Michelle

Runfessions – Thanksgiving Edition

November 24, 2017 by Michelle 20 Comments

November blew by in a flash and here we are once again on the last Friday of the month, which means it’s time to share some runfessions so we can roll into the holiday season with a clear conscious. So let’s get to it, shall we?

I runfess that I’m not a fan of Black Friday. I love a good deal as much of the next girl, but dealing with the crazed crowds, or even worse camping out and waiting for stores to open? Yeah no…I’m all set with that.

I runfess that back when I registered for the Harborside Half, which was supposed to be my goal race of the fall, that for the first time I added the option of registration insurance. I hoped I wouldn’t need it, but clearly, there was a part of me that knew my nagging injuries could be an issue. Fast forward to last week and I was one happy camper to receive confirmation that my registration fee had been refunded!

I runfess that my #RunNovemberChallenge streak hit a speed bump. When I woke Wednesday morning I was greeted with a driving rain, so I pushed my required 1 mile to later rationalizing that there would be time after we arrived at our Thanksgiving destination to squeeze it in later. Well, our normally 6-hour drive morphed into 8 and by the time we dragged our road-weary selves into our hotel, there was barely enough time to become presentable before we had to meet family members at a restaurant. You can see where this is going…the mile never happened and the streak is no more.

I runfess that while I have been enjoying this slow and easy approach to my “runner rebuild” there is a part of me that’s feeling like it’s time to kick into gear soon. In the absence of a training plan or long distance target, I can see how easy it would be to get into a short run rut. Time to mix things up!

That being said, I runfess that I almost skipped this month’s runfessions because I wasn’t sure I’d come up with much. November’s been a good month and brought with it the joy of running again. I’m grateful to be running pain-free and to be back in the mental space where I look forward to getting out for a run vs. dreading it.

I’m linking up with Marcia for Runfessions

and

Rachel and Lacey & Meranda for the Friday Five link-up!

Any runfessions to share? Do you do Black Friday?

Filed Under: #RunNovemberChallenge, Black Friday, Runfessions

Weekly Wrap – Just Go Go Go

November 19, 2017 by Michelle 43 Comments

This was a week of go-go-go. There was much to juggle between work and home and once again I was doing the single parent drill as J was traveling again. I’ll admit there were many times this week where my patience was seriously tested. While carving out time for my workouts is always a priority, it was key to my sanity this week!

I’m linking up with Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap so here’s a quick look at how I kept my sanity this week.

Monday: Mondays are usually rest days, but thanks to the #RunNovemberChallenge, I got out for a quick powerwalk around the block.

Tuesday: The frigid temps continued as I had to learn to re-acquaint myself with my layering skills 🙂

Wednesday: A leg burning workout was on the decks as I met E for time on the ‘mill and then hit the weights.

Thursday: DOMS kicked in from Wednesday workout which made this run a real challenge. But I knew I had a crazy day ahead and squeezing in this time for myself was worth running on tired legs.

Friday: By the time Friday rolled around I was t-i-r-e-d! I met a friend for lunch, got a brisk mile walk in and called it a day.

Saturday: I had planned to run, but just couldn’t get motivated to get out in the cold. I knew Sunday was supposed to be warmed and my legs were aching for a good stretch so I swapped in some yoga and another mile and gave my body the rest it craved.

Sunday: It was definitely warmer when my alarm when off, but also pouring rain. Yeah no…so I waited out the rain and finally headed out in the early afternoon. The wind was swirling and non-stop, but it was 50 degrees!

So despite the crazy week, I still managed 4.25 miles walking, 9 miles running, 5 minutes of planking/day, plus some time with both weights and my yoga mat – sanity saved!

How was your week?

Filed Under: crazy week, Weekly Wrap

Runner Rebuild Week 2

November 12, 2017 by Michelle 32 Comments

So I’m now two weeks into the “rebuilding” phase, and things are cranking along nicely. I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap – this is a great link up for support and motivation so if you post a weekly training recap, be sure to stop by and join in!

The week was a mix of runs and walks to keep my #RunNovemberChallenge streak going. The runs continue to be short with my longest run today of just 4 miles. While there was just a touch of soreness today, I think that was more due to being on my feet at a party last night than the run itself. Overall, the runs have been pretty much pain-free and that puts a big smile on my face. Even the quick drop to frigid temps can’t dampen my mood – I’m too happy to be running again to complain.

I also hit the gym twice with my friend E for a mix of kettlebells and weights. And, yes there was 5 mins of planks a day!

I also got some time in with my massage therapist for some active release work- always helps!

The upcoming week will be more of the same but hopefully with more miles. I’ve got my sights set on a couple of February races so if all continues to go well over these next couple of weeks, I may go ahead and hit the register button!

How was your week? Have you registered for any 2018 races yet?

Filed Under: #RunNovemberChallenge, rebuilding, Weekly Wrap

Runner Rebuild – Week 1

November 5, 2017 by Michelle 42 Comments

After almost 2 weeks off from running, I started the slow road back to re-building this runner.

Monday – My usual rest day

Tuesday – 3-mile run. I left the watch at home and took this one at an easy-peasy pace. No pain!

Wednesday – A brisk 3-mile walk with my friend E and 5 minutes of planking to kick off my November goals.

Thursday – PT exercises, more planking, and a 1-mile walk with my pup for the #RunNovemberChallenge (so nice to have the option to run or walk for this challenge).

Friday – 3-mile run. While I was not happy to see the temps back into the upper 70s, I was thrilled that all the body parts played nice. (And, yes the planking continued).

Saturday – Apple-picking with the family. We don’t usually go this late in the season, but schedules just didn’t cooperate until now. Happily, there was no shortage of apples! (And I did get a mile in covering the orchard to keep my streak going)

Sunday – Another 3-miler to round out the week. I paid no attention to my Garmin while running so it was a nice surprise to finish and see progressive splits.

All-in-all a pretty good first week! The plan this week is for more short and easy running and some time in the gym with the kettlebells. I’m joining I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap – this is a great link up for support and motivation!

Huge congrats to everyone who ran the NYC Marathon today! And, what can you say about Shalane Flannagan?! Pure awesomeness!

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

How was your week? Did you watch the marathon?

Filed Under: #RunNovemberChallenge, Weekly Wrap

November Coffee

November 4, 2017 by Michelle 20 Comments

Time for a little catch up over coffee!

I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date link-up. Grab a mug, get comfortable and let’s chat!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that Mother Nature is seriously crushing my fall buzz with this latest crazy warm-up! I know you might think I’m crazy for wishing away 77 degree days, but I really like having 4 seasons and Fall is my favorite. Every time I think we finally get a taste of fall, Mother N yells “psyche!”

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I may be more excited to see the new Thor movie that just opened than my boys are! I think the Marvel movies are so much fun…and let’s be honest Chris Hemsworth isn’t too tough to take 😉

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve become mildly obsessed with Stitch Fix! I got my first fix back in July and was pleasantly surprised that the stylist hit it out of the park. Since then I’ve only had one Fix that was a “What were they thinking?!” moment. I have some holiday parties on the horizon so I’m really looking forward to seeing what this month’s Fix will hold. If you’re interested in checking it out and helping my shopping habit, please use my referral code http://stitchfix.com/referral/13408665

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m really looking forward to the holidays. I got the annual mailer announcing Nutcracker tickets (one of my fave family traditions) and my boys have already started dropping gift hints 🙂 I’m hoping to get started with my Christmas shopping in the next week or so – I want to be organized nice and early so I can really kick back and enjoy the season!

So what would you tell me over coffee? Are you looking forward to the holidays?

Filed Under: holiday cheer, Mother Nature, Ultimate coffee date

November Goals

November 1, 2017 by Michelle 22 Comments

It’s a new month and with race training temporarily on hold, it’s time for some new goals!

Move every day! — 30 days of movement – be it a run, a walk, time in the gym or on the yoga mat. I will move every day!

#RunNovemberChallenge – When I saw Jessy’s post, I knew I wanted to do this. It fits perfectly with my daily movement goal, and I like that I can mix running and walking.

Strength Train 3x’s/week — Strength work must be a priority. Period.

150 minutes of planking — Last time I did 5 minutes a day was back in April. And, while I’m a big fan of planks, I’ve been inconsistent in my planking lately so I thought it would be fun to challenge myself with a time goal.

I’m already eyeing some early 2018 races, so I’m hoping these goals will help to set me on the right track.

Do you set monthly goals? What do you have planned for November?

Filed Under: #RunNovemberChallenge, goals, no training plan, planks

Runfessions of an Injured Runner

October 27, 2017 by Michelle 38 Comments

Well, here we are again on the last Friday of the month, which means it’s time to cleanse our soles (pun intended) with some runfessions. So let’s get to it, shall we?

Sharing some #runfessions of an injured runner! #FridayFive #Runfessions #Runchat Share on X

I runfess that I am not loving running right now…there I said it. As long as my runs stay 5 miles or less, and at an easy peasy pace, all the body parts cooperate and it’s all good. But add miles or really push the pace, and I’m gritting my teeth – no bueno.

Unfortunately, my hip pain has returned with a vengeance and has left me on non-speaking terms with my training plan. I runfess that this cycle of injuries I’ve been dealing with this year (hip then ankle, now hip again) has been exacerbated by my pushing to get back to training too soon.

I runfess that it’s hard to sit on the sidelines while others are preparing for races – FOMO is a powerful thing…the struggle is real!

I runfess that if I am being totally honest, I’ve probably known for a while that I was pushing my luck with this training plan, but how could I possibly not have a fall goal race…ah denial!

While I’m not usually one to throw a pity party, I runfess that I’ve had a moment or two over the past month where I have asked myself if I should give up running. Now, of course, that didn’t last very long – it’s just the frustration talking.

I am certainly not going to stop running. I am going to back-off of following a training plan, put racing on the back burner, focus on a treatment plan for this SI Joint, and embrace my time in the gym, on a yoga mat, and the short leisurely runs I can do (I’ll take 3 or 4 miles vs none!).

So what are you run-fessing?

I’m linking up with Marcia for Runfessions, and Rachel and Lacey & Meranda for the Friday Five link-up!

Filed Under: Friday Five, injuries, Runfessions

Weekly Wrap – Here we go again

October 22, 2017 by Michelle 46 Comments

It’s Sunday and just like that another week has flown by! After being able to step back a bit last week I’ll admit it was a little tough to find a rhythm this week.

Monday – Rest day

Tuesday – The plan called for hill repeats and I decided to hit the mill to bang these out. I had the gym to myself, which was a good thing given the amount of cursing that may or may not have taken place 😉

Wednesday – Scheduling and homework drama with my youngest (school projects are the bain of my existence!) got in the way of my weekly meet-up with my friend E so there was no strength workout.

Thursday – The plan called for a 4-mile cutdown run but nagging hip pain (yeah it’s back) had me pushing this run until the afternoon. When it came time to head out the door I got a text from E to see if I was up for meeting for a walk. I opted for the walk over my run. We got a brisk 3 miles done, and time spent with a friend did both mind and body some good!

Friday – I booked some time with my massage therapist to see if I could curb the hip issue. After some trigger point work, my hip was feeling much better, but the therapist warned me not to overdo it. (Cue the foreboding music!)

Saturday – It finally felt like a fall morning…cool and crisp enough that, while I wasn’t ready for long sleeves, I did break out the gloves! My hip started to protest around 5 miles and so I hit 6 miles and called it a day.

After a quick change, I headed to my boys’ school homecoming, where I spent a lot of time on my feet covering the cross country course to cheer my oldest and his teammates on. After his race, I left J and the boys to race home, change again and head to a work event. A lot more time on my feet, and I finally made it home by 1:30 a.m.

Sunday – Rest day. So yeah I didn’t do the best job heeding the therapist’s advice, and needless to say, my body’s not super happy with me today. Beyond stretching and rolling, not much else will be happening.

It’s frustrating to be back to dealing with the hip issue again. My therapist did raise the point that she didn’t think I had given myself enough recovery time once it started to feel better again before I dove back into training again..and as I was thinking things through during Saturday’s run, I’m thinking she may be right. Once again, I’m at the same point in a training cycle where it’s time to up the speedwork and mileage, and my body starts rebelling.

The return of the cranky hip is certainly not doing much for my lack of running mojo so hopefully, things will get back on track this upcoming week.

Have you ever pushed returning to running too quickly after an injury?

I’m joining I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and show these great ladies some love.

Filed Under: injuries, Weekly Wrap

Weekly Wrap: Unplugged

October 15, 2017 by Michelle 29 Comments

After running around for the past two weeks feeling a little like a chicken with my head cut-off, this week was all about recharging.

I started the week by joining a friend on Monday for dinner and a screening of the film Walk with Me. The film follows Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and explores devoting one’s life to mindfulness. I found it fascinating and a great way to begin my unplugging. (You can view the trailer here)

The next morning J and I got out of town to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, and it was a great chance to leave the demands of to do lists behind – including the training plan. While I did get some running in and time on the Arc Trainer, the workout highlight was time spent hiking the trails.

I’ll be doing my best to hold onto my zen by hitting my yoga mat this afternoon before returning to regularly scheduled programming 🙂

When was the last time you took some time to unplug?

As always, I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and show these ladies some love.

Filed Under: vacation, Weekly Wrap

Harborside Wk 6 – Quick update

October 8, 2017 by Michelle 37 Comments

Week 6 of Harborside training is done and there’s not a ton to report this week. As I mentioned over coffee yesterday, it was another one of those weeks where I didn’t know if I were coming or going. But in an effort to stay consistent on recapping my training, here’s a quick review.

Monday – Rest day

Tuesday – 3.25 miles. I was starting to not feel so hot so I pushed the run to the afternoon. There was a lot of self-talk to get myself out the door, but once I was moving I actually felt pretty good, so I’m glad I went.

Wednesday – Week 2 of gym meet-ups with my friend E

Thursday – 5 x 800-meter repeats were on the plan, but I woke up feeling pretty lousy. I spent the day working from my couch and while I hated to miss time at the track, I decided rest was the better choice.

Friday – E and I decided to head outdoors instead of another trip to the gym. We did a 4-mile walk at a brisk pace and my legs were surprisingly sore after (funny how walking can do that!).

Saturday – Had a great run with my husband, despite the ridiculous humidity (c’mon Mother N!) and we were rewarded with this view as we reached the top our last hill.