Category Archives: Fit Girl Happy Girl

#imagreatist Ambassador!

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Phew, is this big announcement week for me or what? I am pleased to announce I have been chosen to be an ambassador for Greatist, a super cool, shiny and new fitness website out of New York City. I’ve been following Greatist since the beginning of my “journey to fit” and they never cease to impress me with their material, workout guides and of course, their amazing infographics.

In fact, one of the millions of reasons I started running was because of Greatist! I found their couch to 5k plan and was immediately hooked on anything and everything the site had to offer. Want to know a little more about them? Here’s a snip-it from their “About Us” page:

Everyone has a choice to be more fit, healthy, and happy. And though our goals and ambitions are often similar, each person is unique, every story different. A greatist is someone who chooses better to improve their fitness, health, and happiness. Are you a greatist?

Greatist.com is the trusted health & fitness source for the young, savvy, and social. Health and fitness is hard. We want to make it easier. And, for starters, we believe you deserve better content than what’s out there now. So while our posts are short, fun, and relatable, they’re also as high-quality as it gets: every fact is cited (by a PubMed study), every sentence meticulously verified, and every article expert-approved. So, be inspired and get informed on Greatist. Then, together, we can start informing and inspiring the world to make one healthier choice per week, you know, to be greatists like us.

I am very honored and excited to become a part of the Greatist family and look forward to being an ambassador! If you want to get involved, tell us on Twitter why you’re a greatist by using the hashtag #imagreatist!

Monday Motivation: Success…

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Today is a big day for me because it is my first day as associate editor of multimedia at Runner’s World magazine. I had a great introduction to the magazine this past weekend with the Runner’s World Half Marathon & Festival and am really excited to begin this next journey. While I know this week is going to be extremely busy, I cannot wait to tackle it!

Also my tendonitis seems to be feeling a little better after running an impromptu 5K Saturday night so things are looking up! I hope everyone has great runs this week. Run happy!

Saying goodbye to my home, family and friends and starting a new chapter

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I really can’t write about this too much because I will become far too emotional but tomorrow I am moving away from Massachusetts, where I have lived my entire life, to start a completely new chapter of my life down in Pennsylvania where I will begin working as an associate editor at Runner’s World magazine.

This is a huge step for me as I know it will further my career but it’s also a big step because I am walking into the unknown. My entire family, including the majority of my extended family, lives in and around the Boston area. In fact, only one of my aunt’s ventured to move away from the homeland and relocate to California. Besides not having any family in Pennsylvania, I also don’t have many friends. I have one friend who lives in Philadelphia (an hour from where I’m moving), one friend who lives 45 minutes from where I’m moving but she’s about to move to Korea to teach English for two years and a second cousin in New Jersey, again, about an hour away.

Moving to Pennsylvania and taking on my dream job at my favorite magazine is a risk but it’s one I’m willing to take. Although the risk does not come without sacrifice- moving away from my family and all of my friends- I think it will allow me to grow and develop as my own, adult self. I desperately don’t want to leave my support network but if I’ve learned anything in the past few weeks I’ve realized how truly blessed I am to have them in my life. They’ve been so supportive throughout this process that I think they would have been mad at me if I had not taken the job. Of course they want me to stay in Massachusetts for their own sanity but I don’t doubt they will be coming to visit me very soon.

So, in closing, this post is just a huge thank you and see you soon (not goodbye, I hate goodbyes) to my parents, my little sister, my entire extended family, especially my cousin and one of my closest friends Paige who honestly, without her I might not even be where I am with running now, to my two best friends Sydney and Angela, who I know are going to miss me but have been practically packing my bags for me!, and to all of my other friends, especially some of the ones I have only recently met, everyone has been supportive and led me to where I am now.

I also want to send out a HUGE thank you to all of my blog readers who have also been supportive of me through reading and exchanging stories and conversation. You all are truly an inspiration :)

That being said, tomorrow morning I’m off and driving away into the unknown. It’s scary, but I like it. See you soon!

Coming to terms with a running injury

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The running Gods haven’t been too kind to me lately. Although I had a great race last weekend, got a new 5K PR and ran my first half marathon a few weeks ago, I can’t seem to shake these aches and pains from running. If you’ve been reading my blog somewhat consistently over the past eight months you know I’ve been plagued with my fair share of running-related injuries- runner’s knee back in the spring, IT Band Syndrome this summer and now self-diagnosed peroneal tendonitis.

I can be extremely thankful that none of these bumps and bruises have seriously sidelined me for any extended amount of time (knock on wood!) they have been extremely frustrating. This latest mishap has me more frustrated than usual. While it doesn’t hurt as bad as the IT band flare-up did, it’s more of a nagging pain. I can run with it, it even seems to go away after the first few miles, but I just want to run injury-free. Is that so much to ask for?

After seeking advice from some friends and going on a Google frenzy in search for stretches and exercises to ease peroneal tendonitis, I came to the conclusion that it might not be a bad idea to take a few days off. I haven’t done that in the past eight months so maybe that will help? Hopefully. I know I sound like I’m complaining but it pains me to “rest” especially when I see my friends and the close-knit virtual running community logging their weekly miles. I want to go running, why can’t I log 30 miles, 40, even 50 miles a week?

Oh, that’s right, I only started running eight months ago. I think my ambition and sheer love of the sport is the real cause for these injuries that keep sprouting up. I love running so much and am always itching to get out on the road or to hit a trail that sometimes I forget to really listen to what my body is trying to tell me- I need rest.

This reminds me of a conversation I had with my dad a few months ago. My dad is a 16-time marathon veteran (he ran Boston eight times and boasts a 3:09 PR) and although he hasn’t been a consistent runner for awhile now, he can relate to my recent frustrations. He said to me, “Hannah, running is like a roller coaster. One day you can be high up and feel amazing and the next you come crashing down.” He explained to me that a lot of the time things happen for no apparent reason and you just have to take it easy to prevent further injury.

Old photo of my dad running Boston.

If this means resting a few days for me, so be it. I forget that there are so many people out there who can’t run. I get so down on myself when I get an injury and find myself getting jealous of those runners who say they’ve never been injured, but the truth is, every runner is different. I also need to be more patient with my running. I get overly excited by new PRs and longer distances that I forget I really haven’t been running that long. Moral of the story? I need to be more patient, listen to my body and be thankful for all of the progress I have made in the last eight months. The rest will fall into place over time!

Have you had any running-related injuries? What’s your advice on staying positive through injury? Share you stories in the comment section below!

Monday motivation: if it scares you…

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I love this graphic because for me, my goals, whether for running or just life in general, usually scare me before I try to attempt them. But really, like this graphic says:

If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try

So this week, I dare you to go after those scary goals. What’s the worst that could happen? Happy running!

Reflecting on my first half marathon

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I can’t believe more than a week has passed since I ran my very first half marathon. I feel like I’ve needed the time though to fully digest the entire experience. While to some of my more experienced runner friends, running a half marathon may not seem like a big deal but it was a huge milestone for me.

I started running only eight months ago, in March, the goal of running a 5K. When I started running I didn’t expect to fall in love with it like I have but I was pleasantly surprised when I realized I was actually getting good at it. So, in June, after only having been a runner for four months, I decided to register for the 2012 Hampton Rockfest Half Marathon.

Many of my friends and family tried to discourage me from registering because they thought I didn’t have enough experience as a runner yet. My dad, a 16-time marathon veteran (3:09 PR), said I needed more experience racing and building up mileage. But, I ignored their opinions and decided I had the capability and drive to build up my mileage to be able to run the 13.1 miles and cross the finish line on Sept. 30.

After months of training, some injuries, and some amazing runs, I crossed the finish line without stopping once. The race was amazing and the course was a breeze. Although the weather was awful, it was the most amazing experience.

When I hit the 11-mile mark I even started to get emotional and thought I was going to start crying. I couldn’t believe how far I had come as a runner in just eight months. In eight months I went from being able to run 0 miles to running more than 13 miles. Not only did I develop into a “runner,” I’ve noticed other changes in myself over the past eight months. My body has changed quite a bit, my muscles are much for toned and I have a much higher level of endurance but I’ve also changed emotionally. I’ve learned to use running as an outlet for when I’m angry, stressed or happy and excited. While I may not have started running for the best reason, it has literally transformed me into a different person and I love it.

As I started to speed up during the last 2 miles of the half marathon, all of these thoughts were whirling around in my head and just then, I saw my parents with all of the spectators and nearly lost it. I feel so lucky to have had such an amazing support system throughout this journey and although they had their reservations in the beginning, they never doubted me. The same goes to my friends who have also supported me through all of this and showed up at the finish line to congratulate me.

As I said in my last post about the half, my first thought upon crossing the finish line was I can’t wait to do it again and I’ve been looking for some more to register for in the near future. I think once I get a few more halfs under my belt, a full marathon is not too far off :)

What was your biggest race accomplishment? How did it feel when you crossed that finish line? Please share your stories in the comments section below!

Monday Motivation: me and running

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This is a little later than usual today, but better late than never! I’ve been so busy lately as I prepare for my next journey that it’s been really hard to keep up with the blog but I will promise you, there will be some really great things happening on here this week! One thing I haven’t lost track of is running, I’m all over that. I really liked this graphic that I found on Pinterest because it’s always important to remember that even if a run isn’t great, or your body is telling you it’s time to rest, every run is a chance to grow stronger. Whether that means listening to your body and resting, or pushing your limits, every day is a chance to learn something new. Happy running this week!

(via Pinterest)

Monday Motivation: the courage to start

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I posted this photo to my blog back in March when I first started a couch to 5k program. I had never been a runner but at that point in my life, needed something to focus on, so I started running. Now, less than eight months later, I’ve not only run many 5ks but yesterday finished my first ever half marathon. I thought it would be appropriate to re-post this photo for this week’s Monday Motivation because if I hadn’t had the courage to start that couch to 5k program back in March, I would never be where I am today. I hope you all have a great week of running and you have the courage to start a new running goal. Happy running! (I’ll have a full race recap up of the half marathon sometime this week!)

I’m now an editor at Runner’s World

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I am very pleased to announce I recently accepted a position as associate editor of multimedia at Runner’s World and I literally could not be more excited! This news is truly a testament to how running has completely changed my life during the past year. Before I started running, I was committed to becoming a traditional journalist- maybe breaking into the political journalism realm- but, as I continued to run and blog about health and wellness I realized how huge of an impact health and fitness journalism has on communities.

As more studies develop in regards to health and wellness, making exercise and nutrition accessible to everyone is becoming more and more important. Once I started to recognize this, I made a decision to focus on health and wellness reporting so I could make exercise, and especially running, accessible for anyone. Although I’ve never claimed to be an expert, I think through reporting on different issues pertaining to running, people are able to get the information they need to start their own “journey to fit.” Runner’s World is dedicated to educating and informing readers about all-things running and is focused on speaking to all runners, regardless of skill or experience level. I am really looking forward to becoming a part of a team that has such a strong dedication to spreading the message of health.

While accepting this position means I will be leaving my family and my closest friends to move to Runner’s World headquarters in Emmaus, PA, it’s going to be an amazing opportunity that I’m sure will open up doors for my career. I just wanted to send out an update to everyone and to thank all of my friends and family (and my dedicated Fit Girl Happy Girl readers!) who’ve been so supportive of me during this whole process!

Monday Motivation: keep running

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I’ve always said my running goal has no finish line because my goal is to be a runner for life. Sometimes this is hard to remember when I get really excited about registering for a new race or when I get hurt while training. But I’ve found that the most important thing to remember is to have balance and listen to my body. If this means I have to take a day off for whatever reason so be it but in the long run I just want to keep running. Have a great week of running everybody and check back later on for my big announcement!