Michelle

Meeting Runner Friends and RnR Chicago 5K

July 24, 2018 by Michelle 19 Comments

Ah, my Chicago Weekend – I’m honestly not sure that I’m going to be able to do justice to the fun that was had this weekend. While yes there were races, for me this weekend was so much more about the amazing connections I’ve made through running than it was about the running itself.

I couldn’t possibly encapsulate everything in one post so this will be a two-part recap. Let’s get started…

Friday – Let the fun begin!

I arrived in Chicago around noon and took the L from O’Hare into the city. After getting a little turned around, leaving the train station I soon found the W Hotel. No sooner had I checked in then I heard someone call my name, and turned around to find Deborah’s smiling face. We quickly dropped our bags in our rooms and headed off to meet Kim at the expo. Deborah and I easily fell into conversation – it was much more like catching up with an old friend than meeting someone for the first time.

The RnR Expo was held at McCormick Place. Packet pick-up was quick and easy, including changing my registration from the half marathon to the 10K. I was disappointed to see how small the race shirts were running and the fact that we were told exchanges couldn’t be done at the expo. The other snafu was neither Deborah or I were given the bracelets needed for the Remix Challenge (we remedied that later). Kim quickly found us and set off to check out the expo. I first met Kim at RnR Vegas in 2016 – it was so great to see her again! Added bonus, we got to meet Kim’s mom – she is awesome. I love that she runs so many races with Kim!

Among the vendors we checked out, we stopped at the KT Tape booth – and I have to say this may have been my saving grace. Leading into the weekend I had been really worried about both my hip and my knee – huge props to the KT rep who taped my knee! I could feel a difference just walking around the expo.

Overall the expo seemed a little on the small side, but I did pick up this cute Brooks shirt.

This pic doesn’t due the deep blue color justice

We headed back to the hotel to wait for the “other” Kim to arrive. Kim and I were sharing a room for the weekend – despite not having met before I was pretty sure we would hit it off…and spoiler alert we did 🙂 That night we had a great dinner at Barrio.

Saturday – More Runner Friends & the 5K

With the 5K scheduled to start at 7:30, our group planned to meet up at 7. Deborah, Kim, and I walked the .8 mile to the start and caught up with Marcia, Sara, Emily, Kim and her mom. It was overcast and drizzly, but we were all smiles, reminding each other it was better than the blistering heat July in Chicago could bring.

Knowing that I had the 10K to run Sunday, I seriously toyed with power-walking the 5K. Despite all the walking on Friday (5.5 according to my Garmin), my taped knee was feeling pretty good, but what my hip would allow was anybody’s guess. Once the race started, in typical 5K fashion, it took a bit to find any open space to run. I settled into 5:1 run/walk intervals and figured I’d give the run a go until my hip said otherwise. While I was far from quick, it was a nice steady run and, best of all, the hip stayed quiet! Win!

Next up was a blogger brunch at Beatrix! There we were joined by Holly, Wendy, Linda, and Suz waiting for us! Sara and her husband soon followed. I absolutely loved the energy at the table – so many fun stories, so many laughs! I know I may sound like a broken record but you would have never guessed that many of us were meeting for the first time!

I’ll leave it here – the rest of the weekend highlights and 10K recap later this week….

Check out part 1 of my RnR Chicago weekend and epic blogger meet-up! #RNRChi #EpicBloggerMeetUp #RocknBlog #Runnerfriends Share on X

Have you ever participated in a blogger meet-up?

I’m linking up with Patty, Erika, and Marcia for Tuesday’s on the Run.

Filed Under: #RocknBlog, blogger meet-ups, race report, RnR Chicago, Runner Friends, Tuesdays on the Run

Chicago Race Week

July 22, 2018 by Michelle 36 Comments

Happy Sunday!

I’m just off the plane from such a fun weekend in Chicago hanging with some of my favorite runner/blogger friends! I can’t stop smiling! More on those shenanigans coming in a separate post along with a recap of RnR Chicago.

But first, let’s quickly catch up on the week that was. Since this was “race week”, I was super tentative about my knee – there was lots of heat and ice treatment, and very little running.

Monday – Physical Therapy and gait analysis. The appointment was a long one with lots of single leg squats, glute bridges, and band work. Abby the PT also filmed me running and I will get the analysis from her team at my next appointment.

Tuesday – Yoga. I’ve not been hitting my yoga mat nearly enough! My body so needed this stretch.

Wednesday – 3-mile run. When my alarm went off in the morning I was so tentative about my hip and knee that I spun myself in knots and never got out the door. It bothered me all day that I had let fear get the better of me so I headed to the gym after work to hit the mill. It was a surprisingly solid run – a win and a reminder to never give up!

Thursday – PT exercises and time with my massage therapist

Friday – Travel to Chicago! I still managed to get 5.5 miles walking in (according to my Garmin)

Saturday & Sunday – Remix Challenge – RnR Chicago 5K on Saturday and 10K on Sunday. Given how my knee and hip have been feeling, being able to get through both races was a huge win!

My flat runner for Saturday’s 5K

Daily planking also happened – my streak is still going at Day 203. Kim and I even planked together in Chicago for Rachel’s Plank Challenge.

And that’s a wrap! The plan for this week is to take a rest from running. I’ll focus instead on kickboxing, strength training, and yoga to give my hip a much-needed break.

I’m linking up with Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap – I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting both of these great ladies this weekend. Stay tuned for my Chicago recap!

Tell me something about your week

Filed Under: Weekly Wrap

A quick wrap up

July 15, 2018 by Michelle 32 Comments

I swear I every time I blink a whole week or more goes by! Somehow we’re already halfway through the month – yikes!

I’m knee-deep in prepping and packing for my oldest to head off to overnight camp so I’m just quickly sharing some highlights from the past week and linking up with Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap.

All by myself
On Tuesday I made a last minute decision to head over to the studio for a midday kickboxing class – let’s just say work was really pushing my buttons and the chance to hit something was very appealing 😉 Well I arrived to discover I was the only one there – yep I got a private class – just me and two instructors. It was an awesome workout with lots of attention on my form.

When you get to class and realize you’re the only one!

Time with the PT
I got in two sessions with the PT last week – and man oh man was I sore after each appointment. The work is tedious but necessary. Someone, please send me some patience!

The Ice Pack as my BFF
I feel like I spent a good bit of the week with an ice pack attached to my leg. I’m not sure what I did but coming off of last weekend’s run my left knee has been super sore. Seriously, some days I feel like I just need to wrap myself in buddle wrap! Oddly, the knee doesn’t hurt during kickboxing, but running was a whole different story.

Only one run
Yep, there was only one run this week – just a 5K on Saturday. It was a slow run/walk but it was miles nonetheless. On the bright side, I got to wear my fave new visor 😉

This week should be fairly low-keyed as I keep my fingers crossed that I won’t need to power walk Chicago!

How was your week? Have you ever had a solo class?

Filed Under: Weekly Wrap

Some Goals for July

July 8, 2018 by Michelle 37 Comments

For the first time in a long time, I never got around to setting any goals for June. I like having monthly goals to keep myself on track, so before we get too deep into this month I’m sharing some goals for July.

But first here’s a quick recap of the past week:

Monday – Rest

Tuesday – Kickboxing

Wednesday – 3 miles to kick off the 4th

Thursday – Yoga

Friday – Crazy thunderstorms put a dent in my run plans but I had my first PT appointment

Saturday – 5 miles and more hours working on the patio project

Sunday – Cross training in the form of patio work 🙂

Getting a little post-run planking done after Saturday’s run

Notes from the PT

I had forgotten how sore you can be after a PT appointment! My therapist Abby and I clicked right away. I like that she’s worked with a lot of runners, and after a thorough assessment and conversation about my running/racing goals for the fall and beyond, she’s already starting to flesh out a solid plan. We’ll be doing a gait analysis during an upcoming appointment, which should really help to spotlight the probable imbalances going on. While she wasn’t 100% thrilled with the idea of my running the remix at Chicago, she does support continuing to run as long as I keep the miles easy and “don’t push it” (better than being told no running, right?).

Daily PT exercises
Get to kickboxing class twice a week
Follow my macro life plan which will force me to get back to more thoughtful meal planning
Drop a couple of pounds (see above)
Complete Rachel’s plank challenge – the goal is a 5-minute plank. I’m currently on day 189 of my plank streak and up to now, I think my longest plank has been 2:30. This challenge will definitely help me up my core work.

Running wise I’m going to enjoy that I’m not formally training for anything at the moment. I have no goal except to listen to my body and try to keep moving as much as possible. RnR Chicago will be a shuffle at best, but I’m ok with that – I’m in it strictly for the fun!

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

Do you set monthly goals? Are you training for anything at the moment?

Filed Under: goals, Physical Therapy, Weekly Wrap

July Coffee Catch Up

July 5, 2018 by Michelle 30 Comments

Well hello, July! How about a quick catch up over coffee?

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I feel like I’m being pushed to my limits with this heat. I’m trying hard to stay positive on my runs, but physically I don’t ever remember struggling so much with even the easiest of runs. Is it hotter this year? Is it just age? Let’s go with it being hotter, LOL!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that despite it being hotter than Hades, we’ve made great progress on our patio project. We’re laying pavers tomorrow and will hopefully be done by the end of the weekend!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that there is quite the crew of bloggers heading to RnR Chicago and I cannot wait to catch-up with everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve been able to slip out of town for a few days – the change of scenery and the company will be great! (While I know it’s getting late for Chicago, don’t forget you can use code RNRRNB2018 for $15 off on RnR half marathons and marathons).

Chicago here I come!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve been loving the slower pace of the summer as it’s given me a chance to come up for air and catch up with friends. Whether for a power walk, cocktails, or dinner out I’ve been trying to catch up with a friend at least once a week. After feeling like I’ve just been plowing through “must do’s” over the past couple of months, it’s good to get re-connected!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m really enjoying kickboxing even more than I thought I would! Such a great totally body workout…and never underestimate the stress-relieving benefits of hitting something.

I’m linking up with Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date.

I’m also linking up with Meranda, Lacey, and Rachel for the Friday Five.

What would you tell me over coffee? Tell me something you’ve been loving lately?

Filed Under: Friday Five, kickboxing, Ultimate coffee date

Trying to Embrace the Heat

July 2, 2018 by Michelle 27 Comments

Coming off of last weekend’s 10K, I felt like I needed to back off just a bit to give my cranky hip & hammy a break, and Mother Nature quickly obliged by sending the temps and humidity sky high. Nonetheless, I did get some decent workouts in!

Monday – Kickboxing class
Tuesday – Still feeling the effects of Monday’s class I took a pass on my morning run but enjoyed a great 4-mile walk with my friend E. I also got a much-needed massage!
Wednesday – 3 miles on a somewhat cool-ish morning

Thursday – Rest day
Friday – Yoga
Saturday – 5.5-mile slog-fest followed by 4 hours or so working on our new patio project
Sunday – More hours baking in the heat working on the patio – Yeah starting a landscaping project given the weather forecast may not have been our smartest move, but when I’m enjoying a cocktail on it one evening soon it will be worth it!

I have learned to master the front loader!

This week also wrapped up the strong Abs & Arms Challenge hosted by Rachel. I really liked the timed vs. set number of reps approach and definitely felt like my arms especially benefitted.

It looks like the heatwave we’re in will continue until at least Friday, so there doesn’t seem to be much choice except to get out as early in the morning as possible and embrace it. As I was slogging through my run on Saturday, I started playing this mental game of trying to list off things I was grateful for instead of listening to the whining in my head. As I made a list in my head the one I kept coming back to was “I’m grateful I can choose to do this.” Yes it was miserable out and yes I was moving ridiculously slow, but given the alternative of not being able to run at all, I’d take it every time. I’m going to try to hold on to that thought this week!

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

How are you holding up in this heat?

Filed Under: Summer running, weather, Weekly Wrap

Runfessions for June

June 29, 2018 by Michelle 29 Comments

Happy Friday!

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

I runfess that long runs and I don’t seem to be on speaking terms. I haven’t run longer than 8 miles in what feels like forever, and double-digit runs are all but a distant memory. With the oppressive humidity rolling in I’m feeling very little motivation to change this any time soon.

With that in mind, I runfess that I’ll probably be remixing at RnR Chicago with the 5K/10K combo – and I’m perfectly fine with that.

I runfess that I can’t take this yo-yo injury situation where one week I feel great and the next I’m hobbled so I finally went to see my doctor so I could get a referral for PT.

I runfess that I’ve been spending a fair amount of time lately reading running shoe reviews. Ever since my massage therapist suggested I stop running in the new Mizuno Skys I’ve been wondering if my Zealots need to be re-thought as well. They’re getting up there in mileage so I need to either start scouring the internet for deals on this model of Zealots or consider a new shoe. I’m toying with returning to the Brooks Adrenalines. Of course, all my woes will be resolved with the “perfect” shoes, right? 😉

I runfess that with a wide open fall in front of me I’m struggling with going local vs. destination races. As a Rock’n’Blogger, I receive free race entries, so beyond Chicago, I’m leaning towards running RnR Philly again in September, and my husband J wants to consider San Antonio if he can make his schedule work. And, while I always enjoy a racecation, it certainly starts to put a dent in the wallet. On the other hand, there’s no shortage of races around here in the fall and there is a lot to be said for rolling out of your own bed on race morning. I’m watching entry fees rise so I’m gonna need to make some decisions soon (especially if travel is involved!). What’a runner to do?!

So tell me, have you found your “perfect shoe”? Local vs destination races?

I’m also joining Rachel and Lacey & Meranda for the Friday Five link-up!

Filed Under: #RocknBlog, Friday Five, Runfessions, Uncategorized

Trying new things and big changes

June 24, 2018 by Michelle 39 Comments

There are some big changes going on in the RWA household! But, before I dive into that, here’s a brief recap of this past week’s workouts.

Monday – Rest day
Tuesday – Strength day including W4D1 and D2 of the Abs & Arms Challenge along with a PT series for hips and glutes.

Kai decided he needed to supervise!

Wednesday – 3 miles in a rare break in the temps.
Thursday – D3 and 4 of the Abs & Arms Challenge then a trip to see my massage therapist for some work on my hammy.
Friday – 1^st kickboxing class!
Saturday – D5 and 6 of the Challenge and some yoga
Sunday – BAA 10K (re-cap to come)

Trying new things!

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been feeling the need to shake-up my cross training and wanted to try some new things. Trying kickboxing has been on my list for a while and I’m so glad I finally signed up for a class. This class kicked my butt and I had a blast! I’ll be heading back to the studio again this week!

Also in the new things category – my husband J and I just signed on to macro diet program. Friends of ours have had some great results with the program and we’ve decided to give it a try to help re-set our eating. I’ll be sharing more about this as time goes on.

Ch ch ch changes!

My apologies to the late, great David Bowie…

I mentioned before that my oldest had a really tough school year. I’ve intentionally not gotten into details but suffice it to say it was a long, stressful year for everyone. But the good news is there’s light at the end of this tunnel – he’s off to a great new school in fall that he’s really excited about! And, while I’m struggling to get used to the idea that he’ll be a boarding student I’m really excited for him and know this will be a good fit.

All good stuff – there’s just one small glitch. The school calendar just came out and the big fall parents weekend is the same weekend as MCM. Nooooo! Ah but yes…

There’s just no way I cannot be there for the first big weekend at his new school. How could I possibly enjoy MCM knowing I wasn’t there? I can’t – As much as I was looking forward to MCM the choice is easy. Family first! I’m not giving up on my dream to run MCM either, I’ll just be deferring until 2019. (And, given my ongoing hammy issues, this may be a blessing in disguise).

So now without MCM on the horizon, I find myself with a wide open fall as I had no other races on the calendar. Time to get planning!

Tell me something about your week? Have you tried any new workouts?

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

Filed Under: keeping it interesting, Updates, Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap – Summer mode

June 18, 2018 by Michelle 34 Comments

It’s been almost 2 weeks since my last post and somehow a full month since I last linked up with Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap. How did that happen?!

Well, the truth is life happened and I haven’t really been in training mode. Once the cranky hammy/glute thing crushed my plans for the Run to Remember Half at the end of May, I kinda threw the training plan out the window. I have been keeping busy and tailoring my workouts to how the body is feeling on any given day.

So, how did this week shake out?

Monday – 400-meter repeats. I haven’t done speed work in what feels like forever, so I decided to try some repeats on the mill. I also did W3D1 of Rachel’s Abs & Arms Challenge.

Tuesday – I was on the road for work again this time for a trip to the state house, but I did get in the plank jacks and bicycle intervals for the Abs & Arms Challenge.

Wednesday – Rest Day.

Thursday – Strength day on my deck included D3 and D4 from the challenge along with hip/glute work.

Friday — It was an early start to the day for event set up for work, but I was pretty pleased to squeeze in a 3-mile run and W3D5 of the challenge.

Saturday — I was up and out before 4 a.m. to get to the event site and finish prepping before registration opened at 6:45. The event went smoothly and I managed to log 5.4 miles along with the challenge workout.

Sunday — Oh my gosh I was just so dang tired! My whole body screamed stay in bed. I went out in hopes of getting 5, but everything felt sore and it was already ridiculously hot (despite being just 8 a.m.). It started to feel counter-productive to just keep pushing, so I called it at 3 miles and headed home to enjoy the day celebrating Father’s Day with my family.

We’re supposed to be facing record heat this week so sunrise runs will be in the plans. I’m also looking forward to my first kickboxing class (more on that later)… and oh yeah, I’ll be running the BAA 10K with my brother and husband on Sunday.

Tell me how was your week? Are you training for anything at the moment?

Filed Under: summer mode, Weekly Wrap