January Wrap & February Goals

February 3, 2019 by 34 Comments

If you’ve been around here for a while then you know I like to set monthly goals. Having mini targets helps to keep me on track and accountable to the big goals I’ve laid out for the year.

So let’s recap January and see what’s on tap for this month!

January Wrap & February Goals

Good things for the month:

  • Joined Coach Marc for a treadmill workout
  • Finally made it back to the kickboxing studio
  • Logged 51.25 miles – given that I didn’t run most of the first or last weeks of the month, that’s higher than I expected!
  • Found my new running shoe!

Loving my Brooks Adrenalines!

Things I could do without:

  • All things Polar Vortex
  • Piriformis deciding to not play nice this past week – contributing to the lack of mileage

On the decks for February:

  • Focus on daily pre-hab work – especially glute activation and hip strengthening
  • Beat January’s mileage – while I haven’t set a miles goal for the year, I would like to see my mileage consistently increase each month.
  • Time on my yoga mat at least once a week

Hoping to put this new mat to good use!

Recapping January & setting some February goals #weeklywrap #runchat #runnerslife Share on X

Ambassadorships!

I’m happy to announce that I’ll be returning for my 4th year as a SPIbelt Ambassador!

Use code TEAMSPI for 10% discount

And, for my 3rd year as a Skirt Sports Ambassador!

Use code SSA821Mic to save 15% on Skirt Sports

And that’s a wrap!

I’m joining Wendy and Holly for the Weekly Wrap, and guest host Amy, from She Runs by Faith.

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Filed Under: #skirtsports, goals, month in review, SkirtAmbassador, Weekly Wrap, WomenWhoMove

Five things over February Coffee

February 1, 2019 by 36 Comments

Well Hello, February!

Please tell me I’m not the only one who thought January went by hella fast?! As we usher in a new month it’s time for a little catch-up over coffee, so I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date – let’s chat!


If we were having coffee, we would, of course, have to talk about this ridiculous weather. I am so tired of hearing the words “polar vortex” and there’s still so much more winter ahead.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you how much I’m looking forward to this weekend. My oldest son comes home from school for a 4-day weekend…and then there’s the matter of a little football game with my hometown team!

Over coffee back in November, I shared that I was on the quest for the “right shade” of gray paint for my bedroom.  Well, if we were having coffee, I would tell you that after painting swatch after swatch on my walls, and more trips to the paint store than I care to count, we finally settled on a color! Painting is underway and I’m loving what I see so far!

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

And speaking of ongoing searches, if we were having coffee, I would tell you that we’re knee-deep in vacation brochures trying to settle on a destination for a spring break getaway. Initially, we’d hoped to do another cruise, but had no luck aligning ports of call we liked with our available travel dates. So now the debate has begun, do we head to a beach? Drive the west coast? Disney/Universal Studios?

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m heading off on a field trip later this morning to have a Dexa scan, which is a full body composition scan, measuring muscle mass, body fat, and bone density. I’m looking forward to learning more.

So what would you tell me over coffee? Any vacation suggestions?

I’m also linking up with Meranda and Lacy for Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness.

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Ultimate coffee date

Weekly Wrap – Dealing with Mother Nature’s Antics

January 27, 2019 by 23 Comments

The theme for this week was definitely dealing with Mother Nature’s Antics.

Here’s how the week went down….

Monday — After a serious workout hauling the snow and ice that arrived on Sunday, I was feeling every ache and pain – DOMS was in full effect. Since it was MLK Day, I had the day off from work, and with the bitter sub-zero temps and weather advisory, it was the perfect recipe for a rest day.

Tuesday — 4-mile run. The roads and sidewalks were coated in ice so it was time to hit the mill.

Wednesday — Strength workout.

Thursday — Mother Nature decided to warm things up but threw in relentless wind and driving rain. Thankfully, I had plans to meet Coach Marc at the gym for some treadmill work. Marc videotaped me again and said he was really pleased with the progress I was making and the improvement in my form. We worked on a variety of drills before calling it a day with 4 miles done.

Friday — Fridays are usually my rest day and I was really feeling the need to lay low. So I embraced my rest day and made sure to pay a visit to the acupuncturist.

Saturday — Another ridiculously frigid morning. The plan was for 6-miles, but the reality was 3.25. It was just one of those runs were nothing felt good and despite all the layers, I couldn’t seem to warm up. I was just cold and miserable so instead of beating my head against the wall, I cut the run short.

Sunday — It was 32 degree which felt downright balmy! Time to get those missed miles from Saturday – 3 miles done. I followed up my run with another round of acupuncture.

The alternative theme for this week could have been dealing with the shoveling hangover! I felt really tired and achy most of the week  – it was like I had a shoveling hangover from last Sunday and never shook it. I tried to be smart with the extra rest day and a couple of sessions with the acupuncturist. I still need to work on getting more sleep so heading to bed earlier will be a big focus this week.

And that’s a wrap!

I’m joining Wendy and Holly for the Weekly Wrap.

How was your week? Are you dealing with the polar vortex too?

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Filed Under: Mother Nature, Uncategorized, weather, Weekly Wrap

January 2019 Runfessions

January 25, 2019 by 26 Comments

And just like that, we’ve already reached the last Friday of the month, which means Marcia has opened the Runfessional.

So let’s get to it, shall we?

Last month, I runfessed that I was starting to really get fed up with some things about my gym. Well fast forward to the beginning of this week and don’t I receive an email announcing that the gym will be closing in a couple of weeks – what?! I runfess that even though there were many things about the gym that bug me, given it’s super close proximity to my house, I was dragging my feet on making a change – guess I have no choice now.

And, for those of you wondering, why not just bag the whole gym search altogether, I runfess that, until I can figure out how to fit a treadmill somewhere in my house, I’m not ready to give up that safety net when Mother Nature makes outdoor running treacherous.

At the beginning of the month, I had started to let my PT exercises slide, until last week when my glute and hip started to squawk just a little following a run. I runfess that I’ve become super paranoid about re-injuring my hip/hammy, so now I’m finding ways to make time for pre-hab like it’s my job.

While I was psyched to finally made it back to the kickboxing studio recently, I runfess that my push-up game is need of some serious help! The instructor had us doing several rounds as part of the warm-up and let’s just say the struggle was real!

Not quite this bad….but close!

Finally, I runfess… or is it blogfess, that I I have been hesitant to upgrade to the newest edition of WordPress. I had to work with the new 5.0 version for work and I’ve been pulling my hair out trying to figure it out. Call me a creature of habit, but I just don’t find it intuitive. However, I’ve run into issues lately replying to comments on my blog (forgive me if I’m slow responding to yours!), so I may need to give in.

So tell me, what are you runfessing?

I’m also linking up with Meranda and Lacy for Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness.

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Runfessions

New Shoe Giddy

January 20, 2019 by 36 Comments

What is it about getting new running shoes?! Perhaps it’s the potential of all the miles and adventures to come.

After noting on a couple of occasions that it was time for some new running shoes, I finally made it to my local running store for a fitting. But, before I get into my shopping adventure, here’s a quick recap of the week.

Monday – Strength training, focusing on core and legs

Tuesday – 5-mile run

Wednesday – 4-mile run

Thursday – Kickboxing! It’s been months…literally 3 months since I made it to the kickboxing studio. The class totally kicked my arse and reminded me of muscles I haven’t used in a while!

Friday –  Holy DOMS Batman! Ah yes, I was feeling that kickboxing class and thankfully it was a rest day.

Saturday – 5-miles with my husband J

Sunday – Cross-training in the form of an hour of shoveling. Winter hit in full effect last night with snow followed by freezing rain. The snow was wet and heavy, and made for a serious (and frigid) workout!

New Shoes!

It’s been ages since I went through a formal fitting, but given last year’s injuries and the plan to be logging some serious miles this year (hello marathon training), it seemed like a good time to revisit what I’m running in. Clearly, as your body changes over time, so may your running shoe needs – so if you haven’t had a fitting in a while I highly recommend taking the time to get one.

After reviewing my training goals and a gait analysis with the salesperson, I hopped on the treadmill to test shoes from New Balance, Brooks, Saucony, and Asics. In the end, it came down to a choice between the Saucony Guide and Brook Adrenaline – and I went with the Adrenaline!

I used them for Saturday’s 5-miler and they felt great – just the right amount of support and cushion. I am optimistic – hopefully, more miles will prove that they’re the right choice.

And that’s a wrap!

I’m joining Wendy and Holly for the Weekly Wrap – they’re sharing recaps from last weekend’s half marathon, so be sure to stop by and show them some love.

When was the last time you had a fitting? Do you tend to buy the same shoe model again and again?

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Filed Under: Brooks Adrenaline, Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap: Trying to find a groove

January 13, 2019 by 30 Comments

Happy Sunday!

How was your first full week of the new year?

My week was straight up crazy! I expected things to be hectic at work, but throw in a mild concussion for my youngest (ah the joys of hockey) and a 100 lb. dog with an ear-infection who won’t cooperate with the vet, and yeah…I couldn’t get to Friday fast enough!

Amongst the chaos, I did what I could to eke out my workouts. Here’s how things went down:

Monday – Strength work
Tuesday – 3.25 mile run in the sleet and fog
Wednesday – Rest day
Thursday – 4 miles in ridiculous wind


Friday – Rest
Saturday – 5.25 miles


Sunday – Yoga

While we dodged the snow here, the bitter cold came charging back this week, and it looks like winter is finally planning to stick around for a bit.

Thankfully, my son is doing better, except for being cranky about not being able to return to the ice, and he’ll be headed back to school tomorrow. My furbaby is also on the mend, so peace is finally returning to the RWA household!

And that’s a wrap!

I’m joining Wendy and Holly for the Weekly Wrap, and guest host Kim.

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Filed Under: crazy week, Weekly Wrap

A Slow Start

January 6, 2019 by 38 Comments

Well, I had hoped to come out of the gates strong to start the year, but this migraine/cold/crud thing I’ve been dealing with since New Year’s Eve threw a wrench in those plans. Aside from some yoga on New Year’s Day, this week was largely about listening to my body and resting.

By Friday, I was itching to get out for a run and the stars aligned. It was in the 40s and sunny, I was feeling decent enough to try a run, and I had the safety net of my husband J, who was working from home, on standby if I needed to be bailed out. The hope was to get at least 3 miles, but I felt surprisingly good and decided to deviate to one my five-mile loops.

I think my smile here tells you how this run went!

The run went really well, but boy was I wiped out afterward. Back to the yoga mat and cross-training in the form of putting my house back in order from the holidays. I’ll be back at it on Monday.

First race on the horizon

Laying low on my couch left me with lots of time to peruse all of the registration deals filling up my inbox. And first up on my race calendar this year will be the Old-Fashioned Ten Miler (OFTM)! This is a great race put on by one of the local running clubs. It’s been a few years since I’ve run it, and I love that its early date (Feb 17) will force me to not hibernate this month.

And that’s a wrap!

I’m joining Wendy and Holly for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and show both of these great ladies some blog love!

How was your week? Are you good about resting when you need to?

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Filed Under: Old-fashioned 10 Miler, Weekly Wrap

New Year’s Ultimate Coffee 2019

January 4, 2019 by 25 Comments

Happy New Year!

Catching up with friends over a big mug of coffee sounds like a great way to help kick off this new year so I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the first Ultimate Coffee Date of 2019!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I really enjoyed the holidays. It was great family time and I loved having the Christmas week off from work. While I did race around a bit like a chicken with my head cut off the week prior, the holiday week I was able to totally kick back and relax, and I did my best to soak up every moment of the downtime.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that having the time off has left me craving for a “real” vacation. We didn’t take a family vacation last year, but I’ve already got my sights set on the boys’ spring break time in March – now the question is where to go?

If we were having coffee, I would also tell you that I took advantage of the downtime to also reflect on the past year and start to set some goals for 2019. For the past few years, I’ve picked one word as the theme for my year across all areas of my life  – and this year my word is Intentional. With the “busy-ness” of life it is too easy to move through the days on autopilot and before you know it days…or weeks have just flown by. My ultimate goal is to be more intentional in the habits I form, in my career choices, in my home life…I think you get the picture.

My 2019 Fitness/Running Goals:

  • Run a marathon — This was top of my list last year, but was derailed first by family schedules and secondly by injury. But I’ve got my sights firmly locked in on Chicago and know with Coach Marc’s help I will reach that starting line ready to take on 26.2!
  • Stay off injured-reserve — This will encompass a variety of things including consistent “pre-hab”, strength training 2x’s/week, and continuing to incorporate the Chi Running focuses Coach Marc has me working on. I also think Marc will keep me from powering through when I should be backing off.
  • Make sleep a priority —  I am a notoriously bad sleeper and when things get crazy, sleep can easily get pushed to the bottom of my list. My goal is to do a much better job of going to bed early and not falling asleep while watching late night TV on the couch.
  • Mind what I’m eating — While tracking my macros during the FASTer Way to Fat Loss program, I realized just how little protein I’ve been consuming. I don’t plan to continue to actively track my macros (though never say never), I will continue to be mindful of upping my protein intake.
Sharing goals over coffee #oneword #livingintentionally #yearofthemarathon Share on X

So what would you tell me over coffee? Have you set any goals for the new year?

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Filed Under: goals, one word, Ultimate coffee date

Final Runfessions of 2018

December 28, 2018 by 19 Comments

Believe it or not, it’s the last Friday of 2018, which means it’s time for the final runfessions for 2018. Marcia has opened the runfessional, so let’s dive in shall we?

I runfess that I definitely indulged over Christmas Eve and Christmas… and I’m just fine with that! Moving on…

As my social media feeds have been filling up with runners celebrating their mileage goals for the year, I runfess that I’ve been debating whether to set a mileage goal for 2019. I’ve never done one before but I’m wondering with marathon training if this is the year to go for it or does this just create undue pressure?

I runfess that I am just about at the end of my rope with my gym membership. On my last couple of trips to the gym, there were easily at least 4 cardio machines with notes on them announcing repairs needed; and this seems to be the norm more and more. Combine this with bad gym behavior and the soon to be New Year’s fitness resolution rush, and… you can see where I’m going with this.

Cleansing my sole with some final runfessions for 2018! #runfessions #runchat #fridayfive #runnerslife Share on X

I am super excited to return to more racing in 2019! Thanks to a nagging injury I ran just 4 races this year. And, while I certainly don’t think you need races to be a runner, I really enjoy both the camaraderie and challenge races provide. I runfess that with all the “early bird” registration specials coming across my email someone may have to hide my credit card!

I runfess that, being a mostly solo runner, that I was initially nervous about running with my new coach. But I’m happy to say that I’ve found the runs to be both challenging and enjoyable, and I am amazed at the difference these guided runs have already made. My husband has commented on the difference in my form and I can certainly feel a difference when I’m running. Makes me very hopeful for 2019!

So tell me what are you runfessing? Do you set yearly mileage goals?

I’m also linking up with Meranda and Lacy for Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

Weekly Wrap: Ready for the Holidays

December 23, 2018 by 9 Comments

Happy Christmas Eve Eve!

I’m just getting in from a walk with the pup – he needed to burn off some energy and I needed a break from all the holiday-prepping. So before I dive into wrapping gifts, I thought I’d quickly join Wendy and Holly for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and show both of these great ladies some blog love!

Monday – The day was all about ticking as much off my work to do list as possible. I did manage to squeeze in a quick mile walk to keep my Holiday Challenge streak going.

Tuesday – 4-mile run. There was a wind advisory – it was brutal so yeah this run was finished on the mill. I also had another session with the acupuncturist.

Wednesday – A nice change of pace at work had me out scouting a location for a charity race. 6-miles of trails done!

Thursday – The weather was picture perfect as I met up with Coach Marc for a 5 miler. We ran a beautiful rolling course which gave us a chance to work on hill technique.

Friday – After a brief check-in at work, my vacation officially began!  I logged a quick mile walk before meeting a friend for lunch and shopping.

Saturday – I was up and out early with my husband for 5 miles before a full day of cleaning and cooking.

Including today’s trek with the pup, I logged 23.25 miles this week and reached Day 32 of the Holiday Challenge!

Given how hectic this week was, I’m really pretty pleased with how the workouts went. Today is also my last day of the 6-week FASTer Way to Fat Loss program, so I’ll be sharing some final thoughts on the program in an upcoming post.

For now, I am really looking forward to Christmas and some time off with my family. With the hopefully slower pace of the days ahead, I’ll get a chance to get back to the strength training that’s been missing for the past couple of weeks, in addition to continuing to log some miles. And catch up on some sleep…yes, sleep would be good!

To everyone who celebrates, I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

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Filed Under: #HolidayChallenge, Christmas, Weekly Wrap