You know I'm a big fan of moving during the holiday season. Why else would I be participating in a bunch of different holiday challenges AND have just joined a gym for the first time in 12 years? Sometimes though, just staying moving is not enough to keep you healthy during the holidays. Sometimes you need to do a little extra self care. Here are my go to tips for making it through the holidays as healthy as possible. Get enough sleep - I know. So much to do. So many events. So hard to get enough sleep. But make the effort. Your personal sleep needs may vary, but studies have shown that sleep deprivation does affect both your immune system's ability to fight off cold and flu, but also prevents it from recovering as fast. … [Read more...]
Packing for a destination race AKA racecation
You know I like to make races part of my vacations. Heck, I like to make races the actual vacation. LOL. Luckily, Beer Geek loves to travel so he's joined me for several Mainly Marathon series: Dust Bowl, Riverboat, and Center of the Nation. He's also gone with me to Cape Cod (where he looked at light houses while I ran Ragnar Cape Cod) as well as multiple vacations that included races, including trips to Washington, Oregon, Utah, Alaska, and Wyoming. So, packing for a destination race or racecation? Yeah, I got that. Here are the most important tips I can give you: ALWAYS take your running shoes in your carry on. ALWAYS. - I've never actually had my luggage lost on a racecation, but the times I have had lost luggage it's … [Read more...]
Tips for Night Races (and a few thoughts from MCM)
I have to admit, I'm still riding a bit high from finishing the Marine Corps Marathon. I was pretty sure I could do it, but I had enough doubt in my mind that I carried enough cash for a cab and also had my metro card. Yes, I believe in being prepared. Know what else is a amazing? By Monday morning, I was barely sore. Seriously. I did five loads of laundry (2 flights of stairs between the hamper and the washer), went grocery shopping (where someone did not believe I'd run a marathon because I was walking normally LOL), and took Shoo to the doctor (where we went up and down multiple flights of stairs.) Feeling fine really blew my plan of spending the day sitting on the couch eating bon bons. Anyways, MCM was such an awesome experience … [Read more...]
A night owl’s guide being a morning runner
Morning running will never by my jam. I am a night owl, through and through and will never be a morning runner by choice. But some of you might have noticed recent early morning running posts on instagram and Facebook. I know. I'm shocked too. But heat, no school, and a challenging training plan have forced me out of bed and out the door. … [Read more...]
TOTR: Hot weather running + Timex GPS watch giveaway
Baby, it's hot outside! OK, maybe I shouldn't complain because my Tuesdays on the Run partners in crime, April and Patty, live in Florida and Arizona. They know hot. But since our topic for the week is hot weather running, I'm going to talk to you about my training plans and give you some tips on how to survive running in the heat. … [Read more...]
Tips for surviving multi day race events
Multi-day race events are becoming increasingly popular. They range from high mileage multiple day races like the Mainly Marathons races and Disney's Dopey to two day lower mileage options like the Frederick Nut Job (5k/half marathon) and the Shamrock marathon's Dolphin and Whale challenges (8k/half or full marathon). Since I've now run 5 half marathons in 5 days at both the Riverboat Series and the Dust Bowl series and two marathons in a row at the Independence Series, plus the Nut Job, I feel like I've learned a few useful things along the way. So, for my free Friday participation with Cynthia, Courtney, and Mar, here are my tips. … [Read more...]
TOTR: What You Can When You Can #wycwyc
Do you have a favorite running book or movie? Were you inspired by Spirit of the Marathon or the old school Chariots of Fire? Is there a running book you turn to again and again for advice or just to inspire you to get out there? For today's Tuesdays on the Run, April, Patty, and I would like to hear about your favorite running books and movies. … [Read more...]
TOTR: My five favorite running hacks…
It's Tuesday! I'm on Martha's Vineyard and I haven't run since Saturday and I'm kind of ok with that. Instead, I've ridden on 3 ferries, eaten a ton of seafood, and drunk my weight in beer. Yeah, I have this vacation thing down! The topic for today's Tuesdays on the Run is "Running Hacks". Share your favorites with April, Patty and me. Bonus points if you teach me something I didn't know about. 1. Deodorant instead of Glide - Glide is a great invention, but I don't always have it in the house or sometimes forget it when I'm packing for a trip. A good stick deodorant is the next best thing. (Actually, I use it even when I have Glide available. It's perfect for preventing running bra chafe.) 2. Robes from Goodwill as your throw … [Read more...]
Tips for running through allergy season
This post about surviving allergy season was sponsored by CVS Minute Clinic, but all opinions (and allergies) are my own. I love spring. It's a beautiful time of year in Virginia. The sun has come out, the temperature is generally mild, and tons of flowers are blooming. Unfortunately, all of the trees are also producing pollen. I'm allergic to many evergreens and Jones is allergic to oak trees, so when my car looks like this... ...you know we are miserable. But lot of my races are in the spring and I can't stay inside during the best time of the year to be outside, so we had to come up with a solution. … [Read more...]
TOTR: Time management while marathon training
Endurance training takes a lot of time, especially if you are not one of the Speedy McSpeedersons. Half marathons, marathons, any of the longer triathlons... They all take a lot of time and energy. That's why today's Tuesdays on the Run topic is "time management while race training." Share your tips and experiences with Patty, April, and me. And if you have nothing to say no this topic, feel free to link up any running related topic. Also, please welcome Janell from Run With No Regrets, our guest host this week! We all know I'm kind of crazy. I have this thing for not just one endurance event, but multiple in a row. Some of that is because I've found that my superpower is recovery, some of it is because I like challenges. Just for … [Read more...]
How to organize your workout clothes
I thought I was organized. After all, my shoes looked liked this: … [Read more...]
5 Excuses to skip exercising and how to beat them
After some really great runs last week, I've been feeling tired and moody this week. Even though I know that I feel better after a workout, I've been able to talk myself out of doing much beyond keeping my run streak alive. Thankfully, I managed to pry myself off of my seat in front of my computer and get out there for 12 miles yesterday. But, I'm pretty sure that I used every excuse in the book before I finally just made myself do it. … [Read more...]
