My finicky Garmin is the inspiration for this week’s Fit Five Friday.

My Garmin? It’s just a little over 4 years old, but boy oh boy has it been having some major fits lately. It has frozen on several occasions while trying to both save a run or sync with the app, and it’s been off in measuring the distance (almost like it’s losing the GPS). There have been a few runs where I haven’t even bothered to wear my watch. Couple that with forgetting to charge my headphones, and I have found myself forced to run… naked! (Cue the horror music!)

So today I’m sharing a few reasons to consider running unplugged.

5 Reasons to consider running unplugged

No delays — How many times have you found yourself waiting for your watch or headphones to charge because you forgot to plug them in the night before? Or, waiting for your watch to locate a satellite? On a gadget-free run, you truly just lace up, step out the door and you’re off.

A break from the numbers — Feedback from your running watch can be very valuable, allowing you to compete with yourself and track your progress. On the flip side, always watching the numbers can cause added pressure – can we become so focused on our pace that we forget to enjoy the run itself?

Let your body lead — There are lots of variables that can affect a run on any given day (sleep, nutrition, the previous day’s workout, etc.). Running by feel vs. your watch gives your body a better chance to adjust to those variables.

Focus on your form — Running without music gives you the opportunity to listen to your feet. Is your footfall soft and light? Are you scuffing your feet? For me, when I hear scuffing, I know my form’s starting to fall apart.

Take in your surroundings — Running gadget-free not only gives you a chance to tune into your body but to tune into your surroundings as well… to truly be in the moment. What sounds will you hear or what sights might you take in?

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not ready to completely convert to running naked. Running with a watch and music provide both useful feedback and motivation. But every now and then, there’s value in running unplugged.

Do you ever run unplugged? What’s your must-have gadget?

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! Who’s ready for some fun?

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

I runfess that I am nowhere near “half marathon ready” with the Detroit half just a few weeks away. When Detroit race organizers announced they were going virtual I had every intention of dropping down to the 5K. For those not keeping score, I have done nothing in the long-distance department all summer – I’ve had zero interest. I kept saying “I gotta remember to change my registration” …well as you’ve probably guessed, I kept forgetting and when I finally logged in to do so, the virtual 5K was sold out! Doh! Ah well, the half marathon swag is pretty sweet and on its way, so always earned never given – I will get it done.

Which of course begs the question – why sign up for the BAA’s Finish Strong Challenge which includes a half marathon?! I runfess that fall weather running giddiness may have played a role. LOL! I really wanted a goal to push for to finish out the year so the Challenge seemed like a good idea (half marathon and all) – plus, I runfess, I know I’m going to want to redeem myself after the Detroit effort.

I runfess that while I’m looking forward to having some running challenges this fall, I continue to “drink the kool-aid” that is Peloton. My bike will arrive (finally) in a couple of weeks, and in the meantime, I continue to love the new content they’re adding. After doing the “Crush Your Core” program earlier this summer, I’ve been trying to keep a fairly steady diet of core workouts going, so when the Breakthrough Crew Facebook group (from this summer’s Pelothon) announced a core challenge for October, you know I am all in!

So tell me, what are you runfessing?

Mother Nature has gifted us with some glorious fall weather lately and I couldn’t be happier – especially since I’ve got a few new run challenges on the horizon! But before I get to those, here’s a quick run down on the week that was…

Monday — Yoga
Tuesday — 3-mile run plus core
Wednesday — 1.25 -mile power walk plus core
Thursday — Peloton Strength – upper body and core classes
Friday — 2.5-mile run plus Pelo strength
Saturday — 4-mile run plus core
Sunday — Currently still lingering over coffee, but planning to get a walk and some time on my yoga mat.

New Challenges

Running has felt good lately (thanks I’m sure in part to the cool fall weather we’ve been having), and I’m finally feeling motivated to take on a couple of run challenges and virtual races. Here’s what I’ve got planned:

Hadrian’s Wall – I’ve had this one on my radar since I first heard about it earlier this summer, so when my brother called me looking for a challenge to take on, I knew what I wanted to do. We’ll each be trying to cover the 90 miles over the next few weeks – should be fun to see who finishes first!

Womxn Run the Vote — This relay kicks off tomorrow and benefits Black Voters Matter (BVM), a nationally recognized advocacy and policy group that works to boost Black voter turnout at elections on every level. The week-long relay covers 680 miles from Atlanta to Washington DC, following a route from Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site in Atlanta to the MLK Jr. National Memorial in DC.  BVM is a great advocacy group so I’m psyched to be logging some miles for this cause. I’ll be running with Team SnaptheVote! 

I’ve also got a couple of virtual races lined up. I had registered for the Detroit Free Press International Half Marathon early this year and was psyched to run it as a BibRave Pro. Of course, like all other major races, this one has gone virtual. The Detroit races are selling out quickly, but if you’re interested in joining me be sure to use code BIBRAVEDET20 for 10% off your registration.

Additionally, I signed up for the Boston Athletic Association’s #FinishStrong Challenge, which consists of running their annual distance medley (5K, 10K, and half marathon) as virtual runs during the final three months of the year. I missed getting to run a BAA event this year (kind of a tradition with me) so this feels like a good fit and will give me something to focus on as the year winds down. I also like that the challenge also supports some great causes.

Has Fall weather made an appearance where you are? Do you have any challenges or virtual races coming up?

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

Believe it or not, it’s the last Friday of 2018, which means it’s time for the final runfessions for 2018. Marcia has opened the runfessional, so let’s dive in shall we?

I runfess that I definitely indulged over Christmas Eve and Christmas… and I’m just fine with that! Moving on…

As my social media feeds have been filling up with runners celebrating their mileage goals for the year, I runfess that I’ve been debating whether to set a mileage goal for 2019. I’ve never done one before but I’m wondering with marathon training if this is the year to go for it or does this just create undue pressure?

I runfess that I am just about at the end of my rope with my gym membership. On my last couple of trips to the gym, there were easily at least 4 cardio machines with notes on them announcing repairs needed; and this seems to be the norm more and more. Combine this with bad gym behavior and the soon to be New Year’s fitness resolution rush, and… you can see where I’m going with this.

I am super excited to return to more racing in 2019! Thanks to a nagging injury I ran just 4 races this year. And, while I certainly don’t think you need races to be a runner, I really enjoy both the camaraderie and challenge races provide. I runfess that with all the “early bird” registration specials coming across my email someone may have to hide my credit card!

I runfess that, being a mostly solo runner, that I was initially nervous about running with my new coach. But I’m happy to say that I’ve found the runs to be both challenging and enjoyable, and I am amazed at the difference these guided runs have already made. My husband has commented on the difference in my form and I can certainly feel a difference when I’m running. Makes me very hopeful for 2019!

So tell me what are you runfessing? Do you set yearly mileage goals?

I’m also linking up with Meranda and Lacy for Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness.

I love this week between Christmas and New Year’s Day – there’s always some great time to hang out with the family, time to reflect, and time to plan for the new year.

While I’m still tweaking my goals a bit and will share those soon, today I’m sharing my annual look back at my top 5 posts for the year. It’s always interesting for me to see which posts generated the most interest  – so here are my top 5 for 2017 (according to Google Analytics):

5 Tips for Running on the Track — While the track is my favorite place for speedwork, it surprised me that this post from the summer continues to have the highest page views.

Running with Kids  — This is actually a post from 2014 but makes the list every year. Sharing my love of running with my kids has been a big part of my running journey, and it makes me smile to know that others are looking to share running with their kids too.

Runfessions of an Injured Runner — This was a hard post to write cause I had to admit that I was too injured to train for my fall goal race.

5 Benefits of Planking — Clearly I’m not the only one who believes in the power of planking as this is another post that continues to draw views.

Five Tips to Become an Early Morning Runner — Honestly, I’ve been struggling to get out of bed lately so I may need to re-read this one!

Given that this year’s top 5 were all Friday Five posts it seems only fitting that I’m linking up with and Rachel and Lacey & Meranda for the Friday Five link-up!

Thanks for sharing in the fun around here this year!