Hola! Thanks for stopping in, dudes! I’ve got another great guest blogger today…and one that I’m always happy to share with yinz! Amanda, from Cucina Amanda, is a really good friend of mine. We graduated high school together but we actually weren’t friends until college. And not only was she my college friend—but also my college roommate! We shared a lot of great memories, and even a closet Junior year! Now we share our passions, too—running, blogging and good food! Although I take full credit for her love of running and blogging (right, Amanda?!). Unfortunately we live on opposite sides of the state (she moved to Philly after college, but I forgave her for that), but the blog world brings us closer. I hope you enjoy her post as much as I do!

Hello Abby Normally readers!  I’m Amanda, and I blog over at Cucina Amanda where I give a glimpse into my life as a foodie and a runner in Philadelphia. 

Abby and I actually grew up in the same town and went to the same high school.  Little did we know that we would become college roommates at Pitt a few years later!

I was so excited when Abby asked me to write a guest post while she and Dave are on vacation.  I knew what I wanted to talk about instantly!  So let’s dive right in!

I have a huge passion for running.  That was not always the case.  Abby can testify to that since I gave her crazy looks every time she walked into our college apartment after a run.  But since moving to Philadelphia almost 3 years ago, it has been one of my favorite things to do.

 
All you runners out there know that running, especially when training for a race, is very time consuming.  Especially those long runs that can take hours to finish.  When my life started getting really hectic and busy, I sat down with my fiancé, Dan, and had a heart to heart about my need to keep running in my life.  He had the best suggestion ever – incorporate it with my other passions.

This was a brilliant idea!  I thought about my other passions (cooking, traveling, and spending time with Dan) and found a way to fit running in with all three.  And honestly, I started running more!

1. Cooking
I started reading more and experimenting more in the kitchen with meals that are better for you.  Getting more creative with grocery shopping and recipes has been so much fun!  And it’s made me eat healthier, satisfying meals.  You can check out some of my favorite recipes here.
 
2.  Traveling
This was huge for me.  As much as I love running, I love traveling that much more.  And so does Dan.  Now I always pack a running outfit, my shoes, and my camera when I travel.  Running is a great way to explore a new place. 
 
Running has also allowed Dan and I to travel to new places.  I’m always looking for a new city we can visit and base that visit around a race.  This spring we decided at the last minute to run a race in Atlantic City.  Even though we go there all the time, it was so much fun seeing different parts of the city and running along the Boardwalk!

Our next travel adventure with a race – we currently have our sights set on the Mardi Gras Marathon next year in New Orleans!

3.  Spending time with Dan
This was the biggest and most important thing to me.  I didn’t want to give up the few hours a day Dan and I have together after work just to hit the pavement.  So he started running with me!  It has made running so much more fun for both of us.  We’re able to just forget about all the stresses of life and just enjoy each other’s company.  Plus, it’s also great to have my biggest fan out there with me, especially during races!
 
I hope a glimpse into how I incorporate running into my life is helpful!  Thanks again to Abby for letting me write a guest post!  Happy running!

Q:  How do you incorporate running into the other passions in your life?

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