Tag Archives: Friday

Nov 16 2012

Friday Things…

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First off, I’d like to thank everybody for all of your encouragement and positive feedback on Wednesday’s post. I have decided that I am definitely going to compete in the Fitness Pageant part of the competition. Think more Victoria’s Secret Model, less Body Builder. That’s what I’m going for…

So, I literally had to restart my day today. Apparently I forgot to lock my car last night and someone decided it’d be a good idea to get into my car and go digging around looking for goodies. That’s not a pleasant surprise at 6:40 a.m. letmejusttellyou. Luckily I don’t keep anything of value in my car – so no damage, and nothing missing. But I still felt very violated.

Then, I got to work right before 11, for my client to cancel at 11:05. I didn’t have another session until 2. I decided a workout was in order. First, I hit the treadmill in my new shoes:

New Balance

These are the New Balance 630v2 – and they’re super comfy! They have a 3mm heel to toe drop, which is just 1mm different than my

After my run I did this:

Back Attack Workout

Phew! Those last two rounds were hard to get through! I worked my abs 4 days in a row this week, so I gave them the day off.

After my workout, I came home and took a nap for an hour to restart my day. Got up, had a cup of coffee and a shower, and I feel much MUCH better now.

I hope you all have an amazing weekend! I will start with sushi takeout tonight with my mom, work tomorrow, but after work it’s dinner and a movie date night with Kevin followed by a Sunday where we BOTH HAVE THE DAY OFF! That’s so rare, so we’re taking advantage by likely going hiking or something equally as enjoyable. Then it’s off to my ‘rents for my birthday dinner Sunday night.

Have you ever been broken into?

What are your plans for this weekend?

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Jun 1 2012

Five for Friday: Stuff, Just Stuff…

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Hey everyone! Happy Friday! Lets get right to it, shall we?

1) I have been suffering from a SEVERE case of writer’s block. Not good as a blogger, eh? So I may be a tad scarce for the next couple of weeks – I do hope it doesn’t take much longer than that to come back.

2) Speaking of that writer’s block – Chicago Marathon training begins on June 18th. So, I should have plenty to talk about very very soon. I’m following a program from Runner’s World to get me to my time goal. And this time around, I’m not talking numbers. I was dared by a certain someone to not talk about my number goals – and, well, I’m not one to back down from a dare.

3) I started my new position at work this week – and so far I really like it. I’m working with the Project Managers processing and expediting construction documents. My official title is Expediter/Submittal Coordinator. Sounds important, right? It’s so much better than the Office Manager position I was working before – I feel like a giant weight has been lifted! I know I talked about it a bit earlier in the week – but I felt like reiterating now that I really know more about the position and what’ I’ll be doing.

4) So much for heat training…temps are dropping again this week. I know, I know, I have all summer. But I was really looking forward to starting now, since, well, I already started… I’m planning on keeping up my weekly hot yoga classes to assist in this process. With two half’s (July and August) and a full coming up that could potentially be warm – I’ll run in all the hot weather I can between now and then!

5) I know, you’re reading this going, and what about all that vagueness about that someone from the other day right? I didn’t want to write about him without permission – some people don’t like their lives being talked about all over the internet. But, he said I could – soooo…I am officially no longer a single woman. My friend Jen set me up with Kevin – she knows both of us well and knew we’d hit it off, which we most certainly did do. I am beyond grateful to Jen for her involvement in our relationship (I don’t usually care to be set up!) – but we never would have met without her! We are like 99% the same person – it’s fun to continue to figure out what else we have in common. It’s great to have a running partner who can push me in pace while I can push him in distance (We’re working him toward his first half marathon this summer!). Honestly, there’s so much more, so so much more. But, there’s plenty of time for that! I just couldn’t keep my excitement to myself anymore. (Did I mention there’s so much more? Did I mention I’m a pretty happy girl right now?)

So, life is good, right?! Everything is falling into place – I feel so happy, lucky, blessed, for everything that’s happening to me.

Have a great Friday/weekend my friends (if this block continues…).

XOXO

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May 11 2012

Weekend Countdown

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*Disclaimer: I straight up stole the entire concept of this post from Tina. I read hers today and fell in love with it. Here’s my spin!*

Hey hey peeps! It’s FRIDAY! 8 p.m. on Friday and I’m blogging – woo, go me.

I kid, I kid. I love blogging, duh. I also love being home on a Friday night.

What is this weekend countdown that I so lovingly stole from Tina and am now putting to my own words? Looky here and see:

Five:

Blogger friends turned in real life friends that I cannot imagine life without:

1) Jess

2) Jolene

3) Meaghan

4) Christine

5) Whitney

These girls impact my life every single day, and I am blessed and grateful that I can call them friends.

Four:

Number of days I took off of working out this week until I decided it was high time to schedule a workout. Today would’ve been that workout – but I forgot and slept in. Tomorrow I am going to 7:30 a.m. Sunrise Power Yoga. I think that is a perfect way to start the weekend!

Three:

Here’s where I completely copy Tina (can you tell I’m not feeling very original tonight?). Instagram pics of the week:

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Princess Lexi

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A view of Providence from the State House Steps

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Wicked good snack

Two:

Glasses of wine tonight. Pinot noir. I almost exclusively drink red wine. Once glass #2 is gone (I’m working on it now) it’s back to hydration time! My sunrise power yoga just happens to be hot yoga.

One:

Quote of the day:

That is all my darlings! I hope everyone had a fantastic Friday. Enjoy the rest of your night!

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Apr 27 2012

Five for Friday: Run-dition

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Happy Friday! I’m blogging at 10 at night…why you ask? Because I love you guys, and because my nails and toenails are drying. I’m going out with a girlfriend tomorrow night and I have a bridal shower to attend on Sunday, so I just had to look beauteous! Winking smile

This Five for Friday is brought to you by (of all things, haha) RUNNING!

1) Running on tired legs is rough. As this beautiful friend of mine brought up in her post today, running on tired legs takes a run from YAY to MEH in a heartbeat. I experienced that feeling this morning as I dragged myself through 4 miles of legs that didn’t want to move.

2) I am a minute faster. Because I’m overly obsessed with numbers (I was going to be an accountant at one point in my life) I compared todays run with the same day last year. I found that last year I ran 5 miles at a 10:36 pace. Today I ran 4 miles at a 9:45 pace. Woot woot! Both of them “recovery” type runs while training for the Cox Rhode Races Half Marathon.

3) Upper body & core strength make for a good run. Even though my legs didn’t want to go this morning, the rest of my body felt very strong. With two weekly upper body/ab sessions and one weekly yoga session, I can feel the difference in every single run. It’s been key in rebuilding my endurance. Plus I always feel so refreshed, centered, and balanced after yoga.

4) A 4:30 a.m. alarm on Friday morning is dreadful. But once I got my butt up and out the door to run those 4 miles, it was amazing. I clicked my Garmin on at 5:07 this morning. Nothing but me, the wind in the trees, and the birds chirping. The occasional car – but I’d say I saw no more than 6 total cars. And there’s something to be said about having your workout done before 6 a.m. (And I do run alone – with mace and a cell phone – you can never be too safe).

5)  8 Days til Cox Rhode Races. I once again meet the Cox Rhode Races half marathon course. This race is my PR race – I haven’t been able to PR the half marathon distance in a year. I actually have myself convinced that half marathons hate me. From the awful rain at Rock N Roll Providence last year, to my hip giving out at the Amica Half in Newport, to severe stomach problems at the Half at the Hamptons – me and 13.1 aren’t friends. Next Sunday, while I run next to Jess, Scott, Christine, and possibly Amy, I am going to stare down that 13.1 and own it. Even if I don’t PR – It WILL be an amazing race. I just know it.

I hope everyone had an awesome Friday! I’m off to bed. I plan on spending all of tomorrow (until my girls night out of course) studying my head off! And enjoying every second of this weeks rest day!

Goodnight! XOXO

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Apr 5 2012

Therapy & Yoga

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How’s that for a creative title? I am so glad tomorrow is my rest day, I’m tired!

I told you yesterday that I’d tell you guys about physical therapy so that’s up first. I’m going twice a week for three weeks, for an hour long session. Today was Day 2. They start with ten minutes of heat on my hip and IT Band, which feels oh so nice. I call it nap time, they call it heat therapy. Then the PT (physical therapist for short) does ten minutes of trigger point therapy which hurts. so. good. I’m definitely cringing and making assorted other faces when he does this, because he’s asked me more than once “Does that hurt?” and I say, “Yeah, but it’s okay.” I’m obviously not your typical physical therapy patient

Then it’s on to the stretching. I get to dive right into a minute per stretch because I’m active, in shape, and flexible – isn’t that wonderful? (cue sarcasm) I’m doing a laying down hamstring stretch with a rope, and because I can bring my leg to a 90 degree angle to my body already, I have to flex the foot toward my head and really pull. Ah, I love it. Then there’s the laying down IT band stretch (both of these can be found in this Cool Running Article, Stay Loose: Stretches for Runners). That one hurts, my right IT band is all sorts of tight and knotted up. Then there’s the piriformis stretch, which is apparently excellent for people who suffer from sciatica (that’d be me), and is the hardest stretch for me to do. He also had me do some calf and shin stretches on an incline board, and then called me a showoff because apparently I made it look easy. Funny when you are in better shape/can stretch better than your therapist, isn’t it?

Today he also made me foam roll the IT band. And I learned ANOTHER new foam rolling trick. Once you find the trigger point, adhesion, whatever you want to call it (source of utmost freaking pain, or almost crying point, are two terms I prefer) rest on it, but also move around a teeny tiny little bit for 30 seconds to a minute. Um, ouch. I had to take Advil after today’s session. But, I can tell I’m getting much better already. 4 more sessions until my re-evaluation, I’ll keep you posted!

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Next up, yoga.  Today I did this:

Half Tripod Headstand

Wicked exciting right? Plus I’m getting better at all the other poses too, like pigeon, and half moon (although I still need a block for this). I’m enjoying learning all of the real yoga terms for these poses too, and I think I’m getting used to the heat because I don’t seem to be sweating as bad.

Yoga makes me happy, and I love doing it before my rest day because once I’m done I feel so refreshed, then the next day I get to rest and enjoy the refresh even more.

I was going to give you guys a recipe tonight too but this is quite long enough! This weekend, I promise!

Have a great night and a happy Friday!

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Nov 21 2011

Five Things for Friday

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Happy Friday friends! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, I know I did.


I started by running a 5k Turkey Trot yesterday morning. I was hoping to break 25 minutes (would be ~ 38 second PR for me if I did) but something went terribly awry. My mouth felt like someone stuffed it full of cotton balls and I had a terrible lower abdominal cramp. My Aunt says (she’s a pharmacist) it’s because of a muscle relaxer I took to help me sleep, since my left shoulder is still messed up from the accident.  By the way, the muscle relaxer did the exact opposite of help me sleep, I hardly slept. Oh well, lesson learned.  So I ran a 27:07 which is still a great time (last year at this time I couldn’t break 30 mins). I came in 348 of 1605, which is the top 1/3 of racers.  I’m happy and I have another PR opportunity on December 4th.


So, onto today’s “Five for Friday”.  I stole this from Jess, who posted it last week.  I think it’s a great idea as a little “getting to know me better…”


Five things you didn’t know about me:

  1. My favorite author is Stephen King. I’ve read 90% of his books.
  2. I lived in Iowa for a year. I will never do that again. Honestly, I may never step foot in that state ever again. (Except I may have to for 26.2 miles, if I want to run all 50 states? Damn damn damn.)
  3. I can only swim enough to maybe save my own life, but I want to get into triathlons (I guess I better get my butt to the Y, eh?).
  4. I’m extremely claustrophobic. I rode the subway to a concert in Boston once, the same night as a Red Sox home game. I was freaking out the entire time as I was squished in the middle of the car surrounded by crazed Red Sox fans. 
  5. I used to be good at snowboarding. It is not like riding a bike. Once you stop for a while, it is very difficult to get back into, but I would love to be good at it again.
Five things I’m good at:
  1. Organizing. I love to organize. Clothes, files, jewelry, makeup, you name it. Give me bins, labels, colored file folders, markers, etc. and a pile of stuff to organize. You’d be impressed.
  2. Writing. I never thought I was good at writing, until I started blogging. I enjoy putting my thoughts down, for everyone to read. People who know me in real life have told me that the way I write is the way I speak, which I enjoy hearing because it means that you’re getting nothing but genuine me when you read my blog.
  3. Being a friend. I’d do anything for my friends. My friends mean everything to me and I am always there for them. I’d rather have a few close friends that I can always be there for than a giant pile of acquaintances – that’s how my life is, and I love it.
  4. Running. I may not be a world record setting speed demon, but I consider myself a good runner. I run a lot. I run speed. I run hills. I sometimes run slow. This year I ran 14 races (one more to go) (7 5k’s, 5 half marathons, and 2 full marathons). 
  5. I am disciplined and good at kicking my own ass. I thank Coachy for giving me this one. He’s right. No on else is going to kick my ass for me, so I have to do it (well…Coachy is good at kicking my ass too, but it’s easy for me to blow him off when he lives 1000 miles away. what? who said that?). Not to mention how great I feel after an ass kicking run, or 100 pushups (yup, I did 100 “girly” pushups today). I lost my discipline for a while, but it’s back in full force and I feel fantastic!
Five things I believe in:
  1. I believe that everything happens for a reason. The good, the bad, and the ugly – it’s all happening for a reason, even if we don’t know what it is at the time – or if the reason seems unacceptable at any given moment.
  2. I believe that everyone should have a pet. And by pet I don’t mean a guinea pig or a gold fish – I mean a pet like a dog, or a cat, or some other animal you can interact with. I love my dog, she is the greatest little critter. Pets are loyal, they’re warm, they’re cuddly, they’re great outdoors buddies, I could go on and on and on…
  3. I believe that you should treat others as you want to be treated. Being mean, or rude, or cold will get you nowhere in life. Disrespecting others is unnecessary. I know I don’t like it when people are mean or rude or disrespectful to me – so why would I be that way? *Disclaimer: If I am treated poorly, you bet your ass I will return the “favor.” However, I always try my best to be nice, sweet, polite, and respectful. 
  4. I believe in social media. I have met some of my closest friends this way. I met Coachy this way, I met a whole group of other awesome runner friends this way, I met Steph this way. I’m also planning on meeting so many other people that I know will be great friends and have a major impact in my life, since they already are/do and I don’t even know them in real life yet!
  5. I believe that every woman should have one go to outfit – for a job interview, for a date, for a night out with the girls. Something that makes you feel 100% confident, sexy, yourself. Well, not sexy for the job interview…that may be inappropriate. But you know what I mean. Every woman should have these items at the ready at all times. Who knows when that perfect job or man may show up (or if you have your perfect man…perhaps he surprises you with a fantastic night out, better have that outfit ready). Or a great opportunity to hit the town with the girls. You need that outfit. A great hairstyle, perfect makeup, and accessories are also must haves. 
So there you have it. My five things.

As Jess said when she posted her five things, I challenge you to answer these questions.  They are HARD. I’ve been working on this on and off all day long!

SIDE NOTE: Have you signed up for our 30 for 60 Challenge yet? You have until Wednesday to join me and Coachy, and about 50 others, in this challenge! 
Nov 18 2011

It Hasn’t Been All Bad (Happiness in an Otherwise Blah Week)

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Hello darlings! Can you believe it’s Thursday? Thank goodness this week is going fast because this is how I feel about it:

Source

It hasn’t been all bad. Yesterday two three wicked good things happened: 


1) I ran a KICK ASS speed interval session, IN THE RAIN

This included 8 quarter mile intervals ranging from 7:21 avg to 8:14 avg

2) I got a surprise birthday package filled with chocolate and beer. It made my day GREAT. (Other than a small incident at work that gave me a massive heart attack made me slightly nervous, but is now over, and all is well again). 


3) I went to dinner with a lovely lady who I hadn’t seen in way too long:



And then today I did this:

Pay no mind to that elevation, I think my Garmin started in space…

6 miles turned into 7 because I have an awful sense of distance, but the crazy part is that this run is my best recovery run EVER. Most times when I run the day after running speedwork, my legs protest, my lungs don’t want to hear it, and I slog on down the road like a sloth on ritalin. 

No, no, not this Sloth (Source)
I think he needs some ritalin (scary, but cute, no?) (Source)

I’m feeling faster and stronger with each run.  My hip did protest a bit today, since I’m building back my mileage, so I’m going to treat it to some elliptical rather than running tomorrow.


Anything else?

TOMORROW IS FRIDAY
LETS CELEBRATE!!!!

Have a great evening my friends, thank you all for the kind words this week on my posts, about my accident, etc. It means so much to me!!!! Year 30 is going to be a great one, I can feel it. 
I love Snoopy, Snoopy loves Woodstock (Source)