#GoalGetter2013 July Update

Wow! Summer seems to be flying by, but not without fun, adventure, and new stuff! Of course I have also been working toward my goals for for the year and today I'm taking a look back at my adventures and how I did in July.

Say Hello to Fast!

The best way to start a new month is with some new gear and thanks to Mizuno and the Mezamashii Run Project, I received a pair of Wave Sayonaras. These shoe are so different from any other shoe I've worn, and I love having them in my training rotation.









Time to Start Training

I spent the first week of summer blissfully enjoying the lack of a training schedule (especially because it was so hot), but then quickly realized that it was time to start getting ready for the ZOOMA Cape Cod half marathon. So I wrote up a 12 week plan and crossed my fingers for a break in the heat wave.




Snacking on Stonyfield

I attended another #Blog&Tweet event organized by Janine and Allie of New Hampshire Blogger and Tweeters. We had a great time learning about Stonyfield organic yogurts made right here in New Hampshire. After LOTS of taste testing, I discovered a new favorite yogurt product that I can't have enough of.









Hula Hustle 10K

My only summer race was one big LUAU party! I had given up running races in the summer because of the heat and humidity, but this one made promises I couldn't resist. The Millennium Running Hula Hustle 5K/10K was definitely worth the warm weather run and will stay on my race schedule.








2013 Goal Highlights:

Still chasing 1000 miles for the year with a monthly goal of 80+, I'm happy to report that in July I ran 80.41 miles (thanks to a two-a-day one mile run to put me over the top!). I am hoping to carry this success into my August running.

I started a 30 day ab challenge that fell by the wayside when I went to Cincinnati, but I did complete 21 days. In August I hope to be more consistent and follow through with the challenges I'm doing.

How did you do in July?

#WhatsBeautiful & #GoalGetter2013 June Update

It feels like I just wrote my review post for May and already June has come to an end. I continued my participation in the #WhatsBeautiful campaign sponsored by Under Armour and FitFluential, and although it has been inspiring, I once again fell short on my individual goal. Despite not hitting my weekly mileage, I did have some great moments this month and (kind of) crossed one of my goals for the #GoalGetter2013 challenge off my list.

Some of my favorite highlights:

I kicked off the month celebrating National Running Day and hosting a fun run. Hosting a fun run is one of my goals for the year. It wasn't the biggest, but it was a start. I'm looking forward to putting together more group runs in the future.

After happening upon Athleta's #seizethesolstice challenge, I discovered a new passion for yoga. The challenge was super fun, but I also learned a lot about my body. It made me realize that I should probably invest some time for stretching and strengthening my muscles.

Once again I ran the local Kickoff to Summer 5K with my husband and youngest stepdaughter. It's fun to know that this race has become a tradition for us. This year we were blessed once again with beautiful weather, but we started our race day with a different starting line: our driveway!

The biggest highlight of the month was the trip to Boston for the BAA 10K. My stepdaughter trained for six weeks to run her personal distance record that day. It was so fun to see her earn her first piece of race bling!






I'm proud to say that in addition to doing some yoga for strength, I also incorporated Laura's six exercises for runners on my off running days this month.

So instead of running 20 miles a week for a monthly total of at least 80, my actual total for June was 62.3 miles. I didn't run less, I just ran shorter distances. At the halfway point, I have run 463.56 miles in 2013. I'm still within reach of 1000 for the year!

Now that I am healthy and summer break is here, I am planning to get the mileage back up, continue working on my yoga skills, and look for new adventures.

I'm also participating in the Sweaty Challenge as a fun way to stay motivated and engage in some online support. As of now the prize is bragging rights, but you never know who might step up and donate a prize! You can join in the fun here.

What was your favorite June highlight?