November Beach Day

After a frigid couple of days, Sunday turned out to be a very nice day, so mrC and I decided to get out and enjoy it. We leashed up the dog and headed out for a leisurely 5K walk to our favorite local beach and back.

When we left the house the temperature was in the low 50s but it was sunny. I picked my outfit hoping I would be warm enough while putting some of my new running gear to use, even though I wouldn't be running.

Oiselle birds of a feather long sleeve and Eddie Bauer vest

Athleta Miles Compression Tights and Mizuno Wave Rider 18

Part of the walk to the beach takes us through a shady section, where we paused to watch some friendly horse riders pass by. Because there was a breeze, it got a little chilly out of the sun.

At the beach we took in the views from the lifeguard stand, watched some ducks, and took a moment to stretch. My legs were a little sore from my Saturday morning workout.

Once we were sufficiently warmed up in the November sun, we headed back. On the way home we stopped to check out the new bridge and stone work. I love that there is always something new to see on our trips to the beach.

My outfit kept me comfortable on the walk, but I would have been too warm if I had been running (even without the vest). It was a perfect day for a walk to the beach, and I know mrC and I weren't the only ones who enjoyed it.

Do you like to visit summer places outside the season?

Staying Healthy through the Winter Months

The opinions in this article are my own. I do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this article, nor do

I have any official relationship with them.  I have a relationship with GigaSavvy, for whom I create original editorial content.

When it comes to the winter months and the holidays, staying healthy gets harder for me.

As much as we all want to curl up under a warm blanket with a cup of hot cocoa, we need to remember that staying active will keep us healthy. This article explains the benefits physical activity.

Here are some tips that I try to follow to stay active and healthy through the winter months:

1. Have a plan: since my normal routine disappears over the holiday breaks from work, I try to plan my workouts in advance. I've posted about this before here and here. I will literally schedule my workouts on the calendar around all of our other obligations so that the family knows. Often times, I can get someone to join me and teach them the importance of staying active by showing them.

2. Check out your local gym/studio: many gyms/fitness studios offer holiday discounts on classes or packages. The fitness studio I use also offers classes at times that I usually can't attend, so I like to check out their monthly schedule and see when I can squeeze in a class. 

3. Set goals: pick goals that you know will benefit you based on your fitness level and the type of fitness you are focused on. If you are training for a race, make it a running goal (distance total or total number of runs to do). If you are just looking to burn calories make a goal for the number of workouts that you do or the amount of time you spend working out that can be squeezed in at any time. If you are trying to get to the gym more often, set a number as your goal.

4. Add a workout buddy: this does not have to mean that you workout together. It just means, pick someone that can hold you accountable and encourage you. Share your activities with each other through email or text messages. If you are on social media, share Instagram pictures or Facebook posts. I like to join challenges that offer a support group, like the Holiday Sweat Challenge. 

5. Pick a reward: this keeps me motivated, especially because I reward myself with new fitness gear. Think of something that you really want and use it to hold yourself accountable. Get other people involved in the reward so that it becomes a group effort (combine with "Add a workout buddy").

Hopefully if we all follow these tips (or at least some of them), we will find staying healthy throughout the winter months and all of the holidays to be much easier.

Feel free to leave a tip of your own in the comments!

Saturday Sweat: Wake-up Workout

This morning I got up too early, but I guess that's what I get for going to bed at 8:30 last night.

Weekend plans kept me from my favorite Saturday morning activity, SurfSet, so I put together my own workout session in the basement.

All of the mini-workouts are Tabata or HIIT (my favorite) and I use my GymBoss interval timer to keep track of the rounds.

If you are interested, I posted about the ab workout here and the jump rope workout here.

Fire the Glutes was a mix of moves that have been recommended to me by Dr. Bri and other runners over the years. I did two rounds of a 20/5 Tabata set.

The 30-ish minute workout was a great wake-up workout that got my heart pumping.

The cool down was a nice 5 minute stretch session.

I'm still waiting out my TFL injury and soon will be recovering from my meniscus repair. In the meantime, I hope to use workouts like these to get in some cardio and strength. Otherwise, I think I would go crazy!

How do you sweat it out on busy Saturdays?
Do you have a wake-up workout? Leave a link so I can check it out!

Training Truths: Coping with Limits

Last week I was able to comfortably complete some at-home short strength and cardio workouts, but my TFL test run did not go as I had hoped.

On Thursday, I was allowed to run after a two week hiatus. Run if it doesn't hurt, he said. So I did. Two miles with the high school Run Club. My TFL felt a little different, tight maybe, but it didn't hurt. At all.

Fast forward to my PT appointment about an hour after my run. Pain. It was back, just like the last time. Dr. Bri put me back on the no-running list, but gave me the ok to do cross-training as long as it doesn't cause pain. I went home after some Graston, ART, and another cortisone patch feeling bummed. Running is my thing. I don't want to give it up.

Friday I met with an orthopedic surgeon to discuss my torn meniscus - the root of all my problems. He recommended a repair. Seems like a good time since I can't run anyway. More on this later.

After seeing Dr. O, I had a sports massage from my favorite masseuse, Jeannie. She almost made me cry, but when I woke up Saturday morning, my hip was feeling TONS better!

I was feeling so much better that I decided to go to SurfSet. The instructors are great about offering modifications to moves during class for injuries and also different fitness levels. It's one of the reasons I love going.

SurfSet is a HIIT class mixing moves on the board with strength exercises using hand weights, kettle bells, and medicine balls. It was just what I needed.

I hate that I can't run, but my body has reached it's limit. So until my meniscus repair to fix the instability in my legs, I will continue to cope with my new limits with strength training and cross-training.

How do you cope when you can't run?

Girls On The Run Fall 5K Volunteer

When you're feeling down because of an injury and you can't run, I highly recommend volunteering at a race to lift your spirits.

This morning I met up with several members of the Manchester MRTT group to volunteer at the Girls On The Run Fall 5K. This is the first of two annual events held for the various GOTR groups across the state of New Hampshire.

We were in charge of setting up the first of two water stops along the 5K course. Fortunately we had plenty of hands to help get all those cups of water ready.

When the first runners came around the corner, we were ready and waiting.

Within moments of handing water to the first runners, it felt like all of the remaining 1500 smiling little runners were surrounding us and they were thirsty! We soon realized that being a hydration specialist is not as easy as it looks!

Then, just like that, the massive wave of runners, coaches, and parents were headed toward the finish line. We received a lot of thank yous while handing out the water today, but the best part was seeing all of the smiles on the girls' faces as they passed by.

Girls on the Run is an organization devoted to helping girls grow up to be self confident and healthy young ladies. They combine training for a 5K with lessons on problem solving and making healthy decisions.

Everyone can support the non-profit GOTR program this month through the Hug A Runner virtual race series (5K, 10K, or 13.1) hosted by Run The Edge. Find out more here. You can also donate directly to the GOTR program here.

Do you have a GOTR program in your area?
Do you like to volunteer?