Keeping it low key

December 11, 2022 by 25 Comments

The schedule continues to be jammed packed – tis’ the season! Always grateful for the sanity balance that working out provides.  Here’s a quick peek at my fitness week.

Keeping it Low Key

Monday — 2-mile walk & Yoga for hips
Tuesday — 3-mile run, Core & Stretch
Wednesday — Bodyweight Strength & Hip Mobility
Thursday — 3-mile walk, Core & Stretch
Friday — 3-mile run
Saturday — Upper Body Strength
Sunday — 3-mile run & Stretch

The workouts continue to be low-key but the running has been pain-free. I’m certainly not mad about that! So while not terribly exciting, it’s clear that this slow and steady approach is paying off.

Happy Mama Moments:

The highlight of the week was seeing my high schooler perform in his school’s winter concert. His group played 3 songs and as the drummer, he was front and center. Out of respect for the privacy of his bandmates, I won’t share the video here, but trust me when I say he crushed it! And this week, I’ll be picking up my college boy as he wraps up exam week so you know I’m looking forward to having us all back under one roof for a bit.

In case you missed it:

Fit Five Friday – Stocking Stuffers for Runners

How was your week? Are you feeling the pinch of the season?

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

 

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Fit Five Friday – Stocking Stuffers for Runners

December 9, 2022 by 11 Comments

Happy Friday!

The holiday shopping crunch is on! In my house, stocking stuffers are a big deal so for this week’s Fit Five Friday I’m sharing a few stocking stuffer ideas for the runners in your life. This post includes affiliate links.

Heat Holders — Heat Holders offer socks, hats, and gloves made with an advanced insulating yarn designed to trap your body warmth and keep it close to your body. Every winter is a challenge for me dealing with Renaud’s syndrome so I’m all about gear that will help to lessen the effects of winter.

These Oslo Gloves come in a variety of colors but I think the black stripe is so cute!

Noxgear — I’ve been a big fan of Noxgear vests for years. The Tracer Lamp is a great addition to the Noxgear line-up. The lamp is a 500-lumen rechargeable light that securely attaches to the buckle of any Tracer vest to help light your path and improve your visibility.

Road ID – This is a must for any runner, walker, and cyclist. There are so many options in colors and designs.

Knockaround Sunglasses — Polarized lenses, durable, lightweight, and in a range of fun designs, Knockaround sunglasses are a great addition to your favorite runner’s gear. I’m personally a fan of the Paso Robles model.

Sukeen Cooling Towels — Once activated these towels will stay cool for up to 3 hours – perfect for those hot summer runs or after any intense workout. Just soak it in water, wring it out, snap it and go!

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Share your fitness-related link, link back to your hosts, and please share the link love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Gifts for runners

Hello December!

December 4, 2022 by 22 Comments

And, just like that, we’ve hit the last month of what has often felt like a sprint of a year. It was another busy week as everyone at work tries to jam in “all the things” before year-end vacations kick in. On the fitness front, I’m still trying to decide what my new, off-season routine will look like. Here’s how this week played out:

Week 48 – Hello December!

Monday — 3-mile walk, Hip Mobility & Core
Tuesday — Rest day
Wednesday — Peloton Bike, Core, & Stretch. I started with a 20-min HIIT ride that included 16 sprints…ouch! The cool down ride and stretch were a must! My legs were jelly.


Thursday — 3-mile run. Day 1 of Peloton instructor Robin’s #3for31 challenge – run or walk 3 miles or move 30 minutes daily in December. I also paid a visit to my massage therapist – I was long overdue!
Friday — Lower Body Strength, Core & Stretch
Saturday — 3.5-mile run. The wind was just rude! I certainly chalked this up to resistance training.

keeping my hat was a struggle with the wind!

Sunday — 3-mile walk and planning for some time on the Peloton bike post-coffee

Just 2 runs for the week, but both were pain-free so I’ll take it! Overall, the goal for this month is simple – do what’s necessary to heal my lingering hip flexor/quad issue.

How was your week? Any big goals for December?

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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December Coffee – The last coffee of 2022

December 2, 2022 by 14 Comments

I swear once we hit Thanksgiving it always feels like a sprint to the end of the year. Well, I’m doing all I can to slow down and enjoy this last month of the year, and that begins with a little catch-up over coffee with Deborah and Coco for the Ultimate Coffee Date. And, of course, since it’s Friday, it’s also time for the Fit Five Friday link-up! So grab a mug of your fave hot beverage and let’s chat.

December Coffee — The Last Coffee of 2022

Over coffee, I would tell you that I’m looking forward to breaking out the Christmas decorations this weekend. My husband still insists on getting a real tree so we’ll wait on getting one right now for fear that it will be a fire hazard before Christmas – but we will take care of all of the lights and all of the outdoor decorations, along with most of the indoor stuff.

And, speaking of Christmas, over coffee I would also share that I am really struggling with gift ideas this year. By now I usually have some inkling of what I’m getting everyone, but this year I’ve got bupkis. I’m trying not to panic.

Over coffee, I would tell you that I’m really looking forward to my son’s school concert next week! It’s been more than two years since the school has hosted a concert and in that time my son has switched from the trumpet to the drums – a much better fit for his personality! The drummer is always spotlighted in these performances and I can’t wait to see him perform.

Over coffee, I would tell you that we had a fantastic trip to Sonoma last month! And, we’re still enjoying the effects of the trip as shipments of wine continue to arrive. Clearly, we were enjoying ourselves because we didn’t fully remember what we had ordered LOL. Now the question is what do you do when you have more wine than you have wine rack space?

What would you tell me over coffee? What are you looking forward to this month?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Share your fitness-related link, link back to your hosts, and please share the link love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Recovery Mode

November 27, 2022 by 20 Comments

November has been a fun month…and I’ll freely admit that I’m tired! After 3 straight weekends of being on the road, it has felt so nice to be at home this weekend. My workouts this week were intentionally minimal as I shifted into recovery mode.

Scene from Sunday’s miles

Week 47 – Recovery Mode

Monday — While I’m usually a proud card-carrying member of the #nevermissamonday club, I took a pass on working out. My hip flexor was letting me know just how much it hadn’t appreciated being pushed during Sunday’s race. So I took a rest day…I didn’t even plank for Planksgiving…no regrets.
Tuesday — 2-mile walk, Core (including planks), & Yoga.
Wednesday — Peloton Bike, Core with planking, & Stretch. It’s been quite a while since I’ve done any indoor cycling! I’m grateful that riding doesn’t bother the flexor so I have a feeling I’ll be doing quite a bit in the coming weeks.
Thursday — 3-mile of virtual running with friends! Grateful for the connections running has brought into my life.

Thanks to Cari for organizing!

Friday — Rest day with Planksgiving. Yep, a second rest day…it was rainy and cold and a lazy day with the family, hanging on the couch reading and checking out the online deals seemed like a good plan. Giving my body what it needs.
Saturday — 2.1-mile walk, Upper Body Strength, & Core (with planking).
Sunday — 3-mile run, Planking & Stretch.

Now that my races are done, I’m looking forward to settling into a new routine with rehabbing the hip as the main focus – there will be mobility work, time on the bike, and yes, some easy running.

So tell me, are you training for something, in maintenance mode, or somewhere in between?

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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November Runfessions

November 25, 2022 by 20 Comments

Happy Friday!

This month flew by in a blink (I feel like I say that often!), and here we are on the last Friday of the month. That means Marcia has opened the runfessional. It’s also time for another Fit Five Friday hosted by Darlene, Renee, Jenn, Zenaida, and yours truly, so let’s get started.

November Runfessions

I runfess that I am so over hearing the phrase “Black Friday”! I may or may not be spending some time today checking out the online deals, but absolutely no in-store shopping!

I runfess that as much as I wanted to join a few of my fellow bloggers for the Team Wilpers Holiday Run Challenge I’ve decided to take a pass. Speedwork is just not something my hip flexor needs right now. I’ll be focusing on the boring but necessary rehab work and hopefully, I can dive into the next Wilpers challenge in January.

As I start to look ahead to possible races for 2023, I runfess that at the moment distances of 10 miles or less hold the most appeal. While I’ve seen some great deals for early registrations, I’ll be holding off committing to anything.

How about you – have you registered for any 2023 races yet? Are you a Black Friday shopper? 

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please remember to link back to your hosts and share the link love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Runfessions

Philly 8K Race Recap

November 22, 2022 by 9 Comments

This past weekend, my husband J and I headed to Philly to run the 8K as part of the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend. I had originally planned to run the half marathon but my work schedule and cranky hip flexor hindered my long runs and had me shifting my registration to join my husband in the 8K. I was excited to return to Philly Marathon Weekend and to have my hubby joining me was a great bonus!

Pre-Race/Expo:

We flew into Philadelphia on Friday morning and were happy to find out that our hotel room was ready early! We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn which is next door to the Reading Terminal Market and basically across the street from the Philadelphia Convention Center, home to the expo.

Packet pick-up was quick and easy though I was struck by the lack of volunteers for t-shirts and bags – I felt for the woman who was hustling at the 8K t-shirt distribution.  J and I took a spin through the expo, including stopping to check out the Garmin watches and chat up the rep on the features of the Forerunner 255 Music which I have been eyeing. It’s on my wish list 🙂 We had lunch at the Market and then chilled in the room for the afternoon watching college football. We grabbed dinner at a local pizza place – so good.

Reading Market photo courtesy of Visit Philly.com

Race Day

The 8K didn’t go off until 11 AM so the morning was relaxed and easy. We were about a 1-mile walk to the start and headed out just after 10 thinking we’d have plenty of time to get to the corrals and warm up. (Given the temps in the mid 30 plus the windchill we were hoping to avoid standing in the cold for too long.) We arrived to find a crazy long line for the security check-in. The line seemed to go on forever and it was not moving. I can honestly say that I have never been in line for security while listening to the race announcer count down the start. Runners were annoyed, it was a cluster! We eventually got through security and headed to a break in the barriers to get to the start.

In the hustle to get to the start, there was no final dynamic stretching and I forgot to take my GU. But we were off and excited to get going. J, who was easing his way back into running, did not want me to wait and encouraged me to run my own race so soon after the start we separated. Without the benefit of the corraled start, I spent a good bit of the first mile or so weaving around walkers and slower runners, but I was feeling good and enjoying the crowd support. Most of the course was an out-and-back along Kelly Drive, which was a great opportunity for runners to high-five and support each other along the course.

There were some really cold gusts of wind off the Schuylkill River, but I was pretty pleased that I had nailed my layering game. The miles ticked by, I stuck to my 4/:45 intervals and enjoyed my playlist. I hit the turnaround and was heading back when a woman ran up alongside me and asked if I was RunAttitude, it was Courtney from Eat, Pray Run DC! I then spotted J making his way up to the turnaround and we high-fived. As I passed the 4-mile marker my hip flexor reared its ugly head, an extra walk break was needed, but I powered on. I knew I was close and I did not want to lose momentum. Soon I saw the banners marking the final stretch and I pushed through to the finish. Always feels good to cross the finish line with a smile.

I was handed my medal and a heat wrap and then waited for J. Once he finished we snagged a couple of photos and then headed for the food tent – an offering of bananas, granola bars, orange juice, and chicken broth. Oh, that hot broth felt so good! We hung out for a little bit and then walked the mile back to our hotel.

Final thoughts:

Overall I really enjoyed this race! The security lines were a complete cluster and made the start more chaotic than it needed to be. I was also surprised by the lack of enthusiasm from the volunteers at the water stops. They seemed stressed and I didn’t hear the encouragement of runners that I often hear in other races. Maybe they were just cold. That aside, the course is a good one, relatively flat, along the river. It was fun to be a part of the Philly Marathon Weekend! I would run this race again.

I’m linking up with Kim and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics.

And, with Debbie, Deborah, Lisa, and Jenn for the Runners’ Roundup.

Have you participated in the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend?

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Filed Under: race report

On the Road Again

November 20, 2022 by 26 Comments

Happy Sunday!

This week had me flying home from wine country, working a couple of days, and then back on a plane, this time Philly-bound! My usual workout routine has been taking a hit, but I’ve been fitting in what I can where I can. Here’s a quick peek at how the week played out.

Week 46 – On the Road Again

Monday — 2.5-mile walk, yoga, Planksgiving day 14. It was nice to get a little workout in before the long flight home from California.

Tuesday — Planking, overwise rest. After arriving late Monday night, I was up and out early to commute to the office and followed a busy workday with a “goodbye” drinks staff gathering.

Wednesday — Flash 15 Strength, Planking, and Stretch. It’s rare that I have back-to-back days of commuting, but I was back in the office again. I love these Flash 15 classes on the Peloton app – Jess Sims really packs a lot into those 15 minutes – perfect for when I’m short on time!

Thursday — 3-mile run, Core (with planking), and Stretch. While I didn’t have to commute, my day started with an early board meeting Zoom call so I had planned a lunchtime run. Schedules collided and by the time I was free to run it was dark out. I had no motivation to run in the dark so it was a treadmill run.

Friday — 3.25-mile walk, Planking & Stretch. My husband J and I did a short walk after we arrived in Philly, then hit the expo and called it a day.

Saturday — Philly 8K! Had so much fun out there – recap to come.

Sunday — The marathon route goes right past our hotel so we’re planning to get out early to spectate before heading to the airport.

It was a chaotic but fun week! And, now I’m looking forward to the Thanksgiving week and things settling down a little.

How was your week?

In case you missed it:

Western Mass 10 Mile Race Recap

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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Western Mass 10 Mile Race Recap

November 18, 2022 by 18 Comments

A couple of weeks ago I toed the line for the inaugural Western Mass 10 Miler. While I’m usually not a fan of “inaugural races” – I like to wait for some of the kinks to be worked out – I was excited to run this one because 1) I’ve made no secret of my love of the 10-mile distance and 2) this was an HMF event and they’ve got a reputation for putting on a great event.

For this week’s Fit FIve Friday I’m sharing a quick race recap — spoiler alert, this race did not disappoint!

Western MA 10 Mile Race Recap

The 10-mile course was a point-to-point route, starting on the UMass Amherst campus and ending in the town of Northampton. After a quick loop through Amherst (including an incline at the start), most of the race was spent on the Norwottuck Rail Trail – a beautiful trail for runners, walkers, and cyclists.

Isn’t this a beautiful spot to run?

After enjoying some cool fall mornings for my runs leading up to the race, Mother Nature threw us a big curve ball on race day with 78% humidity, which made the unseasonable 76-degree temps feel even warmer. Definitely not the November race temps I had been hoping for! As I had mentioned in some of my previous weekly run downs, my hip flexor had kept me guessing over the past couple of weeks – sometimes it was completely quiet and at other times quite irritable. Well, perhaps my hip flexor is affected by the weather because on race morning it was certainly crankier than it had been. I honestly had no goals for this race except to enjoy it and celebrate another finish line so that made it much easier to let go of concerns over the humidity or hip and just run.

Despite the hip flexor crankiness, I actually went out faster than I had planned for the first couple of miles. After the first mile, I settled into the 4:1 run-walk intervals that I’ve been using since the summer and overall felt pretty good through the first 6 miles. In mile 7, I started to slow as my hip region was just not happy. It took a few more walk breaks to get through the next few miles but I powered along and appreciated the encouragement of other runners, the volunteers, and the bike support crew (who did an excellent job of constantly patrolling the course since it was open to the public).

Thanks to Route 9 which runs from Amherst to Northampton parallel to the Trail, there are multiple spots where spectators could stop to cheer. It was great to have my husband J pop up in a few spots along the way!

The race finished at the Deck Bar at Union Station in Northampton. There post-race party with music, beer, and food, including vegetarian chili. I never have the stomach to eat right after a race so I didn’t partake beyond grabbing a banana and water.

There were so many pluses to this race — from the course, to the volunteers, to the swag (I love the color of the long sleeve tech shirt!). Race management did a great job of being in touch pre-race, and I appreciated that they mailed bibs if you registered up to a week before the race. I would definitely run this one again…and hopefully next time, we’ll get real November weather 🙂

Have you run an inaugural race?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please remember to link back to your hosts and share the link love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, race report

Wine Country Check-in

November 13, 2022 by 24 Comments

Hello from California!

After last Sunday’s 10 miler (race recap still to come), the theme for this week was rest, recharge, and wine country! Here’s a quick peek at how the week played out.

Week 45 – Wine Country Check-in

Monday — Yoga for hips and Planksgiving Day 7. Everything felt extra creaky so I stacked some hip-focused yoga classes from the Peloton app. and then threw in some foam rolling.
Tuesday — Planksgiving Day 8 otherwise rest. I was up and out early to commute to the office and it was a long day as I tried to wrap up as many loose ends as possible before my vacation.
Wednesday — 3-mile run, Core (including planks) & Stretch. November weather returned but there was plenty of sunshine when I slipped out for a midday run.


Thursday — 3.5-mile walk & Plank Day 10. The day started at 3:30 am for our taxi pickup to the airport, flight to San Fransisco, and then a drive up to Sonoma. We were eager to get out and about and a walk was a great way to shake out our legs.
Friday — 1.5-mile walk, planking, and then wine tasting! Does vineyard hopping count as a workout? We had arranged for a driver to take us to four different vineyards. Let me tell you this was the way to go! The pace was slow and easy, our tasting hosts were really nice, and the wine was outstanding!

Saturday — Coastline hike & planking day 12. We drove up towards Bodega Bay in search of some hiking and ocean views and we were not disappointed.


Sunday — The plan is to get a run in (distance to be determined) before brunch and a visit to a couple more vineyards 🙂

Keeping things low key fitness-wise has done wonders for my cranky hip flexor, which is great since I have the Philly 8K coming up next. And, to say this vacation was just what I needed would be an understatement. We head home on Monday evening so until then I’m going to squeeze all the goodness I can out of the rest of our time here (I’m not going to want to leave lol!).

So tell me, how was your week? 

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

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Filed Under: vacation, Weekly Run Down