Sunday stuff and lists of threes.

Another Sunday in the books.  

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My mom spoke at church yesterday and so we all went to her ward (we call our congregations wards and they are divided based on location) to support her… this meant that I got to spend some good time with my nephew.  I even got him to take a nap in my arms and as you know, cuddling with a sleeping baby is one of my top favorite things ever.  

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After church my nieces came home with us and we got to baking.  

Cornflakes in cookies.  

Once upon a time I had a cookie that had corn flakes in it and I thought it was crazy good and then I somehow forgot about it (probably because I was too busy thinking about froyo or something).  I came across THIS recipe the other day and I was instantly reminded that I needed this cookie in my life again.  

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Chocolate chips and coconut were also the main stars in these.  I know it sounds weird to put in corn flakes but trust me on this (remember all of those people that doubted me on my grapes and cottage cheese combo and then ended up loving it?)… the corn flakes give a little crunch to the soft and chewy cookie with the delicious flavor from the coconut and of course chocolate.  

My family all gave it the ‘you should make this cookie all of the time’ rating.  

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Dinner was over at my mom’s house where the snow in parts was almost as tall as my daughter.

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Chicken salads for dinner and I went back for another plate that looked just like this.  

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Some relaxing in our PJs on the couch.  

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 And then my brother-in-law got to work on the oreo shakes.  He makes them by hand so that he can get the perfect consistency.  It sure is nice that my family loves good food as much as I do.  

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We made sure to play some ridiculous games.  

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For this game—>  While you are blindfolded you are supposed to hold the tip of the spoon and scoop up cotton balls from the bottom bowl to the one on your head for one minute.  It is impossible to feel if one is on your spoon so 98% of the time you are just scooping up air into your bowl.  I did take second place though (my Dad must practice this game all of the time or something because he was really good).

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I ran about 50 miles last week (most of them easy paced with the 3-2-1 speed workout and a hill workout) and my body was more than ready for a day off yesterday. I take rest days very seriously as you can tell and I walked barely over a total of two miles yesterday.   I love letting the legs rest and repair so that today they are ready to go again.   About 5-6 years ago rest days gave me major anxiety and I would rarely (if ever?) take them… I now fully embrace them physically and mentally and my body has thanked me because of it.  

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I came home and did something silly after Brooke went to bed… I watched more of Making A Murder on Netflix.  By myself.  Not the best idea.  Every noise in my apartment freaked me out.  

Some random lists of threes: 

Three running articles recently that I loved:

Six Ways to Change Your Running for the Better in 2016 (my favorite—> become a COMPLETE athlete—>  something hard for me to keep up with but it will make a huge difference in my running).   

What is Your Ideal Marathon Temperature (I find all of the factors that affect running performance super interesting to read about and this one even breaks it down to talk about what temperatures are best for different speeds etc—>  now if we could just get the Weather Gods to cooperate and help us out on race day to always give us the perfect temperatures). 

– Ryan Hall Dared to Be Great.  “He raced with fierceness little seen among American road racers, yet he always realized there was more to life than one more trophy.” He is an incredible example!

 Three reasons to go run (unless you are injured or it is your rest day:) today:

-You can.

-It is scientifically (in my opinion;) proven that a good sweat is incredible for the body/soul/heart/spirit/brain.  

-Because your running goals outweigh any excuses not to go.

Three favorite runnings books (I’m always looking for more so feel free to share yours!!!):

Mile Markers by Kristin Armstrong

Hansons Marathon Method

Mind Gym (for all athletes.. I just love the mental side of performance).

My three most-played-listened to running songs right now:

Roses by The Chainsmokers

Cute Without the “E” by Taking Back Sunday (flashback to my teenage punk wanna be days but I am HOOKED on this song/beat again)

My House by Flo Rida (because I tend to buy any of his new songs and then listen to it about 50 times while running and love it and then get sick of it really fast.  

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Watching anything good on Netflix lately?  

What are your reasons to go run today?

What are your three most-played-listened to running songs right now?

How often do you take a complete rest day?

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54 comments

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Usually one complete rest day per week for me with just a bit of stretching or really gentle yoga – today is actually one of those for me! Love you BIL’s dedication to the oreo shakes :)

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Ahhh I totally know what you mean about Making a Murderer. It definitely took me a few extra minutes every night to fall asleep when I was watching it and even a couple of days after. I can’t wait to hear what you think in the end!

I have 0 reasons to go run today because Mondays are my rest day since I do my long run on Sunday nights! :) I WISH today was a run day though because the weather is absolutely perfect (in the 60s)!

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Oh my goodness–I LOVED that Taking Back Sunday song in high school! Good choice. :)

Mondays are my rest days (so, today), and I am very serious about taking them. I was kinda like you were at one point and never took them, but over the years I have realized just how valuable they are in helping our bodies recover and be ready for another week of training.

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Happy Monday! That game looks hilarious! I’m not running today because of very tired legs, but maybe quick weights or something to start the week off healthy!

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My husband has gotten into Making A Murderer, and he’s hooked too! I just can’t right now because I don’t want to become addicted to a show so quickly after finishing Parenthood.

My reason for running today – to get up and break a sweat before work! It’s amazing how much clearer my head is after a quick morning run.

I don’t really listen to music anymore, but I’m listening to podcasts like crazy (Marathon Training Academy, Tim Ferriss, and Hal Elrod to name a few).

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I actually try to take a complete rest day once a week. I need it for my sanity!

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OO those cookies!

I take at least two rest days a week even in my hardcore training. Today I’m going to run because I have time, I love it, and I have people to run with. I don’t like to listen to music while I run, but there’s definitely routes that I’ve done over and over and over again!

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I’m just getting back to running after a tibial stress fracture this fall and though I’m feeling about 90% there, I still feel like it may not be fully healed? I know people always talk about phantom pains or just a general apprhension coming back from an injury. Did you ever feel like that coming back after a stress fracture??

If you love Roses (and Justin Bieber) you will LOVE this remix! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKI9VXaxkEk

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Research shows that exercise can add 10 to 20 years life expectancy for people with cystic fibrosis. So my main reason to go running is to be able to keep my lungs healthy, live very old and see my son grow up and become the man he wants to be. Totally worth getting up at 5am every morning :-P

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I could have written this post myself. I have been enjoying Roses by Chainsmokers as well as all of those books. I recently added the Kesha remix CD which is fun. (It’s basically remix editions to all of her music).

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They recently put NCIS on Netflix streaming and since my husband is obsessed with it and I’d never seen it before, I am finally able to start watching it/catching up! I think I’ve been averaging about three episodes a night lol

Top three songs right now are Becky G’s “Break a Sweat” (seriously the most fun song I’ve come across in ages!!), Maren Morris’ “My Church” (one of my favorite warm up/cool down songs and the song I will be blasting with my windows down this summer) and Rachel Platten’s “Stand by You.”

Need to take a good rest day…I’ve been motivated lately to work out and probably should get in at least a day with just stretching.

Have a great Monday!

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So I have been reading your blog for several months now. It is good and makes me smile. Beautiful daughter :-) you are such a caring mom. She is lucky to have you. My youngest (of 5) is 18! It is amazing how fast the time goes. Really. Running: well I love/hate it. It makes me feel strong and healthy but it is so easy for me to bail. I ran a marathon in Nov and fell right off the wagon! So it has been 3 weeks and I just started back up. I’m not fast like you but I was running 10k’s at around 9 min/mi (some in the 8’s). That is good for me!! I live in cold country so the treadmill is my friend. I have loved too many rest days lately!! Ugh! Back at it.

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I’ve been watching Fixer Upper on Netflix. Love those 2 people!

I usually take 1-2 rest days. I run (15-20 miles/week) & do Crossfit 3 times a week so my body is always wiped out!

I listen to Pandora!

No running today b/c we did a million back squats. :)

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I know what you mean with Making a Murder. Such a compelling documentary though.
I got up and ran this morning because 1) I knew it would wake me up 2) I love the endorphins 3) My goals are bigger than sleeping in!
I usually take 1-2 days off a week and it seems to be a good balance for me.
Those cookies sound delicious!

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We just got netflix so there is a serious lack of activity going on in our house but some good ones: Jessica Jones, Master of None, Jane the Virgin, and Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown travel series will give you an insane case of wanderlust.

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Ugh I can never watch scary movies with or without people. I have nightmares for days!!!!

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Hmmm…love that apple watch. I just got the garmin 920xt which tracks all my steps and it’s a bit addicting. So is Making a Murderer, but I had to stop after 4 episodes because it was making me so anxious and nervous. I don’t recommend watching any more of it. Just read the cliff notes on any social media site.

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Oreo shakes made by hand??? YUM. gimmie. Right now I am on a Greys Anatomy Netflix kick.. haha ! Watching all the episodes again starting all the way back at season one. Making progress slowly but surely :)

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Right now my rest days happen a little too often. I need to get back to running more than 2 times a week. It’s just that the cold makes me want to lay on the couch and eat brownies while watching tv instead.

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I love cornflakes in cookies!! Have you tried potato chips in them?! It’s a game changer :)

I’m so bad about taking complete rest days. I’ve gotten into the habit of 6 days of running + 1 swim day and that’s been pretty good for my body. Today, however, might need to be my first total rest day. My mom has been terribly sick for the past 2 weeks and I’m pretty sure passed it right along to me. No fun!!

Hope you had a great weekend!

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My favorite running book:
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
It’s absolutely amazing…both as a running book and as a life book.

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I usually take a complete rest day once per week. My body needs it!

I watched “Undefeated” on Netflix this weekend, and LOVED IT! It won an Oscar in 2012 and is about an underprivileged Memphis high-school football team. I can’t resist a good underdog story!

I’ve had potato chips in cookies, but I don’t think I’ve ever had corn flakes. I’ll have to give it a try!

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Making a Murderer – This needs to be a discussion soon. We just finished watching it. Clearly I need to be an attorney in Wisconsin.

My reasons for running – 4 boys – One calls me “honey” and is 38, 3 call me Mom (ages 10, 7 and 4). I feel absolutely alive running. I don’t listen to music when I run. It gets on my nerves. I don’t rest like I should, but some days it’s easier than others.

I need you and 5 of your running friends to come to NC in October (21-22) to run the Tuna 200 with my friends and me. I’m ok with running an ultra team, but the rest of my friends aren’t. Google it. We need you.

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Yum homemade oreo shakes sound incredible!

My husband and I are watching the last season of Parks & Rec on Netflix. There’s only 12 episodes so we’re trying to pace ourselves and not finish them all in a day.

I try to take a complete rest day once a week and another day of just yoga. Then I can go hard at my workouts the other five days.

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I take a complete rest day usually once a week. We just finished Making a Murderer and I would not want to watch that by myself!! It was crazy. Enjoy your Monday!

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Netflix: Murdoch Mysteries (quirky but good).
Reason to run: Trying to not let this winter weather get me out of shape.
Songs: You Can’t Stop Me/Andy Mineo, Riot/Tedashii, Dum Dum/Tedashii.
Complete Rest Day: 1x a week.

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Because I can is my reason to run any day! :)

I take rest days, but always find myself running more errands than I should on those days, so my step count isn’t as low as it probably should be.

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I’m running with the Kesha pandora station these days. It’s very upbeat!

I haven’t taken rest days in awhile, but my workouts and fatigue have caught up to me. Yesterday was a rest day and today will be too!

I like running errands in my running shoes and walking a little faster… but not today. :)

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I’ve never thought of adding corn flakes to chocolate chip cookies before, but it definitely sounds like an interesting twist!

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I cannot stop raving over Making a Murderer! It’s so addicting and gets my blood flowing haha. Is it shameful if my top 3 most listened to songs while running are all Justin Bieber? … I’m 23 going on 13 I swear haha.

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I want to watch that murderer show on Netflix but I am scared ha! Note to self: Don’t watch it alone. ;) Right now my favorite new song is Real Men Love Jesus by Micheal Ray. It is SO good and I listen to it at the end of my run to cool down. I also love Going Under by Evanescence as an old fave! It totally pumps me up! :)

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I am from Two Rivers, WI and it is really bizarre for me to see my hometown and county in the light and from the viewpoint of cameras. I agree that the documentary is thrilling, but highly recommend reading up on the things that the documentary left out – which is a lot. I remember being in 8th grade and then beginning years of high school while it all went down.

I am hoping for above 0 temperatures soon so I can get back to running outside – until then much crossfit and strength training and rowing. Favorite song right now is Stressed Out.

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I love your shoes!! I actually didn’t care for Making a Murderer!

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We are not big movie or TV watchers, so nothing to add from a reco standpoint.

Today was a cross-training day, but we got some good weekend runs in that you can read about on our blog.

We listen to our bodies and do not have any officially scheduled full rest days, but we are doing a lot more days of only strength training and cross-training these days. I am feeling more speedy on my run days as a result, so we will see if we keep this up!

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Sunday is my complete rest day!I’m a fan of those rest days :) That homemade oreo shake sounds like a winner! Your family does know how to make some great treats.

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I love Brooke’s church outfit, very cute.

Friday is generally my rest day and Saturday is my long run day. I revise as needed.

Today is strength training so no running for me today.

I read the book Insanity while I was home alone. My husband came home to find the windows and doors shut and the alarm on and it was a beautiful night out. I also had nightmares the same night. After that I stuck to reading that particular book during my bus ride to and from work. :)

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Intensity, darn auto correct, by Dean Koontz. Scariest.book.ever. The movie not so much.

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I read this several years ago, and it is one of the scariest books ever!!! I listened to it in my car so it seemed very real.

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I think listening to it would definitely be scarier! While I was reading it on the bus several people told me it was the scariest thing they had read.

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I watched Making a Murderer and part of me thinks I wasted 10+ hours of my life watching it. ha On the other hand, its quite interesting, to say the least.

I usually listen to Pandora or a podcast.

Reason to exercise- I need more energy!

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I find it impossible to take a complete rest day – no exercise whatsoever. Even on days I don’t run, I need to do something active.

Speaking of which, I’m currently still dealing with some pain in my left shin and second toe (which came about as a result of worn-out shoes… oops), so today marks day 4 of no running for me… but on the bright side, I’m starting to make friends with the elliptical!

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I have heard so much about Making A Murderer, do you recommend it? I’m taking a rest day myself, with a run planned tomorrow.

Such a class picture of your nephew lol :)

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Between the Adnan Syed case with Serial/Undisclosed and now ‘Making A Murderer’ it really gets you thinking! Crazy stuff!

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I just started Kara Goucher’s Running for Women and am captivated! lol

I also cannot stop listening to My House. Flo Rida is always good for running music. I love that you’re throwing it back with Taking Back Sunday. I’be been listen to a lot of Saves the Day the last few weeks. Nothing like high school tunes to put you in a good mood during a workout. :)

Happy Monday!

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You have such a fun family. While I’m waiting for the next season of House of Cards, I finally checked out Mozart in the Jungle and was hooked immediately. Only two episodes left of the 2nd season and I’m trying to hold out because it’s going to be sad when it’s over.

I agree on rest days. Used to hate them, now I (kind of) love them as I know how important they are.

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Try out Marvel’s Jessica Jones on Netflix, it’s great.

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You had me at Oreo shakes!

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We finished “Making a Murderer” last weekend – it’s so addicting!

My reason to run today is because I can! And because I want to crush my half marathon PR later this year.

I usually take one complete rest day a week, though there’s usually still some yoga or stretching.

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That first picture of you and Brooke is adorable. I love the clothes and hair (on both of you!)

I need those cookies now. Do you make late night deliveries?

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I need a new Netflix show, I’ll have to start watching “Making a Murderer.” The new episodes of “New Girl” had me laughing out loud on my treadmill last week. I loved the article you shared from Runner’s World, learning to run joyfully really struck me. I always take a full day of rest on Sunday, it gets me ready to get back into it dark and early Monday morning. Happy running!

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Mmm yes – I love the cornflake marshmallow chocolate chip cookies from Momofuku, the cornflakes are delicious!

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I never watched Rules of Engagement when it originally aired. I started from season 1 and am loving it. Highly recommend (and much more upbeat than murder stories :))

Running with the Kenyans is a good book.

I used to always take a rest day and now I’ve gotten away from them. I just kind of get addicted to whatever my current behavior is :) Now I don’t want to rest even though I know I should I suppose. Makes it easier to NOT rest because I’m not training for anything now. When training I think you have to be smarter.

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I took my sons to the snow (for the 1st time) this weekend. I wish it was as tall as they are (I live in CA). Brooke is adorable!!

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My House is one of my go-to songs right now too. I’m the same way with his music…WHAT is it?! lol
Also, Clumsy, by Fergie…I don’t know why, but the beat just matches up with my strides and gets me focused on cadence…it’s the perfect beat for my pace. If the song has a beat that matches my strides, I’m all over it! lol

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