Coming in From the Cold

Disclaimer: I received pairs of Swiftwick Pursuit and Vision socks in exchange for my unbiased review. This post contains affiliate links.

The arrival of cold weather here in the Midwest is inevitable. No matter how much you mentally prepare yourself for winter, when the temperature drops, it's always a shock to the system. Especially when it happens so early, as it has this year. We had snow this week and we had temperatures in the 20s. This time of year brings strong winds which ushers in the change of seasons, but combined with the cold, makes for some really unpleasant running conditions.

What is a runner to do? Take to the treadmill or suck it up and go outside? You know what I did.

Running Time Machine: Throwback Race Recap

While I was writing my last post about running mistakes and looking back on old races, my mind wandered back to the good old days--to the days of running before technology. Life was simpler then and so was running.

I started my running journey in the late 1980s. I ran a lot of races back then--mostly 5ks and 10ks. Half marathons weren't really a thing and only the die-hard runners ran marathons! There were no blogs--actually, there wasn't much of an internet, and I sure didn't recap my races. I wish I'd kept a running journal back then, but the thought never occurred to me. I just ran. It was all about having fun.

But it's not too late for a race recap, is it? Let's hop in the time machine and revisit a race circa 1993!

Falling Back into Running

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received The Original Worm in exchange for my honest review. 

See what I did there? Did you turn your clocks back and enjoy your extra hour of sleep? I woke up at 5:30, but consoled myself with the reminder that my body thought it was actually 6:30.

I wrapped up October with 80 miles running, which isn't bad considering that I've only been running 3 days per week. I've really been enjoying running this fall. I struggled so much over the summer that I started having dark thoughts about running. I worried that my running days were over. Thankfully, with the arrival of cooler weather, I found running to be enjoyable and rewarding again. I've also found my mojo which was sorely lacking. I'm starting to think ahead to 2019--looking at races and setting goals.

What a difference the weather makes!

Let's wrap up the week. Holly is taking a much needed week off. Marcia is graciously co-hosting. Be sure to show her all the love you always show Holly and me!!

Weekly Wrap: Here I Go Again

Disclaimer: I received a pair of Rockay Accelerate Socks in exchange for my unbiased review.

After my fun long weekend in Nashville, it was right back to reality. I always feel that after a vacation, I need a vacation to recover. My sister and I did pack a lot in those few days we were away and I was exhausted at the beginning of the week. But with a half marathon coming up in 4 weeks, I needed to get some miles in.

A Roll of the Dice

Disclaimer: I received a case of YQ by Yoplait yogurt in exchange for my honest review.

This week really was up for grabs. Nothing went as planned, but it was a great week. Sometimes that's just the way it goes. I'm not much of a gambler, but a runner's gotta just roll with it. Which is what I did...

Run Is All You Need

What a tough week--at least off the road, it was. I'm just so disheartened by current events. Mocking and lying seem to pass for acceptable conduct these days. If it weren't for this blog, I'd be inactivating my Facebook account. Instead of seeing running posts and posts about family, my feed this week was filled with contentious political posts and memes--from both sides.

What's a runner to do?

Shut it down. Log off. Get outside. Go for a run. Repeat.

It's all you need.

Coffee Talk

This post contains affiliate links.

The temperatures have dropped, rain is falling, and it's the perfect morning to catch up over coffee. We could run, but running in the cold rain isn't much fun, right? How do you want your coffee? I've got half and half and GLG Collagen Hydrolysate to spoon in--do you want to try it?

Before we pour our coffee, I'm going to put it out there...I'm beside myself with is happening in Washington. Actually, I'm sick over it. I don't want to ruin our coffee date with negativity and I won't say any more than that. I think most of you know me and where I stand. All I can say is make sure you vote this November. It really does make a difference.

Ok, moving on. Tell me what's new in your world?

Thank you to Holly for this fun mug! 

There Goes My Dream of Running Boston..

Unless you weren't paying attention, you know that last week the Boston Athletic Association announced new Boston Marathon Qualifier Acceptances (BQs) for the 2020 Boston Marathon. Runners are getting faster, applications to run the Boston Marathon have increased, and the gap between the qualifying marathon times and the finish times that were accepted grew to 4:52 minutes.

We all knew this was coming. The number of running friends who "BQ'd" but didn't make the cut increased every year. The new standards should help runners training for a BQ have a better chance of being accepted. The previous BQ times have been adjusted down by 5 minutes. I wonder how long this standard will hold? And will it prevent or encourage cheaters?

The new standards make my Boston Qualifying time 4 hours 5 minutes. Since I'm no longer running marathons, it's kind of a non-issue. But the new qualifying times got me thinking again. I always said that if I was going to run another marathon, it would be Boston.

Running from Hot to Cold

After taking a complete week off to recover from my half marathon, this week I returned to running and CrossFit. I rarely take time off to recover after a race--in fact, the only time I can recall taking time off from working out is after my marathons. This time I really needed the break. I'm glad I did it because I was actually looking forward to running again. As the weather became more temperate, I had some really nice confidence boosting runs.

What a difference a 40 degree drop in temperatures makes! But wouldn't it be nice if it could be cold in the mornings for our runs and then warm up nicely for the rest of the day?

The 6 R's of Recovery

Disclaimer: This post contains a few affiliate links.

After last weekend's racing and waterskiing, I knew that I was going to need some time to recover. I planned on taking a couple days off and then slowly returning to running mid-week. My body had other plans and on Wednesday, I made the decision to take the rest of the week off all activities except for yoga. Not only was I completely exhausted, but I also started having some symptoms of an impending RA flare. Rather than poke the bear, I did my best to keep those symptoms down to a dull roar.

Since I don't have a lot of activity to report for the Weekly Wrap, I wanted to share how I do recovery like a boss by following the 6 Rs. And by the way, I have zero regrets about pushing myself last weekend!

Race Recap: ZOOMA Great Lakes Half Marathon

I ran my first ZOOMA half marathon in 2014. That race took place in Chicago on the lakefront path. You can read my recap here. It wasn't a race I planned on repeating. Fast forward to this winter when the ZOOMA race series made plans to return to the area, but instead with the race taking place in Lake Delavan, Wisconsin. That sparked interest in me. The original ZOOMA race was in nearby Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and I had never run a race in that area. Also, the race series had been purchased by a new promoter and they hired Erika Howder, who blogs at MCMMamaRuns, to be in charge of the expo and the ambassadors.

That sealed the deal. I wanted in.

I submitted an application to be a race ambassador, was chosen to be a national ambassador, and before I knew it, race day was here!

Hanging On To Summer

It's hard to believe that we are in the middle of September--it feels more like late August! But the leaves are starting to turn and the days are growing shorter, signs that fall is right around the corner. These warm late summer days are a gift. I tried to squeeze as many outdoor activities in as I could this week. I'm not ready to let go!

no filter for this sunset!

Life Goes On...

With the passing of Labor Day, we've unofficially left summer behind. Sadly, it rained all Labor Day weekend and we weren't able to get out on the water one last time. When you live in the Midwest, summer is so short. We try to squeeze in as much as we can, but it never feels like enough. My oldest son and I did get up to Madison to visit my youngest and drop off a few more things. While I did ok saying goodbye after our initial drop off, this time was much more difficult for both of us. I think it felt more real.

I was feeling pretty low this week--missing my boy. You know who really missed him? My pup Cocoa. She was really quiet all week, sleeping a lot and not really eating much. By Friday, she seemed much more like herself. We're all adjusting to our new norm. I was really busy at work and that helped keep my mind occupied. Life goes on.

Grandma Didn't Run

Today's post is introspective and raw. I had one of those runs where I get in my head and this post is the result of that. I try to keep things positive as much as I can when it comes to living and running with RA. Off the road, I've had to deal with some negativity about the ways I choose to be active. Don't think for a second that I'm going to let RA or negativity stop me from doing my thing! Thanks for indulging me and for all your support.

Rock 'N' Roll Chicago Half Marathon
July 2018

Running is My Therapy

I am sure that somewhere in the archives here there is another post titled: Running is My Therapy. Maybe more than one. I run for many reasons but top on my list of reasons is stress relief. While not all stress is bad, and certainly this week's stressor of dropping my baby off at college was a positive stressor, stress is stress and this mama needed to run! Fortunately, my body cooperated with some really nice runs and helped me to stay cool and calm throughout my week.

Runfessions Over Coffee

Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate link.

It's so hard to believe that Labor Day weekend is upon us. Summer just flew by for me and what a fun summer it has been! The end of the month always means one thing to us running bloggers--the runfessional is open. Let's runfess over coffee while we're at it.

I've got a fresh pot brewing and some GLG Collagen Hydrolysate to mix in. Cocoa thinks she likes coffee too. I've got some runfessions--and since we're 'fessing over coffee, I've got some other 'fessions too!

Accept No Limits

This week, I continued to push out of the comfort zone and challenging any limits--physical or mental-- that have been holding me back from reaching some goals. I'm not sure what's behind all of this, but I have been having fun!

It's been a busy week and I apologize for my lack of posting. We've got my youngest leaving for college this week and lots of other things going on. Summer's like that. I'll be back to my regular blogging schedule after Labor Day.

...Because Sitting on the Sidelines is No Fun

First of all, an apology. Holly and I were set to go live at 4:30 today. I texted her at 2:30 to tell her I wouldn't be ready. I had a post prepared and ready to go. Then, on a whim, both my boys and I joined my husband and his father for a fun weekend on Lake Wisconsin. It's been a full 3 years since we've been able to do this. The boys are busy with their friends and work, we don't want to leave them home alone, and fast forward to a Friday night when we all realized that we could make this happen.

I don't have to tell you how special this was for me or how much fun it was. We didn't want to leave. Sadly, the boat told us that it was time to go when it finally stopped being able to pull my boys out of the water. We gave the boat quite a workout. We skied, we wakeboarded, we kneeboarded. While my husband manned the boat, we each took our turns behind the boat. No one wanted to stop. My oldest son not only wakeboarded but got up for the first time on one ski and did some slaloming. I have no doubt that if the boat hadn't been such a jerk, my youngest would have gotten up on one ski as well. It was one of those weekends that warms a mom's heart.

Now you know why my tagline for this blog is 'sitting on the sidelines is no fun'. I never wanted to be that mom sitting on the bench, watching my boys have fun. I want to be right there, having fun with them. My heart is full.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Thanks for your understanding! Now, on with the Weekly Wrap!

I Need Another Vacation!

This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

"I've got that summertime, summertime sadness.." ~Lana Del Rey

I love going away but coming back to reality is so hard! After 3 really busy weeks of travel, activities, and fun, I spent this week getting back on track. My house was a mess, my husband did the shopping with very questionable selections, and my stomach was a mess from eating poorly.

Wouldn't it be great to come home to a few more days off? At least I have really great memories...

Thankfully, we still have a lot of summer left. I don't have any more vacations planned but I do plan on making the most of the time we have left before winter returns.

More Than a Runner

"🎶 More than a runner...more than a runner to me...🎶 ~Apologies to the Bee Gees. 

This post was originally scheduled to go live Sunday from Montgomery, Alabama after a fun-filled active weekend with my co-host, Holly. As much as we tried, we just couldn't finish our posts and do them justice in time to open the Weekly Wrap on Sunday as we usually do. We debated about this all Sunday morning but on the drive to the airport, we finally made the decision to defer the Wrap to Monday morning. We hope y'all understand!

For me, it's been a busy couple of weeks. Yes, I was just in Wisconsin last week. And yes, I ran a race with Holly and a bunch of other blogger friends 2 weeks ago. It's been a busy couple of weeks. I even squeezed in a couple days of work between all this activity. Full disclosure: I also had more than a few "what was I thinking?" thoughts cross through my head. More than once.

It was all worth it.

If runners are good at anything, it's learning to roll with life. That's what I did and I've had a really fun couple of weeks--although I am pooped! I need a vacation...

Ok, let's wrap it up!