Michelle

Kicking off Harborside Training

August 27, 2017 by Michelle 28 Comments

I’m wrapping up another week with Holly, Tricia, and this week’s guest host Teresa from Finding Fabulous at Fifty. Please be sure to stop by and show all these ladies some love!

Workouts for me this week were kinda meh. My work schedule continued to be hectic this week as I was finalizing the program launch I’ve been working on. So work, combined with kids being home (no camps this week) = jamming in workouts when I could. There was a lot of PT ankle work, daily planking, and yes, some running. I even squeezed in some speedwork on the mill at the end of a very long Wednesday, but my weekly yoga and cross-training took a backseat.

With today’s 7 mile run I kicked off my training for the Harborside Half! Back in July, I had runfessed that I was looking for a November goal race, in part so I could avoid heavy training in the heat. I also knew that given what was coming up on the family calendar for the fall, November would be quieter. There are a couple of local races I’ve been wanting to check out and have heard some great things about the Harborside Half, so I’m in!

While I have a decent base, the RC Coaches are going to have me start this training cycle with just 3 days of running, a couple of days of cross-training, plus yoga and a rest day. Once we’re sure my ankle’s totally onboard, I’ll probably move up to 4 days of running. I’m not 100% sure what my goals are for this race yet, but I do know that I really want to push myself during this training cycle and see what I can do!

Filed Under: Harborside Half Marathon, Weekly Wrap

August Runfessions

August 25, 2017 by Michelle 26 Comments

It’s the last Friday of the month…so you know that means it’s time to join Marcia for runfessions! It’s a chance to cleanse your sweaty sole (like how I did that?) and start the new month fitness fresh! So let’s get to it, shall we?

My running mojo comes and goes like the wind lately, and I runfess that I’ve thought about phoning it in on my September half marathon…I won’t, but I’ve thought about it.

I’ve been really dragging lately, and I runfess that I was so tired on Wednesday that I seriously toyed with the idea of just hiding in my car vs. driving to the gym (I did go to the gym).

I runfess that I’ve not been doing a great job focusing on my recovery. I’ve basically been squeezing in my runs or workouts and then rushing off to the rest of my day. I need to get back to being on consistent speaking terms with my foam roller, and make sure I’m refueling properly.

It's #Runfessions time on the blog today! Join in and share yours! #FridayFive Share on X

On the non-fitness front, I runfess that the start of school is less than two weeks away and I’m so not on top of my game. I may have pulled a late night the other day ordering textbooks so they’d arrive in time and we have no school supplies yet.

And speaking of back-to-school, I runfess that, while I’m totally unprepared, I’m secretly looking forward to the returning to a routine that the fall and school schedule brings.

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

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

Filed Under: back to school, Friday Five, Runfessions

Weekly Wrap – So Tired

August 20, 2017 by Michelle 37 Comments

This week was uber busy with much going on at both work and home. At work, I’m driving a huge program towards its launch date and also had a major fundraising event. On the home front, we’ve been redecorating my youngest son’s room (going from Red Sox theme to Boston Bruins – yes we love our hometown teams!) and starting to get ready for heading back to school. Put it all together, and I am just so tired!

Monday: Rest.

Tuesday: 3-mile run. After Sunday’s pain-free run I was keeping my fingers crossed for this run, and it did not disappoint. I took it slow and easy and the ankle was happy.

Wednesday: Cross-training was planned, but schedules collided and it just didn’t happen. I did manage to squeeze in my PT exercises for my ankle.

Thursday: Yoga day!

Friday: I spent most of the day either traveling to and from the event site or doing event set-up. With 10,700 steps logged I wasn’t sure how my legs would feel about 800-meter repeats, but I didn’t want to miss a run day. So as soon as I got home, I changed and headed straight to the gym so I had the option of hitting the Arc Trainer if I couldn’t finish the repeats. The repeats weren’t pretty, but I got ’em done!

My new fave compression sleeves!

Saturday: Event day – happy to say things ran smoothly, we had a great turnout, and I enjoyed, once again, playing race director. I logged 14,827 steps (that’s 6.58 miles!) and by the time I made the 2-hour drive home to say I was toast would be an understatement!

Sunday: I allowed myself to sleep in before heading out to get another 5 miles in. My legs were so heavy and I quickly adopted the mantra “just a mind set” – I kept telling myself tired was just a mind set and instead tried to enjoy the low humidity (nice change!) and the fact that the ankle was still cooperating. The rest of the day was one of well-earned lazing on the deck.

With the ankle cooperating, I’m going to try to increase my mileage this week. Fingers-crossed!

I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap, and this week’s guest host Madhuri.

Filed Under: crazy week, Weekly Wrap

Guest Hosting the Weekly Wrap!

August 13, 2017 by Michelle 70 Comments

Happy Sunday and welcome to the Weekly Wrap!

I am so excited to be this week’s guest host while Holly and Tricia enjoy some time off from hosting duties this summer. Weekly Wrap brings together such a great group of active women supporting each other, and I am honored to be guest hosting.

If you’ve never joined the Weekly Wrap, I encourage you to dive right in! The rules are pretty simple. Visit and comment on as many blogs as you can, including the host blog. Please don’t just link and leave – let’s support each other! It’s a great way to discover new blogs and make new friends!

If you were here for my last Wrap, then you may remember I skipped last week’s long run, as my lack of quality sleep had left me totally drained. Well, what I didn’t share was that my left ankle was feeling super tight and my upper calf was sore, and I think even if I’d had the best of sleep the ankle would have kept me from hitting the road.

So, how did this week shake out?

Monday: I wasn’t taking any chances with the ankle, so I headed to my PT/chiro. The verdict? Ankle immobility was affecting my fibula head – I’ve been here before and had to fess up to lagging on any of my ankle exercises. So you can guess what my homework was!

Tuesday: After checking in with my RC coaches, we were in agreement to skip the speed work and cross train instead. So, I made a long-overdue return to my gym and hit the Arc Trainer. 40 minutes of cross-training done!

Wednesday: Yoga – keeping to this month’s goal of at least one weekly session.

Thursday: Strength day including ankle work.

Friday: I was so hoping to run, and while the ankle felt better, it didn’t feel great. Back to the Arc Trainer I went for another round of cross-training, followed by foam rolling and more ankle work.

By the way, if you missed my post about the benefits of the Arc Trainer, you can read it here.

Saturday: Rest day filled with shopping and errands, and yes, more ankle work (are you sensing a theme?)

Sunday: 5-mile run! Babying my ankle all week paid off with a glorious morning run. OK – it was ridiculously humid, but I was running so I didn’t care. My pace was solid, and best of all the ankle stayed quiet until the last half mile – I’m calling that a win! Nice to end the week on a high note.

This week also brought some fun stuff in the mail, including these beauties:

One of my birthday presents from my hubby – Saucony Zealot 3

And, the August StrideBox arrived!

I have really been enjoying these StrideBoxes! It’s been a great way to discover some new products. This month’s box includes items from Bakery on Main, Eboost, Hungry Buddha, Vital 4U, Zealios, No Sweat, and Gear Well – all of which are new to me. Can’t wait to try them all! Huge thanks to the nice folks at StrideBox for the goodies.

So that’s my week, and now I’m off to enjoy some lazing on the deck 🙂

I'm hosting this week's #WeeklyWrap! Come on over and join this fun link-up! Share on X

An InLinkz Link-up

Filed Under: #StrideBox, Arc Trainer, Cross-training, listening to your body, Saucony, Weekly Wrap

5 Reasons to Love the Arc Trainer

August 11, 2017 by Michelle 8 Comments

This week my cranky ankle has forced me to find new ways to get some cardio in so I darkened the doorways of my gym (I cannot remember the last time I was there!), and re-introduced myself to the Arc Trainer.

After Tuesday’s sweat fest that left my quads and glutes burning, I was quickly reminded why I love this machine. So for this week’s Friday Five, I’m sharing some reasons to hit the Arc Trainer!

Cardio without the pounding – the Arc Trainer really allows you to get your heart rate up for a good cardio workout without the pounding of other machines. I have never been able to get my heart rate going on an elliptical or stepper, so for me, this is a huge win!

Easier on the joints – According to Cybex, who makes the Trainer, the arc path of the foot pedals moves legs in a biomechanically correct pathway and avoids allowing the toe to move behind the knee, which can stress the joint. The Arc Trainer is designed to only generate force during the weight bearing cycle of your gait, with the goal of increasing your calorie burn with reduced stress on the ankle, knee, and hip joints.

Range of muscle engagement – the Arc Trainer offers a wide range of variable resistance and inclines. Higher inclines emulate a stepping motion, targeting your quads, while lower inclines with increased resistance target your glutes and hammies. If you use the Total Body model then you can also use the moving handles to work your arms and chest. (Side note: the Trainer has two models – Total Body and Lower Body – lucky for me, my gym has both!) I like that the Trainer’s display screen features a “muscle map” so you can see which muscles you’re targeting as you adjust the incline and resistance.

Program variety – the ability to mix and match the range of resistance settings and inclines means you can continuously challenge yourself. The Trainer also features both high and low-intensity pre-programmed workouts. Basically, the way you use the machine can be very different from one day to the next – helps to keep the boredom factor down, which is tough on any cardio machine!

Offers both strength & endurance – you can strengthen multiple muscle groups while improving your endurance, getting a bigger bang for your workout!

Check out 5 reasons to use the Arc Trainer! #FridayFive Share on X

I was first introduced to the Arc Trainer more than a year ago by Trainer Stacy, but with time away from the gym had forgotten just how effective it can be. I’m now looking forward to making it a consistent part of my training!

I’m joining in with Rachel from Running on Happy and Lacey & Meranda from Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five link-up!

Filed Under: Arc Trainer, Cross-training, Friday Five

Weekly Wrap – 6 weeks to Wicked

August 6, 2017 by Michelle 31 Comments

I hate to sound like a broken record but I really do feel like these weeks are just flying by! Anyone else feeling that way?

There are just 6 weeks to my next race, the Wicked Half Marathon.

Actually, thanks to the nagging hip/glute/piriformis thing, Wicked will be my first race of 2017. Gotta say that I’m glad I don’t have any big goals for this race, other than to finish upright and have fun, cause I feel like my training mojo comes and goes. While in the past two weeks I’ve been motivated to hit the track for speedwork and even worked in hill repeats…err this week…not so much. Here quickly is how the week shook out:

Monday – Since of late I’ve been running long on Sundays, Mondays are a total rest day.

Tuesday – A back-to-basics strength workout filled with lots of lunges, squats, and bridges in addition to the daily planks.

Wednesday – I enjoyed a break in the temps and got out an early for 4 miles.

Thursday – After a crazy hectic day, I got some much needed yoga in.

Friday – Kicked off my birthday with some miles with my husband – gotta run on your birthday right?!

Saturday – Yard work, planting, and cleaning counted as my cross-training.

Sunday – I have been battling poor quality sleep all week and when the alarm went off for this morning’s run it had all caught up with me. I was wiped out! I tried playing the re-set the alarm game, hoping an extra half hour…then hour would make a difference, but it wasn’t getting any better. So I decided to skip the run and give my body what it needed – sleep!

Hopefully I will not regret skipping today’s 8 miles. I’m not sure why my sleep has been so bad this week – I’ve been trying to get to bed at a reasonable hour, and falling a sleep hasn’t been the problem – staying asleep is another story! Fingers-crossed this week will be better.

How do you overcome bouts of bad sleep?

I’m joining in with Hoho, Tricia, and guest host Heather for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and check out what they’ve been up to!

Filed Under: Sleep, Weekly Wrap, Wicked Half Marathon

Wrapping up July

July 30, 2017 by Michelle 25 Comments

Well, we’ve sprinted through another month and here we sit at the end of July. As I sit here recovering from a rare-mid-day run, it seems like as good a time as any to put a wrap on this month.

Good things for the month:

Pain-free running! Yep…I’m almost afraid to put it in print. After months of dealing with the nagging hip/glute/piriformis thing, I’m happy to say my July miles were pain-free! (cue the choir!)
Thanks to the lack of annoying injuries, I’ve felt confident enough to start sprinkling in both speed work and hill work.

Things I could do without:

I’ve done enough whining about the weather…so let’s just leave that alone and move on.
I was definitely lacking a little on strength training as the month wore on – if I plan to stay injury-free, I’ve definitely got to get back on that!

On the decks for August:

More mileage. As I runfessed, I’ve got 7 weeks until my next half marathon, time to make those “long runs” longer!
Back to planks. I’ve let the planking slide a little lately, but I feel a streak coming on!
I also runfessed that my nutrition has been lack luster, so it’s time to start paying attention. On the flip side, it’s my birthday month and there will be some celebrating…it’s all about balance, right 😉

And, that’s a wrap! I’m linking up with Holly & Tricia, and this week’s guest host Deborah for the Weekly Wrap. Be sure to stop by and visit these great ladies!

Filed Under: month in review, Weekly Wrap

Runfessions – July Style

July 28, 2017 by Michelle 25 Comments

It’s the last Friday of the month…so you know that means it’s time to join Marcia for runfessions! So let’s get to it, shall we?

Runfession #1 – OK let’s just get this first one out of the way….I runfess that I’m turning into a weather whiner. This summer’s humidity is kicking my arse. I know I’m not alone in this…but I am just so over it!

Runfession #2 – My next race, the Wicked Half, is now just 7 weeks away so I runfess I probably need to start doing “long runs” of more than just 6 miles.

Runfession #3 – I runfess that I may have picked a goal race in November in part to avoid heaving training in this heat.

Runfession #4 – I admit that I haven’t done a great job lately of paying attention to my eating (or the summer cocktails). Well, good grief people I got on the scale the other day and hmmm let’s just say my “lack of attention” was really showing! I runfess that I’m not surprised – I can feel I’m carrying a little extra weight on my runs – time to clean up the snacking.

Runfession #5 – I runfess that I have been stalking the Skirt Sports website as the new patterns are rolling out for the fall. I picked up these Gym Girl Ultras the other day, and may or may not have a few more items sitting in my cart waiting for check out (luckily I have a birthday coming up soon!).

Use code FWC20 for 20% off your Skirt Sports order!

This week's #FridayFive is all about the #runfessions! Join us and share yours! #runchat Share on X

There…running sole cleansed and I feel better! So tell me, what do you runfess?

I’m also linking up with Rachel from Running on Happy and Lacey & Meranda from Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five link-up!

Filed Under: Runfessions, Skirt Sports, Summer running

Weekly Wrap – Feeling the Heat

July 23, 2017 by Michelle 37 Comments

Yeah, this pretty much sums up this week’s workouts! Another heat wave hit the Boston area this week, and by Tuesday I had given up even bothering to open the weather app on my phone. The workouts were a little all over the place, but here’s how it went down.

Monday — Since I ran Sunday and was planning to hit the track Tuesday, I took Monday as a rest day. I had dinner with a friend I hadn’t seen in months and we had an epic catch-up session that may have involved a couple of pomegranate martinis. So good, but so not the “hydration” to have before track day 😉

Tuesday — Suffice it to say I didn’t get to the track, but I did get an ab/hip/leg workout in.

Wednesday — 90% humidity had me seriously questioning the whole running thing, but I eked out 3 miles.

Thursday — Another lower body strength workout followed by a massage!

Friday — I had planned to make up Tuesday’s track workout, but for some crazy reason I woke up at 3:30 in the morning and I was wide awake brain racing! Uggh. After lying awake for what seemed forever, I must have finally fallen asleep and promptly slept through my alarm. I didn’t have enough time to get to the track before work so it would have to wait.

Saturday — Finally made it to the track! I was determined not to skip this workout and it was my best of the week!

Sunday — Saturday’s long run became today’s run. Since I was still feeling the effects of a busy Saturday and I knew the humidity was supposed to finally relent a bit, I opted to sleep in and take on my run in the afternoon. It was still a heat-fest but having my husband along helped keep me going, and we made it through 6.2 miles.

All-in-all, not a bad week. We’re getting a ton of rain tomorrow and then cooler temps (relatively speaking) will be rolling in. I’m looking forward to getting a break from the steam bath!

I’m linking up with Holly & Tricia, and this week’s guest host Darlene.

Filed Under: half marathon training, Summer running, track work, Weekly Wrap

A quick wrap-up

July 16, 2017 by Michelle 22 Comments

Happy Sunday!

Taking a quick break from enjoying a lazy Sunday with my family for the Weekly Wrap, hosted by Holly & Tricia, and this week’s guest host Janelle.

Thanks to a combo of multiple days of crazy thunderstorms, my youngest being home sick from camp, and feeling way under the weather myself, there’s not much to wrap this week from a workout standpoint.

I did keep up with my daily planking but did only one lower-body strength workout.

Planking & learning to work the new selfie stick!

And, there were just two days of running in humidity so thick it felt more like swimming!

I got a nice pick-me-up on Wednesday with the arrival of the July StrideBox! Always so much goodness – I especially appreciated the extra water bottle!

Thankfully I was starting to feel more like myself this afternoon so my husband and I headed over to catch a great sale and tasting at our favorite wine shop.