FitLabPGH is a podcast about movement and movement opportunities in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Once a week we also highlight a FitLabPGH mover…someone who understands that movement is a lifestyle…not just an activity. The questions are lightly edited to allow for easy readability. Click FitLabPGH Features for more info if you want to be featured/know someone who should be featured.
This Week: Annette Aho
Are you a Pittsburgh native? If not, what brought you to the Pittsburgh area? No – I grew up in Sacramento, which is in Northern California. I moved to Southwestern Pennsylvania to attend Waynesburg University, where I competed on the cross country and track team (2011 – 2015). Life then led me to the city of Pittsburgh, where my first job was in a physical therapy clinic. I fell in love with running in Pittsburgh and, the city in general. One job led to another, and then a masters degree from Chatham University. Here I am, seven years later, still loving life in Pittsburgh!
What are your three favorite movement activities in the Pittsburgh area? Am I allowed to pick running for all three? Okay, if I really had to pick three they would be: running, strength training, and pilates.
Describe your fantasy movement-focused vacation…cost is not an object…where do you go and what do you do? This one was hard for me because to be honest, I am living my “fantasy-movement vacation”! It has been my goal to run all six world marathon majors, in a six year time span, since I graduated college. Traveling the world and having the opportunity to race at the best marathon venues out there, is a dream come true! So far, I have run in Boston and Chicago. This year (2019) I will cross the Berlin Marathon off that list. After that, I will have the final three world majors, which are New York City, London, and Tokyo! Traveling and running go hand in hand – it is the best kind of vacation!
What is your go-to weekday breakfast? Your weekend breakfast? Weekday Breakfast: granola from Penn Mac, mixed with peanut butter, almond milk, and berries! Weekend breakfast: it depends if we are talking pre-long run breakfast or post-long run breakfast. Runners are complicated, I know. 🙂 In general, weekend favorites include eggs (dippy style, of course!) or, pancakes!
What is your favorite thing to eat in Pittsburgh? Note: it does not need to be healthy. DiAnoia’s Eatery, hands down. They are the very best and, have something for any time of the day. In the morning, you can catch me grabbing a coffee and a baked good or breakfast sandwich. During the day, they have the most delicious panini options! And at night, there is no better place to unwind than at their bar or at a table with friends, over a bowl of cacio e pepe. All delicious and, great fuel for marathon training!
What is the most unusual and/or challenging movement activity you’ve done? Would you do it again? An aerial silks class. It was a ton of fun but, there is so much technique involved, which makes it challenging. I am a former gymnast so, I feel like I had some success with it. I would definitely try it again!
What movement activity/event are you looking forward to in the next year? Running the Berlin Marathon in September! My Pittsburgh family is coming along and, they will all be waiving terrible towels, of course. 🙂
Would you rather go scuba diving or skydiving? Scuba diving, for two reasons. One, I have always wanted to do it. Two, I have already gone sky diving!
What is your favorite recovery or self-care practice? Foam rolling, visiting my massage therapist, and taking an epsom salt bath are all ways that I actively recover from training on a weekly basis. Also, just listening to my body and knowing when to take a day off, has helped me a lot in avoiding injury and staying mentally relaxed through life, work, training, etc.
What is the one place visitors to Pittsburgh “must” see? The Strip District! I may be biased because I live in the Strip but, it truly is such a unique place. There is so much to see, do, smell, and eat. It is pure Pittsburgh – you are bound to meet some friendly people and eat some good food while you are in the Strip!
Contact info for Annette Aho:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annette_runspgh/
Photo Credit: Matt Lynch Media
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