Five tips to become an early morning runner

June 11, 2019 by 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.

Tips to become an early morning runner #TuesdayTopics #Runchat #SummerRunning Click To Tweet

What’s your best tip for becoming an early morning runner?

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Filed Under: early morning runs, Friday Five, Summer running, Tuesday Topics

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

Five things over February Coffee

February 1, 2019 by 36 Comments

Well Hello, February!

Please tell me I’m not the only one who thought January went by hella fast?! As we usher in a new month it’s time for a little catch-up over coffee, so I’m joining Coco and Deborah for the Ultimate Coffee Date – let’s chat!


If we were having coffee, we would, of course, have to talk about this ridiculous weather. I am so tired of hearing the words “polar vortex” and there’s still so much more winter ahead.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you how much I’m looking forward to this weekend. My oldest son comes home from school for a 4-day weekend…and then there’s the matter of a little football game with my hometown team!

Over coffee back in November, I shared that I was on the quest for the “right shade” of gray paint for my bedroom.  Well, if we were having coffee, I would tell you that after painting swatch after swatch on my walls, and more trips to the paint store than I care to count, we finally settled on a color! Painting is underway and I’m loving what I see so far!

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

And speaking of ongoing searches, if we were having coffee, I would tell you that we’re knee-deep in vacation brochures trying to settle on a destination for a spring break getaway. Initially, we’d hoped to do another cruise, but had no luck aligning ports of call we liked with our available travel dates. So now the debate has begun, do we head to a beach? Drive the west coast? Disney/Universal Studios?

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m heading off on a field trip later this morning to have a Dexa scan, which is a full body composition scan, measuring muscle mass, body fat, and bone density. I’m looking forward to learning more.

So what would you tell me over coffee? Any vacation suggestions?

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

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Ultimate coffee date

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

2018 Runners Holiday Gift Guide

December 7, 2018 by 24 Comments

How are you doing with your holiday shopping?

I’m hoping to make a real dent in my shopping list this weekend. And, in that spirit, now seems like the perfect time to share my annual gift guide for the runner in your life.

(While this post contains affiliate links, all opinions expressed are, as always, strictly my own)

Rockay Accelerate Socks – I am very picky about the socks I wear and tend to not venture outside my comfort zone once I find a brand/style I like. However, I was recently sent a pair of Rockay socks and decided to give them a shot – it was love at first run! These socks are made of merino wool and offer a comfortable fit with no bulk, great breathability, and serious moisture-wicking. The design includes nice compression in the arch and padding in both the toe and heel.

Resistance Bands — After spending a good bit of my summer working with the physical therapist, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of owning a good set of resistance bands. I think every runner can benefit from having a set! I use these PhantomFit bands – they’re durable and reasonably priced.

Headsweats Hats/Visors/Buffs – If you’ve been around here for a while then you know how much I love my Headsweats gear. Safe to say that 9 times out of 10 if I have headgear on, it’s Headsweats. In my opinion, they offer some of the best products out there, which is why I was so happy to be a 2018 ambassador. Use code ATTITUDE25 to save 25% on the Headsweats website.

Magnesium Oil – I discovered Magnum Solace magnesium oil earlier this year and just love how it soothes my sore legs. I have also found that I sleep better when I use it before bed.

Oofos Slides or Flip Flops – These sandals provide a great combination of foam cushion and arch support – perfect for post-run recovery or everyday wear. I live in my Oofos Sport Slides after a run and have been eyeing a pair of the Oolala Flip Flops to add to my collection.

Sharing some gift ideas for the runners in your life! #running #runchat #giftguide Click To Tweet

I’m linking up with Lacey & Meranda for the Friday with Fairytales and Fitness link-up!

Happy Shopping!

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Filed Under: #TeamHeadsweats, fave things, Friday Five, Gifts for runners

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

5 things over November coffee

November 2, 2018 by 30 Comments

Happy Friday! And, hello November!

It’s time once again for one of my favorite link-ups – a time to dish a little about life happenings over a cup of coffee. So grab a mug of your favorite beverage and let’s join Coffee hosts Coco and Deborah and chat.

Over coffee, I’d tell you that we went out to visit my son at school for Fall Family Weekend last weekend, and had a great time! I continue to enjoy seeing him settling in and happy – does a momma’s heart a lot of good!

Over coffee, I’d tell you that I started a gratitude challenge on Instagram. I’ve been having a little bit of a pity party over the way my running’s been going (or not going) – combine that with work stress, election fatigue, etc. and I was just feeling the need for a bit of an attitude adjustment – And what better way than to focus on gratitude? So for the month of November, I’m doing a daily post on something I’m thankful for that day using #FocusingonGratitude. I’m hoping others will join in.

Over coffee, I’d tell you that I’m looking forward to taking on the FASTer Way to Fat Loss Program with Amy C. I’ve heard such good things about this program and have been curious for a while. And, I’ve known Amy for years, so when I learned that she had become a certified coach I knew I wanted to give it a try.

Over coffee, I’d tell you that in the ongoing world of house projects, I’m driving myself crazy trying to find the right shade of gray for our bedroom! Seriously, how could there possibly be so many!? But I have decided one of the most fun jobs would be naming the paint colors.

Over coffee, I’d tell you that I cannot believe that in less than 60 days 2018 will be history. Despite my desire for time to slow down just a little, I feel like the pace at which the days are moving is increasing. I was surprised by some of the posts showing up in my Facebook feed from friends who couldn’t wait to be done with Halloween so they could put up Christmas decorations – wait, what?! While I love the holiday season, I’d like to ease into it – not dive in full force without a parachute!

What would you tell me over coffee? Are you in a rush to get to the holidays? 

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

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Filed Under: Friday Five, 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

Time for a little October coffee

October 5, 2018 by 24 Comments

It’s time once again for one of my favorite link-ups – the Ultimate Coffee Date. A time to dish a little about life happenings over a cup of coffee. So grab a mug of your favorite beverage and let’s join Coffee hosts Coco and Deborah and chat.

Over coffee, I’d tell you that October is probably my favorite month. Fall is usually in full swing at this point but Mother Nature’s still playing her own little game of bait and switch with the weather. I am looking forward to doing all the fun fall things like apple picking, hiking and leaf peeping, evening fires on the patio, and afternoon football games. October is also my anniversary month – my husband and I will be celebrating 26 years!

Over coffee, I’d tell you that my oldest son was home last weekend from school. He had an “open” weekend, which means no classes on Monday so he came home Saturday after his cross country meet. To say it was wonderful having him home would be an understatement. Seeing him so settled and at ease made dropping him off Monday night a little easier…but just a little 🙂

Over coffee, I’d tell you that I would admit that having only one child at home has taken some getting used to. On the one hand, it’s nice to have the extra one-on-one time with my youngest – on the other hand, parenting a high schooler from afar can present its own set of challenges.

Over coffee, I’d tell you that those house projects I mentioned last month over coffee are still waiting for me to get started. September was just non-stop and when I did have downtime, truthfully, all I wanted to do was veg. But I’m feeling re-inspired to freshen things up around here before the holidays come. I spent far too much time on Pinterest this past week and am planning to pick up paint samples for our home office this weekend. I also think I have convinced my husband our family room couch needs to be replaced. We’ll see how much I get accomplished over the next couple of months.

And, speaking of house projects, over coffee, I’d tell you that we had an HVAC contractor out to the house the other day to give us estimates for a new furnace/heating system and possibly central air. After hearing the estimates I seriously wonder sometimes if I picked the wrong profession! Do you think it’s too late to go back to school?!

So what would you tell me over coffee? Do you ever feel like you’re being taken for a ride by a contractor?

I’m also linking up with  Rachel and Meranda and Lacey for the Friday Five.

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Ultimate coffee date

5 Runfessions for September

September 28, 2018 by 28 Comments

Marcia has opened the Runfessional, so let’s dive in shall we?

(This post contains affiliate links)

I runfess that I think I’m starting to turn into a fair-weather runner. First, the heat and humidity made running a miserable experience this summer and there were days when I just punted in favor of cross-training in an air-conditioned studio. Now Mother N is raining on my parade literally and while I’ve done some runs in the light rain, I’m just not up for torrential downpours!

I runfess that while I have made good progress with the ornery hip/hammy issue, things are far from perfect. Some days I wonder if things are getting better or if my pain tolerance is just increasing.

Thanks to my nagging issues, I runfess that I’m trying to resist the urge to explore new shoe options – because, of course, shoes fix everything! It’s been ages since I was properly fitted for shoes, and as I was advising a new runner friend about the importance of being fitted I started wondering if I shouldn’t be following my own advice.

I runfess that none of my nagging issues has diminished my desire to run all the races! I’ve got fall races on the calendar, including one this weekend and the 2019 calendar is starting to fill up. Plus, there’s still a marathon to run. Optimistic or crazy…or a little of both?

I runfess that since I started following the macro life diet plan I have become obsessed with ways to sneak in more protein – I mean c’mon, there’s only so much meat, fish, and chicken a girl can eat, right?  I’ve been on a quest for protein snacks beyond bars, so I was giddy to see Protes protein popcorn in my latest StrideBox!

My latest obsession!

So tell me, got any runfessions to share?

I’m also linking up with  Rachel and Meranda and Lacey for the Friday Five.

 

 

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Filed Under: Friday Five, Runfessions