Catching Up Over October Coffee

October 1, 2021 by 26 Comments

It’s time for another edition of Fit Five Friday – and what better way to kick off a weekend than with a little coffee catch-up with friends? I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date, so grab a mug, and let’s chat!

Over coffee, I would tell you how happy I am that October has arrived! I love fall and I always feel like October is when fall is at its best! Bring on the apple picking, leaf-peeping, hiking, and evening fires on the patio. My husband and I will also be celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary.

Over coffee, I would tell you how much I am looking forward to visiting my son for parents’ weekend at the end of the month. I was surprised that the weekend was scheduled so late into the semester (like Halloween weekend late!), but we’ve got our hotel room booked and hockey tickets reserved (trust me both are precious commodities!) While it’s great to see him on the occasional FaceTime, I’m really looking forward to giving my son a big hug.

Over coffee, I would tell you that I’m hooked on the show Only Murders in the Building. It’s a 10-episode comedy-mystery starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selna Gomez. A new episode drops every Tuesday and there are only 3 left.

Over coffee, I would tell you that I’ll be running the Ocean Road 10K on Sunday! I ran this race a couple of years ago and am really happy to see that the race organizers were able to make it happen as an in-person race this year. I’m looking forward to running with my brother again – we always have such a good time together 🙂

And speaking of races, over coffee I would tell you that I’m excited to volunteer at the Boston Marathon next Friday! I’m assigned to bib distribution and am hoping that I’ll see some familiar faces. From the many emails I’ve received from the BAA, it looks like there will be a lot of covid safety procedures in place.

What would you tell me over coffee? Any big plans for this month? What are you streaming?

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 (exercise, wellness, mental health, nutrition… the possibilities are endless!), 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!

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Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Ultimate coffee date

A Shot of Hope

September 26, 2021 by 26 Comments

This week went by in a blur! The highlight of the week was getting a cortisone shot and feeling hopeful after some pain-free running. Here’s how the week went down.

Last glimpse of the Harvest Moon on the first day of Fall.

Weekly Run Down — Week 38

Monday — Cortisone shot! I had a crazy early conference call so that combined with another poor night of sleeping, and back-to-back meetings had me missing my first #nevermissamonday in a long time.

Tuesday — Upper Body Strength, Core, 1-mile walk & Stretch. I was advised by the doc who administered my shot to not run until Wednesday. The hip area was still feeling pretty aggravated, so an upper body workout seemed to be the right call.

Wednesday — 3.1-mile run, Core & Stretch. The first day of Fall, though Mother Nature seems to have not gotten the memo as the temps were up and the humidity was off the charts. Despite the weather, the run felt light and easy – something I’ve not been able to say for a while.

Thursday — 1-mile walk & Yoga for Hips.

Friday — Peloton ride, Upper Body Strength, Core & Stretch. I took my first ride with Leanne and loved her energy and the Ed Sheeran playlist. I usually don’t repeat rides, but I could really see doing this one again.

Saturday — 3.5-mile run, Core & Stretch. I so wanted to run further, but my ortho wants me to keep the runs short and sweet for now. It was another pain-free run, though I could definitely feel that I should keep hills to a minimum. I also got a chance to try out the new gear I’d won in Erica’s giveaway from Arcteryx – love both the tank and shorts!

Sunday — Peloton ride, Hip mobility work & Stretch.

The cortisone shot has definitely given me hope for more pain-free days ahead. Consistency with my hip mobility work, strength training, and stretching will be the key. I have the Ocean Road 10K next Sunday so this upcoming week will be about striking a balance to not over-tax my hip.

In case you missed it:

Back on My Feet Running Festival Recap

Some September Runfessions

How was your week? Does it feel like fall where you are?

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

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Some September Runfessions

September 24, 2021 by 24 Comments

OK, I feel like I’ve said this a lot this year, but seriously, where did the month go?!

Somehow here we are once again on the last Friday of the month which 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.

Some September Runfessions

Canceled Race — This week I received an email from race organizers announcing that Boston’s Run to Remember scheduled for November has been canceled. All registrations are being moved to Memorial Day Weekend (the traditional race date). While I was initially surprised and disappointed (I’ve always wanted to run this course in cooler fall temps), I runfess that I was also relieved. I had been agonizing over how far behind I was in my training plan thanks to my cranky hip, and wondering how I was going to pull this off without pushing too hard to make up miles, and risking further injury. Crisis averted!

Pain tolerance — Following Monday’s cortisone shot in my hip I got my first chance to take a run on Wednesday. I runfess that I don’t think I realized just how much discomfort I’ve learned to tolerate – running felt smoother and lighter…how nice to be able to say that!

Shoe Challenges — Back in July I runfessed that I had been holding off on trying out the new pair of Brooks Glycerins I won in a giveaway for fear that switching shoes would only add to my hip woes. Well, I finally took them out on the road a handful of times and I runfess I don’t love them. I’ve run in Glycerins before – in fact, the 17s were my marathon shoe and I loved them. The current model (19s) has more cushion than I would like – they feel, for lack of a better word, mushy. Whomp, whomp.

What are you run-fessing? 

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 (exercise, wellness, mental health, nutrition… the possibilities are endless!), be sure 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

Back on My Feet Running Festival Recap

September 21, 2021 by 30 Comments

Last Saturday I participated in the Back on My Feet (BOMF) Running Festival. While I have slowed down on doing virtual races this year, I’m always up for supporting a good cause.

Disclaimer: I received a free race entry as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Back on My Feet Running Festival Recap

BOMF is a great organization working to combat homelessness in 14 major cities across the U.S., including my hometown of Boston. With all the challenges of Covid, BOMF opted to host one large virtual running festival this year, instead of attempting multiple in-person events.

I liked that the Festival offered a range of distances (5K, 10K, 15K, 30K, or you could run all 4 distances) so there was something for everyone! I had originally planned on running the 15K, but my hip had other plans. When I couldn’t make the longer training runs work, I opted to swap distances. The beauty of a virtual event is that there were no restrictions to changing plans – so 10K it was!

As a perk of participating as a BibRave Pro, I received a free race t-shirt (there was a $100 fundraising minimum to receive a shirt). While I didn’t participate in the fundraising I did make a donation as this was a cause I really wanted to support.

A week before the Festival started I also received my bib, along with a GU gel, and finish line banner. I thought the finish line banner was a fun touch!

Race morning I woke up to less than ideal conditions – light rain and off-the-charts humidity. For half a second I toyed with the idea of holding off, but since I did not know how I was going to feel following Monday’s cortisone shot, I stuck with my plan. I had hoped that the rain would make for a cool, refreshing run, but unfortunately, the rain stopped shortly after mile 1 and then the humidity really cranked up. Miles 1 – 3 went by fairly quickly, but my right hip did not love the long gradual climb of mile 4.

The final stretch

I did my best to stick to my 4:1 intervals, but between the humidity and my increasingly angry hip, I was glad I had chosen to just do the 10K. On the plus side, the roads were quiet so it was a nice peaceful run. And, a huge shoutout to my husband J for being a mobile water stop and cheerleader around 4.5 miles!

Just because it’s virtual doesn’t mean you can’t run “with” friends! Cari, Deborah, and Fellow BibRave Pro Kim also took part in the Festival.

Kim, me, and Cari! Thanks to Cari for the photo skills 🙂

The only downside of the Festival for me was the lack of communication from the event organizers. Especially with it being a virtual event, I think this was a missed opportunity to create more excitement among runners — maybe even to have provided a way to connect runners in the 14 cities they operate in.

Overall, I would recommend the BOMF Running Festival and supporting this great organization addressing homelessness across the country. (The Festival is being held through Saturday, September 25th, so there’s still time to get in on the action – click here to register and use code BibRave5! to save $5 off the registration fee).

I’m linking this with Kim and Zenaida for the Tuesday Topics Link-Up.

I’m also linking with Debbie, Deborah, Lisa, Jenn, and Laura for the Runners’ Roundup.

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Filed Under: #BibRavePro, #BOMFBR, race report, Runners Roundup, Tuesday Topics

Week 37 – Chasing Sleep

September 19, 2021 by 28 Comments

This was one of those weeks where my sleep cycle was way off – like wide awake at 2 or 3 am and dead tired by late afternoon. I had no trouble falling asleep, but staying asleep was a whole different story. Needless to say, there were very few early morning workouts, which also left me feeling a little off-kilter. But, I did my best to adjust – here’s a look at how the week went down.

Weekly Run Down – Week 37

Monday — Lower body strength, Core, 20 min Ride & Stretch. I didn’t really have a plan for this workout, but this combination of shorter classes worked really well, and I enjoyed the change of pace of the guided scenic ride.

Tuesday — 1-mile walk, Core & Stretch. I did not sleep well at all Monday night so I kept things short and sweet.

Wednesday — 3-mile run & Hip mobility work. There was just nothing good about this run – the humidity had come roaring back and another poor night of sleep had my legs feeling heavy and slow.

Trying to manage a smile

Thursday — Full body strength, Core, 25 min Ride (including 5 min warm-up) & Stretch. This all Robin stack was fun!

Friday — Yoga

Saturday — Back on My Feet Virtual 10K. Full recap coming later, but let me just say that Ma Nature did not play nice. While I didn’t really mind the light rain for the first couple of miles, but the humidity was just miserable.

Sunday — Walk, Core & Stretch

I’m finally getting the cortisone shot tomorrow – who knew I could be this excited for a shot in the hip LOL. So I’m expecting a fairly quiet week ahead…and I’ll be prioritizing getting some much-needed sleep!

In case you missed it:

From Motivation to Habit

Thanks to Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down link-up!

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Weekly Run Down – A Long Short Week

September 12, 2021 by 23 Comments

I have often said that the short work-weeks following a long weekend always feel anything but short! Throw in that my high schooler also returned to school this week so there was adjusting to a new routine. Yep, it was a l-o-n-g short week for sure! Here’s a peek at my workouts this week.

Happy runner post-Friday’s runch

Weekly Run Down — Week 36 

Monday — Lower Body Strength and Core. These two G&L classes were a spicy combination, especially Matty’s AMRAP of suitcase squats and single-leg deadlifts! Hannah’s foam rolling class was so needed.

Tuesday — Unplanned rest day – I was a victim of an out-of-control schedule 🙁

Wednesday — 3 miles, Core, and Stretch.

Thursday — 1-mile walk, Core, Upper Body Strength, and Stretch.

Friday — 2.25 miles and Stretch. After a morning of long Zoom calls, I slipped out for a rare “runch” – sanity restored!

Saturday — 4 miles, Core, and Stretch. This run was hard from almost the first step. My hip was cranky and my heart was heavy reflecting on 9/11. Still hard to believe that it has been 20 years.

Sunday — At the moment coffee. A walk and yoga are planned for later.

Ortho Update

On Thursday I had my long-awaited appointment with the orthopedic doc. The good news is that the mild arthritis detected on last year’s x-rays hasn’t progressed. As we discussed my workouts & runs, he was pleased with my commitment to strength work and cross-training and agreed that I could skip returning to PT and try a cortisone shot. He advised that I stick with running 3 days a week and supplement with time on the Peloton – Not a problem. He did express some hesitation at my mention of the half marathon I want to run in November, but he didn’t say not to run either. We agreed to see how running feels after the shot. Now it’s just a waiting game for that appointment – have I mentioned how frustratingly slow I find the health care system?

Anyone else find this short week l-o-n-g?

In case you missed it:

Five Reasons to Run for a Cause

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

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Five Reasons to Run for a Cause

September 10, 2021 by 20 Comments

As someone who works with a non-profit organization, I can tell you that fundraising in the time of Covid is more difficult than ever.

So as you make your race plans for the fall or are looking ahead to 2022, I urge you to consider putting some of your miles to work on behalf of a charity.

Photo by Capstone Events on Unsplash

Five Reasons to Run for a Cause

Raise much-needed funds. The money raised from registration fees and fundraising pages help to directly advance the charity’s mission.

Raise awareness. Beyond the immediate money raised, many charities can also benefit from a boost in awareness. This awareness can lead to new volunteers and partnerships, and future potential donations down the road.

Pay it forward. Running in support of an organization that has directly impacted you, your family or friends gives you an opportunity to give back.

Get inspired and inspire others — On those days you just don’t feel like training, having a “why” bigger than yourself can be very inspiring. Additionally, your efforts to support your chosen cause can also inspire others to join you or get out in support of a cause of their own.

It feels good! This one may sound selfish but there’s no denying that quite simply it feels good to do good!

Do you run for a cause? Five reasons you should! #bibchat #backonmyfeet #BOMFBR #bibravepro #FitFiveFriday Share on X

I always try to run in support of a couple of charities each year. This year one of the causes I will be supporting is Back on My Feet.

Back on My Feet operates in 14 major cities across the country, focused on combating homelessness through the power of running, community support, and essential employment and housing resources. The Back on My Feet Running Festival will be held September 18 – 25th and features a range of distances (5K, 10K, 15K, or 30K). I’ll be running the 10K. If you’d like to join me, use the discount code “BibRave5!” to save $5 off registration.

Have you run for a charity? Tell me a cause you’d like to support.

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! Who’s ready for some fun?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #BOMFBR, #FitFiveFriday

Wrapping up August and September Goals

September 5, 2021 by 30 Comments

Is anyone else amazed that we’re already in September? For me, August was a month of “juggling all the balls” and in that respect, I’m happy to put it in the rearview mirror.

Weekly Run Down – Weeks 34 & 35

Over the past couple of weeks, I’m happy to say running is getting better! I have kept most of my runs short and at an oh-so-easy pace, and the reward has been no hip pain. I did increase my distance back up to 5 miles yesterday and all was well.

I have been diligent about strength training and daily stretching – both I’m sure are helping to keep the hip happy. I also completed Matty’s Summer Crunch core challenge on Peloton, though in full disclosure I got a little bored and ended up subbing in some other instructors’ core classes this past week.

I’ve also been sticking to low-impact rides, which offer a great endurance challenge without taxing the joints.

September Goals

Hip treatment — This week’s appointment with the orthopedic doctor got bumped due to changes in his surgical schedule. So I have been re-booked for Thursday. I will continue the daily stretching and mobility work. And, I am fairly certain PT is in my future.

Focus on the 10Ks — I runfessed that I was going to drop down from the 15K to the 10K for the Back on My Feet Virtual Running Festival. I’m also running the Ocean Road 10K the first weekend in October. I think focusing on this distance and stretching my “long runs” to 7 miles is the smart choice for now.

Mindful eating — I didn’t just fall off the wagon with my eating over the past month, I jumped! Time to hit the reset button and be more mindful of how I’m fueling my body.

How was your week? Are you setting any goals for September?

In case you missed it:

Fit Five Friday and Labor Day Coffee

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

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Filed Under: goals, Weekly Run Down

Fit Five Friday and Labor Day Coffee

September 3, 2021 by 28 Comments

Happy Friday and welcome back to the Fit Five Friday linkup!

That sigh you hear is me exhaling into a 3-day long weekend! I’m starting my weekend with a little catch-up over the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah. So grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat for a bit!

Five Things Over September Coffee

Over coffee, I would tell you that we had the big college move-in last week! I’m happy to say that things couldn’t have gone smoother and I will be forever grateful to the “move-in crew” – student volunteers who made quick work of unloading our car and moving everything up to my son’s room. We unpacked, hit the local Walmart for a few things, followed by the bookstore, and were saying our goodbyes in a little over 3 hours!

Over coffee, I would tell you that I’m trying to get used to the house being so much quieter…sigh. But I love hearing how well he’s settling into college life. (Yes we’ve had 1 FaceTime and a phone call!).

Over coffee, I would tell you that I received my volunteer assignment for the Boston Marathon. This marks my 6th year and the first time I will not be at the actual race. I’ll be on bib distribution on Friday afternoon of marathon weekend. If you’re going to be in town for Boston, stop by and visit me!

Over coffee, I would tell you I just cannot wait to embrace all things Fall! I am so over the soul-sucking humidity that seems to have been ever-present this summer. This weekend’s forecast shows mild temps and I am hoping that this will be the start of my favorite season.

Over coffee, I would tell you that I have not been sleeping very well. I’ve been trying to be consistent in shutting down electronics and going to bed at a reasonable hour, and while I have no problem falling asleep, I wake up multiple times during the night.

What would you tell me over coffee? Are you looking forward to Fall? 

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! Who’s ready for some fun?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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End of Summer Runfessions

August 27, 2021 by 24 Comments

Today is college move-in day for my oldest son!

By the time this post goes live, I will be knee-deep in lugging boxes and bags into his dorm. I cannot believe the summer has passed so quickly and here we are on the last Friday of August!

Marcia has opened the Runfessional and the Fit Five Friday crew is ready to go…so let’s get started, shall we?

End of Summer Runfessions

Referral bureaucracy — I runfess that I am completely frustrated with the new practice my doctor recently joined. The referral process to get in to see the sports orthopedic has been a complete cluster. After much back and forth, and jumping through several bureaucratic hoops, I finally have an appointment on 9/1.

Stressed —Between the countdown to college, trying to make time to explore some new career options, and life in general, I runfess that I’m feeling just a tad stressed out.

Mileage? What mileage? — With the combination of the soul-sucking humidity that has been ever-present these last few weeks (er… whole summer?!) and the mini run-break for my hip, I runfess that I am not where I wanted to be in terms of a solid base on which to start my half marathon training. Sigh…it is what it is. My half isn’t until mid-November so there’s time to pull together a decent training plan. Of course, I’ll also have to wait and see what the orthopedist has to say.

Scaling back — But, on a similar note, I runfess that the virtual 15K I’m planning to run next month as part of the Back on My Feet Summer Running Festival will most likely become a 10K instead.

Slightly obsessed — I have been looking for some easy ways to help boost my protein intake and I runfess that I have become slightly obsessed with Quest Chile Lime Protein Chips. These satisfy my salty/crunch craving while delivering 20g of protein.

Source – Quest Nutrition

It's time for another edition of #FitFiveFriday and I've got some #Runfessions to share! Share on X

What are you run-fessing? 

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! Who’s ready for some fun?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Filed Under: Runfessions