Five Things I’m looking forward to this summer

June 23, 2023 by 6 Comments

The Summer season is officially here – though you’d never know it based on the current thermometer reading. Nonetheless, I’m ready to embrace all that this summer has to offer. For this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m sharing just a few things I’m looking forward to this summer.

Five Things I’m looking forward to this summer

Vacation! — We’ve booked our Alaskan cruise and I cannot wait! I’m looking forward to seeing the glaciers, wildlife, whales, and amazing landscape.

Brooks Hype Fest — I’ll be headed to LA in August for the Run Happy Team retreat. Added bonus will be getting to spend time with Wendy!

Catching up with friends — Between life stuff and my work schedule over the past couple of months, I’ve not spent as much time with friends as I’d like. So I’m changing that! I caught up with some friends for dinner earlier this week and have booked a number of lunches/ coffees/dinners/hangouts for the upcoming months.

Time at the beach — I love the beach and yet sadly did not get any time on the sand last year. I’m hoping to change that this year.

College visits — I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that my youngest son is now a senior and applying to colleges this fall.  It’s been so fun to watch my high schooler come into his own during his Junior year and I can’t wait to visit campuses and see what resonates with him.

Bonus item! — Breaking ground for our remodel! We’re scheduled to go before our town’s conservation committee in a couple of weeks and if all goes well we’ll be able to break ground this summer!

Tell me – what are you looking forward to this summer?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Run Happy Team, summer mode

Fit Five Friday – Summer Fitness Goals

June 9, 2023 by 16 Comments

With the summer months laid out before us,  I’ve been thinking about what my goals will be. So for this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m sharing some summer fitness goals.

Fit Five Friday – Summer Fitness Goals

Have a Healthy Build-up for Fall Racing — While I haven’t landed on a fall race calendar, I have several options I’m considering. I shared over coffee that I’ll be working with Coach Marc again – my goal is to reach the starting line (s) healthy and feeling confident.

Acclimate & Embrace the Heat — I make no secret that summer running is my least favorite, but I’m going to do my best to navigate summer running by focusing on my hydration & electrolyte intake and getting out extra early.

Daily Stretching/Mobility Work — I’m already off to a good start with this one so the goal is to keep this streak going all summer long.

Dial in My Nutrition — While I don’t like to focus on the number on the scale, I can feel that I’m carrying more than I’d like. I’ve let my chaotic schedule get the best of my eating choices over the past couple of months, so now I’m going to make the most of the season’s farmers’ markets and grilled proteins to get back on track.

Have Fun/Try Something New — Summer is about having fun and I’m here for it! I’ve been thinking a lot about getting out of my comfort zone and joining one of the local run groups. The thought of running with others is intimidating to me (cue the “I’m too slow” voice) but I’ve also been craving building some new connections – and why not through running?

Tell me, what have you got planned for the summer? Registered for any fall races yet?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Friday Five, goals, Summer running

Shifting into Summer Mode

June 4, 2023 by 17 Comments

This week I got a real taste of summer running as temps touched the upper 80s a few days this week. My high schooler wrapped up classes and finishes his last exam on Monday. I started June off with a long weekend, taking both Friday and Monday off, giving me some quality time on my deck and in my garden…so yep starting to shift into summer mode around here. I was definitely feeling a little out-of-sorts this week (allergies? poor sleep? the heat?) so I appreciated the shortened workweek. My workouts were pretty low-key…here’s how the week played out.

Shifting into Summer Mode

Monday — 2.5-mile walk, Core & Hip mobility work. I woke up feeling every bit of Sunday’s five-mile race and the afternoon of gardening that followed, but getting some movement helped.
Tuesday — Rest day.
Wednesday — 3 miles & Core. OMG, was it a steamy run! This will be my last midday run until we’re well into the Fall!
Thursday — Lower Body Strength.
Friday — 4.5 miles & Core. With the forecast showing the possibility of reaching 90 I made sure to get out in the early morning for this run!
Saturday — 2-mile walk & Yoga.
Sunday — 3 miles & a couple of hours of gardening.

Overall an easy-peasy week. The temps are supposed to drop a bit this week so I’m hoping to start to bump back up my weekly mileage.

In case you missed it:

An Iced Coffee Chat for June

How was your week? Did you do any racing? Have you shifted into summer mode yet?

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

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Filed Under: summer mode, Weekly Run Down

An Iced Coffee Chat for June

June 2, 2023 by 29 Comments

Happy Friday! I’ve got both today and Monday off and am looking forward to having another long weekend! And, since it is the first Friday of the month, for this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m linking up with Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date. It’s going to be another warm one today so I’ll be having my coffee iced, how ’bout you?

An Iced Coffee Chat for June

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Over coffee, I would tell you that last weekend I ran Boston’s Run to Remember 5 Miler. I still haven’t gotten around to writing a recap, but I will say it was a lot of fun to be back at a race – my last race was in November! I finished thinking about what I might run next and I’m pretty excited I’ve decided to reconnect with Coach Marc again.

Over coffee, I would tell you that I’ve been enjoying spending time in my garden. It’s one of my happy places and I’ve been loving seeing the colors start to pop!

Peonies in full bloom!

Over coffee, I would tell that my husband and I started watching Succession and we’re completely hooked! This family is a train wreck and we can’t stop watching.

Over coffee, I would tell you that I recently joined my office book club. It’s been a fun way to connect! So far we’ve read Woman in the Library (meh), Lessons in Chemistry (loved!), and Black Cake – definitely our best selection yet! Black Cake is an amazing story of a family’s history shaped by the secrets of the matriarch.

Over coffee, I would tell you that recently we had a great meeting with our contractor. Fingers crossed we’ll break ground on the new foundation by the end of July. I can’t wait to dive into all the choices for flooring, tile, cabinetry, and appliances! Just another excuse to watch HGTV 🙂

What would you tell me over coffee? Do you have any good advice for surviving a remodeling project?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

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Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Ultimate coffee date

Just a Couple of May Runfessions

May 26, 2023 by 11 Comments

Hello, Long Weekend! Here we are at the start of Memorial Day Weekend – the unofficial start to summer in the US! It’s also the last Friday of the month, so for this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m linking up with Marcia to share a couple of Runfessions.

A Couple of May Runfessions

I runfess that despite my best intentions I have not shifted back to early morning running yet. I blame my erratic sleep patterns. Thankfully, the weather has cooperated and my midday or post-work runs haven’t been too warm. But I know I’m on borrowed time….

My schedule has been so crazy lately that I blogfess I actually missed my blog anniversary last month. I started this blog back on 4/27/10 with this post. My blogging has definitely taken a hit in the last few months, and there are many moments where I think I just don’t have the time. But I love the folks it has brought into my life and the connection it continues to provide.

Do you keep track of your blogging milestones?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Runfessions

A Tough Week

May 21, 2023 by 13 Comments

This was a tough week. Work was hectic, I spent way too much time in my car with multiple days of long commutes, and then there was some added family drama at the end of the week (parenting is not for the faint of heart!). Since this was supposed to be race week, the workouts were lighter than usual and I was just fine with that – Keep reading and I’ll explain the “supposed to” part.

A Tough Week

Monday — Rest day. While I usually like to start the week off strong, after another night of poor sleep it just wasn’t happening.
Tuesday — 2-mile walk, Core, & Yoga
Wednesday — 2-mile walk, Core & Upper Body Strength
Thursday — 3 miles & Core
Friday — 2.5 miles & Hip Mobility Work. I hadn’t planned on running but I received a great collection of new gear from Brooks as part of the Run Happy Team and couldn’t resist a short run. (Plus, I had some crazy to burn off!)
Saturday — Rest day.

I woke up early Saturday morning (like 3:30 early) and knew the thought of getting in my car to drive to Connecticut for Sunday’s race was bringing me no joy…so my hubby and I agreed to cancel our hotel room and take a DNS. Sorry, not sorry. After a sleepless night, I took advantage of the rainy day to park myself on the couch with my book and rest. There may have even been a nap.

The hubs and I also decided to jump in on a last-minute registration for the Run to Remember 5 Miler next weekend – there’s always another race, right?! This race is a fave that I’ve run a number of times, but I had not planned on running it this year since it was scheduled for the weekend following the Mystic 10K.

So the plan today is to get a run of 6 – 7 miles and re-group for what I hope will be a quieter, drama-free week ahead.

In case you missed it:

Ways to Beat the Heat – Summer Running Tips

Do you ever decide you’re just not feeling a race? Are you quick to make up for a DNS?

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

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Filed Under: DNS, Weekly Run Down

Ways to Beat the Heat – Summer Running Tips

May 19, 2023 by 21 Comments

Welcome to another edition of Fit Five Friday! With many of us already getting our first taste of summer-like temps, it seems like the perfect time to share some summer running tips. I have made it no secret that running in the heat and humidity is not something that I enjoy, but as a fan of fall races, there’s just no way around it. So I’m going to do my best to embrace it, keeping these tips in mind…

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in the summer of 2014, and has been updated.

Ways to Beat the Heat – Summer Running Tips

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Hit the road early —  Temperatures are much lower earlier in the day so why not get out before the sun’s rays become too intense. This one is a must-do for me!

Get acclimated — As you make the adjustment to running in warmer temps, this is not the time to get hung up on hitting target paces. Take those first hot runs slowly, focusing more on effort than pace. Your body will adjust within a couple of weeks.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate — I’m always surprised by the number of runners who proclaimed not to carry any fluids with them when they run regardless of the distance. For long runs, I get that not everyone loves carrying a handheld water bottle but there are other options – a hydration vest, fuel belt or just strategically stashing water along your route. For shorter runs, at least make sure you hydrate well before and after your run. Drink according to thirst!

Dress the part — I’ve said it for winter running and the same holds true for summer – avoid running in cotton clothing! All cotton does is trap sweat, stay wet, and potentially cause chaffing (which of course always begs the question – Why any race shirt is cotton?!). Stick to light-colored, moisture-wicking apparel…and don’t forget sunglasses and a hat or visor.

Be willing to head indoors — That’s right…I said it! Sometimes, it’s going to be just too dang hot to run – so be willing to switch things up. Either hit the treadmill or opt to make it a cross-training day — great days to head to an air-conditioned gym, studio, or the comfort of your own basement, right? And, if you’ve got access to a pool – lucky you!

Above all, I think the biggest key to managing your workouts in the summer heat is to listen to your body! You can never go wrong with that approach, right?

How do you manage summer running?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Friday Five, listening to your body, Summer running, tips

Weekly Run Down – Sleep Deprived

May 14, 2023 by 27 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day to all of my fellow moms! I hope you all get spoiled by your families today.

I swear after this week, the one thing at the top of my wish list is a good night’s sleep! Despite my best efforts sleep was pretty elusive this week – I got into a bad cycle of waking up around 3 each morning and getting back to sleep was a challenge. By the time I got to Friday, I was toast! The workouts this week were not always pretty but they were done. Here’s a quick peek at the week that was.

Weekly Run Down – Sleep Deprived

Monday — 2-mile walk & Hip mobility work. Sunday’s 7-miler plus a poor night of sleep left me feeling very creaky so the extra focus on hip work was needed.
Tuesday — 2-mile walk otherwise Rest. Long day in the office but got a post-commute walk done.
Wednesday — 3 miles including hill repeats & Core. I was feeling the need to mix things up a bit so why not some spontaneous hill work?
Thursday — Yoga & Core. Also got a much needed sports massage.
Friday — 3 miles & Core. I was so not ready for it to be 80 degrees! Thanks to another lousy night of sleep I had pushed my run to midday. Had I bothered to check the weather in the morning I would have forced myself out the door earlier.
Saturday — 5 miles & Core. What a beautiful morning and these miles felt oh so good! I also spent a couple of hours weeding and cleaning up the garden – my hamstrings hate me LOL!


Sunday — 3-mile walk & TBD. When my hubs got up for his run I decided to head out for an early morning walk. My current situation is coffee – I’ve got one more day of Week 2 of Oliva’s core challenge to complete so I may pair that with an upper-body strength workout to give my legs a break.

The highlight of the week was the return of my college boy for the summer so I’ve got the best Mother’s Day gift of having both my boys under one roof again 🙂

The upcoming week is race week so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I can catch a few more zzz’s.

In case you missed it:

Five Fave Fitness Power Songs

How was your week? Do you ever struggle with getting enough sleep?

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

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Five Fave Fitness Power Songs

May 12, 2023 by 18 Comments

Happy Friday!

Thanks for joining Darlene, Jenn, Renee, Zenaida, and me for another edition of Fit Five Friday. This week we’re talking Favorite Fitness Power Songs. Of course, you should always feel free to write about any fitness/wellness-related topic.

I definitely like to/need to have music on my runs and I keep a pretty wide variety of songs on my playlists – though you’ll never find a country song! My “favorites” depends a lot on my mood, but here are five songs that are currently in rotation often.

Five Fave Fitness Power Songs

“About Damn Time” by Lizzo — Honestly it was hard to just pick one Lizzo song. She just makes me smile.

“Glow Up” by Meek Mill

“Run Run Run” by Jill Scott — I mean with a title like that how can you not include it?!

“Back in Black” by AC/DC — My youngest son got me to add this one to my library and I find myself playing quite a bit.

“Don’t Stop the Music” by Rihanna

“Wake Me Up” by Avicii

Yes, I know that’s actually six songs…I had a hard time taking one off the list. 🙂

I’ve got a race in two weeks so as I put my next playlist together, tell me some of your favorite power songs.

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Join My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida every Friday for Fit Five Friday! Please share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, music, playlists

Well Hello May

May 7, 2023 by 11 Comments

MAYhem is underway – this always feels like the month with “all the things”. Despite the busyness, May is one of my favorite months because it finally feels like Spring around here. Weather-wise the week started cold and dreary, but by Friday Ma Nature finally flipped the switch and the weekend has been gloriously sunny and warm…note to self, I need to acclimate!

I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down – here’s how the first week of May played out.

Well Hello May

Monday — 2-mile walk, Upper Body Strength & Core. Started Oliva’s Core Challenge – a 5-week challenge of a mix of 5 10 or 15 min classes


Tuesday — Peloton Bike & Core
Wednesday — 3-mile run & Core
Thursday — Lower Body Strength & Core – Lots of focus on glutes and glute activation.
Friday — 3-mile run. With the promise of finally seeing the sun in the afternoon, I held off on a morning run and was rewarded with a nice spring afternoon. The route I picked was especially hilly and I was happy with how my legs responded despite the previous day’s legwork.


Saturday — 1-mile walk & Upper Body Strength
Sunday — 7-mile run & Core. It was a beautiful morning and warmer than I was ready for. I’m not complaining just noting that I need to get acclimated!

All-in-all, not a bad week, and just two weeks to go until my first race of 2023! Hopefully, the weekend’s weather sticks around for a bit.

How was your first week of the month? Does it feel like Spring where you are?

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