5 Reasons to Love the Arc Trainer

August 11, 2017 by 8 Comments

This week my cranky ankle has forced me to find new ways to get some cardio in so I darkened the doorways of my gym (I cannot remember the last time I was there!), and re-introduced myself to the Arc Trainer.

After Tuesday’s sweat fest that left my quads and glutes burning, I was quickly reminded why I love this machine. So for this week’s Friday Five, I’m sharing some reasons to hit the Arc Trainer!

Cardio without the pounding – the Arc Trainer really allows you to get your heart rate up for a good cardio workout without the pounding of other machines. I have never been able to get my heart rate going on an elliptical or stepper, so for me, this is a huge win!

Easier on the joints – According to Cybex, who makes the Trainer, the arc path of the foot pedals moves legs in a biomechanically correct pathway and avoids allowing the toe to move behind the knee, which can stress the joint. The Arc Trainer is designed to only generate force during the weight bearing cycle of your gait, with the goal of increasing your calorie burn with reduced stress on the ankle, knee, and hip joints.

Range of muscle engagement – the Arc Trainer offers a wide range of variable resistance and inclines. Higher inclines emulate a stepping motion, targeting your quads, while lower inclines with increased resistance target your glutes and hammies. If you use the Total Body model then you can also use the moving handles to work your arms and chest. (Side note: the Trainer has two models – Total Body and Lower Body – lucky for me, my gym has both!) I like that the Trainer’s display screen features a “muscle map” so you can see which muscles you’re targeting as you adjust the incline and resistance.

Program variety – the ability to mix and match the range of resistance settings and inclines means you can continuously challenge yourself. The Trainer also features both high and low-intensity pre-programmed workouts. Basically, the way you use the machine can be very different from one day to the next – helps to keep the boredom factor down, which is tough on any cardio machine!

Offers both strength & endurance – you can strengthen multiple muscle groups while improving your endurance, getting a bigger bang for your workout!

Check out 5 reasons to use the Arc Trainer! #FridayFive Share on X

I was first introduced to the Arc Trainer more than a year ago by Trainer Stacy, but with time away from the gym had forgotten just how effective it can be. I’m now looking forward to making it a consistent part of my training!

I’m joining in with Rachel from Running on Happy and Lacey & Meranda from Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five link-up!

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Arc Trainer, Cross-training, Friday Five

Weekly Wrap – 6 weeks to Wicked

August 6, 2017 by 31 Comments

I hate to sound like a broken record but I really do feel like these weeks are just flying by! Anyone else feeling that way?

There are just 6 weeks to my next race, the Wicked Half Marathon.

Actually, thanks to the nagging hip/glute/piriformis thing, Wicked will be my first race of 2017. Gotta say that I’m glad I don’t have any big goals for this race, other than to finish upright and have fun, cause I feel like my training mojo comes and goes. While in the past two weeks I’ve been motivated to hit the track for speedwork and even worked in hill repeats…err this week…not so much. Here quickly is how the week shook out:

Monday – Since of late I’ve been running long on Sundays, Mondays are a total rest day.

Tuesday – A back-to-basics strength workout filled with lots of lunges, squats, and bridges in addition to the daily planks.

Wednesday – I enjoyed a break in the temps and got out an early for 4 miles.

Thursday – After a crazy hectic day, I got some much needed yoga in.

Friday – Kicked off my birthday with some miles with my husband – gotta run on your birthday right?!

Saturday – Yard work, planting, and cleaning counted as my cross-training.

Sunday – I have been battling poor quality sleep all week and when the alarm went off for this morning’s run it had all caught up with me. I was wiped out! I tried playing the re-set the alarm game, hoping an extra half hour…then hour would make a difference, but it wasn’t getting any better. So I decided to skip the run and give my body what it needed – sleep!

Hopefully I will not regret skipping today’s 8 miles. I’m not sure why my sleep has been so bad this week – I’ve been trying to get to bed at a reasonable hour, and falling a sleep hasn’t been the problem – staying asleep is another story! Fingers-crossed this week will be better.

How do you overcome bouts of bad sleep?

I’m joining in with Hoho, Tricia, and guest host Heather for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and check out what they’ve been up to!

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Filed Under: Sleep, Weekly Wrap, Wicked Half Marathon

Wrapping up July

July 30, 2017 by 25 Comments

Well, we’ve sprinted through another month and here we sit at the end of July. As I sit here recovering from a rare-mid-day run, it seems like as good a time as any to put a wrap on this month.

Good things for the month:

  • Pain-free running! Yep…I’m almost afraid to put it in print. After months of dealing with the nagging hip/glute/piriformis thing, I’m happy to say my July miles were pain-free! (cue the choir!)
  • Thanks to the lack of annoying injuries, I’ve felt confident enough to start sprinkling in both speed work and hill work.

Things I could do without:

  • I’ve done enough whining about the weather…so let’s just leave that alone and move on.
  • I was definitely lacking a little on strength training as the month wore on – if I plan to stay injury-free, I’ve definitely got to get back on that!

On the decks for August:

  • More mileage. As I runfessed, I’ve got 7 weeks until my next half marathon, time to make those “long runs” longer!
  • Back to planks. I’ve let the planking slide a little lately, but I feel a streak coming on!
  • I also runfessed that my nutrition has been lack luster, so it’s time to start paying attention. On the flip side, it’s my birthday month and there will be some celebrating…it’s all about balance, right 😉

And, that’s a wrap! I’m linking up with Holly & Tricia, and this week’s guest host Deborah for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and visit these great ladies!

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Filed Under: month in review, Weekly Wrap

Runfessions – July Style

July 28, 2017 by 25 Comments

It’s the last Friday of the month…so you know that means it’s time to join Marcia for runfessions! So let’s get to it, shall we?

Runfession #1 – OK let’s just get this first one out of the way….I runfess that I’m turning into a weather whiner. This summer’s humidity is kicking my arse. I know I’m not alone in this…but I am just so over it!

Runfession #2 – My next race, the Wicked Half, is now just 7 weeks away so I runfess I probably need to start doing “long runs” of more than just 6 miles.

Runfession #3 – I runfess that I may have picked a goal race in November in part to avoid heaving training in this heat.

Runfession #4 – I admit that I haven’t done a great job lately of paying attention to my eating (or the summer cocktails). Well, good grief people I got on the scale the other day and hmmm let’s just say my “lack of attention” was really showing! I runfess that I’m not surprised – I can feel I’m carrying a little extra weight on my runs – time to clean up the snacking.

Runfession #5 – I runfess that I have been stalking the Skirt Sports website as the new patterns are rolling out for the fall. I picked up these Gym Girl Ultras the other day, and may or may not have a few more items sitting in my cart waiting for check out (luckily I have a birthday coming up soon!).

Use code FWC20 for 20% off your Skirt Sports order!

This week's #FridayFive is all about the #runfessions! Join us and share yours! #runchat Share on X

There…running sole cleansed and I feel better! So tell me, what do you runfess?

I’m also linking up with Rachel from Running on Happy and Lacey & Meranda from Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five link-up! 

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Filed Under: Runfessions, Skirt Sports, Summer running

Weekly Wrap – Feeling the Heat

July 23, 2017 by 37 Comments

Yeah, this pretty much sums up this week’s workouts! Another heat wave hit the Boston area this week, and by Tuesday I had given up even bothering to open the weather app on my phone. The workouts were a little all over the place, but here’s how it went down.

Monday — Since I ran Sunday and was planning to hit the track Tuesday, I took Monday as a rest day. I had dinner with a friend I hadn’t seen in months and we had an epic catch-up session that may have involved a couple of pomegranate martinis. So good, but so not the “hydration” to have before track day 😉

Tuesday — Suffice it to say I didn’t get to the track, but I did get an ab/hip/leg workout in.

Wednesday — 90% humidity had me seriously questioning the whole running thing, but I eked out 3 miles.

Thursday — Another lower body strength workout followed by a massage!

Friday — I had planned to make up Tuesday’s track workout, but for some crazy reason I woke up at 3:30 in the morning and I was wide awake brain racing! Uggh. After lying awake for what seemed forever, I must have finally fallen asleep and promptly slept through my alarm. I didn’t have enough time to get to the track before work so it would have to wait.

Saturday — Finally made it to the track! I was determined not to skip this workout and it was my best of the week!

Sunday — Saturday’s long run became today’s run. Since I was still feeling the effects of a busy Saturday and I knew the humidity was supposed to finally relent a bit, I opted to sleep in and take on my run in the afternoon. It was still a heat-fest but having my husband along helped keep me going, and we made it through 6.2 miles.

All-in-all, not a bad week. We’re getting a ton of rain tomorrow and then cooler temps (relatively speaking) will be rolling in. I’m looking forward to getting a break from the steam bath!

I’m linking up with Holly & Tricia, and this week’s guest host Darlene.

 

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Filed Under: half marathon training, Summer running, track work, Weekly Wrap

A quick wrap-up

July 16, 2017 by 22 Comments

Happy Sunday!

Taking a quick break from enjoying a lazy Sunday with my family for the Weekly Wrap, hosted by Holly & Tricia, and this week’s guest host Janelle.

Thanks to a combo of multiple days of crazy thunderstorms, my youngest being home sick from camp, and feeling way under the weather myself, there’s not much to wrap this week from a workout standpoint.

I did keep up with my daily planking but did only one lower-body strength workout.

Planking & learning to work the new selfie stick!

And, there were just two days of running in humidity so thick it felt more like swimming!

I got a nice pick-me-up on Wednesday with the arrival of the July StrideBox! Always so much goodness – I especially appreciated the extra water bottle!

Thankfully I was starting to feel more like myself this afternoon so my husband and I headed over to catch a great sale and tasting at our favorite wine shop.

Photo Courtesy of Bin Ends

The rest of the afternoon will be kids choice, which I’m sure will include mini golf, ice cream, and dinner on the deck! 🙂

How are you spending your Sunday?

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Filed Under: #StrideBox, Weekly Wrap

5 Tips for Running on the Track

July 14, 2017 by 27 Comments

As I mentioned in a recent post, I’ve returned to the track for some of my *ahem* speedwork. Our local high school recently resurfaced their track and I am lucky that it is just a quick 10-minute drive from my house.

This track stays fairly busy even when school’s not in session and since the resurfacing it has been one hopping spot! I’ve just been twice in the past two weeks, but it’s clear to me that some could stand to learn a thing or two about track etiquette. So with that in mind, for this week’s Friday Five, I offer some tips for running on the track.

Run counter-clockwise — Unless otherwise posted or you have the track to yourself, you should run counter-clockwise.

Choose your lane wisely — If you’re walking or doing a slow warm-up, please stick to the outer lanes. The other day I watched two women decide to take a leisurely stroll on the inner lanes, oblivious to the runners trying to navigate past them.

Pass on the left — Pass people on the left when possible, and feel free to call out “on your left” or “track” to give plenty of warning. If you are the passee, please don’t take it personally and shoot dagger looks at the passer (as I’ve had one or two do to me in the past), just slide wide right and keep doing your thing.

Keep it moving — As a general rule of thumb, when you’re not running or walking, step off the track to take a rest or to stretch. When you finish the interval you’re running, be mindful of those around you before coming to a complete stop, and then step off to the side until you’re ready for the next round.

Leave your furry running partners and strollers at home — I can’t make this up – I have seen both! Dogs and strollers can do damage to the track surface. So leave both at home – your fellow runners will appreciate it.

5 tips for running on the track #runchat Share on X

I’m linking up with Rachel from Running on Happy and Lacey & Meranda from Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five link-up! 

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Filed Under: Friday Five, track work

Weekly Wrap – Slow return to training

July 9, 2017 by 40 Comments

The first full week of July is in the books, and it’s time for the Weekly Wrap with Holly, Tricia, and this week’s guest host Christine. Definitely be sure to stop by and check out all of the great ladies who join in for this link-up!

So how’d things shake out this week? Here’s a quick run down…

Sunday – 4-mile run. A rare Sunday run for me, but I had missed running Saturday due to family plans. And besides, the morning was too beautiful to pass up! Also, I got back to daily planks.

Monday – Rest day.
Tuesday – The track was calling – I swear 800-meter repeats never get easier!


Wednesday – OK so I may have gotten a bit ambitious at the track 😉 I had plans on a strength workout, but listened to my legs and opted for rest.
Thursday – 5.5-mile run.
Friday – Strength work and chiro visit.
Saturday – 3.4 miles – this was supposed to be a 6 or 7-mile run but for some reason, nothing felt good on this run. My stride felt off and so did my breathing. After a solid week of running, the wheels came off the wagon a bit. I’m chalking it up to being just “one of those days!”
Sunday – Feeling especially tight today, so I went with some gentle yoga.

So as the title of this post alludes, this week marked a return to training. While I enjoyed taking June at a leisurely pace, I know the fall race season will be here in a blink of an eye so it’s time to ease back into a training plan. I still haven’t settled on a goal race, but the RC coaches and I are leaning towards a couple of November options with a possible tune-up race or two. I did sign up for the Wicked Half and I’m looking forward to the Skirt Sports Ambassador meet-up.  This race will be for fun and should help me to get focused. It’s a mere 68 days away, so Saturday runs will get longer and I’m going to try to keep one day for speed work.

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Filed Under: half marathon training, Weekly Wrap, Wicked Half Marathon

July Coffee Date

July 1, 2017 by 27 Comments

How is it already July?!?!

The breakneck pace of 2017 continues! It’s the first Saturday of the month, and that means it’s time for catching up over coffee! Thanks to Coco and Deborah for hosting the Ultimate Coffee Date link-up.  Grab a mug (or an iced coffee) and join me!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that after a sea of end-of-year school events, elementary school graduation, a major event for work, and 3…yes 3 weekends of lacrosse tournaments, I am really looking forward to some lazy summer days this month!

My kiddo’s sporting the yellow gloves

 

 If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that my newest snack addiction is the Health Warrior Pumpkin Seed Bars. I first got to try the Cinnamon Spice bar thanks to StrideBox and I was quickly on the hunt for more. Since then I’ve discovered the Honey Cracked Pepper with Turmeric and the Dark Chocolate. These bars are so good!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m looking forward to lounging on my deck and doing some summer reading…but I need some recommendations! It’s been a while since I’ve read a good novel and I miss reading.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that while this pup is wildly cute, he’s a stubborn handful! We start our first session with a trainer this morning and I cannot wait!

In fact, I better finish my coffee and get ready for the trainer.

What would you tell me over coffee? Any book suggestions?

 

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Filed Under: Ultimate coffee date

Weekly Wrap: Eyeing Fall Races

June 25, 2017 by 25 Comments

Staying true to my goals for this month, my workouts have been comfortably locked in on cruise control. This past week was no different. There was some time for yoga and getting re-aquatinted with my foam roller. And, there was some running. The temps have been climbing so I promised myself this would be the week to get out early to beat the sun’s heat.

Of course, Mother Nature does have a twisted sense of humor, and just as I stepped out the door for Tuesday’s run I was greeted with this…

Yep a serious downpour…given how warm it was I ran anyways…anything to avoid the mill. And actually, this run felt great!

I was chasing my shadow and the sun on Thursday’s run, and happily logged another pain-free run!

And, while the struggle bus came looking for me on this morning’s run thanks to a cranky stomach, I’m happy to say the miles were pain-free

the glute/piriformis/hip thing finally feeling under control these past couple of weeks, I’ve allowed myself to start eyeing potential fall races.  I’m pretty sure I’ll pull the trigger on the Wicked Half Marathon, held in mid-September. Some of the Skirt Sports ambassadors in the area picked this race for a meet-up so I’m sure this could be a fun one! Past experience has taught me that the temps can still be pretty warm in mid-September, so I’d like to find a goal race for October or early November.

Any suggestions for a half marathon? Do you have your fall races settled yet?

Linking up with Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap, and this week’s guest host Zenaida. Definitely be sure to stop by and check out all of the great ladies who join in for this link-up!

 

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Filed Under: fall racing, Weekly Wrap