#FitFiveFriday — Page 11

Five August Goals…a little late

August 12, 2022 by Michelle 10 Comments

I know, I know, it’s already the 12th of the month – perhaps it’s a little late to talk about the month’s goals. But, I did set some at the start of the month and meant to share them earlier, then work/life got in the way and I never posted.

So for this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m sharing my goals to keep myself accountable.

Five August Goals….a little late

Hydration — Despite the heat, I got way off my hydration game last month which sometimes resulted in headaches. The plan for this month is to track it carefully. I’m also testing out a few different electrolyte supplements (thanks Erica!) to see if that helps.

Build my long runs to 8 miles — In anticipation of fall races, it’s time to stretch the long runs. 8 miles feels like a good target because ramping up to a 10M or half marathon from there doesn’t feel like too much of a leap.

Daily Stretch or Foam Roll — Similar to the hydration, I’ve fallen off consistent stretching – it’s become too easy to be pressed for time, and let it slide. I’ll be correcting that this month.

Settle on Fall Races — And speaking of fall races, I’m feeling the itch to register for a couple and fill my race calendar so the goal is to find at least two races and commit.

Peloton Split Strength Program — I’ve been interested in trying out the Split program since it was introduced in the Spring. There are 4 programs offered by Robin, Adrian, Callie, and Matty. Robin’s one of my favorite instructors so my goal is to complete Robin’s program at least twice during the month along with trying at least one other.

What are you taking on this month? Any fall race suggestions?

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!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, goals

Catching Up Over August Coffee

August 5, 2022 by Michelle 12 Comments

Happy Friday everyone!

My office is closed for a Summer Friday and I’m more than ready to dive into a long weekend! And, is there a nicer way to kick off a weekend than with a little catch-up with friends? So for this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date. I’ve got my iced coffee, so let’s chat!

Catching Up Over August Coffee

Over coffee, I would tell you that we had a great vacation in Stowe last month. There was lots of hiking, kayaking, a tour of the Ben & Jerry’s factory (of course!), and a day trip of sightseeing in Montreal. So much goodness and way too short – the week went by in a blink. So, of course, I’m starting to plan the next vacation.

I loved our time on the water!

Over coffee, I would tell you that I have completed my professional certificate program! I wrapped up my final project on Sunday and grades were posted late Monday. While I really enjoyed the coursework, it feels so good to have it all wrapped up.

Over coffee, I would tell you that we’re in the midst of a flurry of family birthdays with both my sons’ birthdays being just a week apart and my husband’s is in a couple of weeks. I marked another trip around the sun yesterday, and to be honest will be stretching out the celebrations over several days – I met a friend for dinner Tuesday, celebrated with the family Thursday, heading to lunch and shopping today with a friend, and brunch plans with another friend on Saturday.

I see nothing wrong with an extended celebration 😉

Over coffee, I would tell you that we are now a household of 4 drivers as my youngest got his license a few weeks ago. I would also tell you that I haven’t driven with him yet – seriously I don’t think I can do it without clutching the door handle. And let’s not discuss car insurance with two teenage boys under 20! It is kind of hard to imagine that my mom Uber days are over.

What would you tell me over coffee? Do you enjoy celebrating your birthday?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Ultimate coffee date

Heat Runfessions

July 29, 2022 by Michelle 14 Comments

It’s the last Friday of the month which means Marcia has opened the Runfessional!

It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by Darlene, Renée, Jenn, Zenaida, and Me! So, let’s get started, shall we?

Heat Runfessions

I runfess that I almost didn’t write a post for this week because I’m trying really hard to not complain about the weather. I mean it’s summer, …it’s supposed to be hot, right? Clearly, I’m losing this battle!

Last month I runfessed that given how humid the weather can be in September that I was holding off on registering for the Philly Distance Run until I tried a couple of double-digit runs in July. Well, I runfess that I haven’t done a run longer than 5 miles this month…so you can see where this is headed.

I’m pretty sure I’ve used this meme before, but it fits!

Despite how I have been feeling about running in this heat, I runfess that I have surprised myself by actually enjoying a return to speedwork this month. It will be fun to see if this pays off in the fall.

Any runfessions to share?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Runfessions, Summer running

Five Ways to Enjoy a Summer Staycation

July 15, 2022 by Michelle 16 Comments

I was lucky enough to have a bonus week off from work last week – the organization I work for closed the office for the July 4th week, giving us all a paid week off! I was feeling very fried leading into the July 4th holiday and so it was a perfect time for a little staycation!

For today’s Fit Five Friday, I’m sharing five ideas to enjoy your next summer staycation.

Five Ways to Enjoy a Summer Staycation

Play tourist in your hometown – Most cities are full of special attractions that locals often take for granted. Spend a day or two exploring some local attractions.

Create an outdoor oasis — Turn your deck or patio into an outdoor “room”, a space perfect for alfresco dining, reading, working out, or just soaking up some sunshine.

Spend time on a favorite hobby or start a new one — Take advantage of the free time to indulge in a favorite pastime or try your hand at something new.

Set up an at-home spa retreat — How can you argue with a spa day? Collect your favorite skincare treatments for both your face and body, try an at-home mani/pedi, and don’t forget to also focus on your internal wellness with time spent journaling, meditating, and practicing yoga.

Truly unplug — Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you have to stay hyper-connected. Give yourself a break from screentime on your phone – less social media, don’t check your email…you get the picture.

How do you spend time on a staycation?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Staycation, summer mode

Five Things about the BAA 10K

July 8, 2022 by Michelle 19 Comments

Happy Friday!

For this week’s Fit Five Friday, instead of a traditional race recap, I’m sharing five things about my recent BAA 10K.

Five Things About the BAA 10K

So Freakin’ Hot!
There’s no way to talk about my 10K experience without talking about the heat and humidity. Yes, I know that this is a summer race so heat is to be expected, but this is my 4th time running this race and I don’t ever remember it being this bad. Miles 3 and 4 were the worst because it’s an out-and-back stretch along Comm Ave and there isn’t a lick of shade. And did I mention that mile 3 is a slow steady climb? This is where the wheels came off the wagon for me.

Brotherly Love
I’m always happy when I can convince my brother to toe the line with me. We always have such a good time together and he really kept me going when things turned ugly.

Rookie Mistake!
Given how hot it was I cannot believe I made the rookie mistake of not carrying fluids with me. I figured there was a water stop at each mile marker and our plan was to walk the water stops. Well, it turns out there was no water stop at mile 3 – wait, what? So yes, the hottest stretch of the course had no water stop. Can you see how things started to unravel for me?

Camaraderie (or Misery Loves Company)
Despite the heat, or maybe because of it, runners along the course were really pulling for each other. We chatted and encouraged each other and I appreciated how many of the speedier runners who were already on their way back in cheered those of us still making our way out to the midpoint. This race always has a good vibe and this year was no different.

Runs Like a Swiss Watch
The lack of a mile 3 water stop aside, this was such a well-organized race. From the pre-race communication to bib and t-shirt pick-up; from gear check to the post-race misting stations and food and drink, and all of the amazing volunteers from start to finish, the BAA really does know how to provide a smooth race experience!

Thanks to the heat, it was not the race day I wanted – it was probably my slowest 10K ever. But, I believe every finish line should be celebrated!

For anyone looking for a Boston race, I would definitely recommend this one. Just come prepared for the summer conditions. I was intrigued to see in the post-race survey that there were questions gauging people’s interest in running this race at another time of year. Personally, I would so love to see this race moved to the fall though I know this could be tricky given that 2 miles of the course run through the center of the Boston University campus, but a girl can hope 😉

How do you feel about summer racing?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, BAA, race report

Catching Up Over July Coffee

July 1, 2022 by Michelle 14 Comments

How is it possible that it’s already July?!

I’m kicking off the new month with a little catch-up over coffee, joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date. It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday so let’s make it a two-fer and chat! (This post contains affiliate links).

Catching up over July Coffee

Over coffee I would tell you that now that the summer is in full swing, I am working on perfecting my margarita recipes. There are so many options from classic to spicy, straight or frozen, and every possible fruit in between! While I do enjoy a nice sipping tequila, margaritas, in my opinion, are the perfect summer cocktail.

Source

Over coffee I would tell you that thanks to all the time I’m spending in traffic commuting to and from work, I am learning to embrace audio books. I recently finished Deena Kastor’s “Let Your Mind Run” and “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I enjoyed both books – I think Reid’s book especially would make a great summer beach read!

And, speaking of books, over coffee I would tell you that I am just about halfway through my professional certificate coursework. I am not going to lie, it definitely took a minute to shift into a “classroom” mindset, but I’m really enjoying it!

Over coffee, I would tell you how excited I am to have essentially half the month off from work! Our organization is closing for the week of July 4th and then my family is on vacation for a week later in the month. The timing is such that I’ll be working every other week!

Over coffee, I would tell you that for our vacation we’re looking forward to returning to some time in the mountains at Stowe. We’ve booked the same beautiful townhouse we stayed in last year, and can’t wait to spend time hiking, kayaking, and hopefully a day trip to Montreal (last year the Canadian border was closed).

What would you tell me over coffee? What’s your favorite summer cocktail?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Ultimate coffee date

Some June Runfessions

June 24, 2022 by Michelle 23 Comments

Happy Friday! It’s time for another edition of Fit Five Friday, – and since it’s the last Friday of the month, I’m linking up with Marcia to share a couple of Runfessions. So let’s dive in!

Some June Runfessions

I runfess that I’m wavering a bit on my fall race plans. Back in February, I highlighted some races I wanted to run this year – that list includes the Philadelphia Distance Run – a September half marathon. Back in February the humidity that is often still hanging around in September seemed like a distant memory. Well now that things are starting to heat up, the thought of a steamy September half is giving me pause.

It’s not quite there yet, but you can feel it coming!

I runfess that I will definitely be waiting a while before registering – let’s see how a couple of those 10-mile long runs (in July!) go first. I’m also looking for some late fall options.

I runfess that I’m reaching the end of my rope with my Garmin Venu Sq. A couple of weeks ago in mid-run, I looked down at my watch to see a blue triangle – the watch had crashed, despite having a fully charged battery. I stopped and fought to get it to reset but my run was gone. I wrote it off as a fluke…until it happened again…and again. The watch isn’t even a year old – the Apple watch is starting to look really good to me.

Any runfessions to share? Do you have your fall races set 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 be sure to show your hosts some love and visit some of the other bloggers in the link-up.

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Runfessions

Five Ways to Revive Your 2022 Goals

June 17, 2022 by Michelle 7 Comments

Can you believe that we are quickly approaching the halfway mark of 2022?!

As you reach the midway point of the year, it seems like a natural time to reflect and ask how are you doing with those goals and resolutions you set at the beginning of the year. Are they still top of mind? Are you making progress or have some of them slipped off your radar?

If some of your goals got pushed to the backburner, then consider these five ways to get back on track.

Five Ways to Revive Your 2022 Goals

Assess — If you have goals that you have not paid much attention to it’s important to first stop to consider if those goals are still important to you. What was your why for setting the goal in the first place? If you find that some goals just don’t resonate with you anymore, then there’s no crime in letting them go.

Prioritize — It’s easy to get ambitious at the start of a new year and set too many goals at once. It’s important to be realistic about the demands on your time and to recognize that trying to spread yourself too thin could leave you with goals unfulfilled. By setting priorities, you can create a realistic timeline mapping out all of the steps needed to move you closer to your goals and then determine a reasonable action plan.

Track Your Progress — According to a 2014 study, 33% of those who failed to achieve their goals did not track their progress. Use an app, habit tracker, or good old notebook to set up a system that will help you consistently track your progress.

Evaluate — Set aside time on a consistent basis to review your progress so you can see what’s working and where you may be struggling or need to consider a new approach.

Celebrate Along the Way — While the journey to achieving your goal may be challenging it should also include moments of joy. It’s important to celebrate wins, both big and small, along the way. Consider rewarding yourself when you hit key milestones. At the end of the day, if it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing!

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, goals

Boston’s Run to Remember 5-Miler Race Recap

June 10, 2022 by Michelle 10 Comments

Happy Friday!

For this week’s Fit Five Friday I’m sharing my race recap from one of my favorite races – Boston’s Run to Remember!

Boston’s Run to Remember 5-Miler Race Recap

Boston’s Run to Remember is held annually on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend as a tribute to fallen 1st Responders. Proceeds from the race benefit local youth and community programs supported by our 1st Responders and several local charities, including the Alzheimer’s Association, Cops for Kids With Cancer, Muscular Dystrophy, the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, and Sole Train (a youth mentoring program). The race features both a half marathon and a 5-mile option. In fact, it was my first half marathon ever! It’s definitely a sentimental favorite 🙂

After being virtual for the past two years, I was happy to see this race return, even in a more scaled-down fashion. While Boston’s Seaport World Trade Center has always served as the host for the race expo, this year the Center is under a major renovation so there was no expo. I didn’t really miss the expo, and actually really appreciated the satellite locations they set up for bib pick up. It was nice to swing into a local running store and pick up my bib and t-shirt vs driving into downtown Boston on a holiday weekend! The one aspect of the expo I did miss, however, was seeing the memorial banners with the list of all of the names of fallen 1st responders and some photos that were always on display – a great reminder of what the race is about.

Race Day

With a 7 am start, I was up and out the door by 5:30. My husband J offered to come with me and was a real trooper getting up so early on a Sunday. The ride into the city was easy and we decided to park at the Seaport Hotel, which was right near the starting line. We had parked there for previous races – it’s a little pricey, but you can’t beat clean indoor bathrooms and the comfortable lounge where we could hang out until the start.

About 10 minutes before the start I said goodbye to J, passed through the security barriers, and worked my way up into the middle of the 2nd wave. Following the singing of Amazing Grace and the National Anthem, Wave 1 was off.

Ready to run!

A couple of minutes later, my wave followed. Unfortunately, there were none of the usual pace markers for runners to self-seed so the start was chaotic – I spent most of the first half mile dodging and weaving until I could finally find some open space to settle into my run. I had planned to use the run/walk intervals (6:30 run; 45 sec walk) I’ve been using for the past few months, but in trying to find space in that first mile I decided to just get past the first-mile marker before switching to the intervals.

The 5-mile course winds through the streets of Boston, starting and ending along Seaport Boulevard. The course runs out along the waterfront and then takes runners past Faneuil Hall, through Beacon Hill, then past the Public Garden before looping through the financial district and returning to the waterfront. It’s a great tour of the city and I was happy to be feeling really good so I could enjoy it. With the cluster of runners stretching out after the first mile, miles 2 – 4 seem to click along. I spent most of the race playing leap frog with a team of runners from a local high school and fed off of their energy.

As we made the left turn on Atlantic Ave heading back to the waterfront, I made a final push over the bridge, putting some distance between me and the team. Just then I heard J call my name just as I hit the final stretch towards the finish line.

Recapping Boston's Run to Remember 5 Miler #FitFiveFriday #Bibchat #BostonRunning Share on X

There were plenty of volunteers on hand to hand out medals and water. Runners were asked to continue down Seaport Blvd. towards a park a couple of blocks down where they could reunite with family. There were more volunteers handing out snack bags with a mix of granola bars, dried fruit snacks, and Oreos.

Overall this race is always really well done and it was a lot of fun to get back out on this course. As I have often said, if you ever plan to be in Boston on Memorial Day weekend, I highly encourage you to register for this one!

Do you have a favorite race?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Boston's Run to Remember, race report

Five Things Over June Coffee

June 3, 2022 by Michelle 26 Comments

We’re on the cusp of the weekend again – the beauty of a short work week! So it’s time for another edition of Fit Five Friday! And, since it’s the first weekend of the month, I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date. It’s rainy and cool this morning so I’m sticking with a mug of hot coffee. Let’s chat!

Five Things Over Coffee

Adventures in Gardening

Over coffee, I would share that all of my work in the garden is starting to pay off! I had completely redesigned one section of my garden last summer and it’s nice to see the Peonies, and Roses already blooming so well.

Over coffee, I would also share that I had some interesting wildlife encounters in the garden lately. There’s a bunny who visits, but I have yet to catch it on film. Then there’s the large snapping turtle who thought one of my front beds would be a good spot to lay her eggs (my husband the honors of returning the turtle to the pond down the road from our house.) And, then there was the snake coiled around the base of one of the rose bushes. We’ve yet to catch him and I’ve stopped wearing flip-flops in the garden…enough said!

Vacation Planning

Over coffee, I would tell you that my husband and I are trying to decide where we want to go on vacation to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary this fall. Do we head to the Caribbean? Paris? Barcelona? Napa or Sonoma Valley? Other suggestions?

Could we end up in Barcelona this fall?

Streaming Obsession

Over coffee, I would tell you that my latest streaming obsession is “We Crashed”, which follows the true story of the rise and fall of WeWork. Jared Leno and Anne Hathaway were both so good! We recently finished the last episode. It was a good drama made better by the fact that it was based on a true story!

Basketball fever!

Over coffee, I would tell you that I am so excited to have the Boston Celtics back in the NBA Finals. I love the buzz in the city when one of our teams is in the hunt for a championship! And it doesn’t hurt that they won game 1!

What would you tell me over coffee?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Ultimate coffee date

Five August Goals…a little late

Five August Goals….a little late

Catching Up Over August Coffee

Catching Up Over August Coffee

Heat Runfessions

Heat Runfessions

Five Ways to Enjoy a Summer Staycation

Five Ways to Enjoy a Summer Staycation

Five Things about the BAA 10K

Five Things About the BAA 10K

Catching Up Over July Coffee

Catching up over July Coffee

Some June Runfessions

Some June Runfessions

Five Ways to Revive Your 2022 Goals

Five Ways to Revive Your 2022 Goals

Boston’s Run to Remember 5-Miler Race Recap

Boston’s Run to Remember 5-Miler Race Recap

Five Things Over June Coffee

Five Things Over Coffee

Hi, I’m Michelle

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