Reader Roundup

**Go check out Bobbi’s Summer Shape Up program: Summer Shred if you wanna get in banging’ bathing suit shape.

**Kelly is running the Pittsburgh Marathon in May, and she’s running for the Mario Lemieux Foundation, which raises money for cancer research and Austin’s Playroom Project, which builds playrooms for young hospital patients.

Check out her donation page if you’d like to donate.

**Reader Jolene is raising money through selling necklaces.  Her story:

We’re fully funded for the adoption of two amazing blessings from China but we have to raise the money for our travel expenses. A dear friend of ours is making/selling these beautiful necklaces to help us raise those last funds to cover travel.

Check out the necklaces here and get one if you’d like to support Jolene’s adoption journey.  Thanks!

Reader Runners

Kayla:

I won first place in my age group at a 10k race in Portland (my first time racing this distance!) I was incredibly surprised! If I would have thought placing was a possibility I would have pushed it much harder!

My goal is the Eugene Full Marathon so I was just using this run as part of a longer run. It made for a great surprise on a sunshiny day!

Molly:

I ran my first ever half marathon on April 29; this is me and my cousin post-race. I ran this race in honor of her fiancée who unexpectedly passed away in December. That made me realize that life is short and there are no guarantees – his passing is what inspired me to run a half marathon – something I’ve been wanting to do but was too scared to commit to. 

After 3 long and crazy months of training, I ran the race 6 days before they were supposed to be married. I crossed the finish line in tears and felt so proud and honored that I could do this race in his memory. It was an amazingly emotional experience and thanks to him I can now call myself a half marathoner.

Crappy Reader Race Pics

Shay:

“Here it is. The worst race photo ever taken of me. Actually the worst photo ever taken of me period. Enjoy.  (this pic was even on the front page of the newspaper!)”

Holly:

“I ran my first marathon this weekend – the country music marathon – and it was not exactly the experience I was hoping for… I think the heat combined with the never ending rolling hills of Nashville ruined everything for me…

And in this gem of a race picture I look like a) I’m praying for a miracle that I don’t die, or just a little bit of rain OR b) hoping that I fall asleep and the whole thing was just a bad dream… As much as suicidal thoughts plagued me the entire time – I am hooked and have already been looking for my next marathon… this distance so owes me a better experience and I plan to be back with a vengeance!!!”

Jesse:

  “I started running just last year and reading blogs like yours really helped me keep going. I love how you put up crappy reader race photos and I was wondering if maybe you’d add mine.”

We all love crappy race photos so of course, I’ll add yours!

SR SHIRTS – get yours, send me a pic in it and I’ll post it

Christa:

Christa ran her 5th half marathon, the Middlebury Maple Run,  in her Don’t Stop shirt.

*Go vote for Leyna’s grant, would you?

“I wrote a grant for my work for reducing colorectal cancer rates (I know, exciting stuff) by having people eat healthier and becoming physically active.”

Tagged as: reader roundup