January Runfessions Over February Coffee

January 31, 2020 by 15 Comments

Happy Friday!

Well, here we are at the end of the month. Is it just me, or did January feel oh so l-o-n-g?

Marcia has opened the Runfessional and Coco & Deborah  are inviting everyone to catch up at the Ultimate Coffee Date, so let’s dive in and chat a bit.

Over coffee, I runfess that I’m losing my cold-weather edge. Despite the relatively milder weather we’ve had this month, I still have no desire to layer up to run. My runs this month have been a pretty even split between indoor and outdoor – seriously, who am I?

Over coffee, I runfess that I had originally planned to kick off my racing season with a 10-miler in February, but given that I have had absolutely no desire to run longer than 5 or 6 miles, I’ve decided to take a pass. Both my brother and husband will be running the 5K option, and I’ve happily decided to join them!

Over coffee, I would tell you that I made the decision to step down from 3 ambassadorships and not re-apply for 2020. While I am still a big fan of SPIbelt, SkirtSports, and Tailwind, collectively I runfess that all the ambassador stuff started to feel like too much. Cutting back a bit feels good. Now that being said, I also runfess that there is one apparel brand I would certainly say yes to if selected.

Over coffee, I runfess that despite my goal to prioritize sleep, I have not been doing myself any favors thanks to staying up to watch the Australian Open. After Wimbledon, I have become a huge fan of Coco Gauff. It was fun watching her make a run through the Open, but the time difference was problematic for sure. It’s time to get back to an earlier bedtime.

Source: Australian Open

So, what would you tell me over coffee? Any runfessions to share?

signature
Filed Under: Runfessions, Ultimate coffee date

Last Runfessions of 2019

December 27, 2019 by 28 Comments

Happy Friday!

In just a few short days 2019 is a wrap! Before we usher in a new decade, a quick trip to the runfessional is in order. Thanks to Marcia for giving us all a chance to cleanse our souls/soles – let’s get started, shall we?


December Runfessions

I runfess that one of the unexpected “side effects” of my Orangetheory workouts may be that I’m learning to embrace the treadmill just a bit. Every OTF workout has a treadmill block, and dare I say I don’t mind those blocks at all! I’m not ready for a long run, but I consider this progress.

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine that I ran a marathon this year given that my “long-run” now is just 6 miles. I runfess that right now I have absolutely no desire to “run all the miles” and I’m perfectly ok with that!

I runfess that part of the reason why I’m content with keeping my running low-keyed at the moment is that I’m just a little obsessed with OTF! I love the way I feel after class!

Do you find you need a break from running? What are you runfessing?

signature
Filed Under: OTF, Runfessions

October Runfessions

October 25, 2019 by 15 Comments

So here we are once again in the final few days of the month – and what a month it’s been! Marcia has opened the runfessional to give us all a chance to cleanse our souls (or is that soles?) before the new month begins, and I’ve got a few things to share, so let’s get started, shall we?

October Runfessions

Following the marathon, my run coach urged me to take a week off from running. At first, I balked at the idea, however, taking those days off proved to be much easier than I thought – I runfess that I didn’t miss running!

Last month I runfessed grand plans to run a November half marathon so all the Chicago mileage I built up didn’t go to “waste”. Well, I runfess I’m kinda over it. Any of the local halfs I was considering are coming up in the next couple of weeks and, truth be told, I’m just not interested in running long – so now I’m eyeing 10Ks.

If you had talked to shortly after crossing the Chicago finish line, I was pretty clear that 26.2 miles was ridiculously far and that it was one and done for me. Well, it’s amazing what a difference a few days make – I runfess that I’ve started thinking about the possibility of running another one.

OK – your turn….what are you runfessing this month?

signature
Filed Under: Runfessions

Runfessions of a Would-be Marathoner

September 27, 2019 by 21 Comments

Happy Friday!

September just blew by, and now I’m staring down just a couple of short weeks before I toe the line of my first marathon. My head is consumed with all things Chicago, and I’m linking up with Marcia to share a few runfessions of a would-be marathoner.

Runfessions of a would-be marathoner

While most of the time I am pretty excited as race day approaches, I runfess that I have had one (or two) panic attacks about Chicago. I have caught myself going to some dark places convinced that I won’t make it through all of those miles. It wasn’t pretty!

I also runfess that I have had to remind myself on more than one occasion that my time doesn’t matter – the goal is to cross the line upright and smiling. No matter what time I finish it’s an instant PR, right?

I went into this training thinking “I could never run 5 days a week” – but, you know what? I surprised myself and did just that! I runfess that I miss having time for other workouts – I will definitely be scaling back to 3 run days a week post-race.

And, speaking of training, I also runfess that I miss running short! Seriously, I cannot wait for a time when 8 miles will be a weekend “long” run instead of a typical Monday.

That being said, I runfess that I am looking for a November half to run – why let this great base of mileage go to waste right?

What are you runfessing this month?

signature
Filed Under: Runfessions

Runfessions – Labor Day Edition

August 30, 2019 by 7 Comments

It’s Labor Day Weekend – the unofficial end of summer. With the final days of August quickly disappearing, Marcia has opened the runfessional to give us all a chance to cleanse our souls (or is that soles?) before the new season begins.

August Runfessions

With 12 weeks down and 6 weeks to go in my Chicago training, I runfess that I am starting to get a little training plan weary. While I’m never one to wish away days, I am looking forward to that first morning I can head out for a run of whatever distance I feel like.

On the flip side, I runfess I had a brief panic attack when this image popped into my Instagram feed last week.

Wait, what?!? Could someone please slow down the clock!

As I type this we are packing up my oldest to drive him back to school tomorrow. I thought by now I would have adjusted to the idea of having my son away at school – I runfess that I was wrong…I’m so going to miss having him around!

And speaking of my kids returning to school, I runfess that I dragged my feet until the last possible second on back-to-school shopping (read: I started on Tuesday). But, despite the late start I blew through it in record time and I’m happy to say I’m done!

There…now I feel better! Tell what are you run-fessing?

signature
Filed Under: Runfessions

Sharing some July Runfessions

July 26, 2019 by 12 Comments

It is hard to believe we’re coming to the end of July already! Marcia has opened the runfessional and I’ve got a few things to share.

 July Runfessions

I’m sure this comes as no great surprise but I runfess that I am heat weary! I was pretty pleased that I was able to marshal through and stick to my training plan during last week’s heatwave. I am also certain that I did not have it in me to do it again! Thankfully temps have dropped this week.

And speaking of running in the heat – remember that idea I had to run a race each month this summer – yeah well I’m officially over it! I runfess that after facing scorching conditions for both the BAA 10K and the Gansett 10K, the idea of taking on a half marathon in August is just so unappealing to me right now. Luckily, I was smart enough to have held off on registering.

I runfess that my first attempt at running 5x/week wasn’t nearly as bad as I had anticipated. I think the key for me was really as simple as just taking it one run at a time and not thinking about “all the miles”. Since all went well, Coach Marc is going to have me stick with this approach for the foreseeable future.

Post-run recovery is going to be uber important as the miles continue to increase and I runfess that I’m very hit or miss in this department. I more often than not tend to blow this off largely due to time constraints. So the question becomes, just how early do I need to get up to fit it all in?!

So what are you runfessing? Are you good about post-run recovery?

signature
Filed Under: Runfessions

June Runfessions

June 28, 2019 by 24 Comments

Happy Friday!

The days are just rolling along and here we are once again at the last Friday of the month. Time to join Marcia for a few Runfessions!

It's Friday and I'm joining @teamarcia for the Runfession link-up! #running #runchat #runfessions Share on X

June Runfessions

I runfess that I miss hitting things! While I loved my kickboxing classes, I didn’t love how rarely I was able to make my schedule align with the studio class schedule, and with it all of the money I was wasting on my monthly membership. I recently pulled the plug on the membership, but there have been many days lately where I could really use a punching bag!

As if the Universe can sense my need to channel my energy, I keep seeing ads for Fight Camp. I runfess I’m intrigued and trying to figure out where in my house I could put this!

I runfess that I’m almost afraid to say it out loud but running and I are BFFs again. Yes, the on again, off again humidity is making it tough to acclimate and I definitely have a beef with Mother Nature over her schizophrenic behavior. But weather aside, running and I are getting along just fine.

At least this month!

I runfess that the one thing that is stressing me out about my runs right now is how to navigate my hydration. As you all know I’m a Tailwind ambassador and I just love the stuff – no tummy trouble what so ever. The downside is Gatorade dominates most road races, and will be the drink of choice at Chicago. So, if I want to run with Tailwind I’m going to have to decide how to carry it. Any suggestions?

What are you runfessing this month?

signature
Filed Under: hydration, Runfessions

May Runfessions over Coffee

May 31, 2019 by 14 Comments

In typical May fashion, this month just flew by, and now we’re standing on the doorstep of June. Marcia has opened the Runfessional and Coco and Deborah are inviting everyone to catch up at the Ultimate Coffee Date, so let’s dive in and chat a bit.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that we made it through all of the concerts, lacrosse games, and other various school events, and have officially entered summer mode in the RWA household! My oldest came home from school Wednesday and the youngest finished his last exam yesterday! That sound you hear is the collective exhale as we survived another round May Madness.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I am starting to feel like Mother Nature is punking me. I spent forever tracking down just the right new furniture for both our deck and patio and, with the exception of Memorial Day Weekend, it’s been too rainy and cold to enjoy any outdoor time.

And, speaking of Memorial Day Weekend, while the weather was beautiful, I runfess the heat during Sunday’s race left me dreading running in the summer weather to come. I spent this month transitioning back to early morning runs, and I runfess I’ve already started to wonder just how early I’m going to have to get up to make the double-digit long runs of marathon training even remotely tolerable.

If we were having coffee I would tell you that after learning a couple of months ago from Coach Marc that he prefers the Hansons Marathon Method (affiliate link!) of training, I debated whether to order the book or just take the training as it comes. Well, I runfess that curiosity got the better of me and I recently ordered the book and devoured it in a couple of sittings. I am now both equal parts excited and terrified! LOL! Sometimes ignorance is bliss!

So what would you tell me over coffee? Any runfessions to share?

signature
Filed Under: Runfessions, Ultimate coffee date

May Coffee with a side of April Runfessions

May 3, 2019 by 20 Comments

Happy Friday!

This week went by in a blink but with a fun weekend to look forward to, I’m not complaining! So how about we get this Friday started with a little catch up over coffee.

I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date. And, for an added bonus, Marcia’s opened the Runfessional and I’ve got a few things to share.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve really been looking forward to this weekend – we’re going to see Alvin Ailey on Saturday and the Avengers Endgame on Sunday!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that around here we can see the finish line of another school year, as both of my boys will finish classes by the end of the month. I runfess that as I look the calendar filled to the brim with all of the end-of-school-year events, in addition to the lacrosse games, the boys’ exam schedules…and oh yeah I’ve got a half marathon coming up, I seriously wonder how it’s all going to get done. But that’s typical May Madness around here and somehow we always find a way to make it happen.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m turning into a bit of a paranoid runner. I mentioned in my last weekly run down that I seem to be finding my running legs. In fact, April was a great month of pain-free running which I’m celebrating but I runfess, given my recent history, part of me is holding my breath waiting to see if the other shoe will drop.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that after fully indulging during our vacation that I quietly returned to counting my macros during April. While I dropped a few pounds and, better still, a couple of inches off my waist, I runfess that I find the whole process of tracking just too annoying to continue.

So what would you tell me over coffee? Any runfessions to share?

signature
Filed Under: Runfessions, Ultimate coffee date

Runfessions for March

March 29, 2019 by 34 Comments

It’s the last Friday of the month and Marcia has opened the Runfessional!

It's Friday and I'm joining @teamarcia for the Runfession link-up! #running #runchat #runfessions Share on X

I’m going to start by saying that while I usually try to keep up with my workouts and running while on vacation, I runfess that on this spring break, I totally let that go on the cruise. I packed my workout gear…running shoes and all, but only made it to the fitness center for one short treadmill run. We did our fair share of walking and hiking on the excursions, but otherwise, I gave my body a total break.

Spring weather is taking it’s sweet time making an appearance around here, despite what the calendar and one infamous rodent had to say (I’m looking at you, Phil)! I runfess that I have essentially been running around the weather, pushing early morning runs to the afternoon as often as I can in search of temps that don’t require “all the layers.”

I have lost my patience for distracted drivers – especially when I’m out running! It is amazing the number of drivers who seem to be too preoccupied to see the stop sign or are more concerned with going right on red than paying attention to the person in the crosswalk! I runfess that I have not been shy about sharing what I think of their driving skills…we’ll just leave it at that!

Recently, I received my volunteer assignment for the Boston Marathon. While it’s been fun to work the water stop at the finish line for the past couple of years, I runfess that this year I requested a pre-race assignment so that I can actually spectate once my volunteer shift is done.  Thankfully they complied and I’ll be organizing the runners and buses heading from Boston to Hopkinton.

What are you runfessing? Do you keep up with your workouts while on vacation?

signature
Filed Under: Runfessions