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Scoot a Doot’s blogaversary!
Once upon a time, back in February of 2013, there was a lady in New Jersey (that would be me, for those who don’t follow my every move) who was probably going through a bit of the winter doldrums and seemingly needed a project. She emailed five of her friends from all over the country about starting a fitness blog…
and thus, Scoot a Doot was born!
Through our first year of blogging, we learned a lot. We ran (wrote about that), we got injuries (and we wrote about those), we cooked and ate (naturally blogging all the way with recipes); we shared personal stories and stories that touched our hearts.
Our second year has brought a few “changing of the guards” as we’ve welcomed Kyle and Jenn into the fold, as well as changed our server to allow us more control over the site and analytics. While our blog sometimes seems like a defiant toddler, we like to focus on the warm cuddly moments!
Giveaways will be coming throughout the month of February, so keep your eyes peeled for those. But in the meanwhile… It’s always interesting to look at the site stats and see what posts really pull readers in! Since switching servers it’s hard to get a true sense of numbers but here are a couple of reader faves.
Vic’s assessment of The Color Run vs. Color Vibe is a heavy hitter! Click to check out the winner.
Nut butter, mmmmm! Bec’s Buff Butter review ranks high in interest for our readers. Not hard to see why.
Mer (that’s me) started the year off with a 21 no junk food challenge. It kicked the year off right!
Of course, we also have our own personal favorites. What to hear them? Sure you do!
You’ll see a couple of repeats as we didn’t chat with each other on our picks, which was on purpose. Picking them from the heart was the goal!
Asking me to pick my favorite post is like asking me to pick my favorite child. Who came up with this idea?
Oh. Me. Right.
The posts that really resonate with me are ones where we do things together. I’m all for the Chick Chats which are the group posts where we all weigh in on a topic. But my very favorites were the Day in the Life series where we shared our daily routines.
Why?
Simply put, I’m nosy.
If Jess is freaking out about World Cup Soccer, even if I don’t watch or know anything about soccer, I want to know!
Bec’s doing laundry? Well, I probably already know about it because that makes up a great deal of our emails to each other. But I want to know what she’s eating for lunch. And dinner. Because that’s also what we talk about a lot (and ice cream).
If Vic is hitting the Wegman’s (color me jealous) and going for a run after work, I like to keep track so we can discuss later.
I start many days texting with Brooke because she and I are on the same coast and keep the same hours. I felt like I was right there along side of her during this post (and I wish I were because that would be rad).
Cam’s (thug) life always makes me smile – this girl is hardcore, with her parenting and with her two-a-day workouts!
You see, these are some of my favorite people in the world so basically anything that I get to read about and get a glimpse in their daily lives, I am all for! I vote that Kyle and Jenn do their Day in the Life posts soon.
My pick is The Lies They Tell Us by Jenn.
I identify with every line of this post. I struggle with my body image, weight, appearance, ALL of it, on a daily basis and I know a lot of it has to do with what the media tells women they need to look like. I see it for what a crock it is and I still feed into it. I loved the positive spin Jenn put on her post at the end – that we need to embrace ourselves just as we are, because that’s 100% enough.
The Lies They Tell Us – I absolutely loved this post. I’ve written more than a few posts where I talk about body image and perception, but I fear those come off as ‘fat girl whining’ sometimes. This post reminds people that body image and mainstream media’s depiction of what ‘fit women look like, is something that a lot of us struggle with, regardless of our weight. Awesome job, Jenn!
On the Boardwalk, Out in the Sun – This post is my happy place. This brings me right back to the AC Half weekend last year, which was epic in so many ways. Actually getting to meet Anne, Brooke, and Vic, getting to cuddle with Meri and Cam and Heather, a little quality time with Mer’s boys and PUPPY. Hanging out with Jess, figuratively if not literally, in a Starbucks. It was awesome. These girls are my people, and the reason I am part of Scoot.
Philadelphia Marathon’s biggest fan – I love this post for a lot of reasons, and not because it has to do with me. Not only does it capture one of the best days of my life – EVER – it demonstrates what kind of amazing people we have here at Scoot.
Meridith is a world champion cheerleader, teammate and friend. This post – all about her cheering me (and a bajillion other runners) at the 2013 Philly Marathon – is just one example of the contagiously enthusiastic and supportive human being that she is.
I will always remember that race because it was my first marathon, but I never would have done it (or had nearly as much fun) if Mer hadn’t been there to take care of me.
(She still does take care of me. And the rest of us. And we take care of her. And each other. Because teammates.)
Every post on Scoot a Doot is fabulous (I *might* be biased), but two in particular have really stuck with me.
Mer’s You Know Who Rocks? I Do, That’s Who and Cam’s Oh, Just Another Blog Post About Mental Illness helped me move past some stuff I was dealing with in my head and helped me forgive myself for the past. They helped me remember that everyone has struggles, no matter how much they appear to “have it together”. Everyone has insecurities. Sometimes, we feel like a failure. Sometimes, we need help. We are all human, and like Buddha says, all suffering.
In each of their posts, Mer and Cam reminded me that each of us possesses the inner strength to overcome adversity and achieve any goal we want. We only have to dig deep, and face our obstacles head on with honesty, grace, and humor.
Oh, Just Another Blog Post About Mental Illness – This post by Cam stuck with me in part because our Cam was so raw and honest about mental illness and it’s ripple effect. It wasn’t just another reaction post, but was one that stop and made me think. Yes, it stemmed from a tragedy. Yes, tragedy touches us all in one way or another. But it reminds me how important acceptance, understanding and inclusion are.
Goodbye Sweet Girl – It’s not a happy one, but our 13-year-old cat’s death was one of the defining moments of our year. This took a month for me put into words and I look back on it often. It’s hard to let go.
My very favorite post this year was the one where we announced the addition of our two lovely new chicks. But that’s not one of the posts I’m picking. Yes, I’m a cheater.
One of my favorites this year was Bec’s Demotivation post. It’s so good to know I’m not the only one who over-analyzes the literary aspects of things like memes and motivational posters. Also, I love cranky Bec. She makes me giggle.
My other, more recent favorite, was Jenn’s The Lies They Tell Us because she discusses something I’ve always had an issue with. And yes, Jenn, it’s the seamstress in you, because I feel the same way about clothing sizes. Since high school, I’ve been altering my clothes. I had a true hour glass figure pre-babies (now it’s more like a beaker). Finding jeans that fit my hips and didn’t gap at the waist was like finding the Holy Grail. Quite similar to finding a magazine that didn’t exploit all my teenage insecurities. Now, I just don’t read the damn things. Instead, I read blog about how they suck!
Thanks so much for another great year; we’ve had so much fun connecting with you all! Giveaways are coming all through the month of February, so be on the lookout.
Tell us about some of your favorite blog posts around the internet. We are always looking for new and fun things to read!
Shake It Up
A new month brings big changes with the Scoot a Doot chicks.
We changed from a .com to a .org and are in the process of moving, so please bare with us! And with Brooke retiring from blogging this fall, we asked two new chicks to join the hen house.
Today, we’re proud to introduce Jenn and Kyle are now Scoot a Doot chicks!
So please welcome Jenn, our Boulder-bred, pug momma who loves yoga, sewing, running and cycling.
And please give a hearty hello to Kyle, our misplaced Alaskan who we actually first met via social media. We ran and ate ice cream together last summer, and it was love at first bite.
We’re so excited to have them both on board!
And to kick it off, Jenn and Kyle will introduce… each other!
Jenn Says: Being a reader of Scoot A Doot, I always enjoy Kyle’s fun guest posts and laugh at her bubbly, witty comments. Her running accomplishments inspire me, and when the Chicks deemed her awesome, I knew Kyle had to be good people because my girls know how to pick ‘em. As I suspected, Kyle’s replies to my “let’s get acquainted” interview questions confirmed what I suspected would happen; I can’t wait to get to know this Kyle Chick better!
My name is Kyle and I’m a coffee addict.
How do you know the Chicks?
So, I’m the weirdo who meets people through the internet. I have a friend on Twitter that posted a link to Scoot one day (Thanks, Christina!), so I trotted over and started reading. And then I thought to myself – these people are cool… I’m going to internet stalk them. And I did. And then we ran together. Thus began a beautiful friendship.
How long have you been running, and when did you first consider yourself a runner?
“Runner” is a funny word. I’ve always considered myself an athlete, but I’m pretty sure that I still don’t consider myself a runner, even though technically I’ve been engaged in the sport of running in some way or another since I was very small. Growing up with a mom who was a marathoner meant that running was normal and happened daily in my house. I sometimes joined – begrudgingly. I ran track in elementary and middle school. I ran cross-country during the summers (sometimes) to train for Nordic skiing. I ran when it was required of me for basketball and volleyball. But mostly I hated it. Because running is hard and usually takes a long time and I’m really way too competitive. I liked track because I could sprint and then be done. Same with basketball. Distance running? Ha! No Bueno.
But then, after college, when I decided I’d been sedentary for too long (which is a hard realization for someone who has been playing sports constantly since the age of 6), I said to myself “self, you need to get your shiz together.” So I started running to make myself get in shape. Then I signed up for a 5-miler I’d done a million times growing up – with low expectations mind you – and ended up crushing it. I got home that day and said to my mom “I think I want to run a half…” and she said “You totally could. Do it.” That was that. Since then (the summer of 2012), I haven’t looked back and I’m currently training for my third marathon.
Do you have a favorite race?
Oh this is a hard one! Each race I’ve done has been so different, with the experience being more of what I remember than the course itself. I think my favorite race experience was the 2013 Philadelphia Marathon (my first) – Meri mom-ed me all weekend, hosting me, driving me around, getting me to the race, hiking 10 miles all over Philly to cheer me on, and feeding me after. I used that race to raise money for a cause I feel really passionate about and I was overwhelmed with how much support I had from friends and family and people I’d never even met. The race itself was awesome, too. Just really well-organized and smooth. It wasn’t a PR, but I’ll never forget that day and that means more to me and going fast.
What do you tell people who think they can’t be a ‘runner’?
I tell them that anyone can run a mile. Unless of course you have some health-related barrier to running, you can run a mile. It might take some work, and for some that work might be really hard, but anyone can run a mile. You just have to be brave enough to try. As Amy Poehler says: “When you feel scared, hold someone’s hand and look into their eyes. And when your feel brave, do the same thing.” If you’re nervous about starting to run, find a friend to run with you – you’ll be more motivated and you’ll probably have more fun if someone is right alongside you, suffering with you 😉
What is your biggest race pet peeve?
Kyle with her favorite Swede and her favorite mom-who-isn’t-her-mom at the Cherry Blossom 2014 10 Miler
I’m a pretty chill person, so I don’t have any real pet peeves about races. I try to go into them relaxed and with the mindset that everything that happened leading up to the start doesn’t matter once we take off. I leave whatever annoyances I had behind me and just run. That said, it does kind of bug me when spectators encroach on the course – that happened a lot during the Chicago Marathon this year and while it never really irritated me, I did make a point to run as close to them as possible sometimes just to see if they’d get it and move back. #passiveaggressivemuch?
What are you most passionate about off of the race course?
While I’m passionate about a lot of causes, I spend the most time advocating for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. I’ve volunteered as a crisis interventionist with RAINN and raised funds for the Joyful Heart Foundation. I actively support JHF’s efforts to increase awareness around and end the issue of the nation-wide rape kit backlog. I am constantly working to keep myself educated on the issues in this space so that I can be an effective advocate and resource to others.
What is your favorite thing to do BESDIES run?
DO ALL OF THE THINGS! Haha. Actually, that’s kind of true. I like to do so many activities, but right now, besides running, I’m spending a lot of time playing basketball, singing with the Alexandria Choral Society and consuming pop culture (reading books and watching way too much Netflix). I basically see myself as a combination of Leslie Knope and Veronica Mars – a big nerd with a side of sarcasm. It’s cool.
Kyle says: Whew! Lord. I talk a lot. ANYWAYS. Enough about me. It’s time for you all to get to know the awesome lady that is Jenn. Having been adopted by the Scoot family, Jenn has been on my radar as someone who I clearly needed to meet, because if my chicks loved her, then I was clearly missing out on some great friend action. I was right. I got to know her a bit better, and now you get to, too!
Jenn as She-Ra, with He-Man, at the 2012 Super Hero 5K In Cambridge, MA.
How do you know the Chicks?
Way back in the day in 2009, I met Mer, Jess, Cam, and Bec when our mutual love of writing brought us together on the internet. We meet up in person as often as we can, and have been known to visit tequila bars in San Diego and take chocolate walking tours in Boston. I met Vic and yourself more recently but as a reader of Scoot A Doot, I’ve been so inspired by both of you ladies. Your marathon successes help keep me motivated!
How long have you been running, and when did you first consider yourself a runner?
I’ve been running off and on for about two years. Running is not something I thought I could do because I’m asthmatic. I’m a slow runner, but I keep at it because for me it’s an accomplishment just being out there. I know a marathon may be out of my reach, but I’m totally planning on doing the Disney Rebel Challenge and the GSC, hopefully in 2016.
The first time I felt like a runner was crossing the finish line at the 2014 Bolder Boulder. That is my longest distance to date, and the stadium full of cheering people made me feel like an athlete for the first time in my life. It felt wonderful.
Do you have a favorite race?
I’ve done a handful of fun runs and theme runs but so far the Bolder Boulder 10k is my favorite. Maybe it’s because it’s my hometown race. Maybe it’s because there were belly dancers cheering me on. Perhaps it was because people built makeshift slip-and-slides in their front lawns along the course. It’s hard to say for sure. One thing is certain, though, it’s a beautiful setting for an amazing race experience with some serious crowd support!
What do you tell people who think they can’t be a ‘runner’?
I tell them that if I can get out there with my wheezy butt and finish, so can they. I also tell them not to compare themselves to anyone in the beginning. Starting out is hard, so don’t make unrealistic expectations about what you can physically handle or you’ll set yourself up for failure.
What is your biggest race pet peeve?
I don’t have one yet. I’m so slow that I just try to not be everyone else’s pet peeve!
What are you most passionate about off the race course?
I’m trying to narrow down my passions from a zillion to a much more manageable five. The essentials are writing fiction, sewing, quilting, crocheting, and yoga. I have four dogs; three pugs and a mixed breed rescue, and I currently serve as Secretary of the AKC registered Rocky Mountain Pug Dog Club. I’m a lover of pop culture, British literature, and Alfred Hitchcock films. Crap, that’s more than five.
Hi. I’m Jenn, and I’m pretty sure I have ADD.
Jenn Says: Howdy, Scoot A Doot! I can’t tell you how happy I am to be a part of the awesomeness that is YOU. The Chicks have been such a positive influence on me, and I’m very honored they asked me to be a part of their fantastic message. I can’t wait to get to know everyone, and to learn about your journey running on your slice of this crazy planet.
Kyle Says: I’m SO stinkin’ excited to be on board this crazy train. The Scoot A Doot family welcomed me as one of their own long before they asked me to join the blog – and for that, I couldn’t be more grateful. I’m so ready to share my story with all of you and get to know you all. The running community is a special thing to be a part of and I’m so glad to be here!
Scoot a Doot’s blogaversary (and a giveaway)
What a year our first has been!
The Scoot a Doot chicks have known each other for years – decades, even – and last winter came together to share our love of fitness, friendship and life.
We’ve shared the joys of our children, including two handsome newborn sons. We’ve also shared the loss of one beloved family dog, and the addition of several new fur friends.
We’ve celebrated new beginnings, such as new jobs, new relationships and new challenges and goals. We also shared how sometimes we fell short.
Together, with many of you, we raised more than $2,000 to fight childhood cancer as Team Scoot a Doot logged more than 1,750 miles last September for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s Million Mile Run.
Together we watched the unthinkable unfold in Boston last April, as bombings abruptly ended the 117th running of the nation’s oldest marathon.
Together, we encouraged each other to do our best, even on days when we felt our worst.
The good, the bad, the unfiltered. We are blessed to share our lives with you, our readers and friends.
As a thank you for reading, we want to share a few special treats for our anniversary giveaway.
Giveaway 1:
We adore PocketFuel and have a great working relationship with them within our first year of blogging. When we reached out to them about joining in on our blogaversary giveaway they were eager to join forces!
In addition to the ten packets of PocketFuel we’ve also got an awesome pink tech t-shirt (large), compliments of herRochester.com .
And, of course, because we like to spoil you all, we picked up some things to go along with this giveaway! A Sparkle Athletic visor, frame and Cinderella picture, and Scoot a Doot t-shirt (x-large).
But wait, there’s more!
Giveaway 2:
image from Oiselle.com
We picked up these Oiselle Podium PJs (medium) because they are super comfy and way cute.
Giveaway 3:
image from Swirlgear.com
Are you ready to run? These Swirlgear shorts (large) are perfect for warm weather running.
So what do you have to do to enter? Simple! Click on the pics below to get to the Rafflecopters for each giveaway. Cool? Cool.
Click to enter giveaway #1
Click to enter giveaway #2
Click to enter giveaway #3
These three giveaways end February 23, 2014 and we’ll announce the winners next Monday! Thanks again for a terrific year and we’ll see you real soon.
What have you done that you’re proud of this past year?
Scoot a Doot t-shirt giveaway
Grateful.
If there’s one word that I’d use to describe my feelings toward this year, that’s what it would be. And yes, it might sound cliche but I promise you it’s anything but that.
This year has been a really good one for us Chicks. We started this blog back in February and through it we’ve met so many new and good friends, as well as feeling the love and support of established friends. We’ve spent time together, run races together, acted like fools together and picked each other up when we’ve been hurt (physically and emotionally).
And for that, we are grateful.
If we could gather you all up in our arms for a great big group hug, we would. Because we are huggers. (We know, we know, there are some people who aren’t. And to those people, we give you a punch on the shoulder or a big ol’ thumbs up). Since we can’t hug you all, we are giving away one of our Scoot a Doot shirts as an extra special thanks.
This one specifically!
We got these shirts back in the summer and they’ve made their way across the country and even internationally!
credit: Jog ‘n Hog Boss Hog
Anya
If you’d like a chance to win an awesomely orange Scoot a Doot shirt – click the pic!
Clicky clicky!
Contest ends Wednesday, 12/18 at midnight EST – winner will be announced 12/19. So what are you waiting for? Scoot on over! Happy Thursday!