Roaring through March

Things have been off the chain since March came roaring in! Work life has been beyond busy pushing many things, including blogging to the back burner. Thankfully there is light at the end of the tunnel – another week or so to go. In the meantime, I am enjoying having my college boy home for spring break!

And, yes, the workouts are still happening, providing some much-needed sanity. Here’s a quick peek into my week in fitness.

From Sunday’s run

Roaring through March

Monday — 1-mile walk, hip mobility work & PT exercises
Tuesday — 3.5-mile walk, Core, & Upper Body Strength
Wednesday — 3-mile run. In honor of International Women’s Day, I received some great gear from the Brooks Empower Her collection – a collab with Dick’s Sporting Goods. Together they will donate up to $500K in support of girls running programs based on purchases of the new line.


Thursday — Peloton Bike & Core
Friday — 3-mile run & hip mobility work
Saturday — 1-mile walk, Core & Upper Body Strength
Sunday — 5.5-mile run

Based on the forecast for the week ahead it looks like Old Man Winter will once again be crashing the party – I heard the word “Nor’easter”, sigh. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that I can work around both the weather and my very full schedule to stay off the treadmill. Wish me luck!

How was your week? Are you seeing signs of Spring?

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

signature

Winter’s Making a Comeback

After an amazing stretch of mild weather for February, we came crashing back to reality this week as Old Man Winter made it clear he was not ready to leave the party. Icy conditions and a sub-zero wind chill meant spending some quality time with my treadmill. Here’s a peek at how the week played out.

Winter’s Making a Comeback

Monday — 2.5 miles & Core. While I don’t usually run back-to-back days, I wanted to shift to my new workout schedule so a Monday run was needed. I had the day off for Presidents’ Day and it was 50 degrees so it really wasn’t too hard to get out the door for a short loop.
Tuesday — Rest day
Wednesday — Upper Body Strength, Core & Hip mobility. This class was recommended in one of the Peloton Facebook groups, and it’s become an instant favorite!


Thursday — 3.5 miles, Core & Hip mobility. An ice/snow mix hit early in the morning so this was a treadmill run.
Friday — Peloton bike, Core, & Lower Body Strength
Saturday — 6 miles. My longest run of 2023…and on the mill no less! Temps in the teens before factoring in the wind chill made running outdoors a hard “No” for me. I’m not going to lie – this many miles on the mill for me was not easy.
Sunday — On the plan: Peloton Bike & Yoga. I keep saying I need to get to my yoga mat…today’s the day!

The highlight of the week was hitting my February goal of returning to a 6-mile “long run”. The slow and steady mileage build seems to be paying off and I’m excited to see what March will bring. The forecast for the week ahead is filled with snow and freezing temps – I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I can get outside for next week’s long run.

In Case You Missed It:

My February Runfessions

Is it feeling like winter where you are? How do you feel about treadmill running?

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

signature

Week 7 – Creating a New Plan

Running took a bit of a hit this week thanks to a pretty hectic work week. There were early starts, multiple days of commuting, and long hours leaving me with absolutely no desire to hit the mill post-work.

After taking a look at what’s on the deck work-wise for the next few weeks I’ll be making some changes to my workout plan. But, before I get to that, here’s a quick look at this week in fitness.

Week 7 – Creating a New Plan

Monday — Peloton Bike, Core & PT session
Tuesday — 2.5-mile walk, Core & Lower Body Strength
Wednesday — Core, otherwise rest
Thursday — 3 miles & Core
Friday — 2.5 mile walk, Core & Upper Body Strength
Saturday — Peloton Bike & Core
Sunday — 5 miles, Core & hip mobility

While I am not thrilled to get just two days of running, the plus side was both runs felt really good. My hip flexor definitely starts talking to me post-run, so there has been a lot of extra stretching. My PT wants me to hit the bike at least a couple of times a week so I’m glad I got that box checked.

Creating a new plan

Looking at what’s upcoming work-wise for the next few weeks and thinking about my ideal schedule (3 days of running, 2 – 3 days on the bike, plus strength training and a rest day), I’ve decided to shift my “long” run back to Saturdays. I’ll plan to run Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, leaving me Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays for time on the bike and strength training. Tuesdays (and often now Wednesdays) are office days so I think sticking to trying to grab a walk at lunch and perhaps some yoga (or just rest) after the long commute home is my best bet. I’ve also shifted my PT appointments from Monday to Friday mornings. Hopefully, this plan will make it less stressful to fit workouts in and avoid having to run on back-to-back days which my hip doesn’t love at the moment.

In Case You Missed It:

Five Races for 2023

Do you follow a set schedule every week or do you find yourself adjusting week-to-week?

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

signature

February Mid-Month Check-In

Amazing to think that we are quickly approaching the halfway point of this month! The days are flying for sure. While I missed last week’s Run Down, the workouts have continued. Instead of recapping each day, I’ll just share some quick highlights.

February Mid-Month Check-in

Running

For the most part, running is feeling pretty good. I’m still following the Team Wilpers Half Marathon Challenge – though with no half marathon on the horizon, I’m following the PT’s advice to build my “long run” distance slowly. Mother Nature gifted us with 60-degree weather on Friday – so running in shorts was definitely a highlight!

Strength Training & PT

I’ve been diligently doing my PT exercises to help wake up these lazy glutes and improve my hip mobility. I’ve started Matty’s enCORE daily core challenge for February on the Peloton app. And, this past week I decided to do another Split Strength Program, this time with JJ.


I liked this program and plan to repeat it this upcoming week.

Throw in a couple of rides on the Peloton Bike and that’s the way my last couple of weeks have played out. The one area that has taken a hit is my daily walks. Icy roads and/or a tight schedule have sometimes sidelined my plans. The forecast looks fairly mild this week (especially for February) so hopefully, I can log more time outdoors.

In case you missed it:

For the Love of Running

Tell me, how’s February treating you so far?

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

signature

Running Out of January

It’s taken all month, but it finally feels like things are settling down a bit. Here’s a quick look at how my workouts played out.

Running out of January

Monday — Upper Body Strength & Core – I decided to do another week of Robin’s Advanced Strength split program on the Peloton app.
Tuesday — 4 miles. A snow-sleet mix left the roads and sidewalks an icy mess so there was shoveling and then a treadmill run.
Wednesday — Day 2 of Robin’s split focuses on legs. Later in the day I finally got to my first PT appointment – perhaps, in hindsight “leg day” was not the best idea LOL I was toast by the time I finished my PT work. I also hit reached my first 1,000 minutes on Peloton.
Thursday — Rest Day. Holy DOMS Batman – everything was sore! Aside from lots of stretching, I gave my body the break it needed.
Friday — 2-mile walk, Core, and Day 3 of the Split. The last day of the program focuses on back and biceps.
Saturday — 3.2 miles. Finally, the sun returned it felt glorious! (See the header photo)
Sunday — 5.5 miles. I don’t usually run back-to-back days, but after taking Thursday as a rest day, I didn’t want to miss completing 3 days of running for the week. I was a little concerned when I started since my TFL felt super tight. It did squawk a little during the later part of the run, but overall this was a pretty good run.

Although I didn’t get any time on the bike (something my PT wants me to do), I feel like this was a more balanced week and my best week of January. Fingers crossed this continues as we head into February.

In case you missed it:

Runfessions from the PT’s Table

Tell me something about your week. Do you feel like you’re finishing the month strong?

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

signature

A Very Long Week

This week kicked my butt! I’m not really sure what it was but I just felt off all week. I’m sure it didn’t help that I was in the office two days. Those extra early mornings and long commutes (not to mention meeting-filled days), left me feeling especially drained – I often marvel now at how once upon a time commuting was a 5-day-a-week thing for me! Despite Monday’s holiday, this was a very long week!

Weekly Run Down – A Very Long Week

Lots of gray skies this week!

Monday — 2-mile walk, Core, & Day 3 of Robin’s Strength Split – Back and Biceps
Tuesday — 3-mile walk otherwise rest
Wednesday — 2-mile walk, Yoga, & hip mobility work
Thursday — 3.5-mile run & Core
Friday — Peloton Bike & Core
Saturday — Rest – didn’t feel so hot
Sunday — 5.5-mile run

I was definitely off my game this week and just did my best to power along. I kept up with my commitment to daily stretching but only ended up running twice. The combination of the week’s crazy schedule and feeling less than stellar had me shuffling my runs around, and eventually, I decided to take a pass on my planned hill workout. Given where I live, I run hills on the regular so I’m not too concerned about missing this run.

The highlights of the week were definitely completing Robin’s Strength Split Program and getting a much-needed deep tissue massage on Thursday. I really enjoy the structure and challenge of this split program and have it cued up to repeat this upcoming week.

In case you missed it:

Five Challenges to Reaching Your Fitness Goals

Did anyone else feel like this was a long week?

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

signature

Trying to Settle In

Not going to lie, these first two weeks of this new year have definitely kept me on my toes. When I got to this weekend, I decided that this is a perfect time to hit the reset button and see if I can finally settle into a routine. But, before I look ahead, here’s a quick peek at the week that was.

Trying to Settle In

Monday — 1.5-mile walk, Lower Body Strength & Core.
Tuesday — 2-mile walk otherwise rest
Wednesday — 3 miles.
Thursday — Upper Body Strength and 1-mile walk. I decided to return to Robin’s Advanced 3-Day Split Strength Program on the Peloton app. Day 1 targeted chest, shoulders, and triceps.


Friday — 30 min interval run
Saturday — 2-mile walk and Day 2 of the Split focusing on legs and core.
Sunday — 4 miles

To give my runs some structure this week I started following Team Wilpers Half Marathon Challenge. The plan is designed to get runners prepped for their Spring races, and while I don’t have a Spring half on my calendar, I’m going to use this training plan to help smartly guide my mileage build-up, while getting me out of my “easy runs all the time” rut.

Run Happy Team Year 2!

A highlight of the week was being able to announce my return to Brooks Running’s Run Happy Team! I make no secret of my love of this brand and RHT is a great community of runners to be a part of.

In case you missed it:

Fit Five Friday – Five Current Favorites

What was a highlight from your week?

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

signature

Week 1 and 2023 Goals

As I mentioned over coffee, re-entry after being off for the holidays was a tad rough. Work went from zero to sixty with everyone wanting to do “all the things” all at once! My mom was transferred to rehab on Tuesday so there’s been a lot to navigate there – but she’s doing great so that’s a win!

With all that was going on, my workouts were pretty much on auto-pilot, but I got ’em done.

Monday — 3 miles & Core


Tuesday — 2-mile walk, otherwise rest
Wednesday — 1-mile walk, Lower Body Strength & Core
Thursday — 1-mile walk & Peloton Bike
Friday — 3 miles & Core. Sleet had me heading to the treadmill, but vibing out to a fun 80’s playlist helped to get the miles done.


Saturday — 2-mile walk, Upper Body Strength & Core
Sunday — 4 miles & Core

Setting Some 2023 Goals

For the past couple of years, I have passed on setting any big annual fitness goals, choosing instead to set smaller monthly goals to keep me on track. For 2023 I’ve decided to set just a few goals:

  • Reach the starting line of my Spring and Fall races feeling prepared — I’m looking forward to doing more racing this year, and so above all else, I want to go into each race feeling strong and ready to go. This means being consistent in my training to build mileage smartly.
  • Develop a PT maintenance routine — As I’ve mentioned before, I spent way too much time last year playing a cat-and-mouse game with my quad/hip flexor injury. I’ll be starting this year with PT and my goal is to develop a routine to follow well after my sessions with the therapist are done.
  • Complete 12K Peloton minutes — I hit over 10,000 minutes in 2022 so I think 12K is doable.
  • Stretch daily — Focusing on my flexibility will go a long way toward helping me reach goal #1.

In case you missed it:

One Word for 2023

First Coffee Chat of 2023

How was your week? Any races coming up?

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

 

signature

Wrapping up 2022

I’m not gonna lie, this final week of this whirlwind year was a bit of a rollercoaster. While it’s been great to have some much-needed time off from work, having my mom in the hospital has been stressful. Thankfully she’s been steadily improving and will be heading to rehab. There has been a lot of family chill time filled with games, movies, and lots of food.

My workouts took on a “whatever you feel like” vibe this week and I’m good with that. Here’s how things played out….

Week 52 – Wrapping up 2022

Monday — Core & Lower Body Strength. It was family pajama day but snuck in a quick stack of Peloton classes before anyone else was up.
Tuesday — 3-mile walk & Yoga
Wednesday — 3-mile run & Core
Thursday — 30 min. Bodyweight Full Body Strength
Friday — 3-mile run

Such a beautiful morning and 40 degrees!

Saturday — 3.25-mile run
Sunday — Currently lingering over coffee. The family joined me for a 2.5-mile walk earlier this morning. Undecided on what’s next.

With Saturday’s miles, I wrapped up the #3for31 Challenge and finished the year with 836 run/walk miles. I also racked up 10,928 minutes on the Peloton app.

I’m still noodling over my 2023 fitness goals — will there be more races than the four I did in 2022? Will I stick with 10M or less in distance or will there be a half marathon in the mix? How many Peloton minutes will be logged? While I ponder these questions, I am diving right into the ZOOMA Love Run Challenge for six weeks of a daily run or walk and core work.

In case you missed it:

End of Year Runfessions

How was your week? Any big goals for 2023? Wishing you all a very happy new year!

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

signature

Dashing through December

No great surprise that this month continues to fly by – seems to have been the theme for 2022.

The week included everything from multiple days in the office, a lengthy board meeting, a work social, Christmas shopping and prep, and 7 hours in the car out and back picking up the college boy. And, yes there were some workouts as well.

Dashing through December

Monday — 1-mile walk and Lower Body Strength
Tuesday — 2-mile walk and Upper Body Strength
Wednesday — 2.5-mile walk and Peloton Bike
Thursday — 3-mile run
Friday — 2-mile walk, core, and hip mobility work (following all day in the car!)
Saturday — Yoga
Sunday — 4.5-mile run

The workout highlight of the week was this morning’s run. While I was a little slow to get out there, once I got going things just seemed to click. Love runs like that! I also hit my 300th Peloton run. I don’t always run with the Peloton app so I didn’t realize I hit the milestone until after. This is my longest run since scaling way back on running a few weeks ago. Slow and steady progress continues to be my mantra.

In case you missed it:

Keeping Holiday Madness in Check

Just have a couple of days of work this week and then I’ll be taking time off through the end of the year. I’m so looking forward to all the Christmas festivities, and time with family and friends!

How was your week? Happy Hanukkah to those celebrating!

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

signature