Fit Five Friday and July Coffee

July 2, 2021 by 34 Comments

Happy Friday and welcome back to the Fit Five Friday linkup!

I’m ready to kick off this 4th of July long weekend with a little catch-up over the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah. So grab a mug of your favorite beverage (or perhaps given this heatwave, a tall glass of something over ice!), and let’s chat for a bit!

Over coffee, I would tell you how excited I was to receive a new pair of Glycerins last week! I won them in Dick’s Sporting Goods National Runners Month giveaway back in May and had actually kind of forgotten about them so it was a fun surprise when they arrived!

Over coffee, I would tell you that I hit my 100th Peloton run on Sunday. I don’t always take a Peloton “class” when I run so I had no idea I was closing in on the century mark. It’s always fun to hit a Peloton milestone!

Over coffee, I would tell that Olympic fever has hit our house! We couldn’t get enough of the Olympic Trials – swimming, gymnastics, and of course, track and field – so many amazing performances! I am just in awe of these athletes, especially with having to wait an extra year and stay at peak performance.

Over coffee, I would tell you that I am really looking forward to our family getaway to northern Vermont later this month! Hiking, kayaking, and a tour of Ben & Jerry’s are among the items on the itinerary.

Over coffee, I would tell you that for as much as I am looking forward to some time away, I am really wishing that the days would slow down just a little. I feel like June blew by in a blink! And, now the whiteboard double calendar in my kitchen reminds me that in just a mere 8 weeks from today we’ll be dropping my oldest son off at college.

What would you tell me over coffee? What are you looking forward to this month?

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?

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Runfessions – June edition

June 25, 2021 by 34 Comments

It’s time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by Darlene, Renée, Jenn, Zenaida, and yours truly! And, since it’s the last Friday of the month, I’m linking up with Marcia for Runfessions. I’ve got a few things to share so let’s get to it!

Runfessions – June Edition

I runfess that I panicked a bit when my hip gave me trouble on my run a week ago. I’ve been working hard to keep up with my strength training and stretching – an injury after this effort would be so frustrating! I continue to stretch and roll like it’s my job and keep my fingers crossed.

I runfess that I am running out of patience for my Garmin. I mentioned back in April that my Forerunner 235 was occasionally finicky. Well, it’s getting worse not better as it becomes more and more temperamental. Clearly, its days are numbered, so I need to hurry up and settle on a replacement.

In an effort to give my eating a boost in the right direction, I runfess that I have returned to counting my macros. I have a love-hate relationship with this process. On the one hand, tracking has proven to help me to be more mindful of what I’m eating – on the other hand, the tracking is oh so tedious. But, for now, my clothes are fitting better so there’s that.

Any runfessions to share? 

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. Who’s ready for some fun?

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5 Things on My Summer Must-Do List

June 18, 2021 by 18 Comments

It’s Friday again and time for another edition of Fit Five Friday! Last week was all about my summer fitness goals… But this week I’m all about my Summer Must-Do List.

There are lots of things I’m looking forward to this Summer, including some time away. Here are 5 things on my summer must-do list:

Time at the Beach

It’s just not Summer for me if I don’t get to spend some time at the beach!

This view makes me so happy!

Outdoor Music

After seeing Cari’s recent post about attending a concert in the park I’ve been thinking about how nice it would be to sit outside and enjoy some music. I’ve been scanning the local events calendars and it looks like there may be some opportunities on the horizon. Such a great way to spend a summer evening.

Farmers Markets & Street Fairs

A new farmers market just opened in my town last weekend and one of my favorite outdoor street markets has returned. I love the fresh produce and unique items that can be found!

Boston’s SOWA Market makes for a fun Sunday afternoon

Gathering with Friends and Family

Thanks to the pandemic, all of our traditional summer get-togethers were put on hold. I’m really looking forward to hosting as well as getting out and about again.

Alfresco Dining

The pandemic aside, when it comes to the summer, I’ve always enjoyed dining under the stars, at home on the deck, or a restaurant’s outdoor patio.

What are some of your summer must-do’s?

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?

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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, summer mode

Five Summer Fitness Goals

June 11, 2021 by 32 Comments

With a couple of fall races on the calendar (yay!), I’ve been thinking about my goals for the Summer months. So for this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m laying out some summer fitness goals.

Five Summer Fitness Goals

Acclimate & Embrace the Heat — I’m going to do my best to properly prep for summer running, focusing on my hydration & electrolyte intake and getting out extra early if necessary. I make no secret that summer running is my least favorite, but I’m going to put my word of the year Mindset to work here and shift my mental attitude to do my best to embrace the season.

Monthly Strength Challenges — Each month I’m going to take on a different strength “challenge”. For June, I’m following Adrian’s Strength Stack on the Peloton app. There’s a different stack featured each month by a different instructor. I haven’t decided yet what I’ll do for July or August so stay tuned.

Daily Stretching/Yoga Streak — I’m already off to a good start with this one. I’ve been stretching for at least 10 minutes a day since June 1. The goal is to keep this streak going all summer long.

Sharing some summertime fitness goals for today's #FitFiveFriday link-up! What have you got planned? Click To Tweet

Build a Healthy Base for Fall Training — It’s been a long time since I’ve laid out a training plan, but I’ve decided to go all-in for my fall half marathon and actually follow a training plan (I may even throw in some speedwork…gasp!). To get training off to a good start at the end of August, I want to have a solid base. So this will mean scaling back the number of days I spend on the Peloton bike and adding more time on the run.

Enjoy the outdoors — Beyond running, I’m looking forward to getting back into hiking. My family usually does a lot of hiking during the summer months, but not so much last year. I’m also looking forward to some time kayaking or white water rafting…may even make it to the tennis courts.

Tell me, what have you got planned for the summer? Registered for any fall races 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! Who’s ready for some fun?

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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, goals, Summer running

Five things over June Coffee

June 4, 2021 by 34 Comments

Welcome back to the Fit Five Friday linkup!

I’m ready to kick off the weekend with a little catch-up over the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah. So grab a mug of your favorite beverage and let’s chat for a bit!

Over coffee, I would tell you that school wraps up today for my youngest son – the first year of high school is done and dusted! So the RWA household is officially in summer mode! We’re starting to flesh out our annual family summer bucket list, which I’m expecting to be pretty long since there were so many of our summer favorites we didn’t get to enjoy last year.

And, speaking of being in summer mode, over coffee I would tell you just how much I enjoyed my staycation – it was a good balance of unplugging and doing. I don’t think I truly realized how much I needed some time off until I took it! And now, while it is barely in the rearview mirror, I’m happy to say we have a family vacation booked for July!

Over coffee, I would tell you that while I thought I was done with all of my plantings for this year, I’m now toying with the idea of removing a couple of older plants and adding some additional rose bushes. The real question is whether I can convince my husband to take on another project (read lots of digging!) with me.

These roses started blooming in my garden last week!

Over coffee, I would tell you that I want to get back into my home organization groove after a bit of a lull over these past couple of months. My boys’ rooms are in need of a purge and refresh and I’ve still got some finishing touches to do on our home office. What do you think the chances are of getting two teenagers to willingly participate?

Over coffee, I would tell you that cannot believe that my youngest is going to take Driver’s Ed classes later this month. I must admit that I’m just a little afraid nervous.

Full disclosure I used this gif a few years ago when my oldest started driving. Still fits my current mood LOL

What would you tell me over coffee? What’s on your Summer bucket list?

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?

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Runfessions for May

May 28, 2021 by 37 Comments

Happy Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by Darlene, Renée, Jenn, Zenaida, and yours truly! We appreciate all of you who have joined in to support this link-up!

And, since it’s the last Friday of the month, Marcia has opened the Runfessional. I’ve got a few things to share so let’s dive right in!

I runfess that I have slacked on post-run stretching and foam rolling lately and I think there’s a direct correlation to the ITB flare. Needless to say, I’m back on all my post-run recovery work like it’s my job.

A new gym recently opened where our former gym once stood. They are, of course, offering great deals to entice people to sign up. My husband and boys are all fired up to check out the gym and get the details on their family membership package. I runfess that I’m not as enthusiastic. Access to a greater range of weights would be great, but I must admit that I’m still a little leary of the idea of indoor workouts with random other people.

While I’m considering a couple of races for the fall, I runfess that the recent burst of summer weather has left me wondering just how far I want to be running during the next few months. If only there were a way to arrive at Fall start lines ready to go without enduring the summer slog.

Any runfessions to share? Do you make time for post-run recovery? Are you ready for summer running?

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. Who’s ready for some fun?

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SiS Immune Tablets – Product Review

May 21, 2021 by 18 Comments

Disclaimer: I received Science in Sport Immune Tablets to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

I am always looking for products to help with my recovery and nutrition. Enter Science in Sport (SiS) Immune Tablets. I am a huge SiS fan (their gels got me through marathon training!), so when I was given the opportunity to try these tablets I was all in.

Research shows that intense workouts can stress your immune system – our immune system is potentially suppressed for up to 72 hours after a workout. This can lead to higher occurrences of a variety of illnesses, including upper respiratory issues. All the more reason to give your body proper time to recover and to refuel following a run or workout.

5 Benefits of SiS Immune Tablets

  • Contains 200mg of Vitamin C and 2.5mg of Iron – both help your body to maintain the normal function of your immune system during and after intense workouts
  • Also contains key electrolytes so SiS Immune supports your immune system while also aiding your hydration — a double win
  • Just 9 calories/serving, vegan-friendly, and Dairy/Gluten/Wheat/Nut Free
  • Refreshing, light orange taste
  • Quick and easy to use – just 1 tablet a day and you’re good to go

Of course, this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, but they do bring some goodness to the table…and every little bit helps, right? 

In short, the Immune Tablets are another win from SiS!

Sharing 5 things I love about @ScienceinSport Immune Tablets #bibravepro #sisbr #bibchat #immunitysupport Click To Tweet

Want to try out these tablets for yourself? Visit the Science in Sport website and use code SiS-BibRave-21 to save 15% off your order. Don’t delay – this discount code expires at the end of May! Added bonus: this discount works with all other promotions too!

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. Who’s ready for some fun?

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Filed Under: #BibRavePro, #FitFiveFriday, #SiSBR, Friday Five, product reviews

5 Tips to Beat Running Boredom

May 14, 2021 by 24 Comments

I think even the most dedicated runners will admit that while they love to run, it doesn’t mean they always love the run they’re in. Sometimes we go through cycles where running just feels a little tedious.

When I start to feel this way I know it’s time to shake things up a little. So for this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m sharing some tips to beat your running boredom.

Five Tips to Beat Running Boredom

Change your view
There’s no doubt that running the same routes over and over makes for a bored runner. Changing your view can make a run feel fresh and new, and kickstart your senses. Take the time to map out some new routes or consider driving to a new location…even running your usual route in reverse can help to make your run feel less “run-of-the-mill”.

Mix up it
Try Fartleks, speedwork, tempo runs, or hill repeats. Steady-state running probably makes up the bulk of your running, especially when you’re not following a training plan. Mixing up your pace or the terrain you run will not only help to make your runs more interesting, but it will also challenge your body in a different way, making you a better runner.

Try music or a podcast
If you usually run in silence, perhaps some motivating tunes will help. Or, try listening to a podcast or audiobook for a nice change of pace. If you already run with tunes, try making a new playlist or put your music library on shuffle and see what comes up.

Run with a friend
If you usually go it alone, make plans to meet up with a friend for some of your runs. Nothing makes the miles tick by more than running and chatting with a run buddy.

Try a challenge or sign up for a race
Having a mileage challenge or a race to train for (virtual or in-person) can help to provide some new focus and motivation for your runs.

How do you keep run boredom from creeping in?

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. Who’s ready for some fun?

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May Coffee Talk

May 7, 2021 by 38 Comments

Happy Friday!

I am so happy that it’s Friday! I’m starting off the weekend with a little catch-up over the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah. So grab a mug of your favorite beverage and let’s chat for a bit!

Over coffee, I’d tell you that I recently made a return to outdoor dining! I caught up with a friend recently for lunch and we tested out igloo dining. It was an interesting hybrid between outdoor and indoor dining. It was so fun to be dining out – I felt pretty comfortable because the igloo was well ventilated and the friend I had lunch with was fully vaccinated.

Source

Over coffee, I would tell you that May 1 was College Decision Day, and my son’s chosen to become a Golden Knight at Clarkson University! He had some great choices and I’m so proud of him.

Which of course means that over coffee, I would tell you it’s graduation month! In just a couple of weeks, my oldest will be graduating high school and I’m left to wonder how the years went by so quickly. I am so grateful that his school has figured out how to hold an in-person graduation. I can’t wait to see him walk across that stage!

Over coffee, I would tell how much I am looking forward to a week-long staycation at the month. Work continues to be a grind and I am really feeling fried (just too few bodies for all that needs to get done and I have way too much on my plate!). Taking the last week off of the month will time out perfectly with my son coming home from school, getting my second vaccine, and the Memorial Day long weekend.

And, while the staycation will be a nice break, over coffee I would tell you that we’re on the hunt for a real summer vacation. I need a change of scenery! We’re hoping to find something within a reasonable driving distance (not ready to jump on a plane just yet!) – so the question remains beach vs mountains? My criteria are simple – someplace fairly low-keyed, remote, and relaxing.

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?

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?

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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Ultimate coffee date

Some April Runfessions for Fit Five Friday

April 30, 2021 by 16 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?

April Runfessions

I runfess that I think I have a psychological block when it comes to mileage goals. I’m fine when mileage is part of a challenge (like run across the state, etc), but as a stand-alone, run XX miles goal for the month, not so much. I’m not a fan of feeling like I “have to run” just to hit an arbitrary target.  So for now, I’m letting go of any thoughts of annual mileage goals and the calendar math that goes with it, and we’ll just see how things play out in the end.

I runfess that the minute I made this decision earlier this week, I felt less stressed.

While I absolutely love the abstract pattern and purple color of my new Adrenalines, I runfess that it sometimes bothers me when they clash with some of my running outfits. Hmmm, do you think it’s time to do some shopping?

Now that our governor has given a green light to the return of road races, I runfess that I’m a little giddy to see the flow of race emails hitting my inbox. I already had plans to run one of my favorite 10Ks this summer, and now I finally feel like I can do some fall race planning.

Any runfessions to share? Do you set mileage goals? 

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?

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Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Runfessions