1.  Brooke sometimes pretends she is a baby whenever we are around my sister’s baby.  Her impersonations are ridiculously good.  

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2.  Brooke (out of nowhere) asked me, ‘Mama, have you ever had dreams about hamburgers?’   The randomness that comes out of her makes me laugh many times a day.

3.  Last ball game of the season.  

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4.  Two different things concerning my workout went down yesterday—> I didn’t start until around noon and I worked out at a brand new gym.  I just stayed at the gym where my niece’s game was and EVERY piece of equipment there was so nice and working properly;)  It’s going to be real hard to go back to my normal gym again.  This 365 tank is getting a lot of use over here.  Oh, and I also spent a lot of time stretching afterwards which was also very different but very needed.

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5.  Straight to lunch afterwards.  Before:

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6.  and after… I’m a very fast eater compared to Brooke.  

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7.  She brought in her pretend hair stuff to help me get ready. 

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8.  My older niece came over to help us pack (she is the best organizer on the planet) so I took them to Riverwoods after all of the hard work;)

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9.  Brooke is a lotion lover and I think she tested 6 scents yesterday.

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10.  Please tell me that you had these as a kid… yep, they are still just as good as they were back then.

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11.  Megan gave me the frosting beater from her pb bars straight from heaven.

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12.  It has been really fun coming across memories as we are packing.  This medal = the best marathon I have ever had.  I don’t know what I did differently for this one, but it sure felt like the stars aligned and I wouldn’t hate another one in the future that felt like this one:)

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Ever had a race that you felt like everything went really smoothly?  Which one(s)?

Fast, slow, somewhere in the middle eater?

Can you think of any food combination better than chocolate and peanut butter?

What candy reminds you of your childhood?

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60 comments

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Rock ‘n Roll Seattle marathon in 2011 was a perfect race for me. It was like the stars aligned and everything went right.

I’m somewhere in the middle. It also depends on who I’m with and how much each of us is talking. Those peanut butter bars look amazing!!

Bubbletape gum reminds me of being a kid. Same with that zebra stripe gum that the flavor lasted about two seconds and then was terrible.

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Haha love Brooke’s randomness. Can’t say I’ve ever dreamed about hamburgers!

I’m definitely a fast eater. I always try to slow down so I’m not done way before everyone else!

Chocolate and peanut butter are a great combination! I’m also a fan of chunky monkey – the banana, walnut, chocolate combo is amazing!

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As much as I hate packing, it’s always a good process to go through to declutter or find things you thought you lost. I see Brooke is really getting into photo bombing!

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I would say the Rock ‘n Roll Phoenix Half Marathon this year went really well for me. Peanut butter and chocolate…that is what’s up! However I have gorged on vanilla almond butter this weekend so I can only imagine combining that with chocolate.. And, I’m a super fast eater as well! I was at an event last night and someone actually ate faster than me..but turns out she was a runner as well :P

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Yay for packing! I have a love/hate relationship with packing because I am super organized, but it’s a lot of work especially when it’s not just for you!!

I had a race last October and it was darn near perfect. The weather was amazing. The people were nice. I felt great. And I PR’d my 1/2 by about 10 minutes. Whew. I even had a guy come up to me and tell me that he tried to catch me the whole race and just couldn’t do it. Best compliment ever!! I hope to have that race again!

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Dreams about hamburgers!! I wish I did! I sometimes make my youngest pretend he’s a baby, I think I’m baby deprived!

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I ran the Lake Sammamish Half Marathon in the Seattle area yesterday and everything went right, from fueling/hydration to negative splits to the weather.
I’m a slow eater—my husband always waits for me to finish. Although somehow if it’s soup I polish that off in no time.

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I loved those candies when I was little! I had a 4-mile race last year that literally couldn’t have gone better. I was racing for first female against these two women who had beat me before and I broke off after the first mile. It was risky and I’m sure we all thought I’d gas out and they’d catch back up, but I never hit a wall and it might have been my best race.

I wish that would happen in a marathon!

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Those races are the best and always make you want another race right away. I never had the pizza gummy but I did have the hamburger gummy.

Yesterday was my first outside run since fall. I went 2.5 miles and on the treadmill I’ve been struggling to get past 2! Yay for 26 weeks pregnant and progress.

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I really haven’t had a race where everything went right! Maybe Plaza 10k but my halfs and full have been reeeally bumpy. I’m usually not lucky with the weather.
Just means my May half will be when the stars align…right?!
Fast eater. With two little kids, you gotta shovel it in while you can.
Chocolate+peanut butter= heaven
Kid candy? Gobstoppers.

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What a gorgeous medal! I want one (and I never say that about medals).

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I wish I had a race that felt like it was going smoothly! The end results are usually much better than I expected, but I am miserable the entire time. Probably why I haven’t raced (except for my daughter’s school fun runs) for the past three years!

Peanut butter and chocolate are the best! I also love chocolate and caramel and chocolate and mint.

I am a fast eater, I do everything fast! I think I need to learn to slow down…

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what is riverwoods? it looks gorgeous

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I think I could win awards for how fast I eat. Everyone in my family is a fast eater except for my mom. When I was growing up we would all plow through our food and then have to sit and wait until she finished and it always felt like decades.

favorite childhood candy the wonderball. I loved getting the little prize inside the chocolate. A+ stuff. and speaking of chocolate and peanut butter, they should bring those back in a chocolate/pb flavor. all would be right with the world again.

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Ohhh my favorite candies from when I was a kid would probably be peanut butter cups, the candy lipsticks ( remember those?!) and chiclets gum!

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I was curious what type of curling iron/straightener you have that you’re using in the picture above? It looks pretty nice and your hair always looks great! I’m looking for something new and easy.

Thanks much!

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Depends on how hungry I am.. I try to slow down and enjoy my food.

I think my upcoming 5k will go smoothly next weekend. I can walk to to it, so that should make it easier. :)

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A 5k I did last spring went super smoothly and it was my fastest time ever. I feel like I have few races like that but it’s always nice when you do :)

Baby bottle pops or ring pops remind me of being a kid :) haha

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That’s a gorgeous medal! My best race was my marathon PR. I started at a comfortable pace and only really felt it at mile 25. It makes me feel I could’ve run faster at the time.
I’m a slowish eater. I like to savor. My favorite food combo is probably sweet potato and maple cream. Chocolate is good with PB, but that’s about it. I like my chocolate untouched.
This is horrible, but candy cigarettes remind me of my childhood! My next door neighbor (best friend at the time)’s dad owned a convenience store and would bring those home to her and I every now and then as a treat. Ecto Cooler (not candy, but close) also reminds me of being a kid.

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Yes!!! Candy cigarettes! I totally remember those!!!! Hahaha. How weird that they made them for kids!?!?

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I am a fast eater, sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down!!

My favorite race was a 5 miler on Thanksgiving and I ran it with one of my best friends. We ran it without watches and music. We talked the whole time and I ended up finishing with miles right at the nine minute mark which was way faster than I thought we were running.

Best combination – sea salt & caramel forever. I am a sucker for salty sweet combinations!!!

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I am a super fast eater. I think I tend to get busy and put off eating, so when I get around to it, I am REALLY excited to get down to business.

Warheads and Atomic Fireballs remind me of childhood. I can’t handle either one now.

Favorite race was my most recent half. Ran it with friends, was a super small race, and PRed by 5 minutes! Almost placed in my age group, but couldn’t quite catch her kick in the last mile!

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Some of Brooke’s faces make me crack up, she is so cute and I love her randomness!

I am a fairly slow eater. Whoever I go out to eat with always finishes so much quicker than I do. Nothing is better than chocolate and peanut butter in my opinion…godly.
Candy buttons remind me of childhood, even though I didn’t even like them!

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I actually ran a 10k race yesterday in 42:33 and PRed by more than two minutes. It was one of those races where everything felt great. I’m hoping to have another experience like that when I run the Eugene Half Marathon in May.

I would also say that chocolate with cake batter is pretty amazing. ☺

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I just completed my first EVER FULL Marathon yesterday!!!! I don’t think it has sunk in that I actually did it!!!! I am 43 (about to turn 44 at the end of the month) and started to run almost 4 years ago. I never had any intentions of running a full, but had the best time ever. Perhaps not the fastest, but I am happy with my 4:30:39 finish time!! Now that I know what to expect, I think I will try to run the exact race next year!!! It was the Snickers Marathon in Albany, GA and yes! We had snicker bars in our race packet/swag bags!!!! :D

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Congrats, Polly!!!! That is truly amazing. Yep, it’s quite a life changing experience!
Rest, enjoy and bask in that glory for as long as you can!!!!

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Thanks so much!! It really is an amazing experience!!! Nothing like it!

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Polly that is so so so awesome!!!! Well done!!

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Thanks a bunch!!!!!! I think I am still in awe that I even did it!!! Truly an amazing experience!!!!

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Congrats on running your first marathon! I’m sure there will be more in your future!

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Thanks Tina!!! I really appreciate it!! It is 2 days after the marathon and I am still on cloud 9…. and YES! I will do another one since now I know what to expect!!! There is nothing like running a marathon! And runners like you, who are so supportive, make me want to do it again! I am not the fastest runner, but I am proud to be a marathoner! :) Have a great MONDAY!

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I’m a middle-slow eater. I savor my food but also love it and have no patience so I’m not THAT slow ;)

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So quick question. I know you’ve had injuries in the past where you had to rest and keep from running. How long did you have to rest for? I’ve been having knee pain(I think runners knee) and haven’t had a good run in two whole weeks, a seven mile on 20 Feb. I felt great the past couple days so I decided to go for a “test run”. No Bueno. Only 1.5 miles in and I had to stop. Slowish 8:50 pace from the beginning. It’s so disheartening, specially since I am being asked left and right to join my friends in races. I’m ok walking and get through my spin classes just fine, but I miss my running. I’m afraid that I’ll loose all my hard work and won’t be able to run my distance runs anymore :(

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Ugh, I’m so sorry, knee pain is sad. ANY injury that inhibits running is sad. I just got over Achilles tendonitis, myself. :(

One thing I’ve learned: Do NOT search the Internet for how long it might take your particular injury to recover. You’ll only get scared. Every person and every injury is different, and you just have to be patient and cautious with your own healing process.
Don’t worry too much about losing fitness – remember that even the elites take multiple weeks off at a time! Be careful, and I hope your knee feels better soon!

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Have you tried deep water pool running? Janae had several posts on it, which I first learned of her blog through Google. While it doesn’t replace running on land, pool running gave me the similar runner’s high, especially when doing speedwork, without the jarring pressure on your knees and ankles. I usually pool run 3-4 times/week and run outdoor no more than 2x/week in 3 months training cycle and still qualified for Boston. Give it a try. It’s the best thing I found to stay fit while recovering from hip injuries.

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Seriously…she is the cutest!!

I used to INHALE my food. But I would be doubled over in pain after!!! Part of fixing some tummy issues was slowing down! Now I eat mindfully and savor each bite (although I feel like if that salad in your pic were sitting in front of me it’d be kinda difficult!).

The only thing better than PB & choc might be PB&J…or PB & honey? I could probably eat PB with almost anything! Have you tried it on sweet potatoes yet?!? Oh my lanta!!!!

I used to love candy buttons!!! And ring pops. And Dips. And pixie stix. Pure sugar highs.

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Salted caramel ?

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Chocolate/coconuts/almond…..

Question for you….do you know of any good cycling blogs out there…maybe similar to yours but more about biking, fueling, type of bikes, fun cycling tours to sign up for etc.???

Thanks.

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Do you think Brooke is craving a hamburger? Instead of the mini pizza candy, she could have had the mini hamburger candy they are so cute hehe.

Peanut butter and chocolate yes!! But also cookies and cream (I’m thinking ice cream /chocolate varieties here). Or fruit and nut with chocolate. I actually want to make a killer desert trail mix this week. Like a good combo of dark chocolate, salty nuts and sweet dried fruit to snack-a-lack on. Xx

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Today’s half marathon was pretty perfect and I set a PR by a minute! But my favorite is still the Franklin half marathon of 2014…………by previous PR and a BEAUTIFUL course thru Tennessee countryside and fresh peaches at the finish line…………perfection!

I eat kind of slow unless I am really starving, then watch out! And PB and chocolate together beats everything else!
As a kid I loved these suckers shaped like a thumb…….originally designed to stop folks from sucking their thumbs. They came with a red rubber cap. They don’t make them anymore as far as I can tell, because I have looked everywhere, even online. And also, strawberry bubblicious gum………….my grandma always had some for me, but she had to cut the pieces in half because I was so little and could not fit it all in my mouth!

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Congrats on getting a PR in your half marathon!

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My very first marathon (which I did just two months ago) went so, so much better than I thought it would. The only thing that went wrong was that it rained, but it honestly didn’t even affect any of us much. I look back so fondly on that race…

I can do a pretty good job at picking my eating pace. So if I’m with people, I’ll eat more slowly, but if I’m alone and hungry… I could probably win some competitions.

I’m actually not a huge chocolate person, so I think I’d pick jelly or honey as peanut butter’s companion over chocolate.

I remember eating Runts and Gobstoppers as a kid (are those even sold anymore?) but now I can’t stand those candies!

Hope you’re having a nice Sunday, Janae!

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Grant….did you wear a small garbage bag while running?

I remember the Runts, Gobstoppers and NERDS!! :)

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I did! It worked so well! And the rain stopped after a couple of hours, so a few miles from the end I just tore it off!

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What hairstyling took are you using here? I know you’ve previously talked about using the instyler and I’ve been contemplating getting one since I can’t figure out how to curl my hair with a normal curling iron and that just seems much easier!

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What is the white curler thing you are using on your hair?! Is this why you always have perfect waves? I need on asap!

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Seriously, Brooke is just too cute for words. And in that first picture she looks just like your sisters baby! Your family’s genes are so strong since all of your kids look so similar.

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I ran a marathon yesterday, The Woodlands Marathon in Texas, and I think it was the smartest race I’ve ever run. Starting out at an easier pace and gradually pushing the effort level pays off! I ran the St. George marathon in 2013. I’d love to run it again even though it was hard for me – the hills!

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Awesome!!! I had tried to leave a comment on your blog site, but wasn’t able!!! But, congrats on your finishing time!!! You rock!!! I ran my first marathon Saturday and I am hooked!!! :)

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I am definitely the fast eater at our house. When my kids want to compete to see who will finish dinner first they always say that I don’t count, because they know me being done first is a given. And I just love chocolate and peanut butter!! My son is allergic to peanuts though so I don’t usually have PB in the house (the tagalong GS cookies are in my desk at work). I could really go for some chocolate peanut butter ice cream right now because that is the definition of heaven…

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That frosting looks so yummy!!

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YUM! Chocolate and peanut butter with a glass of milk = perfection! :)

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First of all, I love how Brooke asked you if you dreamed about hamburgers haha! She is the cutest! My little girl loves lotion too, and perfume, and makeup, and pretty much anything girly ha. She’s two. :) I feel like I am a medium eater, unless I’m really hungry ha! I think that chocolate and toffee are also a great combo!

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A very late post I know, but just had to point out that no other blog on the internet that I know of has a following of readers that love you, and also truly care about everyone else here. So very special…thank you Janae <3

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Ugh. I think I have runner’s knee. Any tips or tricks to getting better? Is it worth seeing a doctor or should I just wait it out & see if it goes away on its own? ?

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i’m a fast eater :( gotta try and slow down to enjoy my food a little more. Candy that reminds me of childhood are always those wax bottles that have juice in them!

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My first half marathon (rock n roll in Nashville) was amazing. I just felt good the whole time, which was so nice! I am a pretty fast eater.. I try to slow down but it is hard for me. I loveeee chocolate and peanut butter… nothing better.

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I know what you mean. Chicago 2013. Everything was perfect..a PR, perfect weather, felt great during and shopped all afternoon (walking to every story since the buses where so far off schedule due to the marathon)…it was glorious and something I’ll remember forever.

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When I qualified for Boston at CIM 2010 was the best. The weather and pace was perfect and the race felt so easy. The following year I ran the race again and seriously the course felt so tough. It’s amazing how race to race each are so different. I ran the Napa marathon yesterday. It’s been 2yrs since my last marathon and it definitely felt tough. The weather gods did however align. It poured all day Saturday and by early morning it stopped. I’ve run 2 of their races in the rain and was prepared to do it again but it was a nice surprise not to have to run in a trash bag and be soaking wet the entire time.

The thought of Bubble Tape now makes my teeth hurt but back in the day that was the bomb!

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Nothing is better than peanut butter and chocolate … And those bars look amazing!

Candy that reminds me of my childhood – Warheads, Blowpops and Ringpops!

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