Friday Five: Fall Preview

August 29, 2014 by 13 Comments

I cannot believe this is the last Friday of the month – and with school starting for my boys next week, it’s really the last Friday of the summer! While it has been a wonderful summer – I am a Fall girl and love that my favorite time of the year is just around the corner!

Fall preview

So much to look forward to this fall, including….

Cooler Temps — While it wasn’t as brutally hot as some past summers, I’m just much more partial to the crisp cool days of fall. I’m happiest in jeans, boots, sweater…you get the idea.

Apple Picking — One of my favorite family fall traditions!

Cooking — We pretty much live off the grill during the summer – which I must admit is largely my husband J’s domain. But once fall kicks in, I love to get back into the kitchen and dive into some of my favorite recipes and to try out some new ones!

Football —  If you’ve been around here for a while then you know I’m a huge football fan and cannot wait to watch my beloved Patriots take the field.

Fall Races — Hello Philly Half! Having not done much racing this year, I’m looking forward to running 3 (maybe 4) races this fall.

I could go on and on about the good things of fall! I’m linking up with Courtney, Mar and Cynthia again this week so be sure to stop by and check them out.

What are you looking forward to this fall?

 

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Filed Under: fall racing, fave things, football, Friday Five

Friday Five: Running Unplugged

August 22, 2014 by 23 Comments

DC_linkupI’m joining Courtney, Mar and Cynthia again for the Friday Five, and this week’s theme is “5 Things I Love about….”

So I want to highlight some benefits of running tech-free – aka running “naked.”  During  the past coupe of weeks I have been really struggling with my pacing. I’ve been getting most of my mileage in, but every time I look down at my Garmin during a run I’ve been feeling very defeated as the number staring back at me has not been close to what I was aiming for – cue the negative self-talk!

So at Coach Bennett’s suggestion, I’ve put the watch away for a bit and am running by effort. I’ve actually taken it a step further this week and left the headphones behind as well – no devices of any kind (except my phone in my belt in case my kids needed me!).

unplugged

Travel Light — There’s definitely something to be said for feeling lighter without all the tech stuff. No cords to manage, no satellites to find.

Less Anxiety — Knowing that I wasn’t going to have my pace reflected back at me, immediately took the pressure out of the run. I don’t think I realized how much having a number (pace) hanging over my head was upping my anxiety level.

Letting My Body Lead — There are lots of variables that can affect a run on any given day (sleep, nutrition, the previous day’s workout, etc.). Running by feel vs. my watch gives my body a better chance to adjust to those variables.

Listening to My Feet — No music means I can tune into my footfall. Is it soft and light? Am I scuffing my feet? When I hear scuffing, I know my form’s starting to fall apart.

Enjoy My Surroundings — Running tech-free not only gives me the chance to tune into my body, but to tune into my surroundings as well.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not ready to give up my running gadgets – they do provide a lot of useful feedback and motivation. But more and more I’m seeing the importance of taking a tech-break.

Do you ever run naked?

 

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Filed Under: Friday Five, listening to your body, no music, tech-free

Friday Five: Things that Make Me Smile

August 15, 2014 by 7 Comments

Linking up with Courtney, Mar and Cynthia again today. DC_linkup

This week is theme-free so I just thought I’d share a few things that made me smile this week.

cool weather The Weather — Most mornings this week have looked like this! Perfect running weather…and unheard of in August!

 

#IceBucketChallenge — It’s been great to see power of social media used for good with the #IceBucketChallenge to wipe out ALS! I’ve been lovin’ the videos in my FB feed (and yes I both dumped and donated) – but nothing made me smile more than watching my boys take the challenge and want to make a donation! Ice Bucket

 

AltrasAltra Intutions — These are quickly becoming my go to shoe for the majority of my runs. I have the 1.5’s and heard rumblings that the 2.0’s are a very different shoe and are bumming out fans of the 1.5’s. So to play it safe, I hunted online and bought another pair of 1.5’s that I’ll just store away for later.

dahliaDahlias in My Garden — These have been a labor of love. I planted them back at the end of May and have been nurturing them along. They finally started to bloom this week!

Beach Time — Was so happy to finally get to see this view this week!

Time at the beach

 

What’s making you smile lately?

Don’t forget to enter my Nuun Energy giveaway!

 

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Filed Under: #IceBucketChallenge, Altra Running, Friday Five, gardening

Friday Five – Race Memories

August 8, 2014 by 25 Comments

Linking up with the fun ladies of the DC Trifecta again this Friday. Today’s theme – Race Memories…so come take a little walk down memory lane with me!

Medals

Boston’s Run to Remember — My first half marathon! Without a doubt, this will go down as one of my all time favorite race experiences! My whole family turned out in force all along the course to support me, and my husband surprised me by ordering matching shirts for everyone. Best cheer squad ever. I smiled the whole race! (Recap HERE)IMG_0717

 

 

 

 

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Philadelphia Half Marathon — This was the first time I’d traveled to a race. I just loved everything about this race experience – as you can see from this picture 🙂 Loved the course and the crowd support — so much so that I’m going back this November! (Recap HERE)

 

ZOOMA Cape Cod Half — What made this race fun was all about the people! I was a race ambassador and the other ambassadors were a great group of ladies to get to know. Also got to meet Sarah & Dimity of Another Mother Runner fame. But best of all it was a fun girls weekend with my running buddy E – we both PR’d and had a blast together! (Recap HERE)

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The Time I Played Race Director — Yep one of my favorite race memories is of a race I didn’t even run. A couple of years ago I took on the crazy, stressful and very rewarding task of being race director for the local 5K and kids’ fun runs to benefit my sons’ school. I was both thrilled and exhausted by the time the day was done, and I had developed a serious appreciation for all that goes into race planning. A very worthwhile experience and while everyone can’t play race director, I seriously encourage every runner to volunteer at a race at least once! (Recap HERE)

My Son’s 1st 5K — For those of you who’ve been around here for a while I’m sure you’re not surprised to see this one on the list of my top race memories! Nothing better than watching your child push themselves to reach a goal…and being asked to come along for the ride 🙂 (Recap HERE)  picmonkey_image (5)

Be sure to check out the link-up with Cynthia, Courtney & Mar — I’m looking forward to reading about everyone’s memories!

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Filed Under: Boston's Run to Remember, family running, Friday Five, Philly Half, playing race director, race, ZOOMA Cape Cod

Friday Five: Half Marathon Training Goals

July 25, 2014 by 17 Comments

Linking up with Mar, Cynthia and Courtney again today. This week’s theme is “goals” and given that I just started my half marathon training this week it seems the perfect time to share my goals for this training cycle.

training goals

 

Don’t Miss a Workout! — Goal number 1 is to complete all of my workouts. Scheduling can get a little crazy in the summer when the kids are home, but that just means I need to get creative to stay on my plan (Hello 5:30 a.m. runs!).

Get Stronger —  This ties in directly with Goal #1. I’ve got a fair amount of cross-training built into my plan, plus specific strength exercises to keep my hip happy. I will also continue with my beloved Barre class and adding in some TRX as well.

Fuel Properly — While summer eating naturally lends itself towards lots of fruits and veggies and meals from the grill, I know I could still focus better on my nutrition – especially pre- and post-run. Doing so should also help me return to “fighting weight” which is about 6 lbs lighter than I am now.

Recover Right — Sometimes because scheduling gets a little hectic things like post-run rolling, re-fueling and donning of compression gear gets pushed to the back burner in favor of moving on with the day – however I pay for it later and on my next run…so that can’t happen!

Remember My “Why” — The mental side of training is just as important as the miles I log. After not having the Spring I had hoped for from a running/racing perspective, I will be working hard to keep negative talk and doubt from creeping in. During tough runs it will be important to remember why I’m out there.

 

Have you set any new goals for the rest of the year?

DC_linkup

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Filed Under: Friday Five, goals, half marathon training

Friday Five: Some Summer Faves

July 18, 2014 by 9 Comments

Hello Friday!

Seriously these weeks are flying by – hard to believe we’re more than half way through July already!

I’m linking up again with Courtney, Mar and Cynthia (aka the DC Trifecta) for my Friday Five. This week’s theme is “Friday Favorites,” so I thought I’d share a few things I’m loving right now.

 

pineapple bars

source: Outshinesnacks.com

Pineapple Outshine Fruit Bars: I am seriously addicted to these things! They’re a mere 80 calories, ooze pineapple goodness and are the perfect refreshing treat on a summer afternoon.

 

Lazy Dinners on the Deck: Dinners on our deck are truly one of my favorite things about the summer. The meals are slow and easy, tunes are quietly playing in the background, and no one is in a rush to go anywhere.

House_of_Cards_title_cardHouse of Cards: OK I may be late to the party on this one, but we just re-joined Netflix this week and J and I are hooked on this show!

New Recipes: With the abundance of fresh produce at this time of year I’ve been playing with some new recipes. Currently I’m perfecting my peach salsa.

Family Running: This month I have been enjoying getting in some family runs. At my chiro’s urging I have been logging some miles at the track to keep my healing hip happy. It’s been a great spot to run with this little guy 🙂

Track time

 

What are you loving right now?

DC_linkup

 

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Filed Under: fave things, Friday Five

Friday Five: Run to Remember Race Recap

May 30, 2014 by 12 Comments

Over Memorial Day Weekend I ran what has really become one of my favorite races – Boston’s Run to Remember!

RTR shirt

I’ve been trying all week to get around to writing a race recap but it kept slipping further and further down my to do list. So instead of my typical recap, it’s coming at you Friday Five style….

Oh the HumanityRTR crowd 1! – I think the first time I ran this race in 2011 there may have been 7,000 runners total running both the half marathon and the 5-miler. This year there were 12,000 of us hitting the streets! The race announcer said if you totaled all the human mileage we’d reach half way to the moon!

 

Public Garden

Sights and Sounds — Police cadet chants as they ran, “Boston Strong” cheers and cow bells, high-fiving police officers lining the route and super enthusiastic volunteers! Passing Faneuil Hall, Beacon Hill, the Public Garden and Boston’s waterfront.

Keep it Simple — My runs have been so schizophrentic lately that I really had no idea what to expect from this race. My goals were simply to have a solid run and enjoy the race. Coach Bennett suggested that I just run by effort and not worry about a specific pace. For half a second I considered not even wearing my Garmin, but I knew I’m just too Type A for that! I did manage to not really look at it until I hit the final mile.

New Distance — While it was my third time running RTR, this was my first time running the 5-miler. I like this distance – it’s not quite the all-out gut-wrencher that a 5K can be.  And I think it (or a 10K) makes a better pairing with a half marathon than a lot of the 5Ks I typically see (oh race directors are you listening?!)

Camaraderie and Community — From the expo the day before to volunteers throughout the course and at the finish line, I saw many friends and familiar faces — and I know there were so many more out there that day that I didn’t get to see! Despite the large crowd there’s something about this race that makes it feel very “local” if you know what I mean. I loved how encouraging runners were to each other and especially appreciated the older gentlemen who ran next to me in the final stretch. He must have sensed I was tiring – we chatted for a brief minute and then he urged me to get going and finish this thing…and I thanked him and I did!

RTR medal

 

This is race is really well done. 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 you’ve run again and again?

 

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Filed Under: #14in2014, Boston's Run to Remember, Friday Five, race report

Five Reasons to do Pilates

May 16, 2014 by 21 Comments

How is it Friday again already!? I feel like we’re just streaking through this month!

Well today I am once again linking up with the Courtney, Mar and Cynthia, the DC Trifecta for their Friday Five link-up. This week’s the ladies are asking everyone to share their “Five Reasons to….”

Now that I’ve returned to my weekly Pilates classes I cannot believe I ever stepped away from it! In my opinion there are many reasons to do Pilates – especially if you’re a runner…but here are a few:

 

pilates

 

1) Builds Core Strength — Pilates focuses on strengthening your core muscles which is critical not only for runners, but really to perform any function.

2) Aids Muscular Balance —  The repetitive motion of running (or many other sports, like golf for example) can create muscle imbalances. Pilates’ whole-body approach works to correct any imbalances and helps you to re-align your body.

3) Can be Adapted for Almost Everyone — With a wide range of exercises and modifications, Pilates offers something for everyone.  I can attest to the fact that I did Pilates all through my pregnancy with my youngest son – right up to a week before delivery! I’ve had both seniors and 20-somethings in the same class with me. I’ve also had friends who were injured who used Pilates as part of their PT.

4) Improves Posture — Pilates both strengthens and lengthens your spine, and with its focus on core strength and proper alignment, you will see an improvement in your posture.

5) Offers Mind-Body Awareness — My Pilates instructor is always emphasizing the importance of the total attention necessary to activate various muscle groups as you move through the various exercises. Pilates founder Joseph Pilates spoke of  “the complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit.” Through Pilates key principles of centering, concentration, control, breath, and flow, Pilates believed that the mind and body work together to help the practitioner get the most out of each exercise.

Honestly, I could go on and on about the benefits of doing Pilates! I really love that it truly offers a full-body workout – building core strength while helping to develop long lean muscles, strength, balance, flexibility and an increased range of motion – what’s not to love?!

 

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As always, please be sure to stop by and check-out the great ladies of the DC Trifecta and the others joining the link-up this week!

 

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Pilates

Friday Five (OK it’s actually 4 today)

April 11, 2014 by 21 Comments

It is Friday once again and it’s finally starting to feel like spring around here! Whoot whoot! Before I rush out the door for what looks like a pretty nutty day ahead, a little of this and that to share  😉

Nominated! So my little ole blog’s been nominated for the Top 50 Health & Fitness Blogs of 2014! It’s a great group of blogs and I’m happy to be listed among them. If you’re so inclined to cast a vote (no crazy commitments required), please click HERE – blogs are listed alphabetically.  Thanks for the support!!

Webcast with Dave Scott.  On Saturday, April 12th X2PERFORMANCE® is hosting a live webcast with 6- time IRONMAN® World Champion Dave Scott! The webcast will take place at 5PM EST and Dave will be answering questions as well as providing advice on strength-training and nutrition. All attendees will receive an exclusive offer from X2PERFOMANCE at the end of the webcast, plus be eligible for randomly selected prizes. You can register through this link. I’ve got a couple of scheduling glitches I’m trying to work out so I can catch this.

Vacation planning. Now that the family vacation is booked, I’m trying to get organized early to avoid the usual last minute scramble. So out comes the “to do” list – we know I love a list! And towards the top of that list, I realized I need a new swimsuit. Now I’ve promised myself this is not going to send me over the deep-end. I’m going to try to embrace Carla’s wonderful 2-step approach and move on!

Weekend!! The forecast is looking good so I’m planning to spend as much time in my garden and yard as possible! Also on tap are the boys’ lacrosse games, baseball practice begins and a ten mile run (haven’t seen double digits in a while).

DC_linkup

Does swimsuit shopping cause you to panic?

 

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Filed Under: #TeamX2, Friday Five, general musings, X2 Performance

Friday Five – Running with Kids

March 21, 2014 by 15 Comments

 

As I’ve been running with my son to get ready for the BAA 5K, I wanted to share some tips on running with your kids.

Feet

The idea running must be their idea not yours! I’ve gotten some emails asking “How did you get your son to run with you?” The key is I didn’t “get” him to do anything. As with all of his other interests, starting to run was his choice – and he asked to sign up for a 5K. Trust me you’re better off if you let them come to you with the idea!

Let them set the pace. Yes this can result in sprints followed by walk breaks but eventually they will settle in.

Let them know it’s ok to walk. When we first started running together, my son thought that he must run every step or he wasn’t a “runner.” Clearly he hadn’t seen any of my long runs 🙂

Build slowly. Just because kids have boundless energy and can keep going and going doesn’t mean they should. Build distance as you would with any new runner to avoid injury.

Keep it fun! Above all else this is most important! Our runs have led to some great mid-run giggles and post-run conversations.

Do you run with your kids?

Once again I’m linking up with the lovely ladies of the DC Trifecta. Be sure to stop by and show them some love! DC_linkup

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Filed Under: family running, Friday Five