We know how to grow fruit; apples, pears, cherries and blueberries are our specialty. We know that our fruits are healthy, wholesome and good for everyone, but they have high appeal for those of you looking to fuel your active lifestyles. That’s a big reason why we decided to become a sponsor of the Boston Marathon back in 2016. It represented the best of what runners aspire to…not because everyone will run Boston or wants to, but because everyone understands what it means to be Boston Strong. And it’s that kind of grit, tenacity, focus, spirit and more that we respect.
Even though we know how to grow great fruit, we are constantly learning how to be better and we believe in surrounding ourselves with experts that foster a learning environment and help us be the best. We certainly aren’t experts at running so we decided we should get a little help in the running arena and share with you some tips and tricks as you embark on your own running journey around the block or Boston Bound. We are excited to introduce you to our Rainier Running Ambassador Laura Norris of This Runner’s Recipes.
You might remember reading about her trip to our orchards and getting a sneak peek behind the scenes as she learned about Rainier Fruit and our Wholesome to the Core mission. Like us, she wanted to learn and…and we were happy to share what it is we do.
So who is Laura Norris? She’s a runner, hiker, wife, dog mama, coach, skier, blogger, backpacker, cook and oh yeah – Boston Qualifier!
Laura has been a runner over 8 years and like most people, she wasn’t always a runner. She found running as an outlet to stay fit and relieve stress during her college years. It seems there must have been a lot of stress because she took to running like a natural and by 2014 she was running competitively and has completed a 10K, 3 half marathons, and 2 marathons with a 3:31 PR which recently qualified her for Boston. {YEAH LAURA!}
Everyone has their reason for running. Like we’ve shared in other posts, it might be to lose weight and manage grief, quiet the mind or find a healthy outlet to replace addiction. For Laura – running is about goals, pushing the limits and making new friends through running communities. In fact, it’s not unlike that here at Rainier. Some of our employees have built close friendships outside of work by coming together to train and participate in team running events like the Hood to Coast Relay.
But just because running has come natural to Laura, it doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Laura knows first-hand the challenges the come with balancing work and social life, eating healthy and staying focused on goals. As Laura learned to make healthy choices and meet her running goals she also realized her real passion as a running coach and gained her RRCA and Run Fit certifications and she helps others develop customized training plans to meet their own running and fitness goals. Speaking of coaching – be sure to register for a chance to win free coaching from Laura at the end of this post.
Today, Laura lives and trains in Seattle with her husband Ryan and their two dogs – a puggle named Charlie and a Labraheeler named Ollie and you will find her outdoors every chance she gets. Laura describes it best in her own words.
“For me, a healthy lifestyle if multifold. I enjoy being outdoors and find that fresh air and exercise make me a better person – more patient, more creative, and more compassionate. I choose a healthy lifestyle because it makes me feel alive – the thrill of a run, the energy that comes from eating nutritious foods, and the inspiration from the top of a mountain during a great hike.”
Born and raised a Midwest girl, it was the mountains that called her name and where she makes her home. And even though Laura runs competitively and makes running her career through coaching and writing, the mountains sustain her. If she isn’t running, she’s in the mountains hiking, skiing, camping or snowshoeing.
“The mountains are always in sight on nearly every run or hike and their grandeur and size always give me perspective…they make me dig deeper…reach farther.”
We are so happy to partner with experts like Laura who help us be our best and teach us new things, but also embody our mission of ‘Wholesome to the Core’ and Laura has a great take on what that means to her.
“Wholesome has two definitions: conducive to physical health and well-being, and conducive to moral well-being. I strive for both definitions of wholesome in my life. I believe in treating individual people as exactly that – unique persons with their own struggles, accomplishments, strengths, and goals. This is the approach I take to coaching my athletes. I also strive to live a wholesome physical life: well-balanced and enjoying healthy food with treats in moderation, and staying active. I also try to combine both types of wholesomeness by finding joy in all sorts of activity, especially running and hiking, and helping others find that joy as well.”
And just so you know – Laura helps her clients achieve their running goals, but she also volunteers as the social media manager and writer/editor for her parish’s homeless shelter and she run’s a t-shirt business with her husband and they donate a portion of all sales to animal shelters. Yep, Laura’s dog kiddos Ollie and Charlie give this a high paw and so do we.
We can’t wait to share more amazing food and running content from Laura in the year to come. But now – head on over to our Facebook page (http://a.pgtb.me/GKj7Kj) where you can register for your chance to win some free run coaching from Laura! #RunWithRainier