Five Ways to Enjoy a Summer Staycation

July 15, 2022 by 16 Comments

I was lucky enough to have a bonus week off from work last week – the organization I work for closed the office for the July 4th week, giving us all a paid week off! I was feeling very fried leading into the July 4th holiday and so it was a perfect time for a little staycation!

For today’s Fit Five Friday, I’m sharing five ideas to enjoy your next summer staycation.

Five Ways to Enjoy a Summer Staycation

Play tourist in your hometown – Most cities are full of special attractions that locals often take for granted. Spend a day or two exploring some local attractions.

Create an outdoor oasis — Turn your deck or patio into an outdoor “room”, a space perfect for alfresco dining, reading, working out, or just soaking up some sunshine.

Spend time on a favorite hobby or start a new one — Take advantage of the free time to indulge in a favorite pastime or try your hand at something new.

Set up an at-home spa retreat — How can you argue with a spa day? Collect your favorite skincare treatments for both your face and body, try an at-home mani/pedi, and don’t forget to also focus on your internal wellness with time spent journaling, meditating, and practicing yoga.

Truly unplug — Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you have to stay hyper-connected. Give yourself a break from screentime on your phone – less social media, don’t check your email…you get the picture.

How do you spend time on a staycation?

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 share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Staycation, summer mode

Five Things about the BAA 10K

July 8, 2022 by 19 Comments

Happy Friday!

For this week’s Fit Five Friday, instead of a traditional race recap, I’m sharing five things about my recent BAA 10K.

Five Things About the BAA 10K

So Freakin’ Hot!
There’s no way to talk about my 10K experience without talking about the heat and humidity. Yes, I know that this is a summer race so heat is to be expected, but this is my 4th time running this race and I don’t ever remember it being this bad. Miles 3 and 4 were the worst because it’s an out-and-back stretch along Comm Ave and there isn’t a lick of shade. And did I mention that mile 3 is a slow steady climb? This is where the wheels came off the wagon for me.

Brotherly Love
I’m always happy when I can convince my brother to toe the line with me. We always have such a good time together and he really kept me going when things turned ugly.

Rookie Mistake!
Given how hot it was I cannot believe I made the rookie mistake of not carrying fluids with me. I figured there was a water stop at each mile marker and our plan was to walk the water stops. Well, it turns out there was no water stop at mile 3 – wait, what? So yes, the hottest stretch of the course had no water stop. Can you see how things started to unravel for me?

Camaraderie (or Misery Loves Company)
Despite the heat, or maybe because of it, runners along the course were really pulling for each other. We chatted and encouraged each other and I appreciated how many of the speedier runners who were already on their way back in cheered those of us still making our way out to the midpoint. This race always has a good vibe and this year was no different.

Runs Like a Swiss Watch
The lack of a mile 3 water stop aside, this was such a well-organized race. From the pre-race communication to bib and t-shirt pick-up; from gear check to the post-race misting stations and food and drink, and all of the amazing volunteers from start to finish, the BAA really does know how to provide a smooth race experience!

Thanks to the heat, it was not the race day I wanted – it was probably my slowest 10K ever. But, I believe every finish line should be celebrated!

For anyone looking for a Boston race, I would definitely recommend this one. Just come prepared for the summer conditions. I was intrigued to see in the post-race survey that there were questions gauging people’s interest in running this race at another time of year. Personally, I would so love to see this race moved to the fall though I know this could be tricky given that 2 miles of the course run through the center of the Boston University campus, but a girl can hope 😉

How do you feel about summer racing?

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 share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, BAA, race report

Summer Running in Full Effect

July 3, 2022 by 27 Comments

In a blink of an eye, June is in the rearview mirror. As the month wound down, the temps definitely dialed up, and there’s no doubt now that summer running is in full effect. Here’s a quick look at how the week’s workouts played out.

Week 26 — Summer Running in Full Effect

Monday — 3-mile walk, otherwise rest
Tuesday — 2-mile walk & Bodyweight strength (upper & lower body)
Wednesday — 3.5-mile run, Core & Stretch
Thursday — 3-mile walk, Lower Body Strength, & Stretch
Friday —  3.5-mile run, Core & Stretch
Saturday — 2.5-mile walk, Upper Body Strength & Stretch
Sunday — 4-mile run, Core & Stretch

Overall, it was a pretty low-key week. I finished the month with 94 run/walk miles and I’m closing in on the century mark for my #Optoutside streak. Thursday’s strength training brought a return to heavy lifting (and some serious DOMS!) which will definitely be a focus for the summer. I have no summer race plans and am still debating my fall options, so for now, the goal is to focus on the things that will help to keep me strong and injury-free.

Tell me about your week? Any summer race plans?

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

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Filed Under: Summer running, Weekly Run Down

Catching Up Over July Coffee

July 1, 2022 by 14 Comments

How is it possible that it’s already July?!

I’m kicking off the new month with a little catch-up over coffee, joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date.  It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday so let’s make it a two-fer and chat! (This post contains affiliate links).

Catching up over July Coffee

Over coffee I would tell you that now that the summer is in full swing, I am working on perfecting my margarita recipes. There are so many options from classic to spicy, straight or frozen, and every possible fruit in between! While I do enjoy a nice sipping tequila, margaritas, in my opinion, are the perfect summer cocktail.

Over coffee I would tell you that thanks to all the time I’m spending in traffic commuting to and from work, I am learning to embrace audio books. I recently finished Deena Kastor’s “Let Your Mind Run” and “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I enjoyed both books – I think Reid’s book especially would make a great summer beach read!

And, speaking of books, over coffee I would tell you that I am just about halfway through my professional certificate coursework. I am not going to lie, it definitely took a minute to shift into a “classroom” mindset, but I’m really enjoying it!

Over coffee, I would tell you how excited I am to have essentially half the month off from work! Our organization is closing for the week of July 4th and then my family is on vacation for a week later in the month. The timing is such that I’ll be working every other week!

Over coffee, I would tell you that for our vacation we’re looking forward to returning to some time in the mountains at Stowe. We’ve booked the same beautiful townhouse we stayed in last year, and can’t wait to spend time hiking, kayaking, and hopefully a day trip to Montreal (last year the Canadian border was closed).

What would you tell me over coffee? What’s your favorite summer cocktail?

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 share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Ultimate coffee date

Week 25 – Enjoying a Little Staycation

June 26, 2022 by 15 Comments

This week brought some much-needed time off!

My office was closed Monday for the Juneteenth holiday and then I took Thursday through this upcoming Monday off for an extended weekend. It’s been bliss to have some downtime. There has been lots of time spent on the deck – reading and catching up on my coursework; some fun family time; finally got to see Top Gun Maverik, and I have a day planned to catch up with a friend for tomorrow!

This week was also brought the official start of summer and the heat and humidity made an appearance in full force…just in time for race day.

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down. Here’s a quick look at how things played out.

Week 25 – Enjoying a Little Staycation

Full disclosure this photo is from last Sunday’s run – but it was also the best run of the week!

Monday — 3-mile walk, Core & Stretch.
Tuesday — 1.5-mile walk & Upper Body Strength.
Wednesday — Peloton ride, 1-mile walk, Core & Stretch.
Thursday — 3.5-mile run & Upper Body Strength.
Friday — 3.6-mile run, Core & Stretch.
Saturday — 2.5-mile walk, otherwise rest.
Sunday — BAA 10K. I’ll recap this race at a later date but suffice it to say … Heat & Humidity 1, Michelle 0.

My #OptOutside streak hit Day 88 today, and the #3for31 Challenge continues to roll along.

In case you missed it:

Some June Runfessions

Tell me something about your week? Do you have any time off planned?

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Some June Runfessions

June 24, 2022 by 23 Comments

Happy Friday! It’s time for another edition of Fit Five Friday, – and since it’s the last Friday of the month, I’m linking up with Marcia to share a couple of Runfessions. So let’s dive in!

Some June Runfessions

I runfess that I’m wavering a bit on my fall race plans. Back in February, I highlighted some races I wanted to run this year – that list includes the Philadelphia Distance Run – a September half marathon. Back in February the humidity that is often still hanging around in September seemed like a distant memory. Well now that things are starting to heat up, the thought of a steamy September half is giving me pause.

It’s not quite there yet, but you can feel it coming!

I runfess that I will definitely be waiting a while before registering – let’s see how a couple of those 10-mile long runs (in July!) go first. I’m also looking for some late fall options.

I runfess that I’m reaching the end of my rope with my Garmin Venu Sq. A couple of weeks ago in mid-run, I looked down at my watch to see a blue triangle – the watch had crashed, despite having a fully charged battery. I stopped and fought to get it to reset but my run was gone. I wrote it off as a fluke…until it happened again…and again. The watch isn’t even a year old – the Apple watch is starting to look really good to me.

 

Any runfessions to share? Do you have your fall races set yet?

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 be sure to show your hosts some love and visit some of the other bloggers in the link-up.

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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Runfessions

Five Ways to Revive Your 2022 Goals

June 17, 2022 by 7 Comments

Can you believe that we are quickly approaching the halfway mark of 2022?!

As you reach the midway point of the year, it seems like a natural time to reflect and ask how are you doing with those goals and resolutions you set at the beginning of the year. Are they still top of mind? Are you making progress or have some of them slipped off your radar?

If some of your goals got pushed to the backburner, then consider these five ways to get back on track.

Five Ways to Revive Your 2022 Goals

Assess — If you have goals that you have not paid much attention to it’s important to first stop to consider if those goals are still important to you. What was your why for setting the goal in the first place? If you find that some goals just don’t resonate with you anymore, then there’s no crime in letting them go.

Prioritize — It’s easy to get ambitious at the start of a new year and set too many goals at once. It’s important to be realistic about the demands on your time and to recognize that trying to spread yourself too thin could leave you with goals unfulfilled. By setting priorities, you can create a realistic timeline mapping out all of the steps needed to move you closer to your goals and then determine a reasonable action plan.

Track Your Progress — According to a 2014 study, 33% of those who failed to achieve their goals did not track their progress. Use an app, habit tracker, or good old notebook to set up a system that will help you consistently track your progress.

Evaluate — Set aside time on a consistent basis to review your progress so you can see what’s working and where you may be struggling or need to consider a new approach.

Celebrate Along the Way — While the journey to achieving your goal may be challenging it should also include moments of joy. It’s important to celebrate wins, both big and small, along the way. Consider rewarding yourself when you hit key milestones. At the end of the day, if it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing!

 

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 share the link-up 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, goals

A Low-key Week

June 12, 2022 by 10 Comments

“Mulch is evil” – my massage therapist declared as she tried to work out whatever madness had settled into my upper right quad.

If you caught last week’s WRD then you know that I had to cut my “long” run short …the day after I spent an afternoon hauling mulch around my flower beds. While I didn’t feel it at the time, I had clearly tweaked something and it reared its ugly head during last Sunday’s run. Given how angry my quad felt, I decided to not poke the bear and didn’t attempt a run until Friday this week. Here’s how my week in fitness played out.

Week 23 — A Low-key Week

Monday — 4-mile walk, Core & Stretch.
Tuesday — 3.5-mile walk. This was so needed after lots of time in my car commuting and sitting in meetings.
Wednesday — 3.2-mile walk, Lower Body Strength, Core & Stretch.
Thursday —  3-mile walk and Peloton Bike. Plus a post-work massage.
Friday — 3.2-mile run, 1-mile walk, Core & Stretch. The hills on my route and my quad were not a great match, but I got through the run.
Saturday — 3-mile walk, Upper Body Strength & Stretch.
Sunday — 6-mile run. Although my quad felt a little iffy at the start, it settled down quickly and all-in-all the run felt pretty good.

I think this low-key week was just what my quad needed. And, I was still able to keep up with the #3for31 Challenge and my #OptOutside Streak (Day 43) – so I’m calling this week a win! My plan for the upcoming week is to return to my usual run schedule and continue to pay extra attention to stretching and time with my massage gun.

In case you missed it:

Boston’s Run to Remember 5 Mile Race Recap

How was your week?

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

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Filed Under: #3for31, #OptOutside, Weekly Run Down

Boston’s Run to Remember 5-Miler Race Recap

June 10, 2022 by 10 Comments

Happy Friday!

For this week’s Fit Five Friday I’m sharing my race recap from one of my favorite races – Boston’s Run to Remember!

Boston’s Run to Remember 5-Miler Race Recap

Boston’s Run to Remember is held annually on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend as a tribute to fallen 1st Responders. Proceeds from the race benefit local youth and community programs supported by our 1st Responders and several local charities, including the Alzheimer’s Association, Cops for Kids With Cancer, Muscular Dystrophy, the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, and Sole Train (a youth mentoring program). The race features both a half marathon and a 5-mile option. In fact, it was my first half marathon ever! It’s definitely a sentimental favorite 🙂

After being virtual for the past two years, I was happy to see this race return, even in a more scaled-down fashion. While Boston’s Seaport World Trade Center has always served as the host for the race expo, this year the Center is under a major renovation so there was no expo. I didn’t really miss the expo, and actually really appreciated the satellite locations they set up for bib pick up. It was nice to swing into a local running store and pick up my bib and t-shirt vs driving into downtown Boston on a holiday weekend! The one aspect of the expo I did miss, however, was seeing the memorial banners with the list of all of the names of fallen 1st responders and some photos that were always on display – a great reminder of what the race is about.

Race Day

With a 7 am start, I was up and out the door by 5:30. My husband J offered to come with me and was a real trooper getting up so early on a Sunday. The ride into the city was easy and we decided to park at the Seaport Hotel, which was right near the starting line. We had parked there for previous races – it’s a little pricey, but you can’t beat clean indoor bathrooms and the comfortable lounge where we could hang out until the start.

About 10 minutes before the start I said goodbye to J, passed through the security barriers, and worked my way up into the middle of the 2nd wave. Following the singing of Amazing Grace and the National Anthem, Wave 1 was off.

Ready to run!

A couple of minutes later, my wave followed. Unfortunately, there were none of the usual pace markers for runners to self-seed so the start was chaotic – I spent most of the first half mile dodging and weaving until I could finally find some open space to settle into my run. I had planned to use the run/walk intervals (6:30 run; 45 sec walk) I’ve been using for the past few months, but in trying to find space in that first mile I decided to just get past the first-mile marker before switching to the intervals.

The 5-mile course winds through the streets of Boston, starting and ending along Seaport Boulevard. The course runs out along the waterfront and then takes runners past Faneuil Hall, through Beacon Hill, then past the Public Garden before looping through the financial district and returning to the waterfront. It’s a great tour of the city and I was happy to be feeling really good so I could enjoy it. With the cluster of runners stretching out after the first mile, miles 2 – 4 seem to click along. I spent most of the race playing leap frog with a team of runners from a local high school and fed off of their energy.

As we made the left turn on Atlantic Ave heading back to the waterfront,  I made a final push over the bridge, putting some distance between me and the team. Just then I heard J call my name just as I hit the final stretch towards the finish line.

Recapping Boston's Run to Remember 5 Miler #FitFiveFriday #Bibchat #BostonRunning Share on X

There were plenty of volunteers on hand to hand out medals and water. Runners were asked to continue down Seaport Blvd. towards a park a couple of blocks down where they could reunite with family. There were more volunteers handing out snack bags with a mix of granola bars, dried fruit snacks, and Oreos.

Overall this race is always really well done and it was a lot of fun to get back out on this course. As I have often said, if you ever plan to be in Boston on Memorial Day weekend, I highly encourage you to register for this one!

Do you have a favorite 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 share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

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Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Boston's Run to Remember, race report

Ready for June

June 5, 2022 by 17 Comments

Who’s ready for June? I know I am! I always enjoy the start of a new month and the chance to set some new goals. But before we dive into June plans, I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

Week 22 – Ready for June

Monday — A little race recovery with a 2.8-mile walk and some yoga.
Tuesday — 1.2-mile walk, otherwise rest day.
Wednesday — 3.2-mile run, Core & Stretch. Celebrated Global Running Day virtually with some blogger friends

A huge thanks to Cari for putting this together!

Thursday — 3.5-mile walk, Upper Body Strength, Core & Stretch.
Friday –– 4-mile run & Stretch.
Saturday — 1.5-mile walk, Full Body Strength & Stretch.
Sunday — 3-mile run. The plan was to run 6, but my quad woke up with a very different plan this morning. I tried to work through it, but I was bargaining with each step and finally decided to shut it down at 3. I have the BAA 10K in 3 weeks so there’s no point in risking aggravating anything.

June Goals

  • Complete the #3for31 Challenge — Peloton instructor Robin first introduced this challenge in December and it was a great way to stay consistent. The challenge is 3 miles on foot (walk, jog, or run) or 30 minutes of movement every day from June 1st through July 1st. Given my current #OptOutside streak (today’s Day 67), I’m planning to do the 3 miles/day option.

  • Return to Consistent Strength Training — With the craziness of my May schedule, strength training sometimes took a backseat, so I am looking to return to a more balanced mix of workouts.
  • Focus on Hill Work —  I’ve got the BAA 10K at the end of this month and while the course is fairly flat, the hill in mile 3 up Comm Ave has given me fits in the past. It doesn’t help that race day is usually hot and this part of the course offers absolutely no shade. The goal this year is to run that hill strong.

What are you looking forward to this month? 

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Filed Under: Global Running Day, goals, Weekly Run Down