Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap – Keep Showing Up

February 24, 2019 by Michelle 23 Comments

Keep Showing Up – that was pretty much the theme for this week as I spent most of the week continuing to play a game of hide-and-seek with my mojo. Here’s how the week went down:

Monday — Rest day.

Tuesday — Icy conditions sent me once again to the gym for a treadmill run. 3 miles done.

Wednesday — I woke up feeling pretty beat up so I shuffled things around a bit and spent some much needed time on my yoga mat.

Thursday — Strength workout. I never really got my head in the game on this workout, but I dug in and got it done.

Friday — 46 degrees! While I don’t usually run on Fridays, I had a run to make up since I’d shuffled my schedule around. And did I mention 46 degrees?! I managed to squeeze in a late day 3-mile run.

Saturday — 4-miles of negative splits! I have no idea where this run came from. My legs just felt good so with each mile I decided to push the pace a bit and see what would happen. You never know if you don’t show up, right?

Sunday — Another strength workout from the 21 Days Beautiful Arms & Abs Transformation.

Mother Nature is expected to throw us another curveball this upcoming week with rain, crazy winds, then more bitter cold…and possibly more snow. Ah well, more indoor workouts – just 24 days until Spring…but who’s counting 😉

And that’s a wrap!

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

Tell me something about your week! Are you dealing with crazy weather too?

Filed Under: Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap – Long Weekend Edition

February 17, 2019 by Michelle 22 Comments

I have to say that I was so happy to get to this weekend – it was one l-o-n-g week! But knowing that there was a 3-day weekend on the horizon made all the difference!

And, while my mojo hasn’t completely come out of hiding, I am happy to say that overall my workouts went much better this week. Here’s how things went down:

Monday — The DOMS from Sunday’s strength training hit hard so this was a rest day.

Tuesday — A rare early morning run. This run felt surprisingly good – 3 miles done.

Wednesday — To help keep things interesting, I added the 21-day Beautiful Arms & Abs workout from Daily Om to the mix. Simple, controlled, focused moves – my abs were sore when I was done!

Thursday — This was one crazy day! There was just too much to juggle (did I mention I was doing the solo parenting gig this week?) so I finally decided to just push my run to Friday. I did manage to keep my massage appointment, which was a huge win.

Friday — Time to make up for Thursday’s run. It was raining sideways (literally) so I hit the gym for some 400-meter repeats on the mill. While I make no secret of the fact that I don’t love treadmill runs, I actually don’t mind using the mill for speedwork and these repeats felt pretty good.

Saturday — I woke up feeling the effects of the previous day’s speedwork – I may have been a little overzealous! For just a moment I thought about kicking this run to Sunday, but then I got a text from my brother saying he was heading out for his run and that was enough of a push to get moving. It wasn’t pretty, but 4 miles done.

Sunday — I finished off the week with some time on my yoga mat.

And that’s a wrap!

I’m linking up again with Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap.

Tell me something about your week! Are you enjoying a long weekend too?

Filed Under: Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap – In search of my mojo

February 10, 2019 by Michelle 56 Comments

Happy Sunday!

This week I am excited to be filling in for Holly as a guest co-host for the Weekly Wrap! If you’re new to the Weekly Wrap, it is a fun linkup hosted by Holly and Wendy for fitness bloggers to share their weekly or race recaps. I hope you’ll link up with us and please be sure to comment on other posts. We’re here to support each other!

So, the title for this post pretty much sums up my week – call it the mid-winter blues, but I definitely struggled to find my motivation!

Monday – Rest day. Knowing that I would probably be enjoying an extra beverage or two during the Super Bowl I planned to make Monday a rest day. And with the Patriots win, let’s just say there was some extra celebrating!

Tuesday – When the thermometer reads 60 degrees in February, how can you turn down a chance to run?! I squeezed in a quick 3 miles at lunchtime.

Wednesday – You ever have one of those days where you weren’t even kinda sorta feeling like working out? Yeah, that was this day but did manage to get a short yoga session in.

Thursday – The motivation was way low, the weather was crappy, and I was feeling just a little “off” – not a good combo! I kept putting my run off until later in the day but finally had to admit that this run just wasn’t going to happen.

Friday – Fridays are usually my rest day – and while I had visions of overcoming this lack of motivation I was struggling with, I woke up with a migraine and decided rest was best.

Saturday – I was feeling a 100% better and even though the winds were ridiculous I was determined to get my run done!

Sunday – I had neglected my strength training and prehab exercises all week, so today was the day to get back on track!

Trusting the Training

Recently, Coach Marc had suggested that I put a pin in the idea of running the Old Fashioned 10 Miler this month. Back in December, I had put the race out there as a target to help keep me focused on building miles during the winter. But I put it out there as a target before really having a handle on the training plan Marc’s building for me. He felt that having a race of this distance this early in the training was not a wise idea. At first, I balked a little, but I quickly reminded myself that the whole point of hiring a coach for this year was to train smartly and avoid injury. So I’m trusting the process and conceded on the race – thankfully I hadn’t registered yet!

While I know it’s the right choice, I think not having that race hanging over my head took a little wind out of my sails this week – and the temperature whiplash that went on this week certainly didn’t help! I am happy that I ended the week on a strong note and hopefully, I can get back into more of a groove for the upcoming week.

And that’s a wrap!

Tell me something about your week! Do you find it hard to stay motivated during the winter months?

An InLinkz Link-up

Filed Under: Trust the training, Weekly Wrap

January Wrap & February Goals

February 3, 2019 by Michelle 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.

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

Weekly Wrap – Dealing with Mother Nature’s Antics

January 27, 2019 by Michelle 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?

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

New Shoe Giddy

January 20, 2019 by Michelle 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?

Filed Under: Brooks Adrenaline, Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap: Trying to find a groove

January 13, 2019 by Michelle 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.

Filed Under: crazy week, Weekly Wrap

A Slow Start

January 6, 2019 by Michelle 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?

Filed Under: Old-fashioned 10 Miler, Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap: Ready for the Holidays

December 23, 2018 by Michelle 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!

Filed Under: #HolidayChallenge, Christmas, Weekly Wrap

Chicago-bound!

December 16, 2018 by Michelle 32 Comments

The sprint to the finish of 2018 continues – I swear someone has flipped the switch into overdrive!

This past week was busy on all fronts, but there were lots of highlights!

Work kept me hopping – but I was super productive and, with now just a few loose ends to wrap up, I should be in great shape to take the Christmas week off! Both of my boys started their school breaks, so we really kicked things into the Christmas spirit, picking up our tree and decorating the house. We’ll start making cookies later today.

On the workout front, it was a pretty solid week:

Monday – 3-mile run
Tuesday – 1.25-mile power walk
Wednesday – 3.5-mile run – this one was ugly!
Thursday – Another power walk followed by a strength work.
Friday – 2-mile run and some much needed yoga. Also had another acupuncture session.
Saturday – 5-mile run. For as bad as Wednesday’s run felt, this one felt great!

Sunday – Today was basically a rest day, I did get an early morning 1.25-mile walk with my husband and pup to get the day started followed by another session with the acupuncturist.