I Need A Run!

On and off the road, this was a tough week. 

The cold virus that took me down last weekend slowly improved. I was pretty fatigued early in the week and didn't get much movement in. That in itself was a stressor and reminder of how much running and sweating help my anxiety.

By Wednesday, I was feeling pretty good. I was literally walking out the door for a run when my youngest son called me. He was getting ready to leave for work and he realized he forgot his keys. He was locked out of their yard, so he tried to climb over the fence. His pant leg got caught on the top and he fell 6 feet to the concrete below, landing on his face and hurting his wrist. He did not sound good. So instead of driving to the forest preserve for a run, I drove to the city, taking him to the ER to be evaluated. Fortunately, he 'only' had a concussion and a wrist sprain.  If you've been following me for a while, you know this kid has had his share of injuries over the years. I really think I should wrap him in bubble wrap! I'm so glad he is ok.

I also learned that I didn't get a bib for the 2024 Chicago Marathon. I read that over 120,000 runners applied to the lottery. Yes, you read that right. 😳 To put it in perspective, the first time I ran Chicago, in 2011, I just signed up. Not getting in this time hit harder than I expected. Even though I swore off marathons after my diagnosis with RA in 2016, after spectating this year, I wanted to run Chicago once more, to prove to myself that I could. And no, I don't want to pick a different marathon. I'm going to take this as a sign that I need to follow a different path. 

No matter what, I will continue to run. Running is my therapy. I also love the feeling of running. Now that I know I don't have the marathon on my calendar, I can decide what, if anything will be next. You know there will be plenty of trails, though! 

Coffee Talk

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

Let's catch up over coffee! What are you having? I'm finishing up a bag of Starbucks Thanksgiving roast, which is absolutely delicious. With a scoop of GLG collagen and a splash of half and half, it's just perfect for this time of year. 

What would you tell me over coffee?

Holiday Runfessions

It might be Christmas Day, but it's also the last Friday of the month. That means only one thing--we get to runfess! Marcia has generously opened the runfessional today. I've got a few things to runfess. I know, shocker, right?

A gift from a friend

Coffee Talk

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. And lots of cool photos. The holidays were awesome.

Good morning! What's new with you? Are you recovered from the holidays? Let's catch up over a cup of coffee. I'm pouring some Colectivo Wonderland, a holiday coffee which was a gift from my son's girlfriend. She also gave me this awesome mug, my new favorite. Besides the Colectivo, I received quite a bit of coffee for Christmas, so I'll be working my way through it during these cold, dark days of winter. With a splash of half and half, it's the best way to start the day.

Staying on Track

As busy as it gets this time of year, I stuck to my workout schedule. I completely understand those folks who opt-out during the holidays. I mean, something's got to give, right? Since my workouts are what keeps me sane, I choose to let go of having the 'perfect' holiday. Yes, the tree is up and the gifts were wrapped. I even baked cookies. But while I picked up the clutter, I didn't do any major cleaning before the guests came over. That might bother some people, but we all have our priorities and having a perfect house is not one of mine. The only person who noticed anything was my dad, who pointed out how dusty my dining room chandelier is.

There's always that one person. I did offer to him that he could come over and clean it. He hasn't taken me up on that.

It was nice, letting go of a few things and I found that I really enjoyed the holidays this year! Plus, with the spectacular weather we've been having, who wants to stay inside and clean?

Saturday's run

How to Deal with Food Shamers

This post is an updated version of one that was previously published. I'm heading out tonight to a neighborhood holiday party and I needed a pep talk. You might too. And yes, I have a race in the morning.

'Tis the season for food shaming. The holidays are here, the parties are in abundance and so are the food choices. Be it at a social gathering or a work celebration, everyone is bringing their favorite fat-laden, calorically-dense offerings to share and we are all expected to indulge. Either that or face the music:

"You have to try my favorite bacon blue cheese dip!"

"Is that all you're having? No wonder you're so skinny!"

"You work out--you can eat as much as you want!"

"Oh, right, you're running in the morning."

Do you feel me? Why do people food shame others? And how do we respond without sounding defensive?

5 Reasons You Should Keep Running Through the Holidays

This is an updated post from 2017.

Who doesn't love the holidays? All the food, the parties, the gifting... all the calories, the stress, the rushing....

I don't know about you but if there's ever a time of year, I need to run, it's December! Every year I say I'm going to start preparing for the holidays much earlier but it never happens. Coupled with my job in healthcare where we work holidays plus it seems like everyone is sick right now, there's not a lot of downtime. Heck, here I am blogging when I should be putting up holiday decorations. I ran this morning when I should have been doing my last minute shopping. But I just know that if I don't move and get my heart rate up, something's going to suffer.

Here are 5 reasons you need to keep running through the holidays!!

Coffee Talk

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

Happy New Year! I can't believe that the holidays are over and we're already into the first weekend of 2019. That also means it's time for our monthly catch up over coffee! What will you be having? I've got some Starbucks Holiday blend in my cup, with a spoonful of GLG Collagen Hydrolysate (in fact, I just restocked) and some half and half.

Tell me what's new in your world?

Cocoa 5k Run Race Recap

Disclaimer: As an ambassador for All Community Events, I received a free entry to the Cocoa Classic 5k. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Who doesn't love a holiday 5k? I'm not a huge fan of 5ks--it seems like a lot of effort for a short distance--but last year, I ran the Jingle Bell 5k and really enjoyed it! It felt like the perfect way to close out the racing season. Plus I had new InknBurn holiday gear, so why not? My running buddy Steph and I made plans to run the Cocoa Classic 5k run which was close to our homes.

Coffee Talk

It's the start of a new month--yikes, December!--which means that it's time for our monthly coffee date! I'm totally procrastinating on holiday prep, so let's sit down and chat. What would you like in your coffee? A little peppermint schnapps, perhaps? 'Tis the season, right?

Coffee Talk

I'm starting off the new year with a new coffee cup, thanks to Shutterfly and my #holottafun memories. This mug puts a smile on my face with every sip of coffee. Do you have a favorite mug? What kind of coffee do you like? Cream and sugar? Or straight up black?

Mine has chocolate soy milk. The mug is warm in my hand.

Let's talk. Pour yourself a cup, get comfy. It's time for the Ultimate Coffee Date with our hosts Coco and Deborah! I'm shifting gears for this post--no running talk and no arthritis talk! Because...coffee talk! What would you tell me? What's new in your world?