Friday Five — Page 2

April Coffee Chat

April 7, 2023 by Michelle 24 Comments

As we ease into a new month, this is the perfect time to settle in and catch up over coffee. For this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m linking up with Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date, so grab a mug of your fave beverage, and let’s chat.

April Coffee Chat

Over coffee, I would share how excited I am to have my college boy home for an extended Easter weekend! He got home last night and with the way his class schedule lines up with the days off, he doesn’t need to be back on campus until Wednesday!

Over coffee, I would tell you that once again I’ll be volunteering for the Boston Marathon. I’ll be working bib pick-up on Friday afternoon so if you’re running come see me!

After sharing my contractor woes over the past couple of months it seems only fitting that over coffee I would tell you that we have finally received some bids and have settled on a contractor. Now we need to get past the town’s conservation commission – sigh. Please send me some patience…

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! 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, Friday Five, Ultimate coffee date, Uncategorized

My February Runfessions

February 24, 2023 by Michelle 12 Comments

Amazingly enough, we’ve reached the last Friday of the month which means Marcia has opened the Runfessional. It’s also time for another Fit Five Friday hosted by me, Darlene, Renee, Jenn, and Zenaida, so let’s dive in.

My February Runfessions

Not funny Mother Nature

I live in New England so honestly, I really shouldn’t be surprised, but I runfess that I am not amused by Mother Nature’s twisted sense of humor. After flirting with spring-like weather for the past couple of weeks, snow and ice have returned this week and are all that can be seen in the upcoming forecast. Seriously?! I ran in shorts on Monday! Sigh…

Cheating on Matty

I started the month motivated to participate in Matty’s enCORE 28 challenge for February on the Peloton app. I runfess that for as much as I enjoy Matty’s classes I got bored of doing only his core classes…so I “cheated” on him with a couple of the other instructors. So the month’s core streak lives, just not all with Matty.

The scale can be blunt

I runfess that my eating habits have gotten lackadaisical. Basically, the “oh it’s the holidays” mindset of December hasn’t left the building. Ahem, it’s now the end of February. I runfess that I can feel the extra pounds on my run…time to reel it in. I’ll be reacquainting myself with MyFitnessPal.

Any Runfessions to share? Is Mother Nature playing games where you are?

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 remember to link back to your hosts and share the link love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Friday Five, Runfessions

Five Races for 2023

February 17, 2023 by Michelle 16 Comments

As I continue to make steady progress with my physical therapist, my thoughts are slowly starting to turn toward potential races I want to run this year. I love the fun, camaraderie, and challenge races can provide! For this week’s Fit Five Friday I’m sharing some races I’m hoping to run this year.

Five Races for 2023

Mystic 10K (May) – I actually just registered for this one and for added fun my husband is going to run it too! HMF events put on a great race so I’m looking forward to this one.

Newport 10M (June) – I haven’t run this race since the inaugural race and now it’s preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Time flies! This race offers a beautiful course that includes both the infamous Newport mansions and beautiful coastal views.

Ocean Road 10K (October) – I have run this race in 2018 and 2021. I love this course and had planned to run it last year, but it collided with college parents’ weekend.

Western MA 10M (November) – I ran the inaugural race last year and really liked the point-to-point course and post-race vibe. As soon as I finished this race I knew I wanted to run it again.

As for #5? I’ve got a couple of options I’m thinking about – ZOOMA Cape Cod (September), Ted Corbitt 15K (December), and the MR8K (December) are all possibilities. Also, Run Happy Team members are being offered the opportunity to participate in Brooks-sponsored races, so for me, this could mean the Philadelphia Distance Run (September half), Twin Cities 10M (part of the Twin Cities Marathon weekend in October), or the Indianapolis Monumental Half (late October).

So yes, there could easily be more than five races and, as long as injuries stay at bay, I’m here for it!

What races are you planning to run this year?

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! Share your fitness-related link, link back to your hosts, and please share the link love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Friday Five, race calendar

For the Love of Running

February 10, 2023 by Michelle 13 Comments

Happy Friday! This week the Fit Five Friday crew is inviting you to share what you love about running – of course, you can join the link-up with any fitness-related post you have …but with Valentine’s Day just a few days away, how could we not talk about our love of running!

A relationship with running definitely can have its highs and lows – at any time your answer to the question “What do you love about running?” can be different. Right now, here are five things I love about running.

Five Things I Love About Running

Running…
… gives me the time and space to sort through “all the things.” There’s a reason I call it my road therapy.

… shows me that I am often stronger than I think I am.

… connects me. I have connected with so many great folks from all over through this healthy obsession.

… reminds me to give myself grace and celebrate the small wins. Coming back from injuries is hard y’all!

… helps me to appreciate and enjoy the process vs. just focusing on the final destination.

What do you love about running?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Friday Five, gift of running

Five Challenges to Reaching Your Fitness Goals

January 20, 2023 by Michelle 20 Comments

At the start of the new year, you may have set some fitness goals – perhaps a new race distance? Or going for that PR? Or a mileage milestone? Or the addition of strength training, cross-training, or a new sport altogether. Whatever goals you have laid out, it’s important to be prepared for possible pitfalls along the way.

Fit Five Friday — 5 Challenges to Reaching Your Fitness Goals

Lack of Consistency – Progress towards any goal requires a consistent approach. Striving for small efforts done consistently will always yield greater success vs. trying to make big efforts in fits and starts.

Lack of Time – The companion challenge to consistency may be scheduling. When you’re facing multiple demands on your time (work, family, and other personal commitments), it can be tough to find time for your workouts. Scheduling your workouts as you would any other meeting or obligation is key to ensuring that you have the time you need to make progress toward your goals.

Unrealistic goals – While a goal should stretch you beyond your comfort zone, if the goal is too big of a reach it could backfire when you struggle to make progress. Now I’m not discouraging anyone from shooting for the stars, but it may be helpful to build in smaller goals along the way so you have some success and can build momentum.

Someone else’s goal – Are you running that marathon because you really want to run a marathon or because your friend is? When chasing your goals gets tough you need to remember your why – so it is really important that you pick a goal that matters to you. If you’re chasing a goal because others are doing it/have done it and you feel like you “should” then you’re not setting yourself up for success. And, is it really a goal you want to be pursuing in the first place?

Mindset – Even if you do everything right, you still may encounter setbacks. This is where not only your why matters, but also your mindset. The thoughts you hold and your self-talk will have a significant impact on your ability to reach your goals. Building a practice of positive self-talk (through mantras and affirmations) will serve you well when things get challenging.

What challenges do you face when trying to reach your fitness goals?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Friday Five, goals

Fit Five Friday – Five Current Favorites

January 13, 2023 by Michelle 8 Comments

Happy Friday!

Thanks for joining me, Darlene, Renee, Jenn, and Zenaida for another edition of Fit Five Friday! This week we’re inviting you to share 5 things that motivate you. You are, of course, always welcome to write about any other fitness-related topic. Personally, I’m deviating this week to share a few of my current favorites with you. This post contains affiliate links.

Five Current Favorites

Garmin 255 – My husband gifted me a new Garmin 255! So many features that I still need to learn, but I already love it!

Brooks Shield Hybrid Vest 2.0 & Shield Hybrid Jacket 2.0 – OK I’m cheating a little here with this one but I honestly couldn’t pick between the two. I’m usually a vest-first girl when it comes to running outerwear, (the Brooks Shield Hybrid Vest has been in my constant rotation), but when Brooks sent Run Happy Team members the jacket last fall it quickly became a go-to for both my running and non-running days. Both the vest and jacket feature multiple pockets (a must for me!) and are surprisingly warm without being bulky.

The jacket made it on my November vacation – perfect for hiking the California coast!

Cozy Karma Asym Pullover – This pullover from Athleta lives up to its name, cozy inside and out! Its wrap front and asymmetrical neckline give it nice visual interest. It’s become a staple and perfect to snuggle in on a cold day.

The Five Minute Journal – I’ve shared before some reasons to start a gratitude journal. After seeing a few reviews, I started using the Five Minute Journal in August, and it has become a key part of both my morning and evening routine. I really like that it provides space for morning gratitude, daily highlights and affirmations, and reflection. What are some of your favorites?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, fave things, Friday Five

Fit Friday Five – Be a Race Volunteer

April 8, 2022 by Michelle 54 Comments

Did you know that April is National Volunteer Month? The month is dedicated to recognizing the importance of volunteering.

I’m a big believer in giving back and that includes giving back to the running community. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to serve as a race director on a couple of occasions, and I can say without a doubt that there’s just no way to put on a great race without the support of people willing to volunteer their time and energy.

So for this week’s Fit Five Friday, I’m re-sharing five reasons to be a race volunteer (This post was published in August 2018 and has been updated.)

Fit Five Friday — Five Reasons to be a Race Volunteer

Give Back — The most obvious reason to be a race volunteer is it gives you a chance to give back to a sport that you love and to support the running community.

Stay Connected — If you’re sidelined with an injury or slowly working your way back from one, being a race volunteer is a great way to help you feel more connected to running and racing.

Make New Connections — You never know who you’ll end up working with when you volunteer for a race! Volunteering can give you the opportunity to connect with brands, running groups, and race directors…who knows where that might lead? Also, some races reward their volunteers with swag and discounted or free entries for future races.

Five Reasons to be a Race Volunteer #FitFiveFriday #Running #Runchat #RunningCommunity Click To Tweet

Gain Some Perspective — Once you see all that goes into making a race day come together and the effort and enthusiasm of race volunteers, trust me you’ll have a whole new appreciation for those volunteers along the course the next time you’re racing.

Be Inspired — There’s inspiration all around when it comes to race day and being a race volunteer gives you a chance to experience that inspiration up close and personal. Spend a morning working at a race and I dare you to not come away fired up for your own training!

Volunteering at Boston 2017!

I’ll be back volunteering next weekend at the Boston Marathon (my 7th time!) and I cannot wait! Each time has been such a great experience. As more and more races return to being in person this year, I’ve noticed a lot of RDs putting out requests for race volunteers. I encourage every runner to get out and be a volunteer at least once at a race, large or small – you won’t regret it!

Have you ever volunteered at a race?

Welcome to Fit Five Friday!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Friday Five, race volunteering, running community

Fit Five Friday – National Running Safety Month

November 19, 2021 by Michelle 27 Comments

This post was originally published on November 7, 2014, and updated on November 19, 2021, and contains affiliate links.

November is National Running Safety Month. While I’ve previously shared some running safety tips in the past, with the recent end of Daylight Saving Time, I thought some of these tips were worth re-visiting.

Fit Five Friday – Five Tips for Runner Safety

Light It Up — It may seem so obvious and yet I continue to see runners pre-dawn (and well after dusk) running with absolutely no lights or reflective gear on. The little reflective strip on your running shoes is not enough – lighted or reflective vests, armbands, and the like are a must. I’m a big fan of my Noxgear vest. Carrying lights or wearing a headlamp also makes you visible, with the added bonus of lighting your path as you run.

Find a Buddy — There’s always safety in numbers. Find a running buddy or try running with your dog.

Tune In — As much as I enjoy running with music, I think it’s so much more important to be completely tuned in to your surroundings, especially when it’s dark. If “running naked” is not an option for you, then run with just one earbud in and keep the volume low, or wear try open-ear headphones, like AfterShokz.

Carry your Phone & ID — If you run alone, bring your phone. Hopefully, you won’t need it, but it’s always better to have it. Also, be sure to have identification on hand. I never head out without my Road ID! In the event of an emergency, an ID could be your most important piece of gear.

Share Your Route — Always make sure someone knows your route, when you’re leaving and when you expect to be back. I have a handful of favorite routes and my husband knows them as well as I do. Also, consider using a tracking app like Garmin’s LiveTrack or Life 360.

**Bonus tip: Try to vary your route and time — I know this one can be hard, especially if you’ve got to get your run in before work or the kids get up, but be careful not to follow such a pattern of behavior that someone can pick up on your schedule.

How do you stay safe on a run? What’s your best safety tip?

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 link back to your hosts, and share the link love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!

Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, early morning runs, Friday Five, National Running Safety Month

SiS Immune Tablets – Product Review

May 21, 2021 by Michelle 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?

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

Five tips to become an early morning runner

June 11, 2019 by Michelle 54 Comments

For this week’s Tuesday Topics, Kim and Zenaida have invited everyone to share their Summer Running Tips. For me, summer running is synonymous with early morning running!

I recently made the transition back to early runs, so I thought I’d re-share a post I did a couple of years ago offering some tips on how to become an early morning runner.

Becoming an Early Morning Runner

This post was originally published on June 23, 2017, and updated on June 11, 2019.

Now that summer is officially here, and temps are on the rise, I’m back to running early in the morning to hopefully find some of the cooler temps of the day. I’ve shared before some benefits of early morning running, so today I thought I’d share some tips on how to shift your clock to become an early morning runner.

Get some sleep: OK let’s start with the obvious – if you want to get up early, you’ve got to get your zzz’s, so of course, that means you’ve got to get to bed at a reasonable time.

Be prepared: Layout clothing and gear the night before – eliminate the need to stand in a dark closet fumbling around for something to wear or skipping a run because your Garmin is not charged!

Lose the snooze: Put your alarm clock out of reach! If you have to get up and out of bed to turn off your alarm, then you’re less likely to hit snooze.

Ease into it: And speaking of that alarm, I’d recommend starting slowly. Don’t set your alarm that first morning for o’dark thirty right off the bat. Ease your way into the early morning hours by shifting your wake-up time back over the course of several days.

Find a buddy: Knowing that someone is waiting for you will get you out of bed. You never want to leave a friend hanging.