Runfessions – Labor Day Edition

August 30, 2019 by 7 Comments

It’s Labor Day Weekend – the unofficial end of summer. With the final days of August quickly disappearing, Marcia has opened the runfessional to give us all a chance to cleanse our souls (or is that soles?) before the new season begins.

August Runfessions

With 12 weeks down and 6 weeks to go in my Chicago training, I runfess that I am starting to get a little training plan weary. While I’m never one to wish away days, I am looking forward to that first morning I can head out for a run of whatever distance I feel like.

On the flip side, I runfess I had a brief panic attack when this image popped into my Instagram feed last week.

Wait, what?!? Could someone please slow down the clock!

As I type this we are packing up my oldest to drive him back to school tomorrow. I thought by now I would have adjusted to the idea of having my son away at school – I runfess that I was wrong…I’m so going to miss having him around!

And speaking of my kids returning to school, I runfess that I dragged my feet until the last possible second on back-to-school shopping (read: I started on Tuesday). But, despite the late start I blew through it in record time and I’m happy to say I’m done!

There…now I feel better! Tell what are you run-fessing?

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Sharing some July Runfessions

July 26, 2019 by 12 Comments

It is hard to believe we’re coming to the end of July already! Marcia has opened the runfessional and I’ve got a few things to share.

 July Runfessions

I’m sure this comes as no great surprise but I runfess that I am heat weary! I was pretty pleased that I was able to marshal through and stick to my training plan during last week’s heatwave. I am also certain that I did not have it in me to do it again! Thankfully temps have dropped this week.

And speaking of running in the heat – remember that idea I had to run a race each month this summer – yeah well I’m officially over it! I runfess that after facing scorching conditions for both the BAA 10K and the Gansett 10K, the idea of taking on a half marathon in August is just so unappealing to me right now. Luckily, I was smart enough to have held off on registering.

I runfess that my first attempt at running 5x/week wasn’t nearly as bad as I had anticipated. I think the key for me was really as simple as just taking it one run at a time and not thinking about “all the miles”. Since all went well, Coach Marc is going to have me stick with this approach for the foreseeable future.

Post-run recovery is going to be uber important as the miles continue to increase and I runfess that I’m very hit or miss in this department. I more often than not tend to blow this off largely due to time constraints. So the question becomes, just how early do I need to get up to fit it all in?!

So what are you runfessing? Are you good about post-run recovery?

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June Runfessions

June 28, 2019 by 24 Comments

Happy Friday!

The days are just rolling along and here we are once again at the last Friday of the month. Time to join Marcia for a few Runfessions!

It's Friday and I'm joining @teamarcia for the Runfession link-up! #running #runchat #runfessions Click To Tweet

June Runfessions

I runfess that I miss hitting things! While I loved my kickboxing classes, I didn’t love how rarely I was able to make my schedule align with the studio class schedule, and with it all of the money I was wasting on my monthly membership. I recently pulled the plug on the membership, but there have been many days lately where I could really use a punching bag!

As if the Universe can sense my need to channel my energy, I keep seeing ads for Fight Camp. I runfess I’m intrigued and trying to figure out where in my house I could put this!

I runfess that I’m almost afraid to say it out loud but running and I are BFFs again. Yes, the on again, off again humidity is making it tough to acclimate and I definitely have a beef with Mother Nature over her schizophrenic behavior. But weather aside, running and I are getting along just fine.

At least this month!

I runfess that the one thing that is stressing me out about my runs right now is how to navigate my hydration. As you all know I’m a Tailwind ambassador and I just love the stuff – no tummy trouble what so ever. The downside is Gatorade dominates most road races, and will be the drink of choice at Chicago. So, if I want to run with Tailwind I’m going to have to decide how to carry it. Any suggestions?

What are you runfessing this month?

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Filed Under: hydration, Runfessions

May Runfessions over Coffee

May 31, 2019 by 14 Comments

In typical May fashion, this month just flew by, and now we’re standing on the doorstep of June. Marcia has opened the Runfessional and Coco and Deborah are inviting everyone to catch up at the Ultimate Coffee Date, so let’s dive in and chat a bit.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that we made it through all of the concerts, lacrosse games, and other various school events, and have officially entered summer mode in the RWA household! My oldest came home from school Wednesday and the youngest finished his last exam yesterday! That sound you hear is the collective exhale as we survived another round May Madness.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I am starting to feel like Mother Nature is punking me. I spent forever tracking down just the right new furniture for both our deck and patio and, with the exception of Memorial Day Weekend, it’s been too rainy and cold to enjoy any outdoor time.

And, speaking of Memorial Day Weekend, while the weather was beautiful, I runfess the heat during Sunday’s race left me dreading running in the summer weather to come. I spent this month transitioning back to early morning runs, and I runfess I’ve already started to wonder just how early I’m going to have to get up to make the double-digit long runs of marathon training even remotely tolerable.

If we were having coffee I would tell you that after learning a couple of months ago from Coach Marc that he prefers the Hansons Marathon Method (affiliate link!) of training, I debated whether to order the book or just take the training as it comes. Well, I runfess that curiosity got the better of me and I recently ordered the book and devoured it in a couple of sittings. I am now both equal parts excited and terrified! LOL! Sometimes ignorance is bliss!

So what would you tell me over coffee? Any runfessions to share?

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Filed Under: Runfessions, Ultimate coffee date

May Coffee with a side of April Runfessions

May 3, 2019 by 20 Comments

Happy Friday!

This week went by in a blink but with a fun weekend to look forward to, I’m not complaining! So how about we get this Friday started with a little catch up over coffee.

I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date. And, for an added bonus, Marcia’s opened the Runfessional and I’ve got a few things to share.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve really been looking forward to this weekend – we’re going to see Alvin Ailey on Saturday and the Avengers Endgame on Sunday!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that around here we can see the finish line of another school year, as both of my boys will finish classes by the end of the month. I runfess that as I look the calendar filled to the brim with all of the end-of-school-year events, in addition to the lacrosse games, the boys’ exam schedules…and oh yeah I’ve got a half marathon coming up, I seriously wonder how it’s all going to get done. But that’s typical May Madness around here and somehow we always find a way to make it happen.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m turning into a bit of a paranoid runner. I mentioned in my last weekly run down that I seem to be finding my running legs. In fact, April was a great month of pain-free running which I’m celebrating but I runfess, given my recent history, part of me is holding my breath waiting to see if the other shoe will drop.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that after fully indulging during our vacation that I quietly returned to counting my macros during April. While I dropped a few pounds and, better still, a couple of inches off my waist, I runfess that I find the whole process of tracking just too annoying to continue.

So what would you tell me over coffee? Any runfessions to share?

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Filed Under: Runfessions, Ultimate coffee date

Runfessions for March

March 29, 2019 by 34 Comments

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

It's Friday and I'm joining @teamarcia for the Runfession link-up! #running #runchat #runfessions Click To Tweet

I’m going to start by saying that while I usually try to keep up with my workouts and running while on vacation, I runfess that on this spring break, I totally let that go on the cruise. I packed my workout gear…running shoes and all, but only made it to the fitness center for one short treadmill run. We did our fair share of walking and hiking on the excursions, but otherwise, I gave my body a total break.

Spring weather is taking it’s sweet time making an appearance around here, despite what the calendar and one infamous rodent had to say (I’m looking at you, Phil)! I runfess that I have essentially been running around the weather, pushing early morning runs to the afternoon as often as I can in search of temps that don’t require “all the layers.”

I have lost my patience for distracted drivers – especially when I’m out running! It is amazing the number of drivers who seem to be too preoccupied to see the stop sign or are more concerned with going right on red than paying attention to the person in the crosswalk! I runfess that I have not been shy about sharing what I think of their driving skills…we’ll just leave it at that!

Recently, I received my volunteer assignment for the Boston Marathon. While it’s been fun to work the water stop at the finish line for the past couple of years, I runfess that this year I requested a pre-race assignment so that I can actually spectate once my volunteer shift is done.  Thankfully they complied and I’ll be organizing the runners and buses heading from Boston to Hopkinton.

What are you runfessing? Do you keep up with your workouts while on vacation?

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Filed Under: Runfessions

Checking in at the February Runfessional

February 22, 2019 by 16 Comments

Happy Friday!

Is it me or does February always feel like the longest month despite being only 28 days?! Well as this long month winds down, it’s time again to link up with Marcia for a little time at the Runfessional.

February Runfessions

It's Friday and I'm joining @teamarcia for the Runfession link-up! #running #runchat #runfessions #fridayfive Click To Tweet

So my gym saga continues! Just as I was starting to research new gym options after receiving the news that my gym was closing, don’t I receive yet another letter from my gym announcing that the deal they thought they had in place to be bought fell through and now they’re staying put. What the what?! I runfess that I am secretly relieved because while I have my issues with this gym, the thought of shopping for a new one was leaving me cold.

And, speaking of the cold (like what I did there?), I runfess that wearing all of the layers is growing old and my mojo is taking a serious hit. I need winter to be done now!

Under the category of “it takes a village”…

I runfess that I’m a little nervous that my massage therapist is days away from closing shop while she’s out on maternity leave. She’s been my saving grace on a number of occasions and I’m really going to miss having her around just as I’m getting ready to start half marathon training.

On the good side, I am loving the new acupuncture practice I’ve recently started going to so I runfess that I’m planning to ramp up my visits over the next couple of months.

And, did you know that today is National Margarita Day?!  Seriously, who decided these things?! Margaritas are one of my faves and I runfess that given that I’ve only got a 4-mile run planned for tomorrow I may have to have one…or two 😉

So tell me, what would you runfess? Margaritas – yay or nay?

I’m also linking up with Meranda and Lacy for Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness.

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Runfessions

January 2019 Runfessions

January 25, 2019 by 26 Comments

And just like that, we’ve already reached the last Friday of the month, which means Marcia has opened the Runfessional.

So let’s get to it, shall we?

Last month, I runfessed that I was starting to really get fed up with some things about my gym. Well fast forward to the beginning of this week and don’t I receive an email announcing that the gym will be closing in a couple of weeks – what?! I runfess that even though there were many things about the gym that bug me, given it’s super close proximity to my house, I was dragging my feet on making a change – guess I have no choice now.

And, for those of you wondering, why not just bag the whole gym search altogether, I runfess that, until I can figure out how to fit a treadmill somewhere in my house, I’m not ready to give up that safety net when Mother Nature makes outdoor running treacherous.

At the beginning of the month, I had started to let my PT exercises slide, until last week when my glute and hip started to squawk just a little following a run. I runfess that I’ve become super paranoid about re-injuring my hip/hammy, so now I’m finding ways to make time for pre-hab like it’s my job.

While I was psyched to finally made it back to the kickboxing studio recently, I runfess that my push-up game is need of some serious help! The instructor had us doing several rounds as part of the warm-up and let’s just say the struggle was real!

Not quite this bad….but close!

Finally, I runfess… or is it blogfess, that I I have been hesitant to upgrade to the newest edition of WordPress. I had to work with the new 5.0 version for work and I’ve been pulling my hair out trying to figure it out. Call me a creature of habit, but I just don’t find it intuitive. However, I’ve run into issues lately replying to comments on my blog (forgive me if I’m slow responding to yours!), so I may need to give in.

So tell me, what are you runfessing?

I’m also linking up with Meranda and Lacy for Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness.

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Runfessions

Runfessions Over Coffee

November 30, 2018 by 28 Comments

Well hello, Friday!

Maybe it’s playing catch-up after the holiday, but this was one crazy busy week and it went by in a flash. I am so ready for this weekend to begin! So let’s get things started with a little catch up over coffee…and a few runfessions thrown in for good measure 😉

Over coffee, I’d tell you that I’m wrapping up my third week of FASTer Way to Fat Loss. I won’t get on a scale until the end of the program, but I do feel like my clothes are fitting better – so that’s a win! While the FWFL program definitely has helped me to be more mindful of what I’m eating, I do runfess that there are days where constantly tracking my macros is making me a little crazy.

Over coffee, I’d tell you that I’m pretty excited to have made a return to acupuncture this past week! I have used acupuncture on and off over the years for a variety of things including migraines, blood pressure, and yes running injuries. When I started wrestling with my nagging hamstring/hip issue earlier this year, I started hunting for a new acupuncturist since my previous practitioner is no longer in the area. I’m psyched to have finally found one I like and am planning to go for another session this weekend!

Over coffee, I’d tell you that despite my love of kickboxing as a workout, I runfess that I realized the other day that I haven’t made it to a class in almost two months! Whoops! Between work and family schedules, getting to the studio for a class has been tough – I clearly need the flexibility to work out when it fits my schedule and not the other way around.

Over coffee, I’d tell you that I recently had my first experience of riding in the car with my son driving with his permit. Yeah, well I runfess that I’m either going to have to learn to seriously chill out or make my husband do all of the driving hours.

I’m linking up with Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date;

and with Marcia for Runfessions;

 and with Meranda & Lacey for the Fairytales and Fitness link-up

Any runfessions to share? What would you tell me over coffee? Do you regularly attend fitness classes?

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Runfessions, Ultimate coffee date

October runfessions

October 26, 2018 by 26 Comments

It’s the last Friday of the month (already?!) – which means Marcia has opened the Runfessional! This is always a fun link-up so be sure to check out what our host and others are coming clean about this month.

I’m happy to say that the long-awaited fall weather that I love so much has finally decided to settle in and stick around for a bit. So here’s the kicker, as much as I love fall running,  I runfess that my mojo for anything that resembles training has gone into hiding.

I runfess that, even though I made peace with my decision to defer my entry into MCM so I could attend parents weekend festivities at my son’s school, I have felt a twinge or two of jealousy as my social media feeds have filled with excited runners’ posts counting down to the weekend.

With the way my schedule’s been going lately I’ve been hitting the gym again to get in some cross training on the Arc Trainer. Well maybe it’s the time I’ve been going but I don’t ever remember seeing so many teenagers – especially so many teenage girls in perfectly coordinated outfits, quaffed hair and makeup! I runfess that I’m starting to feel underdressed LOL!

I runfess that I purposely wait until the last minute to buy Halloween candy. The less time it’s in my house the better!

And, speaking of Halloween, while I get a kick out of seeing all of the little kids in their costumes, I runfess that I get seriously irked by the lazy teens who can’t bother to dress up, but then want to abscond with handfuls of candy! I don’t have a problem with teens trick or treating, I just want them to make an effort!

What are you runfessing?

Do you ever have race FOMO? Any lazy teen trick or treaters in your neighborhood?

I’m also joining Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five linkup!

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Runfessions