Let's Talk Training

I've been trying to find a good balance between my innate desire to push myself while also being mindful of allowing my body to rest at 7 months pregnant...plus let's be honest our 4 year-old keeps me running!  I have really been trying to stick to the early morning routine that I have grown to crave.  There are times where it is really hard to get up and get out the door, but once I do I feel so much better!  Running, while I am able to still do it in small doses, is still really uncomfortable so I have been trying to find other ways to move without hurting myself.  The way I see it, running isn't going anywhere so if I need to take a little time off then so be it!  My goals have been to get in at least 3 days of weight workouts and 2-3 of cardio depending on how I feel.  Here is how last week shook out for me!

Monday: 30 minutes on the treadmill...10 min warm-up, 10 minute intervals, 10 min cool down
                30 minutes kettlebells

Tuesday: Cardio...30 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the treadmill walking
Wednesday: Back to the treadmill and kettlebells...I've kept the same routine for both.  The sun finally decided to come out too so I was able to make it outside for a walk at lunch.

Thursday: rest day...I definitely slept in after mini-chickie waking up through the night!
Friday: You guessed it!  Back to the treadmill and kettlebells!
Saturday:  It was frigid out and the wind was whipping but mama needed some time OUTSIDE without children!  I walked around our neighborhood and even threw in intervals to break it up!

Sunday: Rest time!! 

How was your week?  How do you listen to your body when you need the rest?

Summer Grilling #alfresco

It's summer and for me that means time on the beach enjoying what Cape Cod offers outside keeping cool.  It also means firing up the grill whenever we get the chance!  Menu planning always includes your usual burgers, chicken and steak but you may or may not be aware of another awesome option offered by al fresco in their Sweet and Smokey BBQ chicken sausage!  I was excited for the opportunity to try it out as part of a campaign with Fitfluential.

Summertime brings lots of great foods and cookouts but I know that unless I want my short shorts to keep getting tighter, I need to make sure my grill is filled with healthier options.  The al fresco chicken sausages came to the rescue!  Not only are these sausages packed with flavor, but they are also gluten free and have 70% less fat than regular pork sausage!  Sounds good to me!  While my husband was grilling up the burgers, I had him throw our Sweet and Smoky BBQ sausage on and in just minutes they were ready to enjoy!

I loved the smoky taste and even more the fact that I didn't feel gross and bloated after like I do with regular sausage!  Next time I am excited to try out some of the delicious looking recipes that are part of the al fresco Summer Grilling Sweepstakes.  Be sure to check them out yourself and even vote!  Your vote enters you to win $500 AND your own high quality grill!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of al fresco. The opinions and text are all mine.

Work It out Wednesday

Today I went back to an oldie but goodie workout to get my heart rate soaring and still fit in weights. With Runner's Reset I am trying to stick to committing 3 days to weights understanding that I need to retrain my body and my metabolism.  Here is what today looked like...The supersets are exercises done one after another 3 times. For example: 12 lunges, 12 shoulder raises, 12 bicep curls then repeat 3 times.
10 min run @ 8 min mile pace
Superset #1
walking lunges (out and back), lateral raises, hammer curls, abs
Superset #2
chest press, reverse fly, tricep kickbacks one armed
abs
10 sprints....8.5 speed with a 3.0 incline (20sec on and 20 sec off)
Superset#3
one-legged squat, front raises, bicep curls, abs
Superset#4flies, tricep extensions, upright row
abs
10 min bike
stretch

Normally I would go and do another 2 supersets and 10 more minutes but it was getting close to 6am and I knew I had to get home to start the day.  The basic premise is to keep your heart rate elevated the whole time.

I was able to get a good sweat on and still be done within an hour!  Score!!  
How do you fit in weights and cardio....or do you?

Monday Motivation

I have to be honest here and say that this summer, while I've kept up with my workouts, my nutrition has failed...and thus leaving me in a spot that I am finding I am uncomfortable in my own skin.  For me it is a failure....and I am left with two choices.  I can stay here and continue to feel this way or I can make the changes I need to and get back on track.  Failure does not have to stop us where we are...that is our choice.  I am choosing to make the changes I need to...choosing health over not wanting to change...choosing to be a successful over this instead of staying down.  When failure pushes me down, I am choosing to get up!  Will you?

Monday Motivation

Each day I make the choice to move...the choice to feed my body with things that make it work the best it can...or the choice to rest.  It is the process that feeds my body and my mind.  It is the process of training...and moving...and fueling...that produces the results.  I love the process...it makes it my way of life instead of a laborious process.  The process is my life....the results are just the bonus!  You don't have to be a runner.  Find what you can fall in love with so that moving your body is something you love!  Focus on finding joy and the results will come!

What do you do that you love?

Monday Motivation

This past weekend, chickie and I ran in her first 5k.  I would love to say that the whole thing went amazingly and we frolicked through 3.1 miles of fun, but it was hard.  The thing I know is that she had to work...hard.  It was a mental and physical challenge but as she crossed the finish and all her friends, teachers, and family encircled her cheering, she knew she was strong and proud!  There were moments when I could have thrown in the towel during that race but she wouldn't have had that moment...that moment knowing she was strong enough!!  That moment I have shown her so many times as I come in the door drained from a hard workout...knowing that you are stronger than you were when you left!  You never know who your example is reaching....her friend's mom even sent me a message later saying that Emma had inspired her daughter to run the race next year!!

Be strong...and inspire others to dig deep and be strong too!!

Monday Motivation

The past few months have and continue to impress upon our family that you never know what tomorrow will bring.  It has me certainly thinking about plans...plans that are put off for a different time in life...plans for when the girls are older....plans for when my career gets slower...plans for when life is a little less hectic.  Yesterday driving home from visiting my family, as the girls snoozed peacefully in the back, I thought...why?  Why am I putting these things off?  What am I waiting for?  What if I get to that time and there is something else in the way?  What if that time never comes?  Why not go for it now?  Don't put it off for the perfect time to come!  Don't be in a holding pattern until your life is different....do it now!!

What are you waiting for?

Newport 10 Miler Race Report

This is the third year that I have run Newport 10 Miler and I have to say it is one of my favorite races every year!! 

Not only is the scenery gorgeous during the race but it is my hometown which means...family and friends...running my old routes...being back in my hometown for a weekend!  I'm sure the girls didn't mind jumping on the trampoline for hour with their cousins either!

My big sister was kind enough to not only grab my bib but also have the ladies sleep over her house so that I could get up and going early on Sunday!  We put the girls to bed...watched a little Chris Powell and I had my outfit laid out and was tucked in snug early!

I slept awesome and almost didn't wake up!!  A quick breakfast and coffee and I was headed to Fort Adams to meet up with fellow blogger Samantha and her super sweet friend!

It was great to see someone there and catch up a bit before we were headed to the start line.

I had a big goal for this race...even though I never made it public!  I really wanted to get in under 1:25.  With the way I was training prior to Ragnar I could have nailed it no problem, but Ragnar had left me tired and honestly I was having a hard time picking up the intensity.  Needless to say I was nervous stepping up to the start line on Sunday!  The course takes you up and out of the Fort, by Hammersmith Farm (the former summer home of Jackie Onassis and JFK), and along the Ocean Drive before it takes you down Bellavue Ave which boast all the mansions.  From there we make our way back to Fort Adams. 

Since I have run the race twice before I knew what to expect...some rolling hills in the beginning and some big dogs at the end...just my luck they save the hills to the end!  Knowing this I had a plan...go out at a faster pace than what I needed to do and bank some time for when the hills hit.  At first it worked out great (plus I am HORRIBLE at starting out conservatively...right Jill?!).  My first two miles clicked in at 8:00 and 8:02.  I continued to run sub 8:15 min miles right up until about mile 6...my stomach was being very cranky on me (I got some great advice that I can't wait to try out...hoping it will be the end of the cranky stomach).  I saw my sister and my favorite cheering section around mile 7 (Aubs hugged my leg and said "Congratulations Mommy!  You did it!)...

and that was what I needed to focus on the first big hill ahead!  I had my BRF Jill in my head...just keep your eyes forward and pick up your knees!  I went cone by cone until I felt the strain lift from my quads and back down the hill we went!  We hit mile 8 and I looked at my watch....if I kept the pace I was at then I would have no problem getting my goal!  What remained was a mental battle between my head and my heart!  My head was saying, "Ummm hello lady we're tired here!" but my heart was saying, "You have worked too hard to give up now!".  I think I promised myself everything short of a pony if I just kept going!!...you won't have to run for a week...you can have a big ice cream...a pedicure can be in your future...whatever it took to not stop!!  Back up the hill I saw the 9 mile marker and I knew I had it in my sights!!!

Through the tunnel (ummm Mr. Gray one complaint...can you please stop moving the finish line?  Every year it is somewhere different and it messes with me every time!) and push to the finish!!  It wasn't pretty but I DID IT!!!  I looked down at my Garmin to see

1:22:44

slightly faster than the official time but still UNDER 1:25!!!  I was so excited!!!!!  Looking back over the results I found out I was 35th in my age group of over 300 women (of course it got me that there were 4 girls in my age group that finish literally a second before me...ugh!)!  I ran into fellow ZOOMA girl Jess at the finish line...said my goodbyes...and headed back to my parents for some rest!

I would highly recommend Newport 10 Miler to anyone looking for a race in RI to do!  It was very well organized...BEAUTIFUL to run...and not expensive!  They have great finish line snacks and even a beer garden sponsored by Harpoon!  Plus they moved it to June which makes it a great time to make a weekend of it!  I honestly look forward to this race each year!!!

National Running Day 2015

Well well!  Happy National Running Day all!!  You have to know that this mother runner is spending the day running...and talking about running!!  I'm linking up today with fellow mother runner Kristen over at Jonesin' for a run with this fabulous survey!

Enjoy!


1. Why do you run? I have been running almost 20 years now...wow that makes me feel old!  The reasons I have laced up my Sauconys has changed over the years from trying to continue to feed my competitive spirit to trying to escape the dark hole of post-pardum depression.  Running is part of who I am and I can't imagine a time not running!  Here are some reasons from the last few years that I still agree to today!

2. How do you plan to celebrate National Running Day? Ummm by RUNNING!!  I started this morning with an easy run.  I'm planning on hitting up a nice lunch run on my usual route and then capping off the day with my mini running buddy!!

3. How many miles have you run so far this year?  I had a short month in February with the flu that ransacked our house but I am proud to say that I've run 581.5 miles so far this year!

4. What big events do you have on the race calendar so far this year?  My biggest event for this year for me is going to be ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon in September (Don't forget to join me and use the code NANCY15 for your discount!).  That is my race of the year really for me!  I am also really looking forward to the Newport 10 Miler this weekend (one of my favs) and running my daughter's first 5k with her later this month.

5. Before I leave for a run you must have: my phone...I got into the habit of running with my phone when I was pregnant with my daughter and I honestly don't leave for a run without it.  I don't always listen to music but I like having it for safety reasons...and for the occasional times I get lost!...in my own neighborhood!

6. Do you have one favorite app to track your runs?  Lately I have loved using the RunGo app to track my runs.  It has a feature that will tell you how far you have gone as well as your pace which keeps me from staring at my Garmin a million and one times!  Also you can search other people's routes if you want to change things up!

7. Who is your favorite running partner?  While I love sharing my runs pushing the double wide with these ladies in tow...

My favorite running partner has to be Jill!!!  She has pulled me across more finish lines than I can count including my first post baby....I wouldn't be half the runner I am today if it wasn't for her!!

8. What races have you ran so far this year?  This year has been the year that I have cut way back on my racing.  I set my sights on a few races and have focused more on quality rather than quantity.  That being said, the only race I have run so far this year was Ragnar Cape Cod in May.

9. If you had to give someone one piece of advice about running what would it be?  Only one piece?  How about...If you don't feel like you're going to puke at the finish then you didn't run hard enough....Lol!  That's Jill's!  I would say believe in your own greatness.  We all have the ability to do something great within us...put in the training and you can reach your dreams!

10.  Describe your relationship with running in one word:  Ok so I have never been able to do anything in one word!!!  I would say I would describe my relationship as.....transformative.  Throughout the years running and my relationship has transformed me and my life.

How will you celebrate National Running Day 2015?

Monday Motivation

At any given moment you may spot my girls and I driving down the highway belting out this song!  I mean with lyrics like "This is my fight song..take back my life song...I still have a lot of fight left in me" how could you not belt it out?  This weekend I slogged through my last long run before the Newport 10 miler.  Between the newly settled in humidity and the lack of caffeine consumed beforehand, I was left with heavy legs and an even heavier heart doubting my ability to do well next weekend.  However I remembered what my BRF Jill told me the night before...you've put in the training...keep your eyes on the horizon and fly up those hills!  I'm not going to let a bad run rule out...cause I DO have a lot of fight left in me!!  I'm not done improving...not done in the least!!

How will you play your fight song this week?!

Ragnar Cape Cod Recap

Trying to sum up this relay is a really big undertaking!  There was just so many moments that made it the relay that it was that I am certain I will either forget something or bore you with silly inside jokes!  This was my second year doing Ragnar Cape Cod and at first I was not going to be part of it.  It was a lot on my family last year and we had decided that I sit this one out.  However about a month before the race, my coworker and friend Christy asked me if there was any way I could run and bing bang boom...I was in!! 

Ready to roll with my Feetures! socks and compression socks...Ziplock bags galore!

Christy and her husband Ryan were our fearless team leaders and to say they were beyond organized would be an understatement...however I guess after doing 11 relay races you get that way!

A bonus about having them as captains...we were able to crash at their house while our team was off and sleep on real beds and eat real food!!!...oh yes and showers!!!

I was again in van 2 this year

and Christy, Eva and I went to Hull to cheer on our first van as they made their way to Duxbury to meet us.

Our team at the start

With hours to spare we hit up some shopping to replace a poor, archaic ipod and some Lululemon therapy!  We grabbed food at Whole Foods (I'm was cautious about eating because I was first up in our van and didn't want any belly issues!).

The wind on the beach was FREEZING!

Before we knew it, it was time to head to Duxbury and meet up with our van!  I was runner 7 which meant that I was the first person heading out!  We hung out a bit...got our safety briefing...fought the wind...and then it was my turn!  9.8 (But really 10 according to my Garmin) miles into Plymouth. 

My favorite part of my leg...crossing the bridge!

This was the leg where I developed what our team later called "hill Tourettes"!  I mean seriously could there be more hills?!

Seriously who trusted me with the clipboard???

After our van was done we headed back to Christy's house for some food and sleep before we were at it again! 

Can I please just keep my eyes closed?!

Leg #2 for me was at 2am and near my house!  The fog was so thick as it rolled in off the water that I could only see directly in front of me most of the time...good for focusing on running...bad for a spooked mama!  Add to that the fact that the air was so filled with humidity that the water was falling off the trees making it sound like someone in the woods, and you have a pretty quick pace for 2am!  My van was awesome and stopped every mile or so to make sure I was still around!

safety first

Again back to "homebase" and a shower to make life seem doable after we were all done!  We then headed out to Nauset High School for our last push to P-town!  My last leg was a 6.3 miler along the bike path in Wellfleet which really was beautiful...

I however started counting bugs in my mouth instead of kills (6) and those HILLS!!!  I could see the end in sight and was SOOO excited to pass off the slap bracelet and be done!

Our team quickly (we had one runner that ran the last 10 mile leg in a pace of 6min/mile...seriously!) made their way to P-town and got ready to run across the finish together...even though we had trouble keeping up with our lightening fast last runner!! 

Team CC/DC Back in Black

The back of our medals fit together like a puzzle!

A little celebrating and then home we went!  Honestly I had such a great time and met so many interesting people as a part of this race!  I also learned a lot about me as a runner...like how Red Bull as much as it gives me wings it also gives me terrible stomach pains midrun...or how I just need to run faster!!  I kept such an even pace that really only varied by a second or two on all of my legs, that now I know I can do that pace and need to push it more.  I discovered I can live on pb&js and magical gluten free Ragnar cookies!  I've explained it to several people that have asked me how it was and looked horrified when I blurted out how little sleep and how many miles I ran followed by "It was AWESOME!", that runners are a little bit like the Island of Misfit Toys.  We all have our quirks and such...well Ragnar is like our Christmas or perhaps Carnival...all those quirks are out there to celebrate...tutus, funny costumes, and randomness and all!! 

Training Talk

What a week this has been!!!  I tried to keep it pretty light during the week wanting to save my legs for Ragnar this past weekend. I modified a few runs because of this but overall was happy with how they felt come Friday!  I will post a full Ragnar recap but wanted to touch base about my training this past week!  I'm really LOVING the Own It plan from Train Like a Runner.  It has just the right challenge that I needed!

Monday: 3-5 miles + 3min of 15 on and 15 off- I did 4 miles on the mill with a 30-60-90 pick-ups.  Felt sufficiently toasted at the end!  Swung the bells to finish off the morning!
Tuesday: 1mile WU-Tempo 2X2 miles with .25 recovery-1 mile CD-Off to the gym again for this one (I noticed today that the sun is out around 5am which means a lot less mill runs!!).  Yes it was a toughie but oh so good!!
Wednesday: Rest-I decided to do legs today.  I wanted to get a day of legs in and I knew I needed to have a few days to have them recover.  20 min on the bike and a leg punishment!
Thursday: Ladder intervals-I will admit that I chose sleep over doing this workout!  My legs were wicked tired from the day before and I didn't want to push too much and then not have it in me for the next day!  I did Pilates for a half hour and called it a day!
Friday: 3 miles-This was my first leg of Ragnar.  I did 9.8 (but really it ended up being 10) miles and even though I felt like I may die if I had to climb another hill, I was very happy with how I ran!  There are certainly some things I need to focus on in the next few week to be ready for Newport (like stay away from RedBull...once my friend but now my foe!) but overall I was happy.  More on that in my recap!

Saturday: 13 miles-My first leg on Saturday was at 2am and was 5.4 miles.  My second was around 11 for 6.3 miles.  Again I'll recap soon!

Sunday: REST!!! I don't think my children got the memo on this one since the mini chickie was up at 12am vomiting and the big chickie was wishing me a happy Mother's Day at 5:30am....I thought Ragnar sleep deprivation was over?!  

I'm choosing to redo this week of training since I have time before I need to be getting in serious long runs for ZOOMA Cape Cod (don't forget to use the code NANCY15 for 10% off!).  Keep pushing forward!!  How did your week go?

Monday Motivation

I saw this quote on a sign while I was running my first leg of Ragnar Cape Cod this weekend.  There was a lot this weekend that has me thinking deeper and this quote was one of them!  Pushing, stretching, and challenging my limits makes me feel AWESOME and I need to remember to not get too comfy in the place where I can do everything.  This weekend...covering 22 miles over 3 legs...challenged me but today I'm feeling awesome!!

My challenge to you is to find what makes you awesome and get out there and do it!! 

Go be awesome!!!

Cheating...Helpful or Hurtful?

In all other areas of life besides eating, cheating is a bad thing...cheating on a test, you get a zero or worse...cheating on your taxes, jail...cheating in a race, disqualified.  Cheating, however, in many areas of dieting is an official day or meal. 

I'm pretty sure this started with body builders getting ready for shows or along those lines.  After watching my husband prep for his show, I think it could be used as torture in some cultures! 

There are noted benefits of incorporating a cheat meal into your diet plan especially for people with very specific goals in mind like cutting and other ways to shock your body.  This I can see and understand as it is often times monitored by a coach.

I started thinking the other day about cheat meals for everyday people that aren't doing shows.  I'm not so sure it has the same effect.  For me a cheat meal opens the door...Pandora's Box if you will to a world of junk food.  Most times I can shut it...other times it takes a bit longer to tighten the lid on my cheat "meal".  This often times follows a long run or race when I feel like I've "earned" it!

When you are striving for a healthy lifestyle, is "cheating" ok?  Moreover, when you are on that road to a balanced, healthy body, would anything be off limits as long as it is in moderation? 

I know personally when someone says NOT to eat something, that is in fact the ONLY thing I can think about!  Don't eat sugar....I think about it constantly!  Don't eat carbs...you find me dreaming about a bagel!

There is the allure of being "bad"...of cheating and getting away with it!  For me, I think that having a healthy, balanced diet most of the time and finding ways to be healthy around all food, is the most important and the best way for me to reach my goals.  So while a "cheat" meal sounds fun...it's the feelings that happen after for me...or when I can't stop cheating...that I need to stay away from.  Am I saying that I ALWAYS eat healthy and perfectly?  My husband can attest that I do not...but do I try my best to fuel my body the best way I can...yes.  I'm working towards having a healthy balance and healthy mindset around all foods!  I'm not saying cheat meals are bad...I'm not saying you shouldn't do them...I'm saying for me...I have to put a lid on that box!!

Do you have a cheat meal? 
How do you keep it from becoming a cheat day...week?