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?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


signature
Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday

WRD – Mother’s Day Edition

May 9, 2021 by 27 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day to all of my fellow mother runners!

I’m popping in quickly to join Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down. Here’s a snapshot of my workouts this week.

A little beauty from my garden!

Weekly Run Down – Mother’s Day Edition (Week 18)

Monday — 20 min Low Impact Ride, 20 min Chest & Back and full-body stretch
Tuesday — 1-mile walk and 10 mins Sun Salutations, otherwise rest day
Wednesday — 20 min Ride plus 5 min Cool-down, 15 min Strength for Runners, and full-body stretch
Thursday — 3.1-mile run, 10 min Core, and lower body stretch. I slipped out for a rare midday run to help restore my sanity from a barrage of Zoom calls for work. Everything about this run clicked and it was a great 5K! Throw in a post-work sports massage and dinner outdoors with a friend – a good day!

Friday — 2-mile walk and 10 min Core. Another chance to meet up with a friend for an outdoor lunch and walk!
Saturday — 5-mile run and lower body stretch. Oddly, my legs felt like lead at the start of this run, but listening to Matty’s Broadway Run helped to make the miles click by and this actually turned into a nice progression run. Thanks to Cari for recommending this run!

Sunday — Started the day with a 2.5-mile walk with my husband, who’s now preparing one of my favorite dishes for a late breakfast (German Apple Pancakes!). The weather is Spring perfection here today so there will definitely be more time spent outside, including time in my garden.

For everyone celebrating today, I hope you have a great day!

In case you missed it:

May Coffee Talk

 

signature
Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

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?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


signature
Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Ultimate coffee date

And just like that, it’s May

May 2, 2021 by 26 Comments

I think April wins the award for the fastest month so far this year. For me, it was a month where I felt all over the place (much like the weather!) and never really found my groove. This last week was relatively quiet – definitely, a nice change of pace – and the highlight was getting my first vaccine! Here’s how it all played out.

Weekly Run Down – Week 17

Monday — 20 min Ride plus 5 min Cool-down, 15 min Full-Body Strength, and 10 min Core

Tuesday — 3-mile run

Painted rock wisdom as seen on my run

Wednesday — Vaccination day! Lots of upper body stretching to combat a sore arm, otherwise total rest.

Thursday — 2-mile walk, 20 min Strength for Runners, 10 min Core, and lower body stretch. I felt a little vaccine hangover, so it was a morning walk instead of a run, but still got my strength training done.

Friday — 2-mile walk, 30 min Ride, 15 min Chest & Back, and 10 min Core, and full-body stretch. I had been wanting to take this Lauryn Hill Ride for a while and, as always, Tunde did not disappoint. It also reminded me just how great “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” album is!


Saturday — 30 min Ride plus 5 min Cool-down followed by a couple of hours of yard work. I had originally planned to run but did not get up early enough to get it done before I needed to get my son to his team bus and once I got back I was not feeling motivated to take on the wind. Instead, I did my first live ride as part of Peloton’s Homecoming celebration before diving into some serious yard work.

Sunday — 5-mile run. What a beautiful morning for a run! It warmed up fast and I was woefully under-hydrated, but thankfully my loving run sherpa (aka my husband) brought me water and the last two miles felt especially good.

Welcome to Team Moderna!

I’m happy to say that getting the first dose of the vaccine was a super easy process. And, aside from feeling a little sluggish and some soreness around the injection site, I had no side effects. Hopefully, dose #2 in 4 weeks will be more of the same.

And, since it’s a new month, I’m setting a couple of goals:

  • Return to 4 days of running/week
  • Complete the Peloton “Strength for Runners” series
  • Continue to clean up my eating (This was an April goal and things are moving in the right direction, but I think there’s more to do here)
  • Daily stretching or yoga (I have been seriously slacking here and I’m starting to feel the negative effects)

How was your week? Any goals for May?

In case you missed it:

Some April Runfessions for Fit Five Friday

5 Things You May Not Know About Me

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

signature
Filed Under: goals, Weekly Run Down

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?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


signature
Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, Runfessions

Week 16’s Run Down

April 25, 2021 by 34 Comments

April just keeps rolling along. Mother Nature continues to seem unwilling to commit to Spring.

And, on the workout front, I continue to go with the flow. Here’s a quick peek at my week…

Signs of Spring on Tuesday’s run

Weekly Run Down – Week 16

Monday — 20 min Ride plus 5 min Cool-down, 20 min Full-Body Strength, 10 Core, and stretch. The combination of a ride and full-body strength class has become my go-to to get the week started.

Tuesday — 4-mile run.

Wednesday — 2-mile walk plus 30 mins of yoga.

Thursday — 20 min Low-impact Ride plus 5 min Cool-down, 10 min Upper Body, and 10 min Core. I had an extra early start to my workday so I swapped my planned run for Friday’s workout. My reward post-work was a great sports massage.

Friday — 3.5-mile run. Thanks to swirling, nonstop wind, this run felt so hard!

This look tells you all you need to know about this run!

Saturday — 1.5-mile walk, 30-min Ride, and 10 min Core. I was still feeling a little beat up after Friday’s run so I took a pass on my planned lower body strength class.

Sunday — 5-mile run. I joined Cari and some other bloggers in running the Nationwide Run/Walk for the 9/11 Memorial. The forecast for today was pretty ugly, so I was happy to get out early and finished my run just as the rain was starting. I’m looking forward to just vegging on the couch for the rest of the day.

I’m happy to say that the week ahead should be fairly low-key workwise, which is perfect since I have my first vaccine scheduled for Wednesday morning. I’ve still got 20 miles to go to hit my April goal, so hopefully, vax side effects won’t derail the plans.

How was your week? Does it feel like April is flying by?

In case you missed it:

5 Things You May Not Know About Me

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

signature
Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

5 Things You May Not Know About Me

April 23, 2021 by 32 Comments

While I have been at this blogging thing for a while…(believe it or not it will be 11 years next week) there still might be a few things you do not know about me. So, I thought it might be fun just to share a few random facts about me.

Five Things You May Not Know About Me

Rugby — I joined the women’s rugby team my freshman year in college after one of my male floormates made fun of one of the women in our freshman unit who made mentioned she was thinking of going out for the team. Long story short, I came to her defense, there was a dare involved, I went to tryouts with her – she didn’t last, I loved it! I was even Captain of the team my Junior year. Still love the sport and watch it every chance I get!

Broken bones — I’ve never had a broken bone…gotcha, I’m sure you thought with rugby this was a given.

Country music  — My taste in music is pretty broad as evidenced by some of my run playlists, but the one thing I have absolutely no stomach for is country music. Can. not. stand. it.

Planner fanatic — I love quality stationery and planner supplies, and I’m a sucker for a pretty journal. You could say I’m a bit obsessed.

Tequila — I love a good tequila…and I’m not talking shots, but a good sipping tequila. (I’m also a big fan of margaritas and am still trying to perfect my recipe).

OK, your turn – tell me one fun fact about you.

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?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


signature
Filed Under: #FitFiveFriday, general musings

Week 15 – A little of this and that

April 18, 2021 by 31 Comments

Happy Sunday!

Wow, it felt like this week went by in a blink. There was no real theme to this week, just tried to keep moving. Here’s how the week’s workouts played out.

Weekly Run Down – Week 15

Monday — 30 min Ride plus 5 min Cool-down, Core, and Full-body stretch. I took a cue from Coco for this ride and it was so much fun!

Tuesday — A poor night of sleep left me feeling tired and creaky so I gave my body what it needed – rest!

Wednesday — 3 miles, Arms & Shoulders, and Core. The rest day did me a world of good. I woke up before my alarm and caught this beautiful sunrise on my run.

Thursday — 20 min Low-impact Ride plus 5 min Cool-down, Glutes & Legs, and Core. I had enjoyed last week’s low-impact ride so I decided to try another one this week. These rides offer a great combination of the steady-state tempo with a couple of moderate climbs. Combined with Selena’s lower body workout, my legs were jelly.

Friday — A run was planned but Mother Nature has a twisted sense of humor and thought a Nor-easter would be fun. I had absolutely no desire to hit the mill so I opted for time on my yoga mat.

Saturday — 4 miles and Core.

Sunday — 3.4 miles and Full Body Strength. This run was all about staying one step ahead of the struggle bus. I mapped out a new route which included a stretch through a new park in my town – the scenery was a nice distraction!

Vaccine Update

I’m very excited to say that I finally have a vaccine appointment! The final phase here opens tomorrow and there have been all kinds of dire warnings on the news about how long the waits could be for an appointment given the combination of the size of the group (ages 16+) and the reduced supply thanks to the recent pause on the J&J vax.

Thankfully, going through the pre-registration process a few weeks ago seems to have paid off as I got an alert this morning telling me my window to schedule an appointment was now open. I’m booked for the week of the 26th and will soon join my husband (who got his first shot this week) on Team Moderna!

How did your week play out?

In case you missed it:

Running Unplugged

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

signature
Filed Under: Weekly Run Down

Running unplugged

April 16, 2021 by 14 Comments

My finicky Garmin is the inspiration for this week’s Fit Five Friday.

My Garmin? It’s just a little over 4 years old, but boy oh boy has it been having some major fits lately. It has frozen on several occasions while trying to both save a run or sync with the app, and it’s been off in measuring the distance (almost like it’s losing the GPS). There have been a few runs where I haven’t even bothered to wear my watch. Couple that with forgetting to charge my headphones, and I have found myself forced to run… naked! (Cue the horror music!)

So today I’m sharing a few reasons to consider running unplugged.

5 Reasons to consider running unplugged

No delays — How many times have you found yourself waiting for your watch or headphones to charge because you forgot to plug them in the night before? Or, waiting for your watch to locate a satellite? On a gadget-free run, you truly just lace up, step out the door and you’re off.

A break from the numbers — Feedback from your running watch can be very valuable, allowing you to compete with yourself and track your progress. On the flip side, always watching the numbers can cause added pressure – can we become so focused on our pace that we forget to enjoy the run itself?

Let your body lead — There are lots of variables that can affect a run on any given day (sleep, nutrition, the previous day’s workout, etc.). Running by feel vs. your watch gives your body a better chance to adjust to those variables.

Focus on your form — Running without music gives you the opportunity to listen to your feet. Is your footfall soft and light? Are you scuffing your feet? For me, when I hear scuffing, I know my form’s starting to fall apart.

Take in your surroundings — Running gadget-free not only gives you a chance to tune into your body but to tune into your surroundings as well… to truly be in the moment. What sounds will you hear or what sights might you take in?

5 reasons to consider running unplugged #FitFiveFriday #bibchat Share on X

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not ready to completely convert to running naked. Running with a watch and music provide both useful feedback and motivation. But every now and then, there’s value in running unplugged.

Do you ever run unplugged? What’s your must-have gadget?

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?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


signature
Filed Under: Uncategorized

Week 14 – Riding the rollercoaster

April 11, 2021 by 31 Comments

Between work, home life, and the weather it has been a bit of a rollercoaster this week. Here’s how my workouts played out this week:

Weekly Run Down – Week 14

Monday —  20 min Peloton ride, 15 min Bodyweight Strength, and 10 min Core. I have been feeling much stronger on the climbs on my rides lately and I think the work is starting to pay off as I scored a new ride PR! A nice way to kick off the week!


Tuesday — Core, otherwise rest day.
Wednesday — 30 min Ride and 10 min Core. This ride was a great reminder that “low impact” does not equal “easy”.
Thursday — 3.25 miles, 20 min Chest & Back, and 10 min Core. So much sunshine!

Friday — 2 miles and 30 min Yoga. I have been neglecting my yoga mat and the deep stretch was needed!
Saturday — 5 miles and 10 min Core. New shoes always help to put some extra pep in my step!

Sunday — And, just like that the weather turned cold, drizzly, and dreary again. Currently, I have coffee cup in hand as I debate my options. Most likely it will be a Ride and Lower Body Strength.

So about that rollercoaster ride…

All rollercoasters have highs and for me this week that included picking up those pretty new Adrenalines pictured above, wrapping up a big work project, enjoying some beautiful spring days with temps in the 60s and 70s, and my husband scoring a vaccine appointment!

As for the rollercoaster lows? Well, that came in the form of watching my son be so excited to return to a full in-person class schedule, only to have to go into quarantine by Thursday after one of the varsity players on his lacrosse teammates tested positive. My son’s on JV (and tested negative), but “close contact” means a 10-day quarantine for the whole team and coaches. It’s so frustrating to see him stuck back on Zoom again.

How was your week? Is it warming up where you are?

In case you missed it:

Reasons to Run in the Morning

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

signature
Filed Under: Weekly Run Down