Michelle

Ultimate Coffee Kick off 2016!

January 2, 2016 by Michelle 10 Comments

Happy 2016!

It’s the first Saturday of the year and the perfect time to catch-up over coffee. I’m joining Coco, Lynda and Deborah -grab a big mug of your fave hot beverage and let’s catch up for a bit.

If we were having coffee together, I’d ask you what you did to ring in the new year? We had a great family night including our traditional new year’s eve fondue dinner, Lego building, Mario Kart battles and watching the bowl games. The boys had no trouble making it till midnight…I wasn’t so sure I would…but I did see the ball drop.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that we have been making the most of this school break! We saw Star Wars (loved it!!), made it to the Nutcracker and my youngest son & his hockey team were invited back to skate at a Bruins game again! It’s been a good mix of fun things to do and just hanging out – I think we’re all feeling re-charged.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that we had our first blast of frigid weather here, including some sleet. Icy roads meant my first trip to the gym in months – let’s just say I have not missed the treadmill.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that I’m struggling a bit with my race calendar for this year. As I start to pencil in all of the boys sports commitments, J’s lacrosse schedule, plus the races we both want to run, there are conflicts everywhere! Not sure how this will all shake out yet.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that I wish I could chat for longer, but I’ve got to fill my travel mug and head to the arena for my son’s hockey game.

So what would you tell me over coffee? Have you figured out your race calendar yet?

Filed Under: race calendar, Ultimate coffee date

Move beyond resolutions

December 30, 2015 by Michelle 13 Comments

It’s that time of year again – time for reflection and planning…and the New Year’s resolutions. I’m not much for resolutions, but I do set new goals each year. Some would say this is a matter of semantics, but what I like about goal-setting is that goals are definable, with a clear point of accomplishment. Resolutions have no clear end-point – perhaps that’s why so many resolutions end up broken before January is done?

Well, however you choose to look at it, here are a few tips to help turn all that New Year’s motivation into good habits for 2016 and beyond.

Pace yourself — It is very easy to get too hyped up – even “over-motivated”? – go out too hard, and then fizzle, or get injured. Start small…baby steps can add up to big payoffs down the road.

Be consistent — I’ve ever read that it takes between 21 and 28 days to build a good habit, and from personal experience I believe that to be true. A little something each day during the first 3 – 4 weeks will help ensure the new habit sticks.

Break down big goals — Sometimes it’s easy to become overwhelmed by a big goal. It’s important to track your progress and celebrate small successes along the way. Don’t shy away from dreaming big – just break it down into smaller goals.

Find a partner or group — There’s a lot to be said for being accountable to someone else and having someone to draw motivation from on those days when you’re not feeling it.

Surround yourself with success — Beware of spending time around others who don’t support your efforts – they will drain you! As much as possible, spend time with others who model the behavior/habits you’re striving for.

Remember your “why” — I find whether it’s a word, phrase or photo, posting visual reminders where you’re sure to see them will help keep your goals and your “why” front and center. Energy flows where attention goes so make your goals hard to ignore and you’re more likely to follow through.

Be prepared for setbacks — When you fall down (either literally or figuratively), the key is to not beat yourself up over it, but be willing to pick yourself up and begin again.

Do you set goals or make resolutions?

Linking up with Deb for Wednesday Word – be sure to stop by and check out Deb and other’s take on “resolutions.”

Filed Under: #WednesdayWord, goals

2015 Top 5 Posts

December 27, 2015 by Michelle 6 Comments

Hope you all had a very merry Christmas! I had a great day with my family and am looking forward to some fun family hang out time this week.

I’m also planning to steal some quite time figure out my goals for 2016. But first, as I did last year, today I want to take a look back on the top 5 posts for 2015:

5 tips for running with kids — This was actually a post from 2014. I’m so lucky to be able to share my love of running with both my boys, and glad others continue to find these tips helpful.

I Heart Fridays — I declared my love of Fridays and clearly many of you agreed!

Meditation Tips and Benefits — If you’ve been around here for any length of time then you know I’m a big proponent of meditation.

Running Pet Peeves — Ah yes…you know we all have them!

5 Tips for Returning to Running — After a long layoff it’s tempting to want to jump right back into running, but you’re better served to ease into it….slowly.

Thanks for sharing in the fun around here this year!

Filed Under: year in review

Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2015 by Michelle 2 Comments

It’s been another busy week, but I cannot wait to now take a much-needed break and spend time with family. So as I finish up my wrapping and cookie-making, I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Don’t let stress be a thief

December 16, 2015 by Michelle 16 Comments

You hear it over and over again….”this is a stressful time of year!” I’ve uttered the phrase myself on more than one occasion. And, yes there is a lot to do this time of year between year-end to do’s at work, all that goes into preparing for the holidays, trying to attend this or that party or gathering — just add in end of term school projects, concerts and the like and you definitely have the makings of a stressful time.

I’m here to say to you and myself – stop and take a deep breath! Do not let stress be a thief and steal the joy out of this time of year.

During this holiday season I am going to remember to relax and breathe, knowing that there are things that will not get checked off that massive to do list….and that’s ok. I’m letting go of perfection and choosing instead to focus on family, friends and having some fun! That’s the best gift I can give myself.

How do manage this time of year – do you embrace the madness or want to run away?

I’m joining Deb and others for today’s Wednesday Word – be sure to check out what they have to say about “Stressful.”

Filed Under: #WednesdayWord, holiday sanity

Weekly wrap wk 2

December 13, 2015 by Michelle 16 Comments

My goodness did this week fly by! It was one of those weeks where I felt like I was constantly juggling, and working out was often a “what you can, when you can” situation #wycwyc 😉 I’m joining in with Holly & Tricia again for another weekly update. So let’s break it down, shall we?

Monday — My Mondays are typically nutty – in large part because I don’t work on Fridays so the number of emails waiting for me Monday mornings sometimes verges on ridiculous. Nonetheless, I managed to get 25 minutes of yoga to help maintain a little zen.

Tuesday — Another day of scrambling, so I had to settle for squeezing in some planks in between conference calls.

Wednesday — I woke up determined to get in a run, but once again work and family schedules collided. Settled for a short walk and 20 minutes more of yoga.

Thursday — 3 mile run/walk!

Friday — I was surprisingly sore from the hills of Thursday’s route. So, I took it easy and enjoyed my day off with an afternoon of shopping and lunch with a friend.

Saturday — A mix of shuttling to and from the boys’ various sports activities, buying our tree and finally starting to decorate. Sadly, no workout.

Sunday — Headed to the track with my oldest son – great way to start the day!

Not as much working out as I would have liked – but sometimes that’s just the way it goes. I’m hoping to get ahead of the madness this week and get at least 3 runs in, along with a couple of days of strength work and yoga.

So how was your week?

Filed Under: #wycwyc, Weekly Wrap

Thursday Thoughts v10

December 10, 2015 by Michelle 8 Comments

As much as I am happy to be able to run again, I have to admit my motivation has been a mixed bag. Getting over the mental hurdle of accepting how slow this process is going to be leaves me wanting to just stay in bed some mornings.

A little reminder I have taped to my mirror

I’m thinking it’s time to set some goals. While I do have one late spring race on the calendar already, I haven’t really thought about my goals for the new year – highly unusual for this Type-A gal! Time to get quiet and think about where I want to be by this time next year….

I am really ready to get rid of our land-line phone. The spam calls are just out of control – despite being on a “Do not call” list. Based on the recent calls, I’ve won several trips from contests entered at “the mall,” need solar panels, am on “final notice” from the IRS, and have a problem with my Windows software. Seriously?!

Do you get a lot of crazy calls? Have you figured out your 2016 goals yet?

Linking up again with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursdays.

Filed Under: 3 things, Thursday Thoughts

Last Coffee Date of 2015

December 5, 2015 by Michelle 17 Comments

Hello December!

I know I start these posts often with the same declaration, but I have to say that I cannot believe it is December already. These days…this year, really, has flown by! Makes me wish time would slow down just a little…

So today marks the last Ultimate Coffee Date of the year. A huge shout out to our hosts Coco, Lynda and Deborah! So let’s settle in and catch up a little, shall we?

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that I joined a group of local moms last night for our town’s Holiday Stroll. We toured some beautifully decorated homes and then enjoyed a great gab-fest over wine and pizza afterwards. Such a fun way to kick off the holiday season!

One of the great ideas I want to copy for my own decorating if I can find our old skis!

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that I’m feeling slightly panicked that almost the first full week of December is over and our decorations are still buried in the attic. My boys have been ~~nagging~~ gently prodding us to get started…at a minimum I’m determined to get the lights up today. The tree goes up next weekend.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that thanks to online shopping, I have at least gotten started on my gift list, and already have a few things delivered and awaiting wrapping.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you on the running front, things are progressing slowly, but progress is progress, right? I’m feeling hopeful enough to throw my hat in for the Cherry Blossom lottery again. Fingers crossed I get in and can manage the distance comfortably by then.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you how proud I am of my oldest son for deciding to try out for his school’s winter play. He’s talked about it doing it before, but nerves have won out. But, this time, he threw himself into it…and got a part! Great to see him step out of his comfort zone!

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you I have to get ready to brave the crowds this morning in search of toys. My son’s community service project is a huge toy drive with one of the local Headstart programs….now if I can just remember what 2- and 3-year olds like to play with 🙂

So what would you tell me over coffee? Have you started getting ready for the holidays?

Filed Under: Cherry Blossom, holiday cheer, Ultimate coffee date

Weekly Wrap – Much to be thankful for

November 29, 2015 by Michelle 8 Comments

I knew the couple of days leading into Thanksgiving were going to be busy work days, and I wasn’t wrong – Monday & Tuesday were a blur of conference calls and project deadlines. But, things went smoothly and then I had short day Wednesday – perfect for starting Thanksgiving prep and hanging with my kids.

Thanksgiving was a wonderful day with my family – lots of laughter and food! My brother hosted and I will admit I totally indulged…including discovering a very tasty apple prosecco 🙂

We took advantage of Friday’s gorgeous and unseasonably warm weather to play outside with the kids and take care of the last of the yard and garden work for the season (No Black Friday madness for me, though I did get started online later in the weekend).

Saturday was filled with kid sports – lacrosse and hockey – along with lots of house projects and a lot of football!

The week was also the start of my running comeback — OK there was more walking and shuffling than running, but I’m grateful for all of it!

I’m working with McMillan RunClub and am following an 8-week plan designed to ease me back into running. 1 week down and 7 to go!

I’m linking up with Holly at HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap. Make sure to stop by and say hi and check out the other great bloggers joining in!

So tell me, how was your holiday? Did you Turkey trot or take a rest day?

Filed Under: gift of running, Thanksgiving, Weekly Wrap

Five Tips for Returning to Running

November 20, 2015 by Michelle 27 Comments

If you follow me on Twitter (and I hope you do! – @RunAttitude) then you may have seen yesterday’s tweet:

Yes! Yes! Yes! After 8 long weeks I’ve been green-lighted! Despite the desire to throw on my running shoes and sprint out of my doctor’s office I know I’ve got to be smart about this. So as I venture back out on to the roads, here are a few tips I plan to bear in mind:

Take it slow: My doctor’s parting words to me and crucial advice to follow so I don’t end up injured. To start, I will be more focused on time on my feet vs. miles covered.

Build core strength: Focusing on building core strength — abs, hips, and glutes — will improve both stability and balance – critical after such a long layoff.

Cross-train: Every workout cannot and should not be a run. Now that I can run again, it is tempting to want to only run, but I know that it will be more important than ever to give both muscles and ligaments a break from the stresses of running. Cross-training will help improve my endurance, especially while my mileage is low.

Be kind to yourself: It’s easy to get caught in the trap of comparison, but it’s important to remember that everyone’s comeback is different.

Set realistic goals: While I’m very goal-oriented, I know it’s going to be important to have a mix of goals – both big and small. I’ll admit that I do have my eye on a couple of races…and I may have even registered for one 😉 Having smaller goals along the way will help me both track my progress and stay motivated towards the bigger goal. The key is to take it one day at a time, celebrate small victories and be grateful to be running again.

Have you ever had a long lay-off from running?

I’m linking up with Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia for the #FridayFive link up. They’re sharing their favorite cool weather drinks so be sure to stop by.