Hello September

September 4, 2022 by 24 Comments

I know we’re not at the official end of summer yet, but there was a noticeable shift in the weather towards the end of the week just as September rolled in. While I will never be one to wish days away (time really does fly by far too fast), I’m not at all mad about inching closer to fall weather.

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down. Here’s how the week in workouts played out.

Week 35 – Hello September

Monday – Peloton Bike, Upper Body Strength, Core & Stretch. The weekend of travel and college move-in finally caught up with me so I kept my #nevermissamonday streak going with a quick and easy workout. I also had my first appointment with my new acupuncturist!
Tuesday – 3-mile run & Stretch. The humidity was just stupid thick, but surprisingly the run wasn’t terrible.


Wednesday – Rest day
Thursday – 2.5-mile walk, Lower body strength, Core & Stretch. I stacked a couple of Glutes & Legs classes along with some core, and have to admit halfway through Daniel’s class I was questioning my choices LOL (It was challenging and I’ll definitely be repeating it!)

Friday – 4-mile run & Stretch. Yeah, I definitely felt yesterday’s workout – my legs did not want to move uphill. But it was a beautiful and cool morning (see the photo in the header) so that was a win! And, since I had the day off, I followed it up with another acupuncture appointment.
Saturday – 2-mile walk, Upper Body Strength, Core & Stretch.
Sunday – 5-mile run and lots of foam rolling.

September Goal Setting

Of the 5 goals I had set for August, the one I came up short on was building up to 8-mile long runs. I didn’t run longer than 4, because August was oh so August weather-wise. Sorry, not sorry. Thankfully with no races until November there’s more than enough time to stretch these runs.

So for September, the goals are short and simple:

  • Build my long runs to 8 miles
  • Complete a 30-day #OptOutside streak
  • Continue my daily stretch/foam rolling

How was your week? Any goals for September?

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Filed Under: goals, Weekly Run Down

Week 33 – Keeping it Simple

August 21, 2022 by 21 Comments

I’m squeezing all the goodness I can into this last weekend together as a family. We’re in the crunch of prepping to move my son into school while packing in as much family fun as possible. The work week continues to be busy and so the goal was just to fit workouts in where I could.

Here’s a quick peak into my week in fitness. As always, I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

Week 33 – Keeping it Simple

Monday — Flash 15, Core, & 2-mile walk. I was inspired by Kim to return to a Flash 15 (Peloton) workout – these are great (and intense) 15-minute full-body workouts with instructor Jess Sims. Jess programs quite a bit in a short period of time – stacked with a core workout and power walk – perfect for a busy Monday!
Tuesday — Rest day. I had an uber-early start to the work day with a long commute on both ends so a rest day was a good thing.
Wednesday — 3 miles & Stretch. Everything clicked on this run and it turned into a much speedier run than I had planned. My only complaint was not having enough time to run further.

Thursday — 2.5-mile walk, Lower Body Strength, and Hip Mobility work. My legs were jelly after this workout and the sports massage I had scheduled after work was a nice reward.
Friday — 3 miles, Core & Stretch. The massage did the trick – my legs felt fresh and this was another solid run.

Saturday — Peloton Bike, Upper Body, Core & Stretch. Peloton dropped 160 new classes for their All for One music festival which started on Friday. I stacked a bunch for today’s workout and look forward to taking more and checking out some new-to-me artists over the coming weeks.
Sunday — On the plan this morning 5 miles then some family fun!

Running continues to be pain-free so that’s a big win! After some mild temps earlier in the week, summer’s heat and humidity came back in full swing by the weekend and looks to be sticking around for much of the upcoming week. I never want to wish the days away so I’m trying not to complain – emphasis on trying LOL!

How was your week? Are you ready for fall?

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Time to Think About Training

August 14, 2022 by 27 Comments

Well I finally have a fall race on the calendar so it’s time to start thinking about training again. But before I get ahead of myself, I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down. Here’s how this week in fitness played out…

Week 32 — Time to Think About Training

The view from Friday’s miles

Monday — Peloton Strength Split & Stretch. After loving last week’s Strength Split with Robin, I decided to try another program, this time with Callie. Day 1 was 45 mins of Back, Biceps & Legs.
Tuesday — Rest day. I had a jam-packed workday so there was some much-needed stretching and not much else happening.
Wednesday — 3.1 miles & Stretch. After 6-days the heatwave finally broke! This run in light rain and upper 60s felt like heaven.

Thursday — Split training Day 2 – Chest, Shoulders & Triceps.
Friday — 3 miles, Core & Stretch.
Saturday — Split training Day 3 – Legs & Core
Sunday — 4 miles & Stretch.

Running this week felt really good – no doubt the break in the humidity and cooler mornings ushered in after Wednesday’s rain certainly helped!

In my cool weather giddiness, I signed up for the Western Mass 10. I love the 10-mile distance and there are so few around here so I jumped at the chance to register for this new race. I’ve got 12 weeks to prep, which is more than enough time, but this will help to add some extra motivation to my runs. If training goes well I may register for the Philly Half later in November or the Frosty Half Marathon in early December.

How was your week? What’s on your fall race calendar?

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Filed Under: fall racing, race calendar, Weekly Run Down

My Non-Running Week

August 7, 2022 by 25 Comments

After last Sunday’s struggle to complete 4.25 miles, the quad and TFL pain continued into Monday. So, instead of fighting with it, I decided to just give in and take the week off from running. I only have one fall race on the horizon (November) so there seemed to be no point in aggravating the situation. Plus I’m not mad about missing some truly awful weather conditions. Here’s how my non-running week played out.

Week 31 – My Non-Running Week

Monday — Upper body strength, core & stretch. I decided to give one of the Peloton Split Strength Programs a try this week and chose Robin’s Advanced Program with 3 30-minute sessions. Day 1 focused on chest and triceps.

Tuesday — 2.7-mile walk, core & Stretch.
Wednesday — Split training Day 2 – legs & core & stretch. I had delusions of stacking another class after this but my legs were toast!
Thursday — Peloton ride, 2.75-mile walk, & Stretch. In lieu of my traditional birthday run, I jumped on a rare (for me) live ride in hopes of getting a shoutout, but no luck. Still enjoyed the ride and shared lots of high-fives, and then my hubby joined me for a power walk. I also treated myself to a much-needed sports massage after work.

Hello 56!

Friday — 1.5-mile walk otherwise rest day.
Saturday — Day 3 of Robin’s program – back and biceps, Core & Stretch. My arms were jelly when I was done.
Sunday — Finally a run! While 82 degrees and oppressive humidity were not ideal, I was really looking forward to running this morning. 3.2 miles done with no pain!

I’ll be looking forward to getting back to more running this week. We’re in the thick of a heatwave so the runs are likely to be on the shorter side, but as long as they continue to be pain-free I’ll take it.

How is summer running treating you?

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

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Vacation Re-Entry

July 31, 2022 by 10 Comments

How crazy is it that we’re at the end of July already?!

After a great week away with the family full of hiking, kayaking, and sightseeing, this past week was all about vacation re-entry. And what a whirlwind week it was! The fact that I was still sorting through emails at 5:30 on Monday should tell you all you need to know! But, I managed to finish the week feeling back on top of things, and also managed to get caught up on my coursework. Between my work, classes, and a slightly cranky TFL, my workouts were seriously dialed back.

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down. Here’s how things played out.

Week 30 – Vacation Re-Entry

Monday — 1.2-mile walk, Core & Yoga. It’s been a while since I pulled out the yoga mat, but after hours in the car driving home on Sunday, it was just what I needed.

Tuesday — Upper Body Strength, Core, & 1-mile walk.

Wednesday — 3-mile run, Core & Stretch. Mother Nature gifted us with morning temps in the low 60s and no humidity! I had a crazy early start to my work day otherwise I would have run longer.

Thursday — 3.2-mile walk, Upper Body Strength & Core. My right TFL was starting to make noise so I swapped in another upper body strength sesh for my planned lower body workout.

Friday — Peloton Ride, Core, 1.2-mile walk & Stretch. I had planned to run, but the TFL wasn’t having it, so we pivot. Thankfully, riding the Peloton bike doesn’t bother it.

Saturday — Rest day. I can’t remember the last time I took a complete rest day, but I really needed it!

Sunday — 4.25 mile run & Stretch. The heat was back with a vengeance so this was definitely a “forward is a pace” kind of run.

So with Saturday’s rest day, my #OptOutside streak came to an end at 121 days – unless you count lounging on the deck as opting outside 😉 It was fun while it lasted, but I have no regrets…always need to listen to what my body needs. My TFL is still pretty cranky – I was in good shape for the first 3 miles this morning but then it started to complain. We’ll see what this week brings…

How was your week?

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Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Week 28 – A Mid-July Check-in

July 17, 2022 by 26 Comments

Happy Sunday!

After enjoying a relaxing and fun staycation last week, thanks to an org-wide shut-down for the July 4th holiday, this week was a bit of a shock to the system. The workweek was pretty crazy  – there were multiple days of commuting to the office, three major presentations, and generally, a meeting-heavy schedule. Throw in quite a bit of coursework as I’m closing in on wrapping up another unit in my certificate program…and yeah, I’m feeling a little fried around the edges.

This week was about fitting in workouts where I could – here’s a quick look at how things played out.

Week 28 – Mid-July Check-in

Monday — 2-mile walk & Core
Tuesday — Peloton Bike, Core, 2-mile walk & Stretch
Wednesday — 1.5- mile walk, otherwise rest. An extra early commute into the office followed by a long work day, had me missing my run. I was happy to snag a lunch break walk with a colleague.
Thursday — 1.25-mile walk, Core & Lower-body Strength.


Friday — 3-mile Tempo run, Core, 1.5-mile walk & Stretch. I can’t remember the last time I’ve done any form of speed work so I was pleasantly surprised to nail my paces.
Saturday — 1-mile walk, Upper-body Strength & Stretch
Sunday — 5-mile run & Stretch. The humidity was so thick this morning! I was grateful for the occasional breeze and my wonderful hubby who drove out to bring me water.

So while it was a super busy week, I’m not complaining as I’m heading off for a week away in Stowe, VT!

In case you missed it:

Five Ways to Enjoy a Summer Staycation

Tell me something about your week?

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

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Summer Running in Full Effect

July 3, 2022 by 27 Comments

In a blink of an eye, June is in the rearview mirror. As the month wound down, the temps definitely dialed up, and there’s no doubt now that summer running is in full effect. Here’s a quick look at how the week’s workouts played out.

Week 26 — Summer Running in Full Effect

Monday — 3-mile walk, otherwise rest
Tuesday — 2-mile walk & Bodyweight strength (upper & lower body)
Wednesday — 3.5-mile run, Core & Stretch
Thursday — 3-mile walk, Lower Body Strength, & Stretch
Friday —  3.5-mile run, Core & Stretch
Saturday — 2.5-mile walk, Upper Body Strength & Stretch
Sunday — 4-mile run, Core & Stretch

Overall, it was a pretty low-key week. I finished the month with 94 run/walk miles and I’m closing in on the century mark for my #Optoutside streak. Thursday’s strength training brought a return to heavy lifting (and some serious DOMS!) which will definitely be a focus for the summer. I have no summer race plans and am still debating my fall options, so for now, the goal is to focus on the things that will help to keep me strong and injury-free.

Tell me about your week? Any summer race plans?

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

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Filed Under: Summer running, Weekly Run Down

Week 25 – Enjoying a Little Staycation

June 26, 2022 by 15 Comments

This week brought some much-needed time off!

My office was closed Monday for the Juneteenth holiday and then I took Thursday through this upcoming Monday off for an extended weekend. It’s been bliss to have some downtime. There has been lots of time spent on the deck – reading and catching up on my coursework; some fun family time; finally got to see Top Gun Maverik, and I have a day planned to catch up with a friend for tomorrow!

This week was also brought the official start of summer and the heat and humidity made an appearance in full force…just in time for race day.

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down. Here’s a quick look at how things played out.

Week 25 – Enjoying a Little Staycation

Full disclosure this photo is from last Sunday’s run – but it was also the best run of the week!

Monday — 3-mile walk, Core & Stretch.
Tuesday — 1.5-mile walk & Upper Body Strength.
Wednesday — Peloton ride, 1-mile walk, Core & Stretch.
Thursday — 3.5-mile run & Upper Body Strength.
Friday — 3.6-mile run, Core & Stretch.
Saturday — 2.5-mile walk, otherwise rest.
Sunday — BAA 10K. I’ll recap this race at a later date but suffice it to say … Heat & Humidity 1, Michelle 0.

My #OptOutside streak hit Day 88 today, and the #3for31 Challenge continues to roll along.

In case you missed it:

Some June Runfessions

Tell me something about your week? Do you have any time off planned?

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A Low-key Week

June 12, 2022 by 10 Comments

“Mulch is evil” – my massage therapist declared as she tried to work out whatever madness had settled into my upper right quad.

If you caught last week’s WRD then you know that I had to cut my “long” run short …the day after I spent an afternoon hauling mulch around my flower beds. While I didn’t feel it at the time, I had clearly tweaked something and it reared its ugly head during last Sunday’s run. Given how angry my quad felt, I decided to not poke the bear and didn’t attempt a run until Friday this week. Here’s how my week in fitness played out.

Week 23 — A Low-key Week

Monday — 4-mile walk, Core & Stretch.
Tuesday — 3.5-mile walk. This was so needed after lots of time in my car commuting and sitting in meetings.
Wednesday — 3.2-mile walk, Lower Body Strength, Core & Stretch.
Thursday —  3-mile walk and Peloton Bike. Plus a post-work massage.
Friday — 3.2-mile run, 1-mile walk, Core & Stretch. The hills on my route and my quad were not a great match, but I got through the run.
Saturday — 3-mile walk, Upper Body Strength & Stretch.
Sunday — 6-mile run. Although my quad felt a little iffy at the start, it settled down quickly and all-in-all the run felt pretty good.

I think this low-key week was just what my quad needed. And, I was still able to keep up with the #3for31 Challenge and my #OptOutside Streak (Day 43) – so I’m calling this week a win! My plan for the upcoming week is to return to my usual run schedule and continue to pay extra attention to stretching and time with my massage gun.

In case you missed it:

Boston’s Run to Remember 5 Mile Race Recap

How was your week?

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

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Filed Under: #3for31, #OptOutside, Weekly Run Down

Ready for June

June 5, 2022 by 17 Comments

Who’s ready for June? I know I am! I always enjoy the start of a new month and the chance to set some new goals. But before we dive into June plans, I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

Week 22 – Ready for June

Monday — A little race recovery with a 2.8-mile walk and some yoga.
Tuesday — 1.2-mile walk, otherwise rest day.
Wednesday — 3.2-mile run, Core & Stretch. Celebrated Global Running Day virtually with some blogger friends

A huge thanks to Cari for putting this together!

Thursday — 3.5-mile walk, Upper Body Strength, Core & Stretch.
Friday –– 4-mile run & Stretch.
Saturday — 1.5-mile walk, Full Body Strength & Stretch.
Sunday — 3-mile run. The plan was to run 6, but my quad woke up with a very different plan this morning. I tried to work through it, but I was bargaining with each step and finally decided to shut it down at 3. I have the BAA 10K in 3 weeks so there’s no point in risking aggravating anything.

June Goals

  • Complete the #3for31 Challenge — Peloton instructor Robin first introduced this challenge in December and it was a great way to stay consistent. The challenge is 3 miles on foot (walk, jog, or run) or 30 minutes of movement every day from June 1st through July 1st. Given my current #OptOutside streak (today’s Day 67), I’m planning to do the 3 miles/day option.

  • Return to Consistent Strength Training — With the craziness of my May schedule, strength training sometimes took a backseat, so I am looking to return to a more balanced mix of workouts.
  • Focus on Hill Work —  I’ve got the BAA 10K at the end of this month and while the course is fairly flat, the hill in mile 3 up Comm Ave has given me fits in the past. It doesn’t help that race day is usually hot and this part of the course offers absolutely no shade. The goal this year is to run that hill strong.

What are you looking forward to this month? 

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Filed Under: Global Running Day, goals, Weekly Run Down