Some October Runfessions

October 30, 2020 by 28 Comments

Hard to believe that we’re at the end of another month already! Marcia has opened the runfessional and I’ve got a few things to share, so let’s get started, shall we?

October Runfessions

Now that I have the Detroit virtual half marathon behind me, I runfess that I am seriously questioning my decision to commit to the BAA virtual half. While I’ve been enjoying my running, motivating to run 13.1 miles is still a challenge.

I runfess that I have fully embraced using 4:1 intervals – they were key to getting me through my virtual half and I’m now thinking that I may just stick with them indefinitely.

It’s probably no surprise that I am loving my new Peloton bike – but I runfess that I’m loving it so much that I’m struggling a bit to find a balance between wanting to do all the rides and running.

These initial rides on the bike have been fun, but I runfess (bike-fess?) that they can also be very humbling. I had presumed that I’d be able to just dive into the classes. So after a couple of “beginner” classes, I decided to jump into the non-beginner Alicia Keys class, which would have been fine if I didn’t let my ego get in the way and just rode hard…within reason.  But I didn’t – instead, I pushed to keep up with the suggested cadence and resistance. I was hanging on until the instructor called for us to get out of the saddle…yeah no. I tried and that lasted a hot minute. Note to self, those beginner classes are there for a reason!

So tell me, do you have any runfessions to share?

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Filed Under: Runfessions

A mini run break and some fun new finds

October 25, 2020 by 26 Comments

After taking on a virtual half marathon last weekend, this week was about low-key recovery. Here’s how things played out.

Monday — Rest Day.

Tuesday — Peloton ride and core workout. With this core workout, I hit my 100th Peloton strength class!

Wednesday — Peloton Strength

Thursday — 3.75-mile walk and core.  Mother Nature served up a day in the upper 70s – perfect for a walk to the polls for early voting.

Friday —  More time on the bike & core. You can’t go wrong with Alicia Keys, am I right?

Saturday — 6-mile run. Can’t say enough good things about this run, despite feeling really tired when I started, my legs felt fresh after a week of no running. I stuck with the 4:1 ratio I’ve adopted recently and the miles ticked by easily. Great weather and the Hamilton soundtrack were an added bonus!

Sunday —  Got a 2-mile walk in earlier and still plan to hit my yoga mat.

Some Fun New Finds

A couple of months ago I discovered WRLDINVSN (pronounced “world in vision”) Biker Shorts. I’m wearing them in the photo above. They feature a high-rise waistband, two sizeable side pockets (my iPhone fit comfortably), and a great stretch fabric that washes and wears really well. Lots of great features for just $20. I also love that this is a black-owned business. I’ll definitely be ordering another pair or two.

In September, the folks at Feetures sent me the new Tempo Collection from their Elite line. I’ve been a long-time Feetures fan and these socks have not disappointed. The Elite socks come in ultra-light, light cushion, and max cushion and offer targeted compression for extra support. These socks have quickly become my go-to for all my runs and walks – and I am loving the colors in this fall collection. I’m partnering with Feetures for a giveaway this week, so if you are interested in trying out a couple of pairs, be sure to check out my Instagram account tomorrow.

Tried any new gear lately? 

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

 

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Weekly Run Down & a Virtual Half Marathon

October 18, 2020 by 20 Comments

What a difference a week makes!

Last week I mentioned I was struggling with low energy and poor sleep. Well, thanks to making the most of an extended long weekend, I was feeling much better this week. And, just in time since I had a virtual half to run.

Here’s how the week went down…

Monday — 3-mile walk and Peloton Strength

Tuesday — My Peloton arrived!! Talk about being like a kid on Christmas morning! So, of course, there was a 20-min ride followed by a couple of Peloton Strength classes

Wednesday — Another ride and strength classes. It was a beautiful day so I also got out for a short walk after work.

#WeeklyRunDown & My 1st virtual half marathon! #bibchat #virtualrace #runchat Share on X

Thursday — 3 miles plus core. I hadn’t been out before the sun in a while, so it was nice to get out and catch the start of the day.

I love a run-rise

Friday — 4-mile walk plus core. I was nervous about Saturday’s run so I wanted to keep things fairly low-keyed. I checked into the Henry Ford Health System Virtual Race Expo to see the panel discussion featuring Des Linden. I’m a total “fangirl” when it comes to Des so I always enjoy a chance to hear from her!

Saturday — Detroit Free Press Virtual Half Marathon. Given that there had been no training leading up to this run, I had no intention of “racing.” My goal was simply to cover the distance, enjoy the run, and not get hurt. There was rain, wind, and eventually some sunshine. 4:1 intervals were my BFF, especially in the later miles. Mission accomplished!

The final mile!

Sunday — Today was all about recovery – a 20 min. ride and some yoga did the trick. I have to say I was pretty pleased to not be too sore this morning – definitely a win!

I ran the Detroit half as a BibRave Pro and I’m happy to announce that I’ll be returning as a Pro for 2021! The BRP community is such a fun group and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll be able to run one of their partner races in-person next year. If you’re interested in becoming a BibRave Ambassador, applications will be opening on Wednesday, 10/21 here.

How was your week? Run any virtual races lately?

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

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Filed Under: #BibRavePro, #FreepMarathon, virtual race, Weekly Run Down

Weekly Run Down – An uneventful week

October 11, 2020 by 34 Comments

Is it just me or was this just a blur of a week?!

I honestly don’t have too much to report this week – workout wise it was fairly uneventful. Here’s how things played out:

Monday — A short run, Day 5 of Core-Tober, and yoga for hips. This yoga class was so good and so needed! Chelsea’s become one of my favorite instructors – I have bookmarked this class and will take it again!

Tuesday — Rest Day. I woke up feeling really off and just never got on track. I even took one of my two rest days for Core-Tober.
Wednesday — 3-mile run plus core.


Thursday — 2-mile walk plus strength training.
Friday — 3 miles plus core.
Saturday — 5 miles, core, plus yard work.

With so many out running and walking, the mask was needed!

Sunday — 1.25-mile walk plus core. I think I got a little over-ambitious in yesterday’s garden clean-up so I’m keeping things very low-keyed today.

Like I said, an uneventful week. My energy level was pretty low for most of the week thanks to some really poor nights of sleep. I was definitely feeling more like myself by the week’s end and Saturday’s run couldn’t have been better! Hopefully, with a couple of extra days off for an extended long-weekend, I will be able to continue to catch up on some more sleep.

In addition to some days off, the week ahead also brings my Pelo bike delivery and I’ll be running the Detroit Free Press virtual half. As I runfessed a couple of weeks ago, I’m nowhere near “half marathon” shape so I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to approach this run. Wish me luck!

Tell me something about your week. How would you approach this virtual half?

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

October Goals

October 4, 2020 by 22 Comments

Hello October!

I make no secret of my love of Fall weather, and I always feel like October is when Fall is at it’s best. And since we’re at the beginning of a new month, I’ve set some goals. But, first here’s a quick run down on this past week.

Monday — Strength training

Tuesday — 3 miles

Wednesday — 2.25 miles

Thursday — 3 miles & Day 1 of Core-Tober

So happy to see October arrive!

Friday — 2-mile walk & Core day 2

Saturday — A stack of Peloton workouts

20 mins of core?!

Sunday — 4-miles, yoga & Core day 4

October Goals

While I did hit the mark on my yoga and strength training September goals, I fell short of my mileage goal of 75 miles. I finished with 60 miles and would like to see that number bumped up this month. So here’s what I’ve got planned for this month.

  • 80 miles
  • Complete the Peloton Core-Tober Challenge (29 core workouts from the BreakThrough Crew instructors)
  • Complete the Detroit Free Press virtual half marathon
  • Strength training 3x’s/week
  • Weekly yoga
  • Break-in my new Peloton bike (9 days and counting until delivery!)

What are you looking forward to this month?

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

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Filed Under: goals, Weekly Run Down

Time for October Coffee

October 2, 2020 by 24 Comments

Fall is in the air and it feels great to settle in a mug of hot coffee and catch up with friends. I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date. I’ve got my usual Starbucks Pikes Place with GLG Collagen and a splash of cream – what are you drinking?

Over coffee, I would first ask you how you’re holding up. To say times are tough right now would be a serious understatement. Personally, I’m beyond tired of 2020 and all of the madness, chaos, and sadness that has come with it. I’ve had to put myself on a news detox – while I like to be informed, some days are just too much to bear.

On a much lighter note, over coffee, I would tell you that school continues to go well for both of my boys. My oldest has been on campus for 6 weeks and his school just keeps rolling along in their little bubble. For my younger son, we’ve settled into a hybrid schedule and knock-on-wood so far so good. I’m holding my breath and hoping we can make it to Thanksgiving break.

Over coffee, I would tell you that we are in the thick of the college process now. I am utterly amazed at what marketing machines some of these universities are. We receive so much mail and the emails are nonstop. I keep thinking that if they all cut back on their fancy brochures perhaps they could drop their tuition costs!

Over coffee, I would tell you that I looking forward to the new season of SNL, cause really couldn’t we all use a good laugh? Now let’s hope I can stay awake to actually watch it 🙂

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?

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Filed Under: Ultimate coffee date

September Runfessions

September 25, 2020 by 22 Comments

Marcia has opened the runfessional and I’ve got a few things to share, so let’s dive right in, shall we?

I runfess that I am nowhere near “half marathon ready” with the Detroit half just a few weeks away. When Detroit race organizers announced they were going virtual I had every intention of dropping down to the 5K. For those not keeping score, I have done nothing in the long-distance department all summer – I’ve had zero interest. I kept saying “I gotta remember to change my registration” …well as you’ve probably guessed, I kept forgetting and when I finally logged in to do so, the virtual 5K was sold out! Doh! Ah well, the half marathon swag is pretty sweet and on its way, so always earned never given – I will get it done.

Which of course begs the question – why sign up for the BAA’s Finish Strong Challenge which includes a half marathon?! I runfess that fall weather running giddiness may have played a role. LOL! I really wanted a goal to push for to finish out the year so the Challenge seemed like a good idea (half marathon and all) – plus, I runfess, I know I’m going to want to redeem myself after the Detroit effort.

I runfess that while I’m looking forward to having some running challenges this fall, I continue to “drink the kool-aid” that is Peloton. My bike will arrive (finally) in a couple of weeks, and in the meantime, I continue to love the new content they’re adding. After doing the “Crush Your Core” program earlier this summer, I’ve been trying to keep a fairly steady diet of core workouts going, so when the Breakthrough Crew Facebook group (from this summer’s Pelothon) announced a core challenge for October, you know I am all in!

So tell me, what are you runfessing?

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Fall running and new challenges

September 20, 2020 by 28 Comments

Mother Nature has gifted us with some glorious fall weather lately and I couldn’t be happier – especially since I’ve got a few new run challenges on the horizon! But before I get to those, here’s a quick run down on the week that was…

Monday — Yoga
Tuesday — 3-mile run plus core
Wednesday — 1.25 -mile power walk plus core
Thursday — Peloton Strength – upper body and core classes
Friday — 2.5-mile run plus Pelo strength
Saturday — 4-mile run plus core
Sunday — Currently still lingering over coffee, but planning to get a walk and some time on my yoga mat.

New Challenges

Running has felt good lately (thanks I’m sure in part to the cool fall weather we’ve been having), and I’m finally feeling motivated to take on a couple of run challenges and virtual races. Here’s what I’ve got planned:

Hadrian’s Wall – I’ve had this one on my radar since I first heard about it earlier this summer, so when my brother called me looking for a challenge to take on, I knew what I wanted to do. We’ll each be trying to cover the 90 miles over the next few weeks – should be fun to see who finishes first!

Womxn Run the Vote — This relay kicks off tomorrow and benefits Black Voters Matter (BVM), a nationally recognized advocacy and policy group that works to boost Black voter turnout at elections on every level. The week-long relay covers 680 miles from Atlanta to Washington DC, following a route from Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site in Atlanta to the MLK Jr. National Memorial in DC.  BVM is a great advocacy group so I’m psyched to be logging some miles for this cause. I’ll be running with Team SnaptheVote! 

 

Excited to celebrate fall running with some virtual races and challenges! #FreepMaraBR #BibChat #BibRavePro #WomxnRunTheVote #WeeklyRunDown Share on X

I’ve also got a couple of virtual races lined up. I had registered for the Detroit Free Press International Half Marathon early this year and was psyched to run it as a BibRave Pro. Of course, like all other major races, this one has gone virtual. The Detroit races are selling out quickly, but if you’re interested in joining me be sure to use code BIBRAVEDET20 for 10% off your registration.

Additionally, I signed up for the Boston Athletic Association’s #FinishStrong Challenge, which consists of running their annual distance medley (5K, 10K, and half marathon) as virtual runs during the final three months of the year. I missed getting to run a BAA event this year (kind of a tradition with me) so this feels like a good fit and will give me something to focus on as the year winds down. I also like that the challenge also supports some great causes.

 

Has Fall weather made an appearance where you are? Do you have any challenges or virtual races coming up?

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

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Weekly Run Down – Back to School Part 2

September 13, 2020 by 29 Comments

With this week came the end of my staycation and the return to school for my youngest son. Everything felt a little out of kilter including the weather as we teeter tottered between humidity one day and fall-like temps the next. I never really found my workout groove…here’s how the week played out.

Monday — Labor Day and the last day of my staycation. I’ve been enjoying the combo of a short run and strength work.

Tuesday — Powerwalk & Upper body & core work. As expected the first day back to work after a week off was a l-o-n-g day! I runfess I thought about just phoning it in, but knew I would feel better if I got some sort of workout in.

Wednesday — 3-mile run & core work. The humidity returned with a vengeance and this run was hard!

Thursday — Rest day – I woke up with a migraine that just never let up 🙁

Friday — Another couple of miles run plus strength training. I had heard a lot about Jess’ classes but had yet to try one so it was an all Jess workout!

Saturday — 4-mile run & core work. The weather was gloriously cool with no trace of the mid-week humidity. A house along my route had a number of painted rocks along their stone wall – I just loved seeing these words of wisdom!

Sunday — Today will be all about hanging out and enjoying some football. I will probably get a walk or short run in and some core work to keep this week’s core streak going.

I’m happy to say that my son’s return to school was relatively smooth. His school is going with a hybrid approach so he has in-person classes every other day. It will definitely take us a bit to find our new rhythm…but then again, isn’t that the story of this year?!

How was your week? Does it feel like fall where you are?

In case you missed it, check out my Knockaround Sport Sunglasses Review.

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Knockaround Sport Sunglasses Review

September 8, 2020 by 21 Comments

Disclaimer: I received Knockaround Sport Sunglasses to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews! All opinions, as always, are my own.

Knockaround Sport Sunglasses Review

I have been looking forward to trying out a pair of Knockarounds since I read Janelle’s review earlier this summer. I love sunglasses, but I don’t always love how much you have to pay for a quality pair so I was very curious to see what Knockaround had to offer.

Well after wearing them on runs, walks, and just out and about running errands, let me just say that there is just so much to love about these shades!

Great protection – Knockarounds feature polarized mirror lenses with UV 400 protection which filters the light coming through the lens so you get a crisp and clear image all while protecting your eyes. And, as an added bonus, the lenses are also impact-resistant.

No slipping – We all know how ridiculously humid it’s been this summer, and yet my Knockarounds never slipped. The Sport Collection has these subtle, but highly effective rubber grips on the nose – perfect for those sweat-fest runs!

Lightweight – Knockarounds are made with a super lightweight polycarbonate material which means you can just put them on and forget about them.

So many colorways and styles – Knockaround offers fifteen different frame styles in a wide range of colors, plus special Limited Editions. While I love the “Fast Lanes” I received in Clear Grey frames and Green Moonshine lenses, I’m already eyeing the many other color combos and styles available. You can even custom design a pair to make them uniquely your own.

Affordable – Prices for Knockarounds with polarized lens start as low as $20, and just $15 for the regular lens.

Sharing my review of @knockaround sport sunglasses #knockaroundbr #bibchat #bibravepro #tuesdaytopics #runnersroundup Share on X

Functional, stylish, and affordable – it’s really not hard to see why Knockarounds are so popular!

If you haven’t tried them yet for yourself, then let me sweeten the deal by offering code BibRaveKnocks5 for a 20% savings on your entire order (one use per customer).

Do you wear sunglasses when you run?

 

I’m linking this with Kim and Zenaida for the Tuesday Topics Link-Up.

I’m also linking with  Debbie,  Deborah,  Lisa, Jenn, and Laura for the Runners’ Roundup.

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Filed Under: #BibRavePro, product reviews, Runners Roundup, Tuesday Topics