Good morning! Happy Monday!
I had such an amazing weekend with the folks from Brooks and the other blog ambassadors. Guys, it was a blast. I feel like I have so much to tell you! Are you ready for a recap? Sit back and relax. Here's the best of the weekend!
Visiting Brooks HQ and meeting the team
What a wonderful place with an awesome group of people. The new Brooks headquarters (it's just about a year old) is absolutely beautiful both inside and out and everyone I met there was friendly, smart, and passionate about what they do. The company also has a bunch of "green" and sustainable practices/initiatives to be proud of. Brooks is definitely a special company.
Brooks Running Blog Ambassadors (l-r) with “The Medalist” (she's made out of race medals):
- Meghann - Meals and Miles
- Lora - Crazy Running Girl
- Tina - Carrots ”˜N' Cake
- Kristen - Fit Bottomed Girls
- Jesica - Run Lady Like
- Janae - Hungry Runner Girl
- Emily - Daily Garnish
- Anne - Fannetastic Food
Brooks incorporated some sneaker footprints into a nearby crosswalk as as way to connect with the surrounding community. The brand is very much a part of Seattle. They sponsor all sorts of races and events and, everywhere I looked (even outside of Brooks), I saw people wearing their sneakers and apparel.
Lunch with Jim Weber, the CEO of Brooks Running
Can we talk about this view? The Brooks folks have it made!
Our weekend officially kicked off with lunch outside at Brooks HQ with CEO, Jim Weber. Our group was actually running a little late (because of flight delays), but he rearranged his schedule just so he could chat with us for awhile. He also told us that he was planning to run the 8k at the Rock ”˜N' Roll Seattle on Saturday. Brooks is a sponsor of the race, so I thought it was pretty cool he was participating.
Learning about new Brooks gear
Brooks has some GREAT stuff coming out in the next few months. Some highlights on the shoe front: All sorts of amazing new styles in the Heritage Collection (old school Brooks originals with a modern twist), a Mother Nature collection inspired by the seasons with seasonal sock liners (super cute), a Letterman jacket line inspired by universities from around the country, a coffee-themed collection (I can't wait to see this), and so much more.
Brooks has also made some awesome updates to many of their core running shoes. Jeweled, metallic fade on the Gylcerin? Hello! I love these in a major way.
On the apparel front, Brooks is doing a lot more with “ath-leisure” gear, which is basically a mesh between performance gear and fashion/lifestyle/looking good aka my everyday wardrobe, so I am especially pumped about it!
Some cool features:
- A fold-up jacket with a build-in armband, so you can fold it up and put away once you're warm or carry it with you if the weather is suppose to change during your run.
- Headphone notch on zipper (pictured below), so your headphone wires don't bounce around when you run.
- Drop-in pocket on shorts/pants that fit an iPhone 6.
- New sizes! Brooks will carry size 0 - 20/22.
And, finally, we heard all about sports bras from Moving Comfort. (Did you know that Brooks owns Moving Comfort? They do indeed!) Moving Comfort carries such a wide variety of styles and sizes (their bands range from 30-44, cups A - F), the majority of women shouldn't have a problem finding a good fit. Another great thing about Moving Comfort sports bras is their multi-dimensional support, so they don't just smoosh your breasts into your body, compression-style. Instead they "encapsulate" them, so you have support from all angles. It's also a much more flattering look. We all know "uni-boob" doesn't look (or feel) good.
Other things I learned:
- "No sports bra should celebrate a birthday." Umm, I have sports bras that are like 10 years old. So that's why I sometimes have issues with chaffing!
- Wash sports bras in a garment bag and then line dry for best care. They will last longer.
- "If you don't have to think about it [your sports bra], it's working." This is great advice.
- There isn't a rule of thumb for sizing, but start with your bra size and then figure out what feels good for you. Your breasts shouldn't spill out of the cups and you should be able to stick two fingers comfortably under the band. The sports bra should be tight, but you should be able to breathe too!
Friday afternoon shake-out run
After our time at Brooks, we all headed out for a 2-mile shake-out run. After a long day of travel, it felt great to get moving!
Eating ridiculous amounts of pizza from Serious Pie
By the end of the day, I was starving and the pizza from Serious Pie was epic, so I ate a like 6 or 7 pieces.
Pre-race carb-load!
Pre-race goodies
The Brooks people thought of everything with regard to race day. They gave us team t-shirts, fuel (GU + Nuun), bottled water + a Brooks water bottle, and even breakfast (bagels with banana and nut butter). It was awesome. They are runners; they get it.
Running the Rock ”˜N' Roll Seattle Half Marathon
The race was so fun! Full recap coming soon!
Top Pot Doughnuts
Donuts were a great way to celebrate a half marathon! And Top Pot was a great place to do it!
Yummmmm!
I went with sprinkles, of course!
Brunch at Portage Bay Café
The motto at Portage Bay Cafe is "Eat like you give a damn." Isn't that awesome? And after running a half marathon, I definitely did. Feed me!
I went with the Farmer's Hash, which was eggs, veggies, and potatoes with chicken sausage. It was incredible. So fresh, so flavorful. I highly recommend this restaurant for brunch. You will not be disappointed!
Taking a Duck Tour of the city
It was such a fun way to explore Seattle!
Dinner at Loulay
Our final meal of the trip was absolutely wonderful... food, wine, friends. It was perfect.
The meal: Asparagus salad with ricotta and hazelnuts.
Grilled salmon with bok choy and kidney beans.
Earl gray and chocolate mousse torte.
Hanging out with some truly incredible people
I am so fortunate to have met such an amazing group of runners. I can't say enough wonderful things about the other ambassadors and folks from Brooks. We had such a great time this weekend, and I can't wait to see everyone again soon.
THANK YOU, Brooks, for planning such an incredible weekend. It was a wonderful way to experience Seattle and meet the Brooks crew. I am so happy to be part of such a wonderful team!
The end.
42 Comments
I didn’t know that Brooks owns Moving Comfort…! Love their stuff!
What a fun weekend! Those Glycerins may have to be mine. Did the duck ride really take you on the water? I’ve always wanted to do that!
Ahh I had brunch at Loulay while I was in Seattle a few weeks ago – loved it! Such a pretty restaurant too. Your weekend looks like it was so much fun!
Wow, this looks like it was such an awesome trip! I’ve always wanted to visit Seattle, so I love being able to see some snapshots of it. Plus, I’ve never worn any Brooks shoes or other merchandise, but based on what I saw, I will definitely be sure to check them out!
Yay!! I am moving to Seattle in July so I loved every second of this post!! The Brooks headquarters looks like a dreeeeam <3
I really wanted to go to Top Pot but never got there. Would have been the perfect post marathon treat!
I definitely have sports bras over a year but they still work great so I don’t think I necessarily agree with that advice. Who has that kind of money to replace all their sports bras every year!
Looks like such a fun weekend! I’ve been wanting to go to Seattle for a while now. The city looks so great! I’m trying to go to all the MLB stadiums, and I can’t wait to see Safeco Park! The Brooks HQ looks amazing as well. I love that company and everything they come out with!
It sounds like an epic weekend full of awesome food and running!
This looks like a crazy fun trip. And I’m loving the “When I Run, I Run Happy” shirt. Thanks for sharing!
Love the sports bra tips! And those shoes- like a rainbow on your feet! Fun!
What an awesome weekend! Brooks are my go to shoe, so it’s great to learn a bit more about the company. Thanks for sharing!
I didn’t know Brooks owned Moving Comfort. I have a lot of their clothing. I especially like their sports bras.
So excited for the new apparel coming out…it looks great! And, your weekend looked great, too!!
I am happy to hear Brooks is expanding there sizes to sz. 22. Not everyone who is active is a size 5 and it’s time all athletic companies come to this reality.
I will be on the lookout for these extended sizes in stores near me:)
I am a loyal Brooks customer since 2005. i’m digging all the new gear.
Looks like an awesome weekend!! Those Glycerins are BEAUTIFUL!!! I run in the bright neon yellow ones now and love them.
Looks like it was a blast! It was fun seeing some familiar faces in your photos. 🙂
I just want ALL THE THINGS. Brooks are my go to running shoes, especially the Glycerins (I’m running in Ghost’s now which are great because I was trying to avoid the pricier option when I needed my newest pair but nothing compares to the Glycerins) and this post just made me so excited!! Glad you had fun 🙂
That looks like so much fun! I run 25-30 miles a week and my sneakers right now are soooo old. Definitely time for some new ones. I love Brooks!
I’m so jealous of such an amazing trip!!! Look like you gad a crazy good time!!
Yum. Yum. The pizza and doughnuts look fantastic. And all that you said about sports bras were almost new facts to me. I didn’t realize you need to replace them that often.
When did you guys take that shot with the Medal statue?! Apparently I missed the group ambassador pic boat! 🙂
So great seeing you this weekend! Congrats again on your PR – proud of you!!
You too! Hopefully, we’ll see each other again soon!
Sounds like an absolutely incredible experience! I love that you were able to learn more about Brooks and the future of the line, while being able to see and explore Seattle. Such a fun weekend!!
Omg all that food looks amazing…especially that pizza. Chicago has such a great assortment of food that I need to be careful that I don’t eat it all. There’s also a great donut place by me that is also especially dangerous…
Looks like a fun time! So awesome you get these opportunities through your blog.
How fun!! The pizza and fancy dinner look uh-mazing! What a fun girls/running trip!
Looks like so much fun! I have never been to Seattle. Must go, it looks beautiful!
Looks like a fun trip! I like those new Glycerin colors.
I like the sports bra advice! I need to replace mine reeeeally bad because I know they’ve totally stretched out and have definitely celebrated a few birthdays… ha!
What a fun trip! You all looked gorgeous. That earl gray chocolate mouse… wow. Need it! I also agree with a fellow commenter about the sports bras… guilty for a handful that are over a year old!! Not sure I could afford to replace them all yearly. Running shoes replacement costs/new work out gear are enough!!
I am heading to Seattle in a month- what should I do with only 2 days?!
What a fun weekend! I am glad you had such an awesome time!
Oh how I love food pics, everything looks so good! So glad to see you had a great time in Seattle!! I would love to get out there some day!
This looks like such a fabulous trip! I got to tour the new Brooks headquarters the week they opened when I ran Hood to Coast with Team Nuun last year-they hadn’t even gotten all settled in yet. Super jealous of how good they took care of you. And Top Pot is SO good.
This looks like such a great trip. Everyone looks so happy. And from what I’ve been reading, several of you had PR’d this weekend. YAY!!!
That looks like such a fun weekend!! Seattle looks beautiful (and delicious), and I’d love to visit someday! Can’t wait to read about the race.
What an awesome opportunity! I hope to make it to Seattle next year to run the Rock n Roll 8k.
What a fun weekend. I love all your photos and it was so great to have the chance to meet you and experience all the fun in Seattle. This post makes me want to go back right now! Such a special group and weekend. Hope you have recovered well from your race and had a smooth trip back to Boston. xoxo
So nice to have met you! Keep in touch! â¤ï¸
Tina, do you mind sharing where those jean shorts are from? I thought id be able to track them down from the usual stores but haven’t seen the longer style. Thanks!!
They’re from KUT from the Kloth. They should be on the website now unless they’re sold out?