks who love to mix trendy with our classic (okay, sort of preppy) style and who love to shop – for ourselves, and for YOU – we had to seize the opportunity to scout out some new fitness attire in this vibrant shade of…is it pink? Is it purple? Who cares; it’s fabulous. Happy shopping!

Everything's Coming Up Orchids

 

What’s your favorite color? What do you think about Pantone’s choice? And, perhaps most importantly, what’s on your Christmas list this year?

Lessons From A Streaker

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I’m almost 30 miles into this running streak and not quite halfway through. As someone who typically runs four times a week, this has been a challenging exercise. Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

Running every day means not waiting until Christmas to buy new running attire. (Side note- did you know that Anthro carries activewear now? Shame on you for not telling me. I’ll take one of everything, s’il vous plait.) New shorts, new socks, new long-sleeved shirts- thanks, Vic, for introducing me to Oiselle– you name it, I’ve bought it. If I’m going to live in my running clothes this month, I’m going to do so in style.

These pants! Had to have 'em.

These pants! Had to have ’em.

I’m so glad that messy buns are still a thing. (If they aren’t, don’t tell me.) Who wants to blow out their hair only to throw it up again the next morning for a run? Not this girl. I’m rocking a bun and headband all over town. Stylish and a time saver= winning combination.

Does that "Messy Hair, Don't Care" shirt come in my size?

Does that “Messy Hair, Don’t Care” shirt come in my size?

If I know you’re a runner, I’ll invite you to run with me. On Thanksgiving morning, I looked at my husband and said, “You know what would be fun? If we all went on a run together. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Never mind that it was the coldest day we’ve had here all winter (like 40 degrees. Typically it’s 85. Yes, right now.). We bundled up the children and took everyone out for a quick run around our neighborhood. Last week, my oldest girl rode her scooter while I jogged next to her. This morning, I took my friend out for a birthday brunch and when I invited her, I totally gave her the same spiel I’d given J on Turkey Day. “You know what would be fun?…” Running play dates are the next big thing.

Post-run on Thanksgiving morning.

Post-run on Thanksgiving morning.

Running every day means more holiday cookies, right? Because I’m using this streak as an excuse to eat all the candy cane-flavored things (except the peppermint yogurt raisins I saw at Target because that just sounds gross. And maybe a little too healthy anyway.)

These or the candy cane Oreos? Kidding, you know I got both.

These or the candy cane Oreos? Kidding, you know I got both.

All in all, I’m having fun streaking. It’s been good for me to switch up my routine a bit and run with different friends and in new locations. Some days are a challenge- I had to squeeze a mile in on a full stomach right before I left for carline one afternoon last week and I thought I was going to be sick. I’m also already planning my rest days. But there are plenty of proud moments too- that I’m pushing myself, that I’m making it work during a busy time of year, and that I’m taking time for me.

Roll call, Streakers! How’s it going? Favorite holiday cookie?

#werunDC!

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We won the lottery!

Before you start wondering what all the Scoot chicks will be buying with our newfound wealth, it’s not that sort of lottery. We were lucky enough to be selected to run the 2nd Nike Women’s Half Marathon in Washington DC.

Yes! We won the rights to enter a coveted road race! Woot!

That means Brooke, Meri and I will be among the 15,000 women running 13.1 miles through our nation’s capital on April 27, 2014. Two of our longtime friends Keri and Maureen will be joining our happy gang for the big weekend next spring.

We are giddy.

Okay, so we changed the name to say Scoot a Doot... but you get the idea!

Okay, so we changed the name to say Scoot a Doot… but you get the idea!

Meri called me last night to tell me the news and I was speechless. Sure, we entered, but I never actually expected we’d get picked. I actually figured we would be out since I have wretched lottery luck.

I was also rejected three straight years from the NYC Marathon- which ironically earned me a guaranteed entry for the 2013 race.

Meri and I entered the race lottery for the inaugural DC race last year and didn’t get picked. We were sad. There’s no other way to say it. We’d been looking forward to running, made tentative plans around the weekend, then we didn’t make the cut.

So when Meri suggested we apply again last month, I nearly dismissed the idea.

I’m sure glad I didn’t. Because next spring, #werunDC. Who is with us?

Post-publication note:

Lottery hopefuls who didn’t make the cut can still run the Nike Women’s DC half-marathon by running for charity, specifically for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. Click here for more info on how you can join their team.

Get Ur Streak On

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You know how it is- you reach the end of a training cycle and immediately begin searching for another race to run. A few weeks ago, I contemplated running a local half-marathon at the beginning of December. I’d already planned to keep training with Sara, as her race isn’t for a couple of weeks, so why not, right? Well…the more I thought about it, I didn’t care for the idea. Ideally, I’d like more rest time than three weeks. I’d also like to improve on my W&D time, which wouldn’t be easy. Ultimately, I decided to wait. Rest. Continue running, obviously, but also devote more time to strength training- something I neglected as I got closer to race day.

I knew I still needed to focus on a goal. As luck would have it, I had some free time to read the latest issue of Runner’s World last week and saw an article about the RW Holiday Running Streak. The challenge is to run every day from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. It only took about 30 seconds for me to decide to participate. I’ve never done a running streak, so my plan is to keep my current schedule (four days of running, one of them a longer run) and add a mile to the remaining days. They may not be fast. Or maybe I’ll feel like running more than a mile. Maybe I’ll feel like running less. Perhaps I’ll take the girls for a run on the track near our house or do laps on the soccer field- totally counts, right? My goal is to complete the streak with the least amount of planning possible; I think it will be more fun that way and less stressful during an already busy time.

I hope this will allow me to consume more Christmas treats! No, really, I hope this will make me a stronger runner. I have speed goals and while I’m not focused on them right now, they are always lurking in the back of my mind. I’ve read that one way to increase speed is to increase one’s total weekly mileage…so let’s see, shall we?

In other news, I wrote a guest post over at Sara’s blog, The Classy Crafter. Check it out to find a cute family craft that you can enjoy for many Thanksgivings to come (or at least until you add another family member and have to make a new one.