Weekly Run Down: Kicking Off 2020

January 5, 2020 by 22 Comments

This week was about squeezing the last bit of fun out of the holidays, wrapping up school break, and returning to work. I’m pretty pleased that throughout this holiday season I was consistent with my workouts, and this week was no exception.

Weekly Run Down – 2020 Kickoff

Monday — 3 miles. Icy rain had me running on the mill, but on the plus side, I got try out my new BibRave Pro singlet! This was my last run of the year bringing my yearly total to 806 miles.

Tuesday —  Core work and PT exercises.

Wednesday — 3 miles with my hubby to kick off 2020!

Thursday — Yoga. One of my goals for this year is to build a consistent yoga practice. So I plan to take advantage of my Gaia subscription to spend some quality time with Rodney Yee.

Photo courtesy of Gaia.com

Friday — After missing out on Orangetheory all last week it felt great to get back to class! This was my first class with Coach Erin and I really liked her style!

Kicking off 2020! #WeeklyRunDown #BibChat @freepmarathon #FreepMaraBR #FreepMarathon Share on X

Saturday — 6-mile run. I opted for running in the rain vs. the treadmill – I’m still struggling with the thought of running anything longer than 4 on the mill. Thankfully, it wasn’t a downpour. I’m six weeks out from my first race of 2020 so it’s time to start to increase my mileage a little.

Sunday — Rest day. Today was all about soaking up the last day of the boys’ winter break before my oldest had to return to campus.

Come tomorrow we’ll be back in the swing of our regular routine around here. Coach Marc and I have been discussing changing up my training a bit as we keep staying injury-free at the forefront of our plans. So I may be playing with heart rate training and running for time…more to come.

Another race on the schedule!

I’m super excited to announce that I will be running the Detroit Free Press International Half Marathon as a BibRave Pro! This race has been on my “want to run” list for a while so I’m really looking forward to running this one!

Want to join me in October? Visit https://www.freepmarathon.com/ and use code BIBRAVEDET20 for 10% off.

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

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Filed Under: #BibRavePro, #FreepMarathon, FreepMaraBR, Weekly Run Down

Winding Down 2019

December 29, 2019 by 25 Comments

I slid into full vacation mode this week – embracing lots of family time and holiday fun! My workouts were more relaxed as well – here’s how my week shook out.

Monday — 3 miles. Once I logged off my computer from work I grabbed my running shoes to enjoy a gorgeous 58-degree afternoon.

Tuesday — 1 mile on the mill plus PT exercises. We had a full day of Christmas Eve festivities planned so I was up early for a quick mile to shake out my legs and get back to my PT exercises.

Wednesday — Christmas Day! Does a sprint house cleaning session before guests arrive count as my workout? I think so!

Thursday — Yoga. I had to share my mat with my furry yogini 🙂

Friday — 2-miles plus PT exercises. Temps were in the 50s again!

Saturday — 4.5 miles. The weather was picture perfect and the temps were mild. I will admit it took me forever to get motivated to get out the door, but once I was out I had no regrets!

Did you notice that there was no OTF this week? What?! Yes, I’m still learning that I need to book my classes far in advance to get the timeslots I want. It was clear that this week a lot of people must have had time off because all the time slots I wanted were full! Needless to say, I’ve booked my next few weeks of classes so I don’t miss out again!

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

How was your week? Any plans for New Year’s Eve?

 

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Weekly Run Down – Holiday Mode

December 22, 2019 by 25 Comments

After a couple of weeks of juggling crazy work days, winter concerts and other school events, and all that goes into Christmas prep, I am more than ready to shift into holiday mode. Amongst the madness, I’ve kept up on my workouts (to save my sanity!) – Here’s a quick run down:

Running

Over the past couple of weeks, my runs have been short (3 -4 miles) and uneventful. We finally found a home for the treadmill I won and it has come in handy on some of the more frigid days where black ice was a concern.

Cross-Training

If you follow me on Instagram then you know that I continue to love my Orangetheory workouts! I’ve been able to get to the studio twice a week, which feels like a good balance with 3 days of running. The classes are challenging and I love that no two classes are alike.

I’ve also managed to spend a little time on my yoga mat once a week – a rare occurrence that needs to happen more often!

I think this mix of 3 days running and 4 days of cross-training has really agreed with my cranky hip, which has been much quieter lately.

Today will be all about making cookies, wrapping gifts, and hanging with the fam, and then one more day in the office tomorrow before going into full vacation mode! Can.not.wait!

So tell me are you ready for the holidays? Taking any time off?

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

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Filed Under: holiday sanity, Weekly Run Down

Running Down an Off Week

December 8, 2019 by 30 Comments

An early week snowstorm, a very long week at work, poor sleep, and a less than happy hip left me feeling very “off” this week. Here’s a quick rundown on the week’s workouts:

Weekly Run Down

Monday — Bosu workout.

I really need to use the Bosu more often!

Tuesday —  Snow day – shoveling was my workout!
Wednesday — Orangetheory Fitness
Thursday — Lots of black ice had me hitting the gym early with my husband for 3 miles on the mill. I also made a trip to my massage therapist for some work on my hip.

Friday —  The crazy week at work and poor sleep seriously caught up with me so I took a pass on my run and focused on some core work instead.

Saturday — Orangetheory – while this early morning workout was a bit of a shock to the system I loved the “seven bells a ringing” theme which included a lot of upper body work.
Sunday — Chocolate Marshmallow 5K – I had originally registered for the 10K, but as the week wore on I had it on my mind to drop down to the 5K. It was the right call – recap to come.

Despite feeling like I was on the struggle bus a good bit of the week, I am happy that I got in the workouts I did to keep the #HolidaySweat Challenge going. There wasn’t much running and I’m fine with that – I’ve wanted to mix up my workouts more, plus there’s always a little running during Orangetheory.

So tell me something about your week. 

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

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November Run Down and December Goals

December 1, 2019 by 21 Comments

Hello December!

Kind of hard to believe that there are mere 30 days left in the year. November, like most of this year for me, went by in a blink. This Thanksgiving week felt especially short, but I enjoyed all the extra time with family, especially having my oldest home from school. Here’s how the workouts played out…

Caught this beautiful view on a run this week

Weekly Run Down

Monday – 3-mile run
Tuesday – Orangetheory
Wednesday – Yoga
Thursday – Power walk with my husband & pup before feasting!
Friday – 4-mile run
Saturday – 5-miles
Sunday – Orangetheory

I finished November with 57 miles and have happily jumped on the OTF bandwagon for some great cross-training. On my other November goals, my plank streak is alive and well, and I made some progress on my 2020 race calendar. I will admit my eating habits have still been a bit hit or miss, but I have gotten back to meal planning which always helps. Overall, I would call November a win!

Wrapping up November and setting a few goals to close out 2019! #goals #last90days #runchat #keepshowingup Share on X

December Goals

To close out 2019, my goals are pretty simple:

  • Continue my plank streak
  • Continue to cross-train 2x’s/week
  • Revisit my PT exercises at least 3x’s/week
  • Prioritize sleep
  • Find a couple of half marathons to add to my race calendar

The cranky hip that flared up during the Chicago Marathon has been making some noise so getting back to my PT exercises is a must. My sleep was all over the place during November so I’m going to do what I can to set myself up for a better night’s sleep this month.

How was your November? Have you started planning your 2020 race calendar? Any half marathon suggestions?

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

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Weekly Run Down – Catching up

November 17, 2019 by 18 Comments

Halfway through the month already!

While things have been extra quiet in my little corner of the blogosphere, the workouts have been happening, I’m making progress on my November goals, and I may have found a new obsession!

Running

With the exception of one very sluggish day, my runs over the past two weeks have been pretty good. Mother Nature has essentially pulled the plug on fall weather, so I’ve pushed most of my runs to the afternoon when it’s relatively warmer. And, given how hectic work’s been lately, the added bonus to these afternoon runs has proven to be a good stress-reliever. With the distances hovering between 3 – 5 miles, I’ve been playing with picking up the pace, and have been rewarded with a handful of negative split runs!

Orangetheory Fitness

One of my big goals for November is to focus on more cross-training so this week I finally got a chance to check out Orangetheory Fitness. And, let me just say, it was love at first workout! OTF offers first-timers a free class so I signed up for my first class on Wednesday. The theme of the class was “Power” – it was fun and challenging, and I really liked the vibe, so I was in! I followed up with my second class on Friday and can’t wait to go back next week!

Other November Goals

On my other November goals, so far it’s a bit of a mixed bag. While my plank streak is holding strong on Day 17, my eating habits are, at best, still a work in progress. And, on the race calendar planning, I’ve got my first 3 races for 2020 by registering for the New England 10 Miler Series. I love 10-mile races so I’m really looking forward to this!

So tell me, have you registered for any 2020 races yet? Ever tried Orangetheory?

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

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Weekly Run Down and November Goals

November 3, 2019 by 29 Comments

Each month I like to set a couple of monthly goals to help me stay on track. So with October now in the rearview mirror, it’s time to share some goals for November.

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

Weekly Run Down

Monday — Strength training

Tuesday — 3 soggy miles

Wednesday — Rest

Thursday — 3 miles. Wrapping up October with 63 miles.

Friday — Strength training and the start of a new plank streak

Saturday — 3 more miles on a gorgeous morning!

Fall running makes me happy!

Sunday — Got a brisk morning walk with my husband and pup before settling in to watch the NYC Marathon.

November Goals

A new month means new goals! What are you planning? #goals #last90days #runchat #keepshowingup Share on X
  • Plank Streak — I’ve been really inconsistent in my core work, so I’m going to use daily planking to build some consistency.
  • Clean up my eating — Honestly, I’m still eating like I’m running all the miles! LOL! It’s time to reel it and get back on track.
  • Cross Training 2x’s/week — I’ve been itching to try OTF, and with less weekly mileage on my plan, it feels like a good time to try it out.
  • 2020 race planning — WIth just one more race on the calendar for this year, I’m going to start sketching out what next year could look like.

How was your week? Did you watch the NYC Marathon? Any November goals?

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Weekly Run Down – Recovery Mode

October 27, 2019 by 22 Comments

Happy Sunday!

After taking a full week off following the Chicago Marathon where I did nothing more than some stretching and lots of rolling, I used this past week to slowly ease back into working out. I’m linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down.

Recovery Mode

Monday — Kicked off the week with a strength workout.

Tuesday — Rest day.

Wednesday — Cross training on the Arc Trainer.

Nice to get reacquainted with my fave cardio machine

Thursday — Time on my yoga mat, plus a trip to the massage therapist.

Friday — 3-mile run. It was a beautiful morning and it was great to see that my legs hadn’t forgotten how to do this running thing!

Saturday — I had planned to run, but knowing that I had a big work event in the evening that would require me to be on my feet for hours (and hours), I opted to spend the day running errands instead of miles.

Sunday — As I suspected my legs were toast this morning so I’ll be dragging out my yoga mat again later today.

As you can see, I kept things nice and low-keyed this week, and I’m totally good with that! For the upcoming week, I’m planning on returning to 6 days of working out with at least 3 runs. At the moment, I don’t have anything on my race calendar until the Chocolate Marshmallow 10K in early December, so I’m looking forward to running by feel vs. training plan for a bit.

Sending out a huge congratulations to all the runners taking on MCM in tough rainy conditions today!

Are you running for fun or training at the moment?

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Chicago Marathon Week 18 – Race Week!

October 13, 2019 by 18 Comments

I finally made it to the last week of training! And, let me just say taper about put me over the edge! It was a week of trying to stay relaxed, light workouts and a trip to Chicago!

Chicago Marathon Training Week 18

Monday — Rest day, plus planks to keep the streak going.

Tuesday — 5 miles. A quick and easy run before endless rain descended on the area.

Wednesday — After a crazy workday I drove out to watch my son’s cross country meet. 3 hours in the car round trip, plus scaling hills in the pouring rain = not happy legs. But on the plus side, my son knocked a couple of minutes off his course time!

Thursday — After Wednesday’s adventure, I opted to pass on the 3-mile run on my plan, and instead spent some much needed time on my yoga mat, followed by a trip to the massage therapist.

Friday — Travel day! My husband J and I had an easy, uneventful flight to Chicago and we hit the expo after checking into our hotel. The expo was sensory-overload for sure, but fun!

Can you tell I’m a little excited to be there?!

Saturday — International Chicago 5K. We woke up to a serious drop in temps (try a real-feel of 28!) so instead of walking over to the race start, we shared a car with Kim and her mom. Staying warm while waiting in the corrals was a bit of a challenge, but the race itself was fun. We made sure to keep the pace nice and easy.

Later Kim and I met up with blogger/IG friends for brunch at Beatrix. So much fun! It was really nice to meet Jen, to see Erica again, and to finally meet Lacey.

Lacey, Erica, me, Kim & Jen

Sunday — Chicago Marathon! Race recap to come, but I am happy to say that I crossed that finish line!

Total miles for the week – 34.3
Total miles on the road to Chicago – 474.5

That’s my quick run down  – now I’m off to rest and eat all the things 🙂

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

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Chicago Marathon – Just 7 days to go

October 6, 2019 by 31 Comments

Seven days…just seven days! By this time next week, I will be out somewhere on the streets of Chicago. But, before I get ahead of myself, here’s a quick rundown of this past week.

Chicago Marathon Training Week 17

Monday —  I wrapped up September with a rest day and 140 miles for the month!

September miles

Tuesday —  5 miles. October kicked off hot and steamy. It was 74 degrees before sunrise – not cool Mother Nature! It was a really good run despite the humid conditions. I also started a new plank streak.

Wednesday — I woke up just feeling off so I did a short core workout, including my plank and called it a day.

Thursday — I don’t know if it was the rainy weather or my mileage catching up with me, but I was feeling creaky. So I pushed my run to Friday and opted for some time on my mat.

Friday — 6 miles. This was probably one of the worst runs I’d had in a while. I felt like I was dragging the whole time and could not get out of my head.

Yep, this sign in the road pretty much summed it up!

Saturday — 8.5 miles. And just like that this run was glorious! It was just 38 degrees when I started so I had to break out gloves for this one but I was not complaining. This run was everything Friday’s run was not!

Total miles for the week – 19.5
Total miles on the road to Chicago – 440.2

Today, and most of this week really will be very low-keyed. Daily planks, rolling/stretching, and my PT exercises. I have just two short runs this week plus the International Chicago 5K on Saturday…and then training is done. My biggest challenge this week will be keeping my nerves under control!

That’s my rundown for the week! Any suggestions for race week?

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

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Filed Under: Chicago Marathon, marathon training, Weekly Run Down