Saturday, December 24, 2016

Five Ways To Gain Confidence In Your Running

We are runners.

We love to run. It fuels us and brings joy into our lives.







To achieve your best in anything, you have to be confident. Your mind needs to possess a calm, positive disposition so that you can strive to reach your goals. For different people it means various things - some runners work hard to achieve a particular time goal, other runners want to run certain mileage or days per week. Yet another runner just wants to get off the couch and start running for the very first time (you can do it!).

No matter which category you fall into, these steps will help you to feel confident each time you lace up those (super fancy!) running shoes.


1. Set a goal and go for it.

Once you set a goal, don't let anything or anyone stand in your way. Surround yourself with people who are going to support you. Have a friend who raises their eyebrows when you say you are going to start running five days a week? You can still be friends, but that is not the person you want to share your running goals with. Once the seed of doubt is planted, it begins to grow and soon you'll be convincing yourself that there is NO WAY you can run five days a week with all that you have going on in your life.
Positivity, optimism and glass half full are the words you need in your vocabulary. To achieve goals in running (and in life) you need to speak it, think it and work at it every day. Share your goals with a family member or friend who is going to lift you up and cheer for you. 

2. Flexibility is okay, but no excuses.

Yes, you have a busy life and sometimes life gets in the way. It's okay and perfectly normal to maintain some flexibility in your running, but get rid of the excuses. If you have to move your hard workout to another day during the week - do it, but don't skip it altogther unless you have a very solid reason (i.e. you are sick and can't run).
Excuses just set you up for skipping the work, which ultimately moves you further away from achieving your goals = lack of confidence.


3. Be Your Biggest Cheerleader

This is a big problem for so many runners.  We have to take the time to cheer on our small successes along the way toward the big goals. You went from the couch to running two times a week? That is huge and you should really cheer for that. The five days a week will come soon enough, but at least you aren't sitting on the couch anymore.
The one minute PR you ran in your half marathon? I know, I know - it's not the six minute PR you (freakin) trained for, but give yourself a break - you grabbed a PR!


4. Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

It's so easy to run those comfortable nine mile runs on that same route that you love and that is great. However... if you want to improve - how about running the route with the three hills that intimidate you and picking up the pace on those hills? Or how about instead of six steady miles, you run two of those miles at half marathon pace? Do more runs and workouts that scare you and the payoff will be huge in the end. Bonus? You will feel pretty darn badass at the end of those workouts!


5. Keep a journal

One of the best ways to gain confidence in your running is the ability to look back at your progress over time. When you keep a log or journal (it doesn't have to be complicated or elaborate), it allows you to see just how strong you've become over time.


As we end yet another year and embark onto a new one, remember and remind yourself:

You. Are. A. Winner.


Happiness Is Running Life.

xo,
Natalie





Tuesday, December 6, 2016

If People Don't Call You Crazy, Then You Aren't Dreaming Big Enough + 19 Weeks Till Boston?



"If people don't call you crazy, then you aren't dreaming big enough"
                                                                - Jerold Mitchell



My husband's response to me the other day, when I asked him if people think I'm crazy.

Meaning, I run into people - people in our town, people at our kid's school, just PEOPLE. And they always say "We saw you running yesterday!" 

It's become a bit funny, an almost "Where in the world did we see Nat running today" type of craziness.

Sometimes people ask me if I was running in a location where I truly wasn't running... "Were you running on such and such street today?" Nope, it wasn't me :)

I am also asked: "How do you balance it all with three kids?" 

Carefully. Strategically. Non perfectly.

Believe me, it's SO far from perfect. Every day is different, based on how I am feeling and the needs of my family. My kids come first - school events, school parties, projects, homework, cooking for them, shuttling to sports and playdates.

Running fits it's way around all of that, with still being at the top of my list. I won't miss a workout - but I am flexible about when and where it gets done. I will say that when I am running, I block out (mostly) everything else for that hour to ninety minutes and focus on the running.




Core and strength is a total free for all. Most of the time my 3 year old is on the mat with me, trying to do a push up too. Bicycle crunches are interrupted by my six year old asking how to sound out a new word (she loves her new found reading skills) It's messy and chaotic, but it works.

By the way, this puts everything into perspective...




Sunday's 13 mile run was a hot mess. Ugh. I seriously wanted to quit at least five times. I felt off, I was cold, I felt super slow... So, you can look at those images on Instagram, and think it's all wonderful, glorious running - most of the time it sort of is (?), because it's an escape and therapy - but sometimes it's just a crappy run. I didn't even bother to look at my pace, there wasn't a beautiful fast finish - I was just happy to get the time on my feet and move on.

Those runs can mess with your head. I started thinking for a moment "What in the world am I doing? Why is this important - why don't I just quit?"

I thought about it later (much later when I was warm and dry) and I realized that it's those type of runs that prepare us for the dark cave of pain in the marathon. Those miles where we question "WHY are we doing this?", but yet you still keep going. 

Don't give up. Ever.


Last week was super fun - I had a birthday on Thursday...






SO much love and laughter with the kids, a great run (really it was - I had a good workout!) and we had a date night! Dinner at Patina (really an amazing experience. LA people ----> GO) followed by a beautiful concert performed by the LA Philharmonic orchestra. We had a repeat of last year's birthday and I loved every minute.



Oh and THIS happened!




Seriously. Sarah Jessica Parker shared this pic of me in her dress (I loved the dress, bought it for my birthday) on her company Insta page! Let's back up... first I took a picture and shared it on my Insta. A few, short minutes later she replied with a very sweet note. I was honored (and shocked). Fast forward to the next day and THIS. Boom!! Day made, birthday present in full effect. (Thank you Paria for sending a DM to me about it!! I totally did not see this until I got a note from her).



Is it really 19 weeks till Boston? That is crazy. Still at the base building phase and plenty of time left for marathon specific workouts.

Here is what the last week of November looked like:


Nov. 28th - REST

Nov. 29th - 5 miles

Nov. 30th - REST

Dec. 1st - 2 mile warm up, 10 x 2:00 min on at 6:45 pace, 1:30 off, 2 mile cool down. 8 total birthday miles = let's start the year right.

Dec. 2nd - 5 miles

Dec. 3rd - 5 miles 

Dec. 4th - 13 miles

Total miles: 36


We got our tree on Sunday. It wasn't perfect - Josh wasn't happy about the tree that all of us agreed on. I think he'll change his mind when it's decorated...





And that should about catch us up on life lately and training!

Enjoy the start of the week!


Happiness Is Running Life.

xo,
Natalie

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

This post is sponsored by Stonyfield in partnership with King Arthur's Flour, but all opinions are my own.


The days are shorter and darkness now comes upon us before we sit down for dinner. We are deeply entrenched into fall with winter on the horizon.

I love the smell of pumpkin in the fall and the tangy flavor of cranberries. Put the two together and you have a fall/winter combination bursting with energy!






I had a lot of fun making these pumpkin cranberry muffins. I used whole, rich ingredients such as Stonyfield organic whole milk yogurt, gluten free flour from King Arthur, fresh whole cranberries, and pumpkin puree. There are also a lot of great spices to give a pop to these beautiful muffins - pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon...





Doesn't it make you want to curl up by the fire with a muffin and a steaming mug of hot tea?





Gluten Free Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins (Yields 12-15 muffins)
By: NatRunsFar


2 Cups King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground pumpkin pie spice
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup Stonyfield Whole Milk Yogurt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lowfat milk
1 cup fresh cranberries (chopped)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 12 cup muffin pan with butter or cooking spray

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, and vanilla. Stir in the pumpkin purée and yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the brown sugar. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Fold in all but 2 tablespoons of the chopped cranberries.



3. Divide the batter into the prepared muffin cups, and gently press the remaining chopped cranberries into the top of the batter. Bake at 350°F for 21-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully transferring onto a wire rack.





Great for breakfast, holiday brunch or an after workout snack - these muffins are sure to put a smile on your face!


Happiness Is Running Life.

xo,
Natalie

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Jump Rope and Push Up Workout

Maybe it's because we are on the cusp of December, but I feel pumped and ready to end 2016 on a super awesome, rad, killer, kick ass kind of note.

First, I'm excited to share this workout with you! It's easy, you can do it anywhere (home, gym, park, on your front lawn - anywhere you feel comfortable!) and you only need a jump rope.

I know how to run, I am working on running faster, but I also want to be a great athlete - which I know will help me to become a better marathoner.

Whether you want to run faster, get in better shape, or keep calories at bay the entire month of December (and beyond) - this is a great way to do it...






Equipment:

Hard, sturdy surface
Jump rope
Running or cross training shoes

The Workout:

10 rotations of jump rope followed by 
10 push ups

Repeat five times

Note: Start at your level and decide what is comfortable for you.
Check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program.








Enjoy!

What are your goals in the last month of the year?


Happiness Is Running Life!

xo,
Natalie

Monday, November 28, 2016

Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 2016 Race Recap

I'll talk about the race in a moment, but first - I hope you guys had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
We had such a special day together giving thanks and enjoying the day. Cooking, laughing, talking, and relaxing. That is what Thanksgiving is all about, right? I have more pics of our fun adventures on Instagram.

I was excited and a little bit nervous to race for the first time since Boston. It has been seven months since the marathon and a lot has happened since then. My coach told me to run by feel and have fun with zero time expectations. His advice was to start conservatively and then power it home in miles two and three.
I really didn't know what to expect, as I am just getting back into quality workouts and finally feeling free to run without worrying about my foot.




Thanksgiving morning I woke up about 5:30 am and at 6:00 am had a banana with almond butter and water. Very simple and nothing too heavy for this short race. I kept drinking a good amount of water and was hoping to take care of bathroom business (which I did) before we left to drive to the race.

Start time was 8:00 am and the starting line was close to our house with pretty easy logistics. The girls stayed home with my Mom which was totally fine with me, until I realized that the race sets up an amazing, huge bouncy house! We came as a family when I ran the race two years ago and I will bring them with me next year for sure.

Jerold and Josh dropped me off about two miles from the start, so I could run a warm up. The day was amazingly beautiful and I had an easy warm up with a quick 60 second pick up at the end to get my legs ready to go.
It was easy to grab my bib, stretch for a few minutes and then it was go time!





The race starts at our local high school and the first 300 meters or so of the race begins on the track. There was definitely a bit of jostling at the very beginning and then it quickly thinned out and we were running a pretty brisk pace. I knew in my mind that I had to start quickly, but not crazy fast - I hadn't raced a 5k in a long time and the body has to remember how to race 3.1 miles!




First mile 7:06.
The course has some hills that sneak up on you in each mile. About a half mile into the race was a pretty good sized hill that doesn't look so bad, but during a 5k, it was pretty decent. "Just get up the hill and move on" is what I told myself.
I have to say, I was hoping to run sub 7 minute that first mile, but this is where my fitness is right now - the numbers don't lie.

Second mile 6:55
Finally getting a little bit of momentum, and another decent hill makes its appearance in mile two. At this point I was feeling like the course was beating me up a bit. I didn't feel strong, confident and in control...

Third mile 7:15
At this point I was having a few thoughts. 1. I was thinking that I have run miles like this in the middle of a marathon!! 2. I felt grateful to be there in that moment, uninjured.

A woman passed me at some point toward the later part of the race. My first initial thought was: "Someone just passed me. There she goes..." 
This is where the self talk came in. The next thought was: "Come on, Nat - are you really going to let this person pass you without at least fighting for it? Get it together."
Somewhere deep inside I mustered up the energy to pass her back. And I found the will to pass with confidence ----> she didn't pass me back. #win

A quick lesson - even if you aren't feeling super great about your race - don't give up, keep pushing.

Sprinted into the finish (.1 at 6:05 pace)

Unofficial time: 21:43 (7:05 pace) and although I was hoping to run a minute faster, again - the numbers don't lie! This is where I am fitness wise right now :)

I am so happy to get this under my belt and it's a starting point. I'd like to run some more 5ks in the coming months and can't wait to see what I can really do!

I don't know how I finished in the women's field - the results are still pending, so we'll see how it all pans out.

Happy to have these handsome boys there to cheer me on!!!





And a fun little throwback ----> the five of us in 2014 at the same race. I didn't have a coach, I had raced a marathon two and half months before and little did I know, but I had a serious knee issue going on (I can't believe that I didn't feel pain during the race and I would not have run if I knew what the future held). Finish time was 22:18, so I did PR on the course! 


The kiddos were 1, (she was such a peanut!), 4 and 7 then. They were so little!!


Twenty weeks till Boston! I am super pumped about racing marathon number eight, and I'm ready to pour my heart into training. I've said this before, but I think the key for me to have a break though in the marathon is to get stronger. I will be focused on that more than ever before during this training cycle.

I ran a one mile cool down for a total of 6.1 miles for the day and a perfect way to begin Thanksgiving.

There is something magical about running on Thanksgiving Day. Whether I race in a turkey trot or run on my own, I love starting turkey day running strong.


It makes the turkey taste SO much better, doesn't it?


Did you run in a Turkey Trot over Thanksgiving?

Do you like to race 5ks?

Which you do prefer - cake or pie?!


Happiness Is Running Life!

xo,
Natalie

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Just Connect + Fitness Is Easing It's Way Back

Every day I want to blog. 

Every. Single. Day.

Of course, I don't end up blogging everyday and sometimes a week goes by and I have written anything (Anything that I have actually published. There are tons of notes, research, interview prospects, and ramblings in my journal or on scraps of paper that I find while waiting in the carpool line).

Some nights or early in the cold dawn when I have been awakened by my little people, I have the most profound ideas of what I am going to write about. Tips, ideas, inspiration... lately it doesn't seem to steadily make it's way onto the page.

At first I stressed about it (I didn't blog today!) and now eventually I realize that it will work it's way back into something good. Something that I can be proud of and look back later with a sense of satisfaction that I actually pressed the publish button and it was a good decision.





I realize that every blog post doesn't have to be the most profound thing I have ever written. It doesn't have to move mountains - it can just be a way to connect. To share struggles and triumphs, ups and downs. Some posts will be awesome chunks of information of what is making a difference in training and how it can help YOU. Some posts will be just me saying "hey" and here's what I did today, despite the challenges of daily life.

I'm finding my groove with motherhood, training, writing, and the rigors of life. Life is joyful, but it can also be hard. There are days when I am happy that my kids are fed, bathed and sleeping - oh, and they learned something. I am so happy to crawl into bed with a deep sigh (ask Jerold ---> he'll tell you I sigh every time I come to bed) and think, I did it - I helped shape these little people today and I am pretty darn proud of that.

Anyway. 

I just wanted to say that I love this space. I love everything that this space has represented these past two years and I can't wait to keep going.
Keep dreaming, sharing, providing information, inspiration and a smile (most of the time).

This quote MOVED me today:

"Don't be ashamed or embarrassed to dream big. You're living your life with hope. It's a powerful thing." 


-Kara Goucher


Right?! This is a definite stick on the mirror and look at it while brushing teeth, quote. As in - everyday. 
That pretty much ties a bow on Monday.

Here what the week of November 14th looked like:

Building a base, getting stronger, staying confident.


Monday November 14: 
5 easy miles. The miles are ticking by easier than a month ago. I feel like I am settling into a groove. 

Tuesday November 15: 
5 easy miles

Wednesday November 16: 
REST. I was scheduled to run a hard workout today and you know what? Life got in the way and I was just plain tired. Decided to move this till Thursday. 
It's called flexibility and not beating yourself up about it.

Thursday November 17: 
2 mile warm up, 4 mile progression run (7:35, 7:18, 7:03, 6:58) 1 mile cooldown. 
Ran this workout on the treadmill. A little progress here! Finally seeing some decent (for me) paces. It's a good starting point and can't wait to see what this looks like in a month, in two months...

Friday November 18: 
5 easy miles

Saturday November 19: 
REST. Let's just call this flip flop week and be happy we got it done, mmmmk?
Decided to rest today and hang out with the fam. By the way, I post every day on Instagram, so you can find daily musings there...

Sunday November 20: 
12 mile long run. Last two miles were 7:55 and 7:45. #boom
Practiced my fueling and I love that I have plenty of time to figure things out for Boston. I need to know how to take in fluid, while running at race pace. Practice, practice, practice. This is also a perfect time to try new product, experiment, see what works, what doesn't.
Today I had water and Fluid Performance drink in my bottle. Fluid has been my go to for the last two years, but I may try others that I am curious about as well.
I was overjoyed to have these loves as pit crew for me!! They love asking questions and seeing what Mommy is up to, so it was a win. Plus they had special time with Jerold playing on the beach (and we had RAIN! Hooray!).
I actually finished the run in pouring rain, which was good. I needed the change and it's nice for the sun to disappear for a while.




34 total miles for the week. 
I'm happy and proud of the effort and progress.


As we embark upon Thanksgiving, I'd love to know:


What are you thankful for?

What goes through your mind at the end of each day?


I am thankful for you guys. Thank you for being here and cheers to the journey ahead.

Happiness Is Running Life.

xo,
Natalie

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Life Lately, Take Care Of Your Feet, and an RX BAR GIVEWAY!!

I think it would be safe to say that I am fired up right now. I feel so motivated, excited and happy about running every day. Watching the NYC Marathon last weekend added more fuel to the fire and it was amazing watching the athletes race + seeing Molly Huddle crush it with her third place, podium finish.

Hard work, works.






I have settled into a manageable five day a week running schedule and I am enjoying it. After running six days a week last winter and spring, this feels almost like a walk in the park. I know we are gearing up for six days a week and I happily look forward to that in order put in the miles for Boston.
I can feel a bit of difference in my body, the miles are becoming (a little) easier and the fitness is making it's way back. Let me pause and say, it's crazy how much running fitness you lose in four months! I had a good speed workout this week and half of the paces dipped into the mid to late six minute range which felt great. 








My foot is thankfully holding up. The key is not to ease up on maintenance and I have been super focused on that. Continuing to do the exercises prescribed by my physical therapist:

1. Stretching my calf every day. I use THIS device and it works really well.

2. Using a towel with bare feet and moving/grabbing it with my toes

3. Leaning against the well and stretching my calf. Also, downward dog is a great stretch for the calf muscles. I love doing that at night before bed.

4. Pulling my toes back and massaging my heel. Also, before I get out of bed every morning, I automatically do this.

5. Wearing THIS at night

6. Using my R8 roller every day!





7. Getting regular massages (I had a massage this weekend and it was very much needed! I already scheduled another one for next week).

8. Rolling my foot every day with THIS and THIS. Yes, I use both! I keep them in the freezer at all times and it feels like heaven when the cold ball rolls over your foot.

9. Using THIS when I can't get to the massage therapist.

10. Not walking around barefoot. We don't wear shoes in our house, but I always have worn some sort of shoe just for home to give me support. Chasing after three kids ---> you need support.
I have upped the game on the shoes though, I have been wearing THESE non stop at home and they feel awesome.

11. Heel raises - 3 sets of 10 (with shoes on!)

I would highly recommend doing these exercises/hacks whether you've ever suffered from plantar fasciitis or not. We put a lot of miles on our feet and need to take care of them.


I feel blessed to have my coach take care of planning the workouts. I trust the process and love that I don't have to think about what I am running every day and whether it's the right workout - am I doing too much or too little. 

32.35 miles for the week of November 7th looked like this...


Monday - 5 miles

Tuesday - 5 miles

Wednesday - 7.35 miles - 2 mile warm up, 15 x 1 minute on (1 minute jog). First 10 at 7:03 pace, last 5 at 6:50, down to 6:44 pace. 1 mile cooldown

Thursday - REST

Friday - 5 miles

Saturday - 10 hilly miles

Sunday - REST (with a heavenly massage)


Check out my GIVEWAY on Instagram!! I am giving TWO lucky readers a box of RX Bars in the flavor of their choice!!! 


Have an awesome start to your week!

Happiness Is Running Life.

xo,
Natalie

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Patience Is The Theme + 31 miles

Each day last week as I logged the miles and details of my workouts, I would notice notes from my coach.

Stay patient. 

Patience is the theme for this cycle. 

Patience pays off in the end.

I am starting to feel like I'm making some progress with coming back to running. Runs are starting to become a little bit easier and I am not quite so wiped out at the end.
It's so nice to have this time to ease back into training - I am not putting any too much pressure on myself and enjoying the ride. 
I move runs around slightly if I need to and I'm in a good rhythm with running five days a week with two bigger work outs: a slight tempo or modified speed portion mid week and a long run on the weekend. The remaining runs are easy paced and just getting the miles under my belt. It's all about running conservatively with no sudden moves right now.

If I continue to stay patient, it will all come together. I've come to peace about not racing a fall marathon and as much as I wanted that to happen, it just wasn't meant to be. Funny thing is that the months fly by so fast (how is it already almost November??), it'll be time to think about a fall 2017 marathon before I know it. I will get my chance soon enough.
I am really excited about my build up and training for Boston. Sometimes I get so excited, I literally want to start jumping up and down. I am ready to lay it all on the line and see what happens in April. 


One day at a time.


My body has been feeling tight, so I've been performing various yoga stretches every day - in addition to my daily dynamic warm up - (The ones that I love: legs up the wall, downward facing dog, pigeon and child's pose). I'm getting stronger with push ups and really focused on core work this week. We need those core muscles engaged and activated to run a strong marathon!
Overall strength training is coming along slowly but surely - I'm carving out time to hit the weights and will continue to build...


Here's a look at my week of running:

Monday October 17th: 5 easy miles

Tuesday October 18th: 5 easy miles

Wednesday October 19th: REST (I stretched and did some core exercises, PT exercises + exercises for my foot)

Thursday October 20th: 2 mile warm up, 3 mile tempo (paces: 8:31, 8:15, 7:36), 1 mile cool down. 6 miles total. I kept the tempo paces conservative and felt good slowly easing back into things. 

Friday October 21st: 5 easy miles

Saturday October 22nd: REST (lots of family fun today!) - More pics on my Instagram .

Sunday October 23rd: 10 miles. A good long run and my body is remembering what this like!


Total Miles: 31

Again, easing into things - this week's mileage is only one mile more than last week.


We took the kids apple picking on Saturday, and we had such a sweet time together. This trip definitely has a big place in my memory bank. I want to freeze time for a bit and keep them at this age for a while, mmmk? :)






Onward to a new week of chasing my goals and dreams - one step at a time.

Patience pays off in the end.


What race are you working toward right now?

Have you ever been apple picking?


Happiness Is Running Life.

xo,
Natalie



Friday, October 21, 2016

Building A Base, 30 miles + A GIVEAWAY!

It's been nearly two months since I started running consistently with zero pain in my foot. 
Slowly but surely I am gaining strength and developing a running rhythm again, but I have days where I feel tentative. Thoughts turn to my healed foot and my heart starts to race a bit, hoping that the awful, persistent pain (plantar fasciitis) is gone forever, never to return. It bugs me a bit not to run with self assurance, to think about the next day or the next if my foot will be angry with me from a longer run or a little bit of speed.






I've had some light speed workouts from my coach these last few weeks and thankfully they have been successful. I don't have any races on my schedule for the fall so far and right now I just can't wrap my head around racing. My thoughts turn to Boston in six months and considering where I am starting from, it doesn't seem that far away. My goal is pretty simple - to PR in a big way. Not big in the sense of outlandish or unrealistic, just race the way I know I am capable of racing. The marathon is such a crazy beast, because anything can happen on race day, but you have to be prepared to tackle it. Period.
With that said, I do love the journey - logging lots of beautiful miles and feeling your body get stronger and stronger. It never gets old.





I feel successful these days just getting in my run. I perform a dynamic warm up every day, core, physical therapy exercises (including specific exercises for my foot) and light yoga, but I know I need more. The trick for me is to carve away a little bit more time for cross training (lately on my days off, I have just been resting!) and really hit the weights with a new resolve - get stronger. 
My weekly running total for last week was 30 miles! I was surprised when I added up the mileage and I feel happy with that milestone.



Monday October 10th - 5 miles (easy)

Tuesday October 11th - 5 miles (easy)

Wednesday October 12th - 2 mile warm up, 10 x 1 minute faster (1 minute jog), 1 mile cool down (5 miles total). Jerold paced me on this, and it was super helpful to have him running beside me.

Thursday October 13th - REST

Friday October 14th - 5 easy treadmill miles

Saturday October 15th - REST

Sunday October 16th - 10 miles (easy)


Are you following me on Instagram? I post there daily with more pictures :)


Now, it's time to talk about the GIVEAWAY I have going on! 







I am giving away a Moji Foot Pro (one of our gifts from Rise.Run.Retreat) to one lucky reader! It feels awesome on your feet as an instant massage - pop it in the freezer as another option!
Click HERE for all the details and to enter!


I hope you guys have a great end of the week and a fantastic weekend. 
Happy running!!


After a big break, how long does it take you to get back into running shape?


Anyone have fun plans for the weekend?


Are you dressing up for Halloween?
I have dressed up in past years - this year I am just going to be Mom and forget dressing up. :)



Happiness Is Running Life!

xo,
Natalie