The first time I ever met my hubby in person, he showed up in a work polo, basketball shorts, white tube socks and the most ridiculous pair of running shoes I've ever seen. I won't name names, but I didn't even realize they made these for men! He had been working out at a boxing gym and they occasionally ran quarter mile sprints as part of their workouts. That was pretty much the extent of the running he had done, but when I asked if he wanted to join me for a run, he wasn't going to let that stop him, and he eagerly agreed. I had picked a two mile route from my apartment for us to run. The first mile was uphill and he fell behind. For awhile I was concerned people would think I was running away from him (he was wearing kaki work pants this time). I slowed down and stayed with him while we enjoyed the second mile back downhill. It may be needless to say, but he was in desperate need of some "real" running gear! I took him to our local specialty running store and had him properly fitted for real running shoes. His first pair were, of course, Brooks. I also bought him some no-show socks and it was immediately a huge improvement. In the beginning of our marriage, I was training for my first half marathon. He hadn't run any long distance yet but, he still offered to come keep me company. He would ride my purple mountain bike along side me while I ran. He was there for me every step of the way (literally!). Shortly after that half marathon, we got pregnant with our first Bubba and running became non-existent for the both of us. After I had Micah, I started stroller running and Kevin was right there with me again. This time though, it was like we were both starting from square one. Over the next few years, we ran more and more adding in distance to our stroller routes. I got to watch him go from barely making it on a 2 mile run, to running a 1:45 half in less than 3 years time! It has been so inspiring to see him out there pushing our boys, running up hills, getting PR's and diving head first into a sport that he merely started to "get the girl". I'll even hear him encouraging non-runners to give running a try and it just makes me so proud. He would push the stroller for me whenever we'd go run as family. Whenever I suggested we try a new running group, he was always willing, even when he was working 50+ hours a week and was exhausted. He was there with Micah while I ran my first half marathon postpartum. He was there when I decided to take on my first marathon and met me at mile 19 with knee braces and told me not to quit. He was there when I wanted to join our local women's running team and pushed Micah in the stroller so that I could focus on getting my qualifying time to join the team. He was there when I wanted to drop from my second marathon and, again, encouraged me to keep going. He was there on all the weekend mornings to watch the boys so I could get long runs in. He was there to hear me go on and on about my newest Brooks shoes or the new running gadget I was obsessed with. He watched documentaries about running with me. He watched me try and fail to get my BQ 3 times, but never once doubted that I had it in me. He's been at so many finish lines, ran so many races with the stroller so I can run solo, and has really been the unsung hero in all of my running accomplishments. I can honestly say, that without Kevin, I couldn't have made it to Boston nor achieved any of the things I'm proud of in my "running career". Seeing him and the boys in the pouring down rain, freezing after I finished Boston is a memory I'll cherish forever. So, when Brooks offered to have me pick the person who inspires and encourages me the most, it was a no brainer! I was so happy to get to outfit my hubby with some new gear from the brand we both love. While it's still in the 90's here, Kevin was smart to pick some cool weather pieces because summer is short in the PNW and we'll be needing these items before we know it. So, here's what he picked: For his top he picked the NotchThermal Hoodie. He likes it because it's quick drying and light, but also great for warmth. Kevin's been in need of a great cold weather running pant and these Threshold Pants are going to be perfect for the fall and winter (and sadly probably most of spring too). Lastly, Kevin went with the Glycerin 16 for his shoes. He loves the softness they give him. He was a huge fan of the 15's and was a little worried that the 16's may be difference, but he says he loves them even more than the 15's! Just in case anyone is curious about my outfit selection, too, here is what I selected. My top is the Fly By 1/2 Zip in Iris. It will be there perfect top for cooler weather this fall and be a great base layer in the winter. Plus, how pretty is that color?! I'm a tad obsessed! I also picked the High Waist Ghost Crop because I love the mesh detail. I'm typically not a huge fan of crops, but these are more like 7/8 length which are my favorite! My sports bra is the Uprise Crossback and is super comfy and supportive. Lastly, I loved the first pair of Ghost 11's I got, so I just had to get another! These will be my shoe of choice when I start marathon training again this fall. Thank you Kevin for inspiring me to be the best mother runner I can be and thank you Brooks for outfitting us both and keeping us going as a running family! We are forever proud to be a Brooks family!
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Last Friday I left to travel to Seattle, WA for the weekend to enjoy some time with the Run Happy Ambassador Crew. I may have gotten to the airport a tad early and enjoyed some uninterrupted coffee in one sitting. This was the first cup I've had that I haven't had to reheat in who knows how long! I hopped on my flight and an hour latter landed in Seattle. When I arrived in Seattle, I met up with these lovely ladies and we headed over to the Brooks Headquarters where we enjoyed getting to meet all the other Run Happy Ambassadors that were joining us for the weekend. After a delicious lunch, we headed down to the Maker Lab to learn about how Brooks shoes are created and tested. The amount of detail and science they put behind each model is amazing. Testing things like durability, cushion, flexibility, softness, and many other factors, before a shoe is released really opened my eyes to the type of quality Brooks strives to achieve with each and every one of their products. That is something I appreciate so much. We were able to see how they cut shoes in half to examine every inch of the shoe. Then we saw how shoes are wear tested. The biggest take away from this was the fact that they test the shoes to see how it affects each individual’s run pattern. They don't want to view someone as "broken" if their form doesn't "fit the mold" but instead strive to conform to each individual’s unique running form and style. After touring the lab, we got a sneak peek at some of the products that were actually launching in a couple days (these are now live and available online as of 7/1). Some of my favorites were the Array Long and Short Sleeve tops. Below is a peek. The material is lightweight and they both have super cute backs. The short sleeve pink I would wear to run or go out in! Another piece that I'll be ordering soon, is the Fly By Half Zip. This warmer long sleeve pull over looks absolutely perfect for our fall weather in the PNW and will be a great base layer for the winter, too. After getting to drool over all the new apparel and shoes that will be released this fall, we headed out to the Westward restaurant for dinner. Overlooking Lake Union, we were treated to fresh seafood and absolutely the best company. I tried my first oyster and while I'm glad I gave it a shot, one is all I had. When we arrived back at our hotel, we were surprised with sleeping masks and sent straight to bed as we had a busy morning planned the next day. Seriously, Brooks thought of everything for us this weekend! The next day, in true runner's fashion, several of us got up early to run before our larger group run. We did a quick 3 miler around the eastside of Lake Union. This was a great warm up before we headed over to Magnuson Park to meet up with a couple of the Brooks Beasts athletes to run another 5 miles. With the 3 morning miles, I was at 8 after our large group run. This is the most I've done for awhile and I was happy with my paces being in the low 8's. Let me take a second to give you my running #OOTD details because I love all these items A LOT! My top is the Stealth Tank in black. I have not seen this tank on one person and not thought it looked super flattering, plus it's really lightweight and moves well with you. Okay, now for my shorts. As you may or may not know, I'm obsessed with running shorts. I honestly haven't been the biggest fan of Brooks shorts until I tried these a couple months ago. These are the Chaser 3" Short (this color is even on sale right now!). The waist band is wide and doesn't give me the dreaded muffin top. The built in liner makes sure there's no riding up and overall, they are just a great, comfortable running short. I have the black as well and know I'll be adding a couple more to my collection soon. Lastly, my shoes are the Ghost 10 Special Olympics edition. Ghost are a smooth, plush shoe and my all time favorite style of Brooks. After our group run, we headed inside the gym and we were split up into smaller groups and assigned a Beast to lead us in a strength workout. I was stoked to be in Jess' group and here she was showing me a great arm exercise to benefit runners. Later, for dinner, we headed out for a cruise around Lake Union and Lake Washington. The views were gorgeous and I really enjoyed getting to sight see some areas of Seattle I hadn't seen from this view point before. It was also a great time to get to know some of my fellow Run Happy Ambassadors a bit better. This group is so diverse, yet so similar in that we all are just so positive, fun and fully embrace what it is to Run Happy. I'm so honored to be a part of this awesome crew! Sunday morning, we gathered early and headed out to the University of Washington campus for my favorite part of the entire weekend. We were volunteering on the cheer line for the opening ceremonies of the Special Olympics. We got to cheer and high 5 every athlete that was participating in the event. Seeing the pride on everyone's face as we cheered on their state, was priceless. These athletes are such an inspiration and I admire them so much. I wish I would have been able to stick around to cheer them on this week, but I've been following along on Brooks social media channels to see the different events and virtually keep cheering everyone on. It truly was such a blessing and honor to get to participate in this amazing weekend. The memories made, the knowledge learned, the inspiration I was given, is all something that will stick with me for a very long time. A huge thank you to Brooks for all you do not only for me, but for the entire running community. From the elite athletes, to the Special Olympics athletes, or the everyday athletes (me) Brooks is a company that honestly wants to cater to every single one of us and is why it has been and will always be, the only brand of running shoes to ever go on my feet. Thanks again!
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AuthorThe adventures of running with my boys (bubbas) and the things I love! Archives
February 2019
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