TTT

Some weeks crawl by and I'm begging for Friday to come....others fly by and before I know it I'm doing the Friday dance!!  Thankfully this week flew by...as a matter of fact this month is ticking by at a pretty quick pace!  I'm looking forward to a weekend of fun with the fam and a running date with my BRF!!!  Until then it's Thursday and Thursdays were made to be random!

I mean really....There is a beach chair company local to us that makes these really beautiful and sturdy beach chairs.  If you've known me for 5 minutes you know that I live at the beach in the summer.  I love love love the beach and I'm thankful that our girls have fallen for it too...like they had a choice!  We decided that for Christmas (well I really can't take the credit since it was my husband's idea) that we would give each other one.  Since it is closed during the off-season (a beach town norm) we ventured there last week and yesterday I went to pick them up!!!

I mean really it was a no brainer what I was going to get put on it!!  I've had that nickname dating way back to my days as a toddler in gymnastics class!!

Sprinklers?...Chickie has decided to sign up for our local 5k again this June and so we have started training in our neighborhood.  She is actually doing awesome and I'm impressed with the improvements that she has made.  I think this year is really going to be good for her!  We've just started training and she's already running longer intervals than last time!  Yesterday was our first warm spring day (63*) and at the end of our run she noticed that our neighbor had his sprinklers on.  Yup...even though I warned her that it would be freezing she just had to run right through!

It was good though because then she wanted to run extra fast home so her clothes would dry faster! She's too funny!

Cover Model?...Runner's World is at it again running their cover search contest.  I know the stories from last year were so inspirational and fun!  There are just 69 more days to throw your hat into the ring if you want.  Here is the lowdown for the 2016 search...

The 2016 Runner's World Cover Search is our 3rd national search for the quintessential male and female runners in America - two runners who are passionate athletes. This year we want to hear about your drive, determination, and motivation, and most specifically, we want you to tell us about your BREAKTHROUGH RUNNING MOMENT – the day you became a runner, took your running to the next level, nailed a PR, or any other moment that changed your running life permanently.
You never know...someone a little Fancy may end up entering!!

My RUNCH Essentials

If you follow me on Instagram...and if you don't get right on that...you know that I love runch (run+lunch)!  I got the idea from my BRF Jill who is a seasoned runcher.  Last year I needed to get in outdoor miles during the month of January for the Winter Warrior Challenge, and I knew that if I waited until school had ended I would be out there in the dark (and the dark and I aren't friends). Enter runch!

It started last year and has grown to something I really look forward to.  I don't go every day but I try to go at least once a week...unless it's challenge time!  I have about 25 minutes for lunch (glamorous life of a teacher....we are the fastest eaters around!) so I try to get as much mileage I can within that time.

If you are lucky enough to have a job where you can sneak away during your lunch time then here are some tips for having a successful runch!

Pack Right...I always make sure that I pack my bag the night before to ensure that I have everything that I am going to need.  I make sure that I am well stocked from my sneakers to my deodorant...you don't want to forget that and stink up the office!!  Another essential in my bag are dry shampoo...I tend to be able to get away with just the messy bun...thankful for my curly hair which looks crazy on a normal day...but there are times when I need to wear my hair down again.  Enter dry shampoo.  It helps me to not look like the sweaty mess that I am!  I am also lost without a ShowerPill!! (Enter CAPEN at checkout for 10% off!) I come in the school...I'm sweating buckets even when it is cold outside...and I need a way to wash off the funk.  ShowerPill to the rescue!  It also helps me wipe away the salt which is high since we are right on the ocean!  Also make sure you have a change of the essentials...you know undies and bra!  No one want to slip their work clothes back on and sit in sweaty undies....Yuck!

Which Way?...Once you are out on the road, make sure that you find a predictable route and you are certain where you are going.  When I first started, not being from the town which I teach in, I made sure to use my RunGo to make sure I knew where I was.  Yup I got lost a little bit but when you have a time restraint you don't want to be heading on a detour that takes you too far from work.  Now I follow the same few routes depending on how I'm feeling and the time that I have.  I've also ventured over to the bike path near school to get in some easy miles....however not much since I'm not a fan of running in the woods alone!

Hey Buddy...I'm so lucky to have another runner that I work with that is as crazy as I am (sad for me that she is out...happy for her because she had the most adorable baby girl!)!  The miles are much easier when you can partner up...especially when the wind is howling and it's cold!

The same theory that applies to finding a workout buddy for the gym applies here.  If you know a coworker is going to be changed and waiting for you to go for a quick run, you'll be less likely to bag it.  You can talk about work or not but it's just nice to have someone out there with you.

I love the stress relief a good runch brings me especially when things are getting hairy around here...a mile or two out on the road puts me in such a better state of mind!  So prep ahead and move through your lunch!!

Do you runch?  Any tips to add?

Monday Motivation

Oh the hill....Run with me for any amount of time and you will quickly learn that I am NOT a fan of hills.  Hills in my life...bring them on!  Hills on my run...bring on the profanity!  The harsh truth is that I live in New England and not Chicago so hills during my runs are impossible to avoid.  Every race I run has had some type of punishing hill or two...and believe me I have looked for ones that are flat!  So I train them....I drag my complaining ass up and down all the hills I can find so that next time maybe I'll power up one like I own it!  Life is waiting at the top of a hill...go grab it!

Most Memorable...

We all have those races...those that stick in our memory as our most memorable!  There are reasons we all have for why they are the most memorable and it varies from person to person.  When asked the question, what was your most memorable race, I of course we to the "Book" and asked my running friends.  It seems like there were a few prevailing themes for what made the race you ran the most memorable.

First up...the company you were with!!  

Relay races can be crazy...no sleep, no real food, and lots of miles...but when you spend them with fabulous people they can be so memorable!!  Just take it from one of my Ragnar teammates!

Ragnar relay/reach the beach.... The people... 

Maybe it's a family member that just makes the time special....like for my friend Jen who runs with her Dad...

Army 10 miler in DC with Dad.. This year will be my 3rd.. Love that we run with 35,000 other people can't beat the sight seeing while running around DC and I've been lucky enough to run with my Dad.

For me I have to agree!  The memories happen with the people you are sharing the race with...whether it is a stranger who you have decided you're going to pace off of...a group of friends who are just there for the fun...or a BRF who is going to push you to your goals, the company you keep can make or break your race!!  I have shared the miles with some fabulous people!!

Next...No one forgets their first time!

I love when a friend....or my sister...decides to run a race for the first time and then asks me to help them!  For one reason or another there is always a funny story to tell basically about me being a drill sergeant!  Here's what my sister said about her first 5k...

My first and for the same reason-because you were with me. Or maybe the 3 day when you told me to walk off a stress fracture 

Then there was my coworker....who decided to play her iPhone like it was a boom box...

My first one. With you. It was my favorite cuz u were laughing at me. My cramp was memorable. I did it once more, 4 years later

Here's another from one of my fabulous and inspiring co-workers who hurt herself just before the ZOOMA 10k and proceeded to not only walk the whole thing but made sure to cheer everyone on that passed her!

My first 10k that I ran with a torn ACL. It was the Cape Cod Zooma Race!!! Have done it twice will be doing it again in September!!!

I'll never forget my first race after having Em...I ran it with my BRF Jill who I had just started running with at the time.  We knew each other but no way like we do now.  I thought I was going to DIE but she kept pushing me to keep the pace saying if I wasn't ready to throw up then I could give more!  She was right!!!

A race with good friends, food, beer and schwag! Oh and one that I felt like barfing😊because I knew I was running fast.😎

Finally...Doing something you never thought you could!

Crossing that finish line of a race you never thought you could complete...Throwing your hands in the air and knowing that you did it!  That is a memory right there!

I'll never forget crossing that finish line in Boston!

Crossing the finish line of my first half for sure!

What else...looking up at the finish line clock and seeing a time you have been chasing for far too long!!!

At first glance I look at this picture and notice how tired I look...I remember that time was when we had just moved and I was getting used to a new life in a very new place.  But this is the picture before the race where I FINALLY broke the 2 hour barrier in the half!!  I had been chasing this goal for so long...narrowly missing it each time!  This was the day I broke it!!!  I was so excited when I crossed that finish line...of course Jill beat me!

What was YOUR most memorable race?  What would be your ideal race?  I would say make it fun and make it amazing!  Check out Eventbrite for a fabulous event in your area or to plan events of your own...invite your BRF and make it memorable!”

Yes...I'm a MOTHER Runner

Almost 8 years ago (yup I get choked up just typing that) I was given a title that I wear with pride each and every day.....Mom.

Becoming Em's mom was something I had prayed about for years and years...dreamed about the day when I could hold her in my arms and hear her cry for the first time!  While we had not a clue what it was like to actually be parents, we didn't lack in love and excitement over our new bundle of joy!

I am not going to say that first year was all doves and roses.  We were new parents...both of us worked full-time...I was going to school part-time to get an advanced degree...

and after 6 months into being a mom, I decided to add back the title of runner....this time adding "mother" runner to it!

The journey as a mother runner has certainly had it's twist and turns...bumps along the way in learning what works best for our family but with a supportive husband we made it work.  Then we added another chickie to our group!

She has added so much life to our life and has kept me running after her!  People joke that she is always running and on the move because I ran through my pregnancy, but what I see in her is a spark...that I pray never dulls.  She is going to move mountains so just get out of her way!

I can wear the badge with pride...I am a MOTHER RUNNER!

I have run pushing and carrying my chickies as a MOTHER RUNNER!

I have run side by side with our oldest as a MOTHER RUNNER!

I have had countless adventures with my BRF Jill faithfully by my side (I could do just a post on you Jill....oh wait I have!!) as a MOTHER RUNNER!

I have met (and become friends with) the most amazing people...a lot of which are also mother runners... as a MOTHER RUNNER!

I have joined running groups and Ragnar teams as a MOTHER RUNNER!

I have run 35 half marathons as a MOTHER RUNNER!!

Why all this mother runner talk....well because there was a time when I thought I couldn't do it...that my dreams and goals needed to be put on hold until the girls were older...that I needed to be put on hold.  Yes life is crazy as a mother runner....isn't it crazy for everyone...but I am so thankful for the support of my husband to help me realize that I can be a mother runner....that I can be an example for our girls!

I am proud to be a MOTHER RUNNER!!!

Let's Talk Training

Looking at this pic above reminds me that my tootsies are overdue for some new kicks!  I've pretty much ran my Rides and Altras into the ground so looks like mama needs some kicks for Mother's Day!  I have my eyes on these....

but I will admit I'm nervous to stray from my usual Rides.  Complete honesty here....the newest version of the Rides have colors that I'm not excited about but these Kinvaras are the bomb!!  We shall see!

I haven't posted in a while about my training so I figured I would do a little update.  During the first round of Carb Cycling, I didn't run any more than the plan said.  I wanted to reset my body after training hard for so long.  This cycle Amanda is kicking our butts but I've also started my training for Newport 10 Miler.  This means an extra run during the week and a long run on Saturday.  Last week was my first week of this round so here's the skinny on what it looked like!

Monday: Low Carb Day=Sprints...I did 10 minutes of warm-up and then 20sec on 20sec off sprints 20 times.  I then went on to run easier for another 30 minutes.  I love speed work so this was fun!

Tuesday: Repeat of Monday...The difference with today is Mom-life took over so I was staring down sprints in my basement at 9pm.  I muscled through but had the hardest time falling asleep!

Wednesday: Feast Day...Legs were on tap for today!  I did a quick warm-up and then it was time to push my legs.  Looking back I should have gone heavier because I wasn't super sore.  I tend to be able to really push my legs so I will remember this for next week!  I finished the workout with time on the stair master!

Thursday: Fast Day...I did the 24 hour fast and broke it at 7pm with a shake.  Thursdays are the days I have my cross country girls.  I taught them the fine art of pacing and sprints on the softball field!

Friday: Regular Calorie Day...After practice testing for our school for hours all week, I was going stir crazy!  Thankfully the weather was awesome and I took my lunch to the road!  Nothing like a good runch to save the day!  I finished the day with a total body workout!

Saturday:  Feast Day...I had 8 miles planned for today along with an arm workout.  My back has been crankier than a sleep deprived toddler so the run was less than fabulous.  I got the miles in but my stride was so much shorter and labored.  I'm thinking a trip to a chiro may be in my future.

Sunday: Low Calorie Day...I was more than happy to take this as a rest.  I've learned with this program to embrace the rest days

Monday Motivation

This weekend I had a run-in with my past...a person who was once a principal of mine who turned out to be a very toxic and abusive person in my life at a time when I was very vulnerable.  For an adjunct job that I have I now have to collaborate with this person who I more than thankfully had put in my rear view 6 years ago.  One email....one email that was condescending...one line or two was all it took to bring me back to that place...to feel small...to feel incompetent...to make my blood boil.  I spent half the day feeling inferior all over again and ready to run in the other direction...and the other half of the day upset with myself for allowing someone to do that to me again.  I allowed this person to make me feel small....to take me back to that toxic place...and believe me it will not happen again!!  Don't let ANYONE make you feel less...you have fought to get to where you are and you should be proud!!!