Friday, May 31, 2013

Foodie Friday – Dole Whip: Who Does It Better?

So for this week’s Foodie Friday, I’m going to compare the Dole Whip I had while in Hawai’i at the Dole Plantation to the one I had during the Disney Princess Half Marathon weekend at the Polynesian Resort.

keep calm dole whip
                      Source

We’ll start with the one I had in Hawai’i (since that’s the one I had first)

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If you’ve never been to the Dole Plantation on O’ahu, be forewarned – it is a bit of a tourist trap.  The train to ride through the pineapple fields is close to $10 for a 20 minute ride.  There are tons of different pineapple flavored goodies, but it was a bit overpriced in my opinion.  Our main reason for going there was to have a Dole Whip.  Hubby got his in a waffle cone and I got mine in a bowl.  It was $5 for each I believe, which wasn’t a bad deal.

The pineapple flavor was so pungent and good, and it tasted like actual pineapple and not an artificial pineapple flavor.  You could add toppings to it but I went au natural with mine.  A perfect trip for a warm Hawaiian day.

Now..for my Walt Disney World Dole Whip -

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At the Polynesian Resort, the Dole Whip is self serve, which is nice because you can fill up your cup with as much as your heart desires.  The pineapple flavor was good, but not quite as strong as the one I had in Hawai’i.  Also, it seemed a bit more firm than the Hawaiian version.  Nonetheless, I still enjoyed it.

So which one was best?  After doing some thorough research and taste tests, I have determined that the Hawaiian Dole Whip tops the Walt Disney World Dole Whip, but not by much.

And I will never….ever….turn down a Dole Whip…no matter where it comes from.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I’m running the Possum Trot 10k with some of my favorite Georgia running friends in the morning, followed by a relaxing rest of the weekend.

Get out there and be active!

Until next time,

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Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The Results Are In…

So I told you a couple of weeks ago that I went and saw a new doctor about my knee after injuring it during the Warrior Dash in April.  I had my MRI last Thursday and went back to the doctor today for my results.

They show me into the exam room and the first thing I see sitting on the counter is this -

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I’m thinking “Oh crap…”.  I never was really nervous about the appointment until I saw them laying there.  I have a couple of half marathons this year and would love to make Half Fanatic…I’m an ambassador for a couple of different races and I want to be able to run them…my mind started to wander as I waited for my doctor to come into the room.

Finally he walks in and says “Well I’ve got good news”.  YAY!!!

He said that my MRI showed no cartilage tears, my ACL looks good, and everything looks to be in tact.  He asked again where my pain was (outside of my knee) and examined both knees.  He determined that the right one had a little more “play” to it than my left knee (his terminology, not mine) and that he would recommend some physical therapy.  I asked if I could do it at home on my own, so we’re going to try that for 3 weeks and if it’s not much better at my next follow up, he’ll send me to PT a couple of times a week to strengthen it.

I also got a new brace – the one I received from my last doctor was very uncomfortable to run in, so I hope this one works a little better.  I plan to take it out for a test drive tomorrow – apparently I can return it in 2 weeks if it’s not working for me (score!)

So I’ll continue to hit the pavement hard with my Dumbo training and consider signing up for another race at the end of October to qualify me for Half Fanatics.

Thank you all for your positive words on Twitter…I really appreciate it :)

Don’t forget to enter my Race-Kred giveaway!

On a more personal note, today would have been my grandfather’s birthday.  Happy birthday Paw-Paw! Miss you :)

Until next time,

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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Race-Kred Giveaway!

Awhile back, I won a giveaway on Karen’s blog, …Just Me and My Running Shoes… for a really cool product called Race-Kred.

Race-Kreds are these cool little “shoe swag” that you thread onto your laces to show off your accomplishments!  They’re very lightweight – only around 5.5 grams (about the same as 2 dimes), and they come in a variety of different distances…from a 5k all the way up to a 100 miler and a full Ironman!

Display all your distances on one shoe!

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                           Source – Race-Kred

I love mine and will be getting another one for my other pair of shoes.  Thanks for hosting the giveaway, Karen!

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         Great addition to my Sweat Pink laces, dontcha think?

Want to win one of your own?  The awesome people over at Race-Kred have offered to allow me to host a giveaway for one of their charms!  Use the Rafflecopter below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway The giveaway starts at midnight on Tuesday, May 28th and will end at midnight on Tuesday, June 4th.  I will announce the winner later in the day on Tuesday.  The winner will be contacted via email and have 48 hours to reply.  If they do not, I will pick a new winner.

Good luck!

Until next time,
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Disclaimer: Race-Kred provided me with the product to give away.  I was under no obligation to write a positive review.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Happy Memorial Day

While spending time with your friends and family grilling out, enjoying the lake, pool, or beach, please don't forget to take a moment and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

                                                             Source - Wikipedia

Until next time,

Jen

(I apologize for being absent this past week..promise to pick up the pace this week!)

Monday, May 20, 2013

May Stridebox

I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz on Twitter from my fellow bloggers about a product called Stridebox.  After seeing some of the goodies they were receiving, I took the plunge and signed up for a subscription.

There are tons of different monthly “box” subscriptions out there, but this one really appealed to me because it is geared towards runners, and it’s things that I would actually use before, during, or after my run.

Curious as to how it works?  You subscribe for $15 a month, no contracts, you can take a break or stop it at anytime.  Stridebox works with great brands for great products that runners use.  Then, it arrives at your doorstep, ready for you to dig in and check out!

May was my first month, and it did not disappoint!

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LOVE that it’s like Christmas once a month!

When you open the box, there’s a list of the products, descriptions, and their retail price.

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And now…for the goodies I got!!

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I have tried the Sports Beans and Honey Stingers before, but not these flavors, so I’m looking forward to using them soon! I’ve heard about VFuel before but never tried it.  Not too sure about the chocolate flavor but I’ll give it a try.

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I have never tried protein powder before, so I’m interested to see whether or not I will like the Perfect Fit protein powder.  If anyone has any recommendations of how to use it, please let me know!

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When I was at REI a couple of weekends ago picking up some Island Boost to try out, I saw the Bonk Breakers and almost bought one.  Can’t wait to try this on one of my long runs!  I’ve never heard of Just Great Stuff but i love chocolate and acai so I’m looking forward to tasting it

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Luckily I haven’t gotten any blisters yet, but I will definitely stow these Blister Protectors away in the event I feel like my shoes are causing some to start forming!  I’m excited about the Bottle Bright.  It’s always such a pain to clean my water bottle out, and this should make it much easier.

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The final item in my Stridebox was very cool!  It’s called a Klitch, and it holds your shoes for you and has a clip so that you don’t have to put them in your gym bag and stink it up!  I’m looking at getting the hubster one for his paintball shoes as well.

Overall, I was very impressed with Stridebox, and I’m already looking forward to getting next month’s!

Have you tried one of the monthly box subscriptions?  Which one and what did you think?

Until next time,

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Foodie Friday – Low Country Boil

Sorry Foodie Friday is late this week!!!

As a wedding gift we got a fun outdoor propane cooker.  Since we lived in an apartment for the first 2 years we couldn’t really use it.  Once we moved into our house, Jason had the idea of doing a low country boil in it.  Well…after 2 years of living here, we finally broke it out and put it to good use!

I didn’t take many pictures during the prep, so I apologize in advance.

Ingredients
raw, deveined shrimp (I got 31/35 count, and figure 1/4 to 1/3 lb per person)
1 package Polish sausage (I used half beef, half spicy)
3-5 whole red potatoes
1 ear of corn, cut in half
Old Bay seasoning

All of the ingredients can be bumped up to accommodate additional people.  This is just what we used for the two of us.

Directions
Bring water to a boil.  Add a liberal amount of Old Bay seasoning to it.  Add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes.  Then, add corn and sausage and let cook for 10 minutes.  Finally, add the shrimp and let it cook for 3 minutes.

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                   Photo by the hubster

To serve, we did it old school and dumped it out onto some newspaper on the table on our patio, and with a couple of cold beers, we enjoyed!

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                   Photo by the hubster

Super easy and very tasty!  Guinness even got to enjoy a bit of corn.  Can you guess which cob was eaten by the dog and which one was eaten by the human?

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                     Photo by the hubster

In other news, I went to see an orthopedist about my knee today.  Based on where my pain is, he said it could be one of three things, so I’m going back to have an MRI done next Thursday, and then will see him again the day after Memorial Day to get the results and see what we need to do to move forward.  He did say that I can keep running as long as I wear a brace, so I fully intend to take advantage of that!  I have a 4 mile run on the books for this weekend.  The weather is calling for rain so fingers crossed I can carve out an hour of dryness to knock it out.

Thanks to everyone who entered my Pro Compression giveaway!  I have another giveaway coming up next week so stay tuned!

Have a wonderful weekend –get out there and be active!

Until next time,

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Pro Compression winner & Dumbo Training update

Thank you so much to everyone that entered my Pro Compression giveaway!  The winner is...

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Congrats, Kimberly!  I will email you and you have 48 hours to reply back.  If I don't hear back from her, I will pick another winner!

Pro Compression has offered a discount code to all of my readers!  Use the code BLG13 to get 40% and free shipping on non-sale Marathon socks and calf sleeves!  I know I'll be ordering a pair of red ones very soon!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Very Inspiring Blog Award

About a month ago (yes…I know…) Karen over at Just Me and My Running Shoes nominated me and my blog for the “Very Inspiring Blog Award”.  I love reading Karen’s blog and was touched that she thought of me to pass this along to.  Thanks, Karen! (Check her blog out!)
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There are some guidelines that I must follow :
1.  Display the award logo on your blog.
2.  Link back to the person who nominated you.
3.  State 7 things about yourself.
4.  Nominate 15 bloggers for this blog and link to their pages.
5.  Notify these bloggers of the nomination and the awards’ requirements.
So…Seven things about me!
1.  I was the first female (and only one that I know of) to play baseball at my high school.  My school didn’t have fast pitch softball, so I used Title IX and was able to play on the JV team.  I did okay…got heckled a bit but it didn’t bother me!
2.  I absolutely LOVE college football.  My team is the Georgia Bulldogs.  Although I didn’t go to UGA (I went to North Georgia College and State University), my school didn’t have a football team, and since my mom and brother went there, and I was also involved in 4-H, which is based at UGA, I claim them as my team.  I make sure that I am in front of a television for all big games and can at least listen to the others.  I’ll be scouting out a place to watch them take on Clemson in the opening game while I’m at Disneyland for the Dumbo Double Dare!
3.  My husband and I didn’t like each other when we first met, but an attraction grew, and we’ve been together almost 8 years :)
4.  I am looking to go back to school to obtain my teaching certificate in early childhood education.  I want to eventually teach Physical Education in an elementary school and possibly coach softball or basketball.
5.  I love to bake!  My favorite thing to bake would have to be cupcakes.  They’re easy to make, perfect individual servings, and decorating them is always a lot of fun.  I got a ton of cupcake stuff for Christmas a couple of years ago.
6.  For 4 summers while in college, I was a summer camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center and Wahsega
4-H Center.  If I got paid what I do now to do that, I would make that my full time job in a heartbeat.  It was so much fun running the high ropes course, climbing wall, herpetology lab, and so many other activities.  4-H was a huge part of my life and I have it to thank for so many opportunities I’ve had.
7.  I love flip flops.  I have somewhere around 8-10 pairs and wear them year round, even in the winter.  I hate wearing shoes and socks, and even bring flip flops to races to change into!  Sanuk is my favorite brand…check out their yoga mat flops…they are awesome!
And the nominees are!* Babbling Bridge
* Cows and Lasers and Everything In Between
* Higher Miles
* The Beginners Runner
* Slim Sanity
* Abby's Road to Amazingness
* Barking Mad About Running
* In the Life of a Runner
* My Life...My Way...
* MRScrashmattb thinks aloud
* Yo Momma Runs
* Tab.A.Dilly
* Run, Walk, Fastpass, Repeat
* It's A Harleyyy Life
* Mom's Magical Miles
Thanks again, Karen!
There’s still time to enter my Pro Compression giveaway!  It ends tonight at midnight, and the winner will be announced on Wednesday.
Until next time,
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Friday, May 10, 2013

Foodie Friday – Diet-To-Go review

This week’s Foodie Friday is a little different.  A couple of weeks ago I was selected to be an ambassador for Diet-To-Go.  They sent me 5 days worth of food to try out and review!  I came home from work the day before leaving for Florida for our anniversary trip to this beauty sitting on my front porch -

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I was anxious to check it out and see what the chefs at Diet-To-Go had prepared for me!  The smaller box on top contained the items that didn’t necessary need to be kept cold/frozen, while the large cooler was the safe haven for all the meals I would be consuming.

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I had to make some room in my freezer to store all of these gems!  I chose the vegetarian option (I have a weird thing about eating frozen meals with meat in them…I know…I’m a weirdo).  I do not like mushrooms, eggs (yep..another weirdo thing about me!) or tofu, and I indicated this to them when I placed my order, and they really did a great job of working around my food dislikes!

I received five breakfasts, five lunches, and five dinners.  Some of the items I received include:

*Cranapple Muffin
*Black Bean Soup
*Tomato Veggie Casserole
*Baked Cinnamon Bar
*Curried Couscous
*Fettuccini in White Sauce

On each package it gave you the nutritional value of the meal as well as what ‘sides’ went with it (apple, orange, string cheese, crackers, roll, etc) so that you could get everything together for your meal.

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I am not much of a breakfast person, so the muffins were great as a light breakfast.  They reheated nicely and had a good flavor to them.  Some of the breakfasts even came with orange juice and V8 – I love tomatoes but am not a fan of tomato juice…is that weird?

My favorite lunches have been the Black Bean Soup and the Mexican Pizza.

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They both have such wonderful flavor and really packed a punch!  The soup had big chunks of red and green pepper in it, and the pizza was full of black beans, rice, cheese, and spiciness.  I absolutely love soft pretzels, and I was pleasantly surprised with this one!  It reheated nicely and had a great taste.  The mandarin pudding reminded me of an orange salad my mom used to make in the summers.

I’ve really enjoyed just about all of the dinners that they chose for me.

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   Stuffed Shells with Spinach Sauce and carrots

These were my favorite though!  I loved the flavor of the spinach sauce, and the carrots just needed a tiny bit of salt.  They still had a slight crunch after reheating, which I loved.  The tomato veggie pie and tomato couscous were also a big hit.  I love couscous and the tomato flavor really shined through.

I wasn’t a fan of the patty melt or the soy Creole.  There was just something about it that I wasn’t crazy about.

Here’s a little blurb from the Diet-To-Go website about how they work -

Diet-to-Go is a meal delivery company focused on making healthy eating both easy and affordable. Our goal is to change perceptions of what it means to eat healthy and help our customers achieve and maintain a healthy weight for life. We want to help people establish a common sense approach to healthy eating, an approach that can be sustained so that making smart food choices becomes a way of life.

Working with some of the best chefs in the business and cooking in our USDA-certified kitchen, we provide our customers fresh, delicious, low-calorie, nutritionally balanced meals to help them lose weight or simply support an already healthy weight and lifestyle. We are constantly working to improve our products and service, in our aim to provide the best tasting, healthiest, low-calorie meals possible. And to do that, we need your input. We want your ideas, feedback and yes, even your complaints.

The way Diet-To-Go works is that you select your menu type – Traditional, Vegetarian, or Low Carb.  Let them know if you have any food allergies or dislikes and they will try and work around that.  Next, you order your plan.  They have four options for women, and four for men, so they really cater to everyone.  You can choose from a 5 day plan or a 7 day plan, both with and without a breakfast option.   Your order should arrive within 2-3 business days.  Mine was placed on a Monday and I received it on Wednesday, so very fast shipping!  When it’s time for a meal, just cut open the package, reheat, and enjoy! 

Here is a chart from the Diet-To-Go website comparing the cost of their foods to cooking at home and eating out -
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My Likes

  • Not having to worry about meal planning was a nice treat.  I enjoyed being able to pick from my meals and not have to worry about making a list for the grocery store.
  • I really saved on my lunches.  I typically go out for lunch almost every day, so this did save me money
  • The food reheated very well.  I was very pleased with this!
  • I didn’t have to worry about working all day and coming home to prepare dinner.  It was nice and quick.
  • The shelf life for the meals in the fridge is 5-6 days, but they can be frozen for up to a month.
  • I also liked that they have a substitution form that you can submit if you did not like a certain meal!

        My Dislikes

  • I’m not usually one who likes a big dessert, but possibly having them included would be a nice surprise.
  • Since I’m married, we would still have to cook an additional meal for the hubs, so while it would be convenient for me, it wouldn’t be so convenient for us as a couple.  If I was a single girl, this would definitely be something I would consider doing.

Some additional information that I learned from Diet-To-Go is that if you live in one of their local pick up areas, you can choose to pick your meals up instead of having them shipped!  I thought that was pretty nice.  You also don’t have to sign a contract – you can start and stop your meals at anytime without being penalized. 

All in all, I enjoyed my Diet-To-Go experience!  It was a lot of fun to check out the company and see what they have to offer.

Are you curious about Diet-To-Go and want to check it out for yourself?  For a limited time only, Diet-To-Go is offering a 25% off your first week of meals!  Simply enter the code Summer25 when you check out!

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Have you ever tried a diet meal service?  What was your experience like?

Until next time,

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Disclaimer: As a Diet-To-Go ambassador I was provided a week’s worth of food.  All opinions are my own.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Disneyland Half Medals REVEALED

Today definitely deserves a second post....because today runDisney revealed the medals for the Disneyland half weekend, including the new Dumbo Double Dare and Disneyland 10k medals!!


I am absolutely LOVING the colorful Dumbo medal!!  I'll be getting the first three, PLUS my Coast to Coast medal -





PLUS, my Three Little Pigs Challenge medal!

This is going to be an epic weekend with some absolutely fun loving running friends!

What do you think of the medals?

Until next time,

Jen

Pro Compression Socks review & giveaway (ENDED)

When I first started running, I had the absolute worst shin splints ever.  I would end my run in tears because my legs were practically screaming at me.  I began to wear compression sleeves, and that really helped with my pain.

The more I run, the more I understand how important recovery is.  I saw a lot of buzz about Pro Compression on Twitter and heard nothing but rave reviews about them.  I owned compression sleeves, but not socks, so I thought I would try them out.

The first pair I bought was right before we left for our Hawaiian vacation.  I wanted them to wear on the plane (they also help minimize swelling on long flights!).  Pro Compression’s customer service department was amazing and made sure that I received the socks before we left.  A great product AND great customer service?  Count me in!
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       Hanging out in our hotel room in Kona, HI

A few weeks later I saw they had a pair of their sleeves on sale, so I snatched a pair of those up and wore them the day after my double race day.
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Pro Compression socks and sleeves are a great addition to any runner’s closet, whether you wear them during your runs or slip them on afterward.  They also come in a lot of fun colors, and they’re always coming out with new ones!  Did you see the new yellow Sock of the Month?
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Have you tried compression socks before?  Are you curious about them?  Do you love them and just want more?  Well today is your lucky day!  The awesome people at Pro Compression have given me the chance to spread the love of their marathon socks on my blog!  The winner will receive a pair of marathon socks in their size and color preference…pretty sweet eh?
PC socks
All you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter link below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Good luck to everyone!

When do you wear compression socks?
Until next time,


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Giveaway information and disclaimer:  The giveaway starts at 12:00 am EST on Wednesday, May 8th and ends at 12:00 am EST on Wednesday, May 14th.  Open to US residents.  Winner will be picked at random by Rafflecopter. I will contact the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to me with their mailing address, sock size, and color preference.  I was not compensated for this giveaway.  All opinions are my own.
 

Monday, May 6, 2013

Solidarity Run for Boston

The day after the Boston Marathon bombings, my local running store, Big Peach Running Company, held a short run at 7 a.m.  I was bummed that I couldn’t make it as I had to be at work by 7:30, but was excited to find out they decided to host another one on Monday, April 22nd.

                         source – Big Peach Running Company weekly newsletter

A fellow blogger, Pavement Runner, decided that she needed to do more to show her support for Boston, so she organized the #BostonStrong global running event.  She encouraged everyone across the nation, and even the world, to show their support for Boston with a run.  It could be a couple of friends or a large group.  This movement even received national recognition.

I linked with a new running friend, Brandi, at the BPRC location in Alpharetta, so that we could run together.  When we arrived, we noticed a LOT of people wearing their Boston gear.  It was pretty cool (and a little intimidating!) to be running with some amazing athletes that had the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon.
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We gathered together for a group picture and were told that we were doing a 1 mile run totally in silence to reflect and remember those affected in Boston just a week before.  It was kind of neat to run in silence since you usually have the noise of the crowd or music in your headphones.

                                     Source – Peachy Runs Facebook page

After the mile of silence was done, they continued with a group run, which Brandi and I participated in.  She was tapering for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in DC that weekend, so we took it nice and slow and had a good chat along the way.
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I wasn’t able to stay for the after party, but there was Boston lager and some other Boston themed treats to nibble on and chat with other runners.  They also collected money for The One Fund.  It was announced on their Facebook page that between all the BPRC locations, over 800 runners came out to show their support for Boston!  There were other running stores across Atlanta that also held runs, including Phiddipides and West Stride.

Did you participate in the #BostonStrong run?  How are you paying tribute to the Boston Marathon and those affected by the tragedy?

Until next time,

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