Hello from Pennsylvania! It was a long trek to get here but after a long flight and bus ride I arrived in Bethlehem, PA – I’m pretty sure it’s not the Bethlehem where Jesus was born, but I’ll check my facts and get back to you.
Head’s up – I am going to be sipping Dunkin Donuts the entire time and might be bouncing off the walls. This is love.
We checked in to the hotel and got a great swag bag from Runner’s World.
Then, we headed to the Rodale offices for dinner and a tour. There are 20 running bloggers on this trip so it’s loud and fun and full of energy!
As soon as we arrived at the Rodale building Bart Yasso greeted us. I am a huge fan, so this was very exciting!
For those of you who don’t know Bart Yasso is a legend in the running community. He is also the man behind the “Yasso 800s” – the most common and helpful speed sesh marathon runners attempt. He grew up in Bethlehem too and you can check out some of his work at RunnersWorld.com here.
I was a little too excited to be there! I blame the DD, but I think it’s just my usual craziness.
Time for dinner!
After dinner Bart Yasso personally took us on a tour of the Runner’s World offices. Rodale owns a lot of publications including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Women’s Health and more. We were focused on the running stuff.
Bart went through offices and communal areas sharing fun anecdotes and interesting facts about them. Most of the RW employees are runners so the company supports a healthy balance of work and play run.
Dear Santa, can I please have a treadmill desk? I’ll be good.
It was awesome to visit his office with him as he explained some of the things on the walls and his race bibs. One of my favorite Runner’s World stories is about Bart Yasso’s Comrades Marathon adventure. His bib from that race was on the door too.
It was very interesting to chat with the editors about how they build each issue too. These are the covers of RW going back to 2011.
And because you come to RER for the inside scoop – I have a sneak peek of the December edition of Runner’s World that is barely making it’s way to the print tonight. You saw it here first! 
After the tour we were going to make smores outside, but water falls from the sky here. So, we made it work and they made them for us somehow.
And with a plate full of smores in front of us Bart Yasso asked who the “Run Eat Repeat” blogger was because it should be my mission to finish them.
Well, I think my Brownie Smore was a valiant effort, don’t you?
And tomorrow is another full of runs and eats! See ya then.
Question: Who’s your sports hero?
Disclaimer: I am on this trip as part of the Runner’s World half marathon weekend partnership. Travel and smores were provided. All opinions are my own.
Because I’m “older” one of my sports idols/heros is Larry Bird. I also admire Chrissie Wellington.
Bart Yasso is pretty freaking awesome! I would be slightly star struck in his presence. And how awesome you got to spend the tour with him!!!
Do you not get a lot of Dunkin out West??? I’m addicted to it! I always have it stocked up for my Keurig coffee maker.
There are no Dunkin Donuts in CA. They are actually building some ‘coming soon’ and I can’t wait!
what an amazing experience! that’s so amazing that you got to hang out with bart yasso. =) can’t wait to read the rest of your recaps!
I live in Bethelehem and worked at Rodale. I was a test kitchen organizer. What did you think of the city?
So jealous!! One of my best friends lives in Bethlehem, that’s only 40 minutes from me here in NJ- this is the closest I’ve been to a running celebrity like you in my life! 🙂 youve definitelg motivated me to go out for a run tomorrow morning! Have a blast and enjoy your time in PA!
That brownie smore looks amazing!!! Two of my favorite things!
Wow! how amazing is your trip with the bloggers and to Runners World! Fabulous.
Looks like FUN! Enjoy yourselves!
Wow, that sounds like fun! I’m so jealous! I had the privilege of meeting Bart at the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon expo this spring when I attended his presentation.
A desk treadmill would complete me. End of story.
My favorite sports heroes are the father/son team of Dick and Rick Hoyt. They inspire me in every way. P.S. I also run on Dunkin’ and they are opening in SoCal soon!
A treadmill desk would be awesome! Enjoy your fun weekend… Wishing I had decided to go… next year!
So much fun!! 🙂 Looks like a blast and your brownie smore is perfection I must say! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!! I love to live vicariously through other bloggers’ fun adventures! 🙂
Love Bart!!! I heard him speak last year at the Bird in Hand 1/2 marathon. I embarrassed my then 8 yr old son as I saw Bart before his talk. I forced my son to come with me & take our picture together. : ) Enjoy the weekend! It looks like tons of fun.
Way too much fun! 🙂 SO wish I could be there!
And the brownie smores. . . never say Ben is the smart one of the family again.
🙂
I hope you finished all the smores, you got a reputation to protect! Also any chance you want to bring me some DD? I can’t wait until 2015 for the socal stores to finally open up!
Working for Runner’s World would be AMAZING. Nike is one of my boyfriend’s clients and they have amazing facilities as well.
The brownie smores look yummy! That seemed like a very fun event.
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This is my dream day in a nut shell. So jealous you got to meet Bart! Hope you all have fun!
Sounds like an awesome day! I can’t wait to run that race some day! I’m with you on the treadmill desk…so cool!
ANECdotes. Not antidotes.
Busted! Just fixed it 🙂
so cool….so cool…so cool….
Did Bart really share antidotes? (‘Cause I need me some of those in case I’m ever poisoned!) 😉 jk- I’m just jealous because I wanted to be on that tour instead of here in freezing Canada!
Thanks! My mistake!
Love the workout work station! So awesome!
So fun! Hope you enjoy and your race goes amazing!
So jealous you met Bart Yasso! Hope you all have a fun day!
Ahh this is so amazing! You met Bart Yasso…. and I’m officially super jealous! Runners World is one of my fave magazines and it’s so cool that you got to see what goes on behind the scenes. What a fun day, and nice work on the smores too! I’m inspired by a ton of different athletes – I can’t pick just one!
What a fun day!
My running hero is definitely Mo Farah. Love the guy!
Looks like a blast! Glad you and “Carrots n Cake” are reunited again. I swear, for living so far apart I still think you see more of each other than I even see of my next door neighbor! Have fun!
Oooooohhhhh, so exciting!!! Enjoy!!
It’s so cool for RW to invite you gals there! It would be a dream come true if I had that chance though I hardly think that’s possible…after all I live half way around the world and definitely not a “good” blogger.
What an amazing experience! Enjoy it, and I look forward to hearing more about the RW race weekend!
Why have I never thought of a brownie s’more!? I. Want. One. Now! 🙂 Sounds like you’re on a really fun adventure! Enjoy. 🙂
I want that brownie s’more!! Can’t wait to read more of your adventures there.
My sports heroes are Joan Benoit Samuelson and Tedy Bruschi a former New England Patriot.
I so want a treadmill desk. It’s totally on my Christmas list. I hope Santa gets the memo.
How cool to visit the RW offices! And yes, brownie s’more. I’m there with you.
I like to think that Bart Yasso is my BFF – he’s awesome and tweets regularly.
Also, my high school track coach, Scott Weeks, who holds a world record in the Master Men’s 4×800…he was my first running coach and will always be an inspiration to me.
I love Scott Jurek and Alexi Pappas for that bun!
Me too!
Ummm that looks so amazing! Anything s’mores is at the top of my list!
Sports heroes I Would say Kara Goucher or Ryan Hall. Bart Yasso would be pretty high on my list though too! I am pretty jealous!
Dead giveaway that you’re a Cali girl… No one from East Coast wears sandals in October. Cute how you discover that it’s winter there! You missed another 85 degree day of perfection here in South OC. Thank you for sharing your adventures with all of us… Wishing you safe travels and amazing adventures!
Whoa. That brownie s’more is amazing. This all looks like so much funnnn!!!! And I heart Bart Yasso!
Ooh brownie s’mores! That’s genius! 😀
Ryan Hall for sure. And then there’s Mirinda Carfrae, Will Roberts, Jade Wilcoxin, and others. I love a talented athlete with quality character.
I’m so excited to get to Bethlehem. Can’t wait to start my weekend of fun running! Where is the fun tomorrow? How does one get the sweet RW invitation to the festival?
I want a desk treadmill!
We have two of them here in our office but you have to sign up for them and most of the time they are booked (stupid schedule).
My childhood sports heros were Walter (Sweetness) Payton (Chicago Bears RB) and Jeremy Roenick (Chicago Blackhawks C). Now-a-days I have a healthy admiration for Peyton Manning.
This is awesome! I’m so jealous!!
If I say you’re my sports hero, will you let me hide in your suitcase next time you go on a cool trip like this?? 😉
Wow! Your brownie s’more looks awesome (even though I don’t like brownies or chocolate!)