Short & Sweet Weekly Run Down

Doing a quick check-in for the Weekly Run Down – thanks to Deborah and Kim for the link-up!

Here’s how my week played out…

Monday — Peloton Strength.
Tuesday — 30 min Beyonce Ride — this ride featured two of my favorite instructors and an amazing Beyonce soundtrack – couldn’t ask for better!


Wednesday — Unplanned rest day. Another poor night of sleep had me pushing off my morning run and then my workday was crazy. When I finally came up for air I was more interested in chilling on the couch reading than I was in trying to muster the energy for a workout. Some days are just like that.
Thursday –– 3-mile run. Mother Nature decided to remind us that it is November, as our warm weather streak came to an abrupt end.

Friday — Peloton cycle and core classes. The Disney soundtrack for these rides was a nice antidote to the damp, cold, and deary weather that had rolled in.
Saturday — 5.25-mile run.
Sunday — 3-mile walk early this morning with Peloton strength to come post-coffee.

On the whole a pretty uneventful week. November just keeps rolling along and I’m just trying to keep pace. While I never try to wish away days, I’m more than a little excited to have this upcoming week click by as I wait for my son to come home from school on Friday!

Keeping it short and sweet this week! Happy Sunday!

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Weekly Run Down – Just Breathe

Just Breathe – that was pretty much my mantra for this week and what a long, emotional week it was. Like so many weeks in 2020, I was grateful to have running and working out as a release. As an added bonus Mother Nature decided to serve up some fantastic weather. The past few days have been unseasonably warm and I’ve been trying to soak up as much sunshine as I can.

Here’s a quick recap on this week’s workouts.

Monday — Peloton Cycle plus core and stretch classes.
Tuesday — Yoga – the perfect antidote to election day anxiety.
Wednesday — 3 miles. I had the Billie Eilish Peloton run on my plan to start the Breakthrough Crew’s Holiday Challenge. The combination of the music and time on the open road was just what I needed.


Thursday –– Peloton Cycle plus Core classes helped me to tick off a couple more workouts on both of my Peloton challenges. I runfess that the Holiday Challenge called for a country music ride, but there’s just no way I could take 20 mins of country music so I subbed in another class with the same instructor.
Friday — 4 miles. I was totally caught off guard for the quick warm-up and was way overdressed
Saturday — 5 miles and just a picture-perfect day.


Sunday — As I write this, I’ve got a stack of Peloton strength workouts waiting for me to wrap up the first week of the “Swolvember” Challenge.

So I feel like I’m off to a good start on my November goals – while my sleep continued to take a hit at the beginning of the week, I slept like a rock on Saturday night 🙂

Did you have amazing weather this week too? Country music yay or nay?

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

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Coffee Catch Up

What a rollercoaster week it’s been!

I’m happy to take a moment to take a step back, catch my breath, and join Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date.

Given the week this has been I would have to ask over coffee how you are holding up? Suffice it to say, even though I had fully expected this to be a difficult week, I am truly disheartened by the way things are playing out and I am anxious about the road that lies ahead.

As a needed distraction, over coffee, I would tell you that I have dived headfirst into decluttering and home organizing projects. I have Kim to thank for introducing me to The Home Edit on Netflix and after a couple of episodes, I was inspired to take on our pantry and kitchen cabinets. I’m now deep in the rabbit hole and perhaps am spending a bit too much time on the Container Store website.

Over coffee, I would tell you that my oldest will be home from school in just two weeks! After relying on FaceTime and Zoom for the past 11 weeks, I cannot wait to hug him! I’m really looking forward to having everyone back under one roof for a bit.

Over coffee, I would tell you about the swan that has taken up residence in the pond down the street from my house. While I’m used to seeing ducks and Canadian Geese, the swan is a rarity. I stop to look at him on many of my runs and always marvel at how he seems to stare back. A simple reminder in the midst of everything that there is beauty all around.

What would you tell me over coffee? Any unique sightings lately?

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Hello November!

And just like that, we’ve put another month in the rearview mirror. Before I get to my goals for November, here’s a quick run down of this past week’s workouts.

Monday — Peloton Cycle plus Strength classes. Felt great to get a strong start to the week!

Tuesday —  Rest Day plus Core-tober continued. Struggled with a migraine all day so I waved the white flag.
Wednesday — Peloton Cycle plus Core. I had no interest in running in the rain so I swapped in a ride instead.

Thursday –– 4 miles plus another day of Core-tober. The endless rain continued so hello treadmill.
Friday — Yoga.
Saturday — 6 miles and the last day of Core-tober.

Yes, that is snow in the background!

Sunday — Started the day with a 2.5-mile walk, and at the time of writing this post, I’m still debating whether there will be yoga or a ride later.

Wrapping up October and setting some goals for November! #goals #bibchat #novembermiles Share on X

November Goals

On the fitness front, October was a pretty solid month. I hit my goal of 80 miles and completed the Peloton Core-Tober Challenge (29 core workouts from the BreakThrough Crew instructors). I also completed my first virtual half marathon…and yes, there has been time on the new Peloton bike!

So what will November bring? Hopefully, more of the same! For running, at a minimum, I’d like to repeat October’s mileage. But, with one more virtual half to complete before the year’s over, I’m also aiming to increase the distance on the “long” runs, so perhaps I can bump up my overall mileage in the process. I also have a virtual 5K and 10K lined up.

The BreakThrough Crew on Facebook has created some fun new challenges – “Swolvember” focusing on strength training and “On holiday for the holidays” focusing on cycling and running – which should help to keep things interesting.

Lastly, my sleep really suffered in October, so I’m making it a priority to get more rest this month.

What have you got planned for November?

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

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Some October Runfessions

Hard to believe that we’re at the end of another month already! Marcia has opened the runfessional and I’ve got a few things to share, so let’s get started, shall we?

October Runfessions

Now that I have the Detroit virtual half marathon behind me, I runfess that I am seriously questioning my decision to commit to the BAA virtual half. While I’ve been enjoying my running, motivating to run 13.1 miles is still a challenge.

I runfess that I have fully embraced using 4:1 intervals – they were key to getting me through my virtual half and I’m now thinking that I may just stick with them indefinitely.

It’s probably no surprise that I am loving my new Peloton bike – but I runfess that I’m loving it so much that I’m struggling a bit to find a balance between wanting to do all the rides and running.

These initial rides on the bike have been fun, but I runfess (bike-fess?) that they can also be very humbling. I had presumed that I’d be able to just dive into the classes. So after a couple of “beginner” classes, I decided to jump into the non-beginner Alicia Keys class, which would have been fine if I didn’t let my ego get in the way and just rode hard…within reason.  But I didn’t – instead, I pushed to keep up with the suggested cadence and resistance. I was hanging on until the instructor called for us to get out of the saddle…yeah no. I tried and that lasted a hot minute. Note to self, those beginner classes are there for a reason!

So tell me, do you have any runfessions to share?

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A mini run break and some fun new finds

After taking on a virtual half marathon last weekend, this week was about low-key recovery. Here’s how things played out.

Monday — Rest Day.

Tuesday — Peloton ride and core workout. With this core workout, I hit my 100th Peloton strength class!

Wednesday — Peloton Strength

Thursday — 3.75-mile walk and core.  Mother Nature served up a day in the upper 70s – perfect for a walk to the polls for early voting.

Friday —  More time on the bike & core. You can’t go wrong with Alicia Keys, am I right?

Saturday — 6-mile run. Can’t say enough good things about this run, despite feeling really tired when I started, my legs felt fresh after a week of no running. I stuck with the 4:1 ratio I’ve adopted recently and the miles ticked by easily. Great weather and the Hamilton soundtrack were an added bonus!

Sunday —  Got a 2-mile walk in earlier and still plan to hit my yoga mat.

Some Fun New Finds

A couple of months ago I discovered WRLDINVSN (pronounced “world in vision”) Biker Shorts. I’m wearing them in the photo above. They feature a high-rise waistband, two sizeable side pockets (my iPhone fit comfortably), and a great stretch fabric that washes and wears really well. Lots of great features for just $20. I also love that this is a black-owned business. I’ll definitely be ordering another pair or two.

In September, the folks at Feetures sent me the new Tempo Collection from their Elite line. I’ve been a long-time Feetures fan and these socks have not disappointed. The Elite socks come in ultra-light, light cushion, and max cushion and offer targeted compression for extra support. These socks have quickly become my go-to for all my runs and walks – and I am loving the colors in this fall collection. I’m partnering with Feetures for a giveaway this week, so if you are interested in trying out a couple of pairs, be sure to check out my Instagram account tomorrow.

Tried any new gear lately? 

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

 

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Weekly Run Down & a Virtual Half Marathon

What a difference a week makes!

Last week I mentioned I was struggling with low energy and poor sleep. Well, thanks to making the most of an extended long weekend, I was feeling much better this week. And, just in time since I had a virtual half to run.

Here’s how the week went down…

Monday — 3-mile walk and Peloton Strength

Tuesday — My Peloton arrived!! Talk about being like a kid on Christmas morning! So, of course, there was a 20-min ride followed by a couple of Peloton Strength classes

Wednesday — Another ride and strength classes. It was a beautiful day so I also got out for a short walk after work.

#WeeklyRunDown & My 1st virtual half marathon! #bibchat #virtualrace #runchat Share on X

Thursday — 3 miles plus core. I hadn’t been out before the sun in a while, so it was nice to get out and catch the start of the day.

I love a run-rise

Friday — 4-mile walk plus core. I was nervous about Saturday’s run so I wanted to keep things fairly low-keyed. I checked into the Henry Ford Health System Virtual Race Expo to see the panel discussion featuring Des Linden. I’m a total “fangirl” when it comes to Des so I always enjoy a chance to hear from her!

Saturday — Detroit Free Press Virtual Half Marathon. Given that there had been no training leading up to this run, I had no intention of “racing.” My goal was simply to cover the distance, enjoy the run, and not get hurt. There was rain, wind, and eventually some sunshine. 4:1 intervals were my BFF, especially in the later miles. Mission accomplished!

The final mile!

Sunday — Today was all about recovery – a 20 min. ride and some yoga did the trick. I have to say I was pretty pleased to not be too sore this morning – definitely a win!

I ran the Detroit half as a BibRave Pro and I’m happy to announce that I’ll be returning as a Pro for 2021! The BRP community is such a fun group and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll be able to run one of their partner races in-person next year. If you’re interested in becoming a BibRave Ambassador, applications will be opening on Wednesday, 10/21 here.

How was your week? Run any virtual races lately?

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

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Weekly Run Down – An uneventful week

Is it just me or was this just a blur of a week?!

I honestly don’t have too much to report this week – workout wise it was fairly uneventful. Here’s how things played out:

Monday — A short run, Day 5 of Core-Tober, and yoga for hips. This yoga class was so good and so needed! Chelsea’s become one of my favorite instructors – I have bookmarked this class and will take it again!

Tuesday — Rest Day. I woke up feeling really off and just never got on track. I even took one of my two rest days for Core-Tober.
Wednesday — 3-mile run plus core.


Thursday — 2-mile walk plus strength training.
Friday — 3 miles plus core.
Saturday — 5 miles, core, plus yard work.

With so many out running and walking, the mask was needed!

Sunday — 1.25-mile walk plus core. I think I got a little over-ambitious in yesterday’s garden clean-up so I’m keeping things very low-keyed today.

Like I said, an uneventful week. My energy level was pretty low for most of the week thanks to some really poor nights of sleep. I was definitely feeling more like myself by the week’s end and Saturday’s run couldn’t have been better! Hopefully, with a couple of extra days off for an extended long-weekend, I will be able to continue to catch up on some more sleep.

In addition to some days off, the week ahead also brings my Pelo bike delivery and I’ll be running the Detroit Free Press virtual half. As I runfessed a couple of weeks ago, I’m nowhere near “half marathon” shape so I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to approach this run. Wish me luck!

Tell me something about your week. How would you approach this virtual half?

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

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October Goals

Hello October!

I make no secret of my love of Fall weather, and I always feel like October is when Fall is at it’s best. And since we’re at the beginning of a new month, I’ve set some goals. But, first here’s a quick run down on this past week.

Monday — Strength training

Tuesday — 3 miles

Wednesday — 2.25 miles

Thursday — 3 miles & Day 1 of Core-Tober

So happy to see October arrive!

Friday — 2-mile walk & Core day 2

Saturday — A stack of Peloton workouts

20 mins of core?!

Sunday — 4-miles, yoga & Core day 4

October Goals

While I did hit the mark on my yoga and strength training September goals, I fell short of my mileage goal of 75 miles. I finished with 60 miles and would like to see that number bumped up this month. So here’s what I’ve got planned for this month.

  • 80 miles
  • Complete the Peloton Core-Tober Challenge (29 core workouts from the BreakThrough Crew instructors)
  • Complete the Detroit Free Press virtual half marathon
  • Strength training 3x’s/week
  • Weekly yoga
  • Break-in my new Peloton bike (9 days and counting until delivery!)

What are you looking forward to this month?

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

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Time for October Coffee

Fall is in the air and it feels great to settle in a mug of hot coffee and catch up with friends. I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date. I’ve got my usual Starbucks Pikes Place with GLG Collagen and a splash of cream – what are you drinking?

Over coffee, I would first ask you how you’re holding up. To say times are tough right now would be a serious understatement. Personally, I’m beyond tired of 2020 and all of the madness, chaos, and sadness that has come with it. I’ve had to put myself on a news detox – while I like to be informed, some days are just too much to bear.

On a much lighter note, over coffee, I would tell you that school continues to go well for both of my boys. My oldest has been on campus for 6 weeks and his school just keeps rolling along in their little bubble. For my younger son, we’ve settled into a hybrid schedule and knock-on-wood so far so good. I’m holding my breath and hoping we can make it to Thanksgiving break.

Over coffee, I would tell you that we are in the thick of the college process now. I am utterly amazed at what marketing machines some of these universities are. We receive so much mail and the emails are nonstop. I keep thinking that if they all cut back on their fancy brochures perhaps they could drop their tuition costs!

Over coffee, I would tell you that I looking forward to the new season of SNL, cause really couldn’t we all use a good laugh? Now let’s hope I can stay awake to actually watch it 🙂

Now I’d tell you that my cup is empty and I need a refill. So your turn, what would you tell me over coffee?

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