Liebster Award Part Deux

A while back I was nominated for the Liebster Award, an award acknowledging bloggers and helping readers find new bloggers.

liebster

Well, I’ve been nominated again! 🙂 Thanks Laurie aka Better Late Than Never! (Check out her page–she rocks!)

The Rules for the Liebster Award:

1. You must link back to the person who nominated you.
2. You must answer the 10 Liebster questions given to you by the nominee before you.
3. You must pick 10 bloggers to nominate.
4. You must create 10 questions for your nominees.
5. You must go to their blogs and notify them of their nomination.

Here are the questions I have to answer:

1. What inspired you to start writing/blogging?

My answer to this is similar to when I was asked the first time I was nominated for this award. I love running and I love writing. I’m an English teacher so I think it’s just a natural thing for me to love 🙂

I like Laurie’s answer to this question. Like her, I didn’t start this blog to amass followers or make a business out of it. I love being able to look back on how I felt about things–certain runs, certain races, goals I had/have–things like that. I think a lot when I run so this was also a good place for me to put those thoughts 🙂

Finally, my BRF Salt inspired me. She was a blogger before she had her running blog and always had to good things to say about having a place for your thoughts and “meeting” people with similar thoughts and interests.

2. What is your favorite trick to staying healthy on the go?

Well, those of you who have been reading my stuff for a while know I’m not the healthiest person/runner out there. I guess my only positive healthy thing I do is when I go to restaurants I order water instead of a soft drink or juice or tea. It lets me better enjoy my meal and saves me a few bucks too.

I also take a bottle of water whenever I leave the house. Helps curb hunger cravings when I might not really be hungry and if I’m thirsty I’ll have that instead of getting a Big Gulp (which is always what I really want).

3. Mountains or oceans? Summer or winter? Why?

I live in Arizona so I love my mountains. Plus, I’ve never been a fan of large bodies of water. I don’t like not knowing what my feet are touching.

Summer. I don’t do cold very well and would much rather deal with my 120 degree summers than a polar vortex any day.

4. What is your favorite “clean” treat? Link to a recipe.

………yeah

5. Name three things you cannot live without.

Well, I won’t include people since the task says things….hmmmm

My phone. Really so that I can call my mom and not so much for the social media connection of it.
My closet. I love my closet and everything in it.
Coke. I probably could live without it but it’d be a hard knock life for sure.

6. What is your favorite workout and/or body part to work out?

Fave workout, running 🙂 Body part, I’d have to say abs. I actually like working my core and think it’s cool how strengthening it helps out with so many things.

7. Is blogging your profession? If not, what do you do outside the blogosphere?

Right now, I’m a stay at home mom but I’ll be returning to teaching in the fall. I teach high school English. I love my job and am very exciting to go back after taking a year off.

8. Name three guilty pleasure books, T.V. shows, and/or movies that you’re sorry not sorry you like.

I looove watching Dancing With The Stars. I get said when there are rumors the show will get canceled 😦
I subscribe to quite a few girly fashion magazines–Vogue, InStyle, Elle are my faves..
This wasn’t part of the question but I’ve never seen Star Wars and I’m sorry not sorry that I have no desire to ever watch it.

9. What advice would you give your eighteen year old self?

Try hard in school–you’ll actually miss it when you’re older.

I wish I could go back and take some of the classes I took in college over. I’d really read the stuff and not just pan over it. And I’m sure I’d have a lot more to say about things now than I did back then.

10. Five things that make you the happiest.

-My husband
-My kids
-Running/working out
-Reading
-Shopping

These are the blogs I’m nominating (I’m being a rebel and nominating 6). Check them out!

Let’s Go Running
I’m Going Slightly Mad
The Sideache
Fun Mother Runner
Meg’s Life Running
Slacker Runner

Here are your questions!

1. When people ask you, “Why do you like running?” How do you respond?
2. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
3. Someone received an award they cheated to get. Do you notify someone or keep quiet?
4. What’s your favorite food?
5. Do you speak any other language besides English? If not, what language would you like to learn?
6. The Voice or American Idol? (or none)
7. What is the last book you read?
8. If you could time travel, would you go the past or future?
9. What are you most looking forward to this year?
10. What is your favorite holiday?

–Join in and answer one of the questions above!

–Reading any cool blogs? Tell me!!

Runningluv Giveaway Winner!!

It was another great giveaway turn out! Thank you all for participating and showing the love : ) We have one more giveaway in the works so keep checking the blog in the next few days…

Also, my next blog entry is pretty darn exciting!! My very good friend Amy, will be guest blogging and I’m very excited for you to read her story. Come back tomorrow to check it out–you won’t want to miss it!

Okay, and the winner of the free Runningluv towel is…..

Michelle Brigham

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Congrats Michelle!!! Check your e-mail inbox for a message from me : )

Remember that you are all winners!! Use the code HELLYONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire purchase at runningluv.com This code will be up on my home page under the tab “Connections” until it expires March 24th.

Thanks again everyone! Can’t wait for you to meet my beautiful friend Amy tomorrow 🙂

Liebster Award

So my buddy Salt nominated me for the Liebster Award which is basically an award given to new bloggers just starting out. I’m a newb to this blogging business so I’m a perfect candidate and am honored she thought of me for this.

liebster

Like the Traveling Pants Award from a few posts ago, there are rules:

  • Acknowledge the nominating blogger
  • Answer 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you
  • 11 random facts about yourself
  • List some bloggers with fewer than 200 followers that you really feel deserve this award
  • Let all of the bloggers know you’ve nominated them. You cannot nominate the blogger that nominated you!
  • Post 11 questions for the bloggers you’ve nominated to answer

I like these types of awards that involve answering/asking questions. I like thinking about what’s being asked, usually questions I don’t/wouldn’t normally ask myself. And I also like asking questions and getting to know other people.

These were Salt’s questions:

1. Why did you decide to start blogging?

I decided to start blogging because I thought it was the perfect way to combine two things I love and missed: running and writing. I hadn’t been able to run for a long time due to back to back pregnancies; I mean like really run–I ran while pregnant but that’s not the same. Since I’d also taken a leave of absence from my job as an English teacher, I hadn’t had many opportunities to read or write either.

I figured I’d run and then write about 🙂 Salt gave me an extra push to go for it and here I am!

2. What is your favorite race you’ve ever run in?

I’d have to say it was the one I just ran, Rock n Roll Arizona 1/2 Marathon. This race meant a lot to me for so many reasons: It was my first major race post pregnancy, I had a pretty lofty goal in mind, and I was running it with my husband.

Having been training for this race as well as my marathon coming up, It was so rewarding to see the results of my hard work.

3. What do you think about when you are out on a long run?

I think about A LOT of things. I don’t listen to music so it’s me and my thoughts.

I think about my kids, my husband, clothes, my surroundings, things people have said/written, books, what other runners are thinking about, why I can’t cook, my pace, if I’m going to make it all the way–just a jambalaya of thoughts.

4. Favorite brand of shoes? (Running and/or otherwise?)

I’d always been an Asics fan until recently. I still like them but I also really like my Brooks. Non-running shoes, definitely Cole Haan (with the Nike air). Soooo comfy

5. What is your favorite way to cross train?

I don’t think basketball counts, right? I love yoga but don’t have a lot of time, or money, to devote myself to it. I like doing pilates videos at home, ride the bike at the gym, and the elliptical.

6. Guilty pleasure movie?

Embarrassingly too many but Dirty Dancing and Pretty Woman top the list.

7. What is one skill that you have always wanted to learn?

Gosh, there are so many things I’d like to be able to do….hmmm……

Cook. I can’t cook. It’s hard and I give up way too easily.

8. What was your favorite class in high school?

This one’s easy. English. I love reading and I love writing and I love reading other people’s writing.

9. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I’d have to say graduating from college. I’m the first in my family to graduate from college and when I was younger, I never thought I’d even get the opportunity to go. It was just something I wished I would be able to do.

I went to Arizona State on an academic scholarship and worked the entire time that I was there. Somehow, I was able to get my degree in 4 years while working mostly full-time taking full loads of classes.

10. What is your favorite food?

Mexican food. I grew up eating it and there are just soooooo many options. Yummy ones too.

11. Let’s imagine that you’ve reached your physical peak and now you’re unable to get any faster, regardless of training. If an omnipotent being offered you a deal where if you were to be less intelligent by a certain %, you’ll gain that % in speed, would you take this deal? And if so, what would the % be?

No way, Jose. My smarts have gotten me where I am today, not my speed.

11 Random Facts About Me

  • I abhor peanut butter. Even the smell of it makes me sick.
  • I’m obsessed with trivia games and random facts.
  • I read the dictionary when I was younger. (I’m a word nerd)
  • I’m a very plain eater. I only like ketchup on my hamburgers and hot dogs; I’m not a fan of most condiments. I just like pepperoni on my pizza, glazed donuts–nothing fancy, cake with no frosting, plain vanilla or chocolate ice cream…
  • I’ve never read Twilight or Harry Potter or Lord of The Rings nor have seen any of the movies.
  • My husband is an engineer and a math nerd, and I’m an English teacher and a word nerd but somehow we are absolutely perfect for each other.
  • I’m not a pet person. I’m hoping my kids never want a dog.
  • My favorite concert ever was when the Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers toured together in 2000.
  • Huge departments stores and store like Ross and TJ Maxx overwhelm me. I’m more of a boutique type of gal.
  • I’m obsessed with my wedding ring and stare at it often.
  • I could live off of David’s Bar-b-Que Sunflower Seeds.

Who’s Next??

Anna @Piper’s Run

Annie @TheLittleGSP

Sue @ThisMamaRunsForCupcakes

These are three blogs I’ve been enjoying reading lately. I have no idea if they’re new bloggers but they write good stuff. Ladies, here are your questions:

1. When people ask you, “Why do you like running?” How do you respond?
2. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
3. Someone received an award they cheated to get. Do you notify someone or keep quiet?
4. What’s your favorite breakfast meal?
5. Do you speak any other language besides English? If not, what language would you like to learn?
6. The Voice or American Idol? (or none)
7. What is the last book you read?
8. If you could time travel, would you go the past or future?
9. What are you most looking forward to this year?
10. What is your favorite holiday?
11. Who/what inspires you?

–Any of my random facts surprise you?

–Choose and answer one of the questions I asked the three bloggers 🙂