November Goals

November 1, 2017 by 22 Comments

It’s a new month and with race training temporarily on hold, it’s time for some new goals!

Move every day! — 30 days of movement – be it a run, a walk, time in the gym or on the yoga mat. I will move every day!

#RunNovemberChallenge – When I saw Jessy’s post, I knew I wanted to do this. It fits perfectly with my daily movement goal, and I like that I can mix running and walking.

Strength Train 3x’s/week — Strength work must be a priority. Period.

150 minutes of planking —  Last time I did 5 minutes a day was back in April. And, while I’m a big fan of planks, I’ve been inconsistent in my planking lately so I thought it would be fun to challenge myself with a time goal.

I’m already eyeing some early 2018 races, so I’m hoping these goals will help to set me on the right track.

Do you set monthly goals? What do you have planned for November?

 

signature
Filed Under: #RunNovemberChallenge, goals, no training plan, planks

Runfessions of an Injured Runner

October 27, 2017 by 38 Comments

Well, here we are again on the last Friday of the month, which means it’s time to cleanse our soles (pun intended) with some runfessions. So let’s get to it, shall we?

Sharing some #runfessions of an injured runner! #FridayFive #Runfessions #Runchat Share on X

I runfess that I am not loving running right now…there I said it. As long as my runs stay 5 miles or less, and at an easy peasy pace, all the body parts cooperate and it’s all good. But add miles or really push the pace, and I’m gritting my teeth – no bueno.

Unfortunately, my hip pain has returned with a vengeance and has left me on non-speaking terms with my training plan. I runfess that this cycle of injuries I’ve been dealing with this year (hip then ankle, now hip again) has been exacerbated by my pushing to get back to training too soon.

I runfess that it’s hard to sit on the sidelines while others are preparing for races – FOMO is a powerful thing…the struggle is real!

I runfess that if I am being totally honest, I’ve probably known for a while that I was pushing my luck with this training plan, but how could I possibly not have a fall goal race…ah denial!

While I’m not usually one to throw a pity party, I runfess that I’ve had a moment or two over the past month where I have asked myself if I should give up running. Now, of course, that didn’t last very long – it’s just the frustration talking.

I am certainly not going to stop running. I am going to back-off of following a training plan, put racing on the back burner, focus on a treatment plan for this SI Joint, and embrace my time in the gym, on a yoga mat, and the short leisurely runs I can do (I’ll take 3 or 4 miles vs none!).

So what are you run-fessing?

I’m linking up with Marcia for Runfessions, and Rachel and Lacey & Meranda for the Friday Five link-up!

signature
Filed Under: Friday Five, injuries, Runfessions

Weekly Wrap – Here we go again

October 22, 2017 by 46 Comments

It’s Sunday and just like that another week has flown by! After being able to step back a bit last week I’ll admit it was a little tough to find a rhythm this week.

Monday – Rest day

Tuesday – The plan called for hill repeats and I decided to hit the mill to bang these out. I had the gym to myself, which was a good thing given the amount of cursing that may or may not have taken place 😉

Wednesday – Scheduling and homework drama with my youngest (school projects are the bain of my existence!) got in the way of my weekly meet-up with my friend E so there was no strength workout.

Thursday – The plan called for a 4-mile cutdown run but nagging hip pain (yeah it’s back) had me pushing this run until the afternoon. When it came time to head out the door I got a text from E to see if I was up for meeting for a walk. I opted for the walk over my run. We got a brisk 3 miles done, and time spent with a friend did both mind and body some good!

Friday – I booked some time with my massage therapist to see if I could curb the hip issue. After some trigger point work, my hip was feeling much better, but the therapist warned me not to overdo it. (Cue the foreboding music!)

Saturday – It finally felt like a fall morning…cool and crisp enough that, while I wasn’t ready for long sleeves, I did break out the gloves! My hip started to protest around 5 miles and so I hit 6 miles and called it a day.

After a quick change, I headed to my boys’ school homecoming, where I spent a lot of time on my feet covering the cross country course to cheer my oldest and his teammates on. After his race, I left J and the boys to race home, change again and head to a work event. A lot more time on my feet, and I finally made it home by 1:30 a.m.

Sunday – Rest day. So yeah I didn’t do the best job heeding the therapist’s advice, and needless to say, my body’s not super happy with me today. Beyond stretching and rolling, not much else will be happening.

It’s frustrating to be back to dealing with the hip issue again. My therapist did raise the point that she didn’t think I had given myself enough recovery time once it started to feel better again before I dove back into training again..and as I was thinking things through during Saturday’s run, I’m thinking she may be right. Once again, I’m at the same point in a training cycle where it’s time to up the speedwork and mileage, and my body starts rebelling.

The return of the cranky hip is certainly not doing much for my lack of running mojo so hopefully, things will get back on track this upcoming week.

Have you ever pushed returning to running too quickly after an injury?

I’m joining I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and show these great ladies some love.

 

signature
Filed Under: injuries, Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap: Unplugged

October 15, 2017 by 29 Comments

After running around for the past two weeks feeling a little like a chicken with my head cut-off, this week was all about recharging.

I started the week by joining a friend on Monday for dinner and a screening of the film Walk with Me. The film follows Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and explores devoting one’s life to mindfulness. I found it fascinating and a great way to begin my unplugging. (You can view the trailer here)

The next morning J and I got out of town to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, and it was a great chance to leave the demands of to do lists behind – including the training plan. While I did get some running in and time on the Arc Trainer, the workout highlight was time spent hiking the trails.

I’ll be doing my best to hold onto my zen by hitting my yoga mat this afternoon before returning to regularly scheduled programming 🙂

When was the last time you took some time to unplug?

As always, I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and show these ladies some love.

signature
Filed Under: vacation, Weekly Wrap

Harborside Wk 6 – Quick update

October 8, 2017 by 37 Comments

Week 6 of Harborside training is done and there’s not a ton to report this week. As I mentioned over coffee yesterday, it was another one of those weeks where I didn’t know if I were coming or going. But in an effort to stay consistent on recapping my training, here’s a quick review.

Monday – Rest day

Tuesday –  3.25 miles. I was starting to not feel so hot so I pushed the run to the afternoon. There was a lot of self-talk to get myself out the door, but once I was moving I actually felt pretty good, so I’m glad I went.

Wednesday – Week 2 of gym meet-ups with my friend E

Thursday – 5 x 800-meter repeats were on the plan, but I woke up feeling pretty lousy. I spent the day working from my couch and while I hated to miss time at the track, I decided rest was the better choice.

Friday – E and I decided to head outdoors instead of another trip to the gym. We did a 4-mile walk at a brisk pace and my legs were surprisingly sore after (funny how walking can do that!).

Saturday – Had a great run with my husband, despite the ridiculous humidity (c’mon Mother N!) and we were rewarded with this view as we reached the top our last hill.

Nothing flashy this week, but given how I was feeling most of the week, I’ll take it! As always, I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap.

How was your week? Do you still run when you’re not feeling great or do you take a rest day?

signature
Filed Under: half marathon training, Harborside Half Marathon, Weekly Wrap

Time for October Coffee

October 7, 2017 by 20 Comments

It’s the weekend! And, even better…it’s a long weekend! I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date link-up.  Grab a mug, get comfortable and let’s catch up!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I couldn’t get to this weekend fast enough! Work was hectic, J was traveling again, and there’s always the boys’ schedules and the dreaded school projects! Thrown in that I wasn’t feeling fabulous…and seriously, I was reaching for the white flag!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I feel like we’re being invaded by stink bugs here in New England. The local news announced that there’s an uptick this season…great! These things are everywhere and have an insidious way of getting inside. I am a super bug-phobe so this is not going over well with me. I need it to get colder faster!

Creepy looking isn’t it?!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that the rambunctious pup is back from his 2-week board and train and I’m happy to say there’s a notable improvement. While he’s still high energy, he’s much more manageable and under control. Halleluiah!

8 months and still needs to grow into those ears!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m really looking forward to getting away with my husband for a few days to celebrate our 25th anniversary this week. How in the world is it 25 years already?!? We’re going to one of our favorite spots – can. not. wait!

Now I’d tell you that my cup is empty and I need a refill. So your turn, what would you tell me over coffee?

signature
Filed Under: Ultimate coffee date

September Rewind

October 1, 2017 by 38 Comments

And just like that, another month comes to a close! As always, I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap – just wrapping up the whole month. When you’re done here, please visit these two great ladies and all of the other bloggers linking up.

Good things for the month:

  • Completed half marathon #13! Although it was a struggle – finishing it was a win!
  • Skirt Sports Ambassador meet-up – always fun to meet-up with runners who you’ve been in touch with online.
  • Started training for my fall goal race – the Harborside Half.
  • Got back to strength training.

  • Finished the month with pain-free runs!

Things I could do without:

  • Mother Nature’s unwillingness to let summer go – the humidity finally broke around here at the end of the week!
  • A cranky ankle slowed me down and I fell short of my goal of 80 miles for the month – I finished with just 53.

On the decks for October:

  • Return to speedwork and hill repeats as I get into the meat of this training plan
  • .I’m looking forward to meeting up with my friend E for weekly gym sessions! We’ve now got a standing date at the gym on Wednesdays, so I’ll be adding in one more weekly strength session on either Mondays or Fridays.

Tell me something good about your September.

 

signature
Filed Under: month in review, Weekly Wrap

September Runfessions

September 29, 2017 by 23 Comments

It’s the last Friday of September (what?!?) so it’s time to join Marcia for some runfession fun!

While I really enjoyed the experience of meeting up with the other SS ambassadors at the Wicked Half, I run-fess that the race itself left me feeling meh! The course was open to traffic (I’m never a fan) and while the police were great at managing the major intersections, the course had no cones or other markers to let drivers even know there was a race going on. Cars often got a little too close for comfort and I saw many runners moving to the sidewalks vs. dealing with running next to cars.

I run-fess that I doubt that this is a race I’ll be running again.

I recently got all fired up about the fact that I need to do a better job about my nutrition. I run-fess that I bought this a couple of weeks ago and have yet to crack the seal on it! (Going to change that this weekend)

I run-fess that it is a pet peeve of mine when runners can’t be bothered with acknowledging other runners. There’s one woman I see on my runs quite often and she never gives a nod, wave, eye contact…nothing. I’ve seen her do it to other runners too so I don’t take it personally – but I do think she could make even the smallest effort.

I run-fess that while I’m not trying to look past my November half marathon, I’m already eyeing 2018.  I’m feeling the need to take on a new challenge – the what?… I’m not sure yet.

It's the end of the month and time for some runfessions! #FridayFive #runchat Share on X

What are you run-fessing?

I’m also joining Rachel and Lacey & Meranda for the Friday Five link-up!

signature
Filed Under: Friday Five, Runfessions

Harborside Week 4

September 24, 2017 by 26 Comments

Week 4 of Harborside Half training is done and what blur of a week it was! It was one of those weeks where you stare at the calendar on Sunday night, take a deep breath, and brace yourself for the scramble to come. J was traveling so I was doing the single-parent thing…throw in the dog returning from board and train and the usual school/sports/homework dash and you start to get the picture.

Source: Tiny Budha

Workouts happened when they happened…there was some running, a little hiking, time on the Arc Trainer, and some yoga…with an assist from the newly-returned pup!

New meaning to downward dog!

I also got some time with my massage therapist who gave me an earful about needing to balance my running with more strength work. She has a point…strength work was noticeably absent from this week’s workouts and has been hit or miss lately. Past experience has taught me that I am not one of those people who can just run…my body holds up much better when supported by strength training.

So this upcoming week I’m re-committing to strength training. My friend E just joined my gym and we’ve made a pact to meet every Wednesday (and most Fridays when kids sports schedules allow). I’ll be incorporating the RunnersConnect Kettlebell for Runners program. I had started to do some kettlebell work with Trainer Stacey before she left and I’m looking forward to getting back at it.

So how was your week? Are you consistent with strength training?

I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. If you do a weekly training recap, be sure to join this great link-up for inspiration and motivation! 

signature
Filed Under: half marathon training, Harborside Half Marathon, Schedule vs Training, Strength training, Weekly Wrap

Wicked Half Race Report

September 22, 2017 by 34 Comments

Last Saturday, I ran in the Wicked Half Marathon. If you’ve been around here for the past couple of weeks then you know that my plan was to run this race as a “long run with benefits” (aka the LRB). With only one longish run of 9 miles just the week before and a seriously unreliable ankle, let’s be honest, I really had no business jumping into a half marathon! But, I can be stubborn and I was looking forward to the Skirt Sports Ambassador meet-up. So I figured treating this as a long run with the benefits of course support and a medal was the way to go!

The bat in the medal actually spins!

My goals for this run were simple – stick to my 4:1 run/walk intervals, ignore pace and run by feel, and finish upright and smiling. “Finishing is winning” would be my mantra.

With my hotel just a short 20-minute ride to the start, I was able to sleep until a little after 5 before needing to get up and head out. The minute I stepped out of the hotel the humidity smacked me in the face and I knew this was going to be a tough morning – humidity is my kryptonite for sure, it just sucks the life out of me. So I knew the struggle bus would be coming for me…it was just a question of how long I could outrun it 🙂

Parking was easy-peasy – I was literally steps from the start line so I had lots of time to tape up, finish fueling, and chat with a couple of other runners.

Pre-run and ready

Soon it was time to line up, listen to the national anthem and we were off. I’ve never done run/walk intervals in a race and was initially concerned about how it would work. But early on it was clear I had nothing to worry about and I fell in with a fair number of runners all doing some form of intervals. I ran the first few miles with a woman from Tennessee who was also following a 4:1 plan. We chatted easily and it helped take my mind off the soul-sucking humidity.

Somewhere in the 7th mile I started to slow and said goodbye to Ms. Tennessee. My ankle started to complain and I wondered if it was going to cooperate with still a half a race to go. I dubbed Mile 9 the “dark mile” – I was hurting, my walk breaks were getting longer, and the negative chatter in my head was getting louder. Once past the mile 9 marker, I was able to shake off the funk – yes my legs were less than happy, yes I was more than ready to be done, but I kept focused on the fact that I would soon hit 10 miles and I haven’t seen double-digits in a while. Finishing is winning!

I’m not going to lie, the final few miles were a trudge – the struggle bus not only caught up with me but was threatening to run me over! Somewhere in the 12th mile, I met up with a woman named Jen. She said she’d been pacing off of me – running when I ran and walking when I walked. We chugged along towards the finish, and as we made the last turn towards the finish I spotted my “Skirt Sisters” – as each ambassador had finished they stuck around to cheer on the rest of the group. Such an awesome sight! Jen and I crossed the line and congratulated each other, I collected my medal and then joined the rest of the ambassadors. As our last Sister approached the finish, some of us went out to run her in. The Wicked Race organizers actually posted a video of our group finish on their Facebook page along with this group photo:

Finishing is winning!

 

 

signature
Filed Under: race report, Skirt Sports, Wicked Half Marathon