Tag: Running

This Week: Workouts, Preparing for the Spartan Fenway Race & Things I’m Looking Forward To

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Good morning and happy Monday! I’m so happy that by the time this post goes up, my workout will be done. Last week was a big week of workouts and between Boston MANIA on Friday and teaching on Saturday, I’ve been REALLY sore and physically exhausted. It will be nice to have tonight off and I may even end up resting tomorrow, too, pending on how I feel. MANIA was so awesome- I can’t wait to recap it for you!

Want to know what’s not-so-awesome, though? The fact that we got our start time for the Fenway Spartan Sprint and we got placed in the 12:10 heat even though everyone on our team signed up for the 9:30am heat. Normally I wouldn’t be that upset about it, but RM had already invited me to go to a Bruins game with him and his co-workers and the game is at 1 so clearly I cannot do both. We’ve emailed to try and get into an earlier heat, but they said they are totally sold out. I really don’t want to skip the race all together because I paid around $120 for the ticket, so I’m planning on just going earlier- by myself- to race. I mean, they can’t deny me a spot if I’ve paid and they have to be able to squeeze me into an earlier heat…right?! A girl can hope….

Last Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I did 15 minutes of cardio before subbing the cardio kickboxing class at the Watertown BSC.
  • Tuesday- I went to my second New Balance Girls Night Out event at the Westin Copley. This time, we had a choice to do a bootcamp or go for a run, and since my run in the dark the last time didn’t end so well, I opted for the bootcamp. It wasn’t the type of bootcamp you traditionally think of (no cardio), but I was very sore for the next few days since it was mostly glute/leg focused.

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  • Wednesday- I ran a 5K on the treadmill before teaching UXF Burn. We had a BIG crowd, including SIX guys- it was so fun!

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  • Thursday- Thursday’s have turned into my rest days and I’ve been enjoying having a day during the week where I don’t have to pack my gym bag and know I’m just going home after work. This past Thursday I was especially lazy- Danielle and I sat on the couch, watched tv and ordered pizza. it was awesome!
  • Friday- I did about 4 hours of working out at MANIA. I can’t wait to recap it for you guys- I learned SO MUCH and I got to workout with Chris Fretag, which was pretty cool.

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I had a sweat mark in the shape of a heart!

  • Saturday- Even though I was super sore, I was able to make it through my kickboxing class at the YMCA. We had a big crowd!
  • Sunday- Nothing! I was super sore when I got up so I was very happy it was a rest day. I did clean and RM and I went shopping, which was good because it helped release some lactic acid and alleviate some soreness.

This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I will have taught my Muscle Work class and have done some cardio after by the time this goes up.
  • Tuesday- I’m not sure what I’m going to do for a workout. It likely depends on how sore I am. Maybe a bootcamp, maybe some light cardio, maybe some yoga?
  • Wednesday- Probably a run before teaching UXF Burn.
  • Thursday & Friday- I’m not what I’m going to do these days. I don’t think I’ll workout on Friday since I have the Spartan race (hopefully, anyway) on Saturday and want to have fresh legs for it. I’ll probably try to get to the gym during lunch on Thursday.
  • Saturday- HOPEFULLY running the Spartan race. I will be so upset if I can’t run it 😦
  • Sunday- Rest day!

Things I’m Looking Forward To

This is a fun week for me- my dad is coming down on Tuesday to pick my mom up at the airport so he asked if he could come visit me at work since it’s on the way. I’m excited to show him around and get to hang out for a bit- it’ll be a nice change from my usual lunch break 🙂 I’m also excited to go to the Bruins game on Saturday… I haven’t been yet this year!

Questions for you: What was your best workout last week? Have you run a Spartan Race? Do you think I’ll be able to sneak my way into an earlier heat? What are you looking forward to this week?

 

This Week: Workouts, Fitness Events & Things I’m Looking Forward To

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Good morning! How’s your Monday treating you so far? I’m gearing up for, yet another, big week. Lots of fitness events and teaching are going to keep me fairly busy, but you know what? There could be worse things 😉

Tuesday night, I’m able to participate in another New Balance Girls Night Out event, which I’m SO excited about. This time, there are 2 workout opportunities: a run and a bootcamp. Seeing as though it will be dark out and I don’t have great luck running in the dark, I think I’m going to opt for the bootcamp. Can’t wait to see some of my Boston blogging friends 🙂

The other fitness event I’m contemplating attending is MANIA. I went to 2 days last year and loved it, but considering I just got in an accident and will have some extra expenses based on that, I’m not sure it’s the best way to spend my money. I can only go on Friday, so I’m going to look at the schedule to see if there are courses that would interest and benefit me. I learned so much last year, so I have a feeling I’ll end up going. Any other instructors planning on going at all?

Last Week’s Workouts

I had some great workouts last week. I taught 4 classes, went to a class, ran outside for the first time in a LONG time (holy quads the day after) and generally felt pretty strong and excited to workout. The only day where I felt like I should have skipped the workout was Tuesday. By the end of the day I started feeling kind of crummy… stuffing, eyes hurt, super tired. Yes, I realize those are all signs that should have lead me to skip my workout, but it was a class I love going to and I figured I could just push through it. I did the class, but I could tell my energy levels weren’t there. Lesson learned! I’ve been much better about resting and listening to my body, but I’m clearly not entirely there yet- some day!

  • Monday- I taught my 6am Muscle Work class and then did 10 minutes of the stair stepper after. The class was a good mix of strength, cardio and core so I didn’t feel like I had to do much after… I really did those 10 minutes to catch up on my social media 😉
  • Tuesday- I went to my favorite instructor’s bootcamp at the Wellington BSC. Unfortunately, I didn’t think the class was anything special, but it was still nice to do a workout I wasn’t teaching!

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  • Wednesday- I ran a 5K before teaching UXF Burn. I incorporated some Halloween moves and it was a fun class!

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  • Thursday- Thursday was my rest day- I walked for 20 minutes during lunch and then walked to and from the T later that night to meet my friend, Liz, in the city for drink.
  • Friday- I worked from home on Friday since I had a dentist appointment in the morning so I was able to go for a run around my neighborhood. I ran 3 speedy (for me) miles and finished with a whole bunch of core, upper and lower body exercises. I was sore on Saturday from the run, oddly enough.

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  • Saturday- I subbed for the other instructor, Missy, since it was her birthday on Friday. There was a great crowd, including some of my “front row” and we worked super hard!
  • Sunday- Another rest day. I was actually pretty sore from Saturday!

This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I’m subbing the 6:30pm Cardio Kickboxing class at the Watertown BSC- if you’re in the area, come sweat with me.
  • Tuesday- I’ll do a bootcamp workout for the New Balance GNO event- can’t wait!
  • Wednesday- Probably a treadmill run before teaching UXF Burn.
  • Thursday- Rest day
  • Friday- Probably going to MANIA, which means I’ll be doing about 3 hours of working out… maybe more… I’m not mad about it!
  • Saturday- It’s my regularly scheduled Saturday to teach at the Oak Square YMCA… I’m going to a wine fest later that day, so if you plan on coming, be prepared to help me earn all those wines 😉
  • Sunday- Rest day #2

Things I’m Looking Forward To

This is another fun week for sure- between subbing, the NBGNO event, MANIA and teaching my cardio kickboxing class, I get to be surrounded by other fitness loving people and that makes me really happy 🙂 I’m also excited for the wine fest on Saturday with a bunch of my girlfriends. We went in March and had a blast, so I’m sure this year will be no different. We have reservations at Stephi’s on Tremont after which is another thing I’m looking forward to. Lastly, I’m excited about a quiet Sunday with RM- we have a million recipes we want to try, including homemade yogurt, nut milk and nut butters, so hopefully we can tackle one of those!

Questions for you: What was your best workout from last week? What are you looking forward to this week?

This Week: Workouts, loving my rest days & things I’m looking forward to

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Good morning and happy Monday! How about the weather this weekend?! It was a very welcomed change after a super rainy week last week, that’s for sure.

My gym friends and I got together on Friday night (more on that later!) and we were all talking about our crazy schedules and our workouts and teaching and all those things that we all have in common. I mentioned that I’ve been better about resting for at least 2 days each week and someone said she noticed that and was proud of me. I’m starting to get to the point where I’m LOVING my rest days and I really look forward to them. At first, I’ll admit- it was hard. I wanted to be working out and I felt guilty when I had a day where I didn’t do it. Looking back, I hate that about myself… but- I love that I’ve been able to get through that and have learned to really cherish my time off from the gym or any type of workout. Last Thursday, for instance, I planned to have a rest day from the gym. The fact that I didn’t need to pack up for the gym was an awesome feeling. And, during my normal after work gym time, I was able to run a bunch of errands and start prepping for the party I had on Saturday. With crazy busy weeks, it’s nice to let my workout time fall off my plate so that I can do other things.

Last Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I went for a 3.5 mile run after work on Monday. I also did some weights and core work when I got back to my apartment. I’m trying to take advantage of the weather while it lasts and take my workouts outside.
  • Tuesday- I subbed a double at the South Station BSC. It was cardio kickboxing and then UXF Burn. I know I’ve said this before, but when I sub a double, I’m quickly reminded at how great my decision was to drop my double over the summer. They’re so tiring!

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  • Wednesday- I did the cross trainer for 25 minutes before teaching UXF Burn.

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  • Thursday- Rest day
  • Friday- I went to the gym during lunch and ran for 10 minutes before completing a shortened version of the workout I taught on Wednesday- it was killer.

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  • Saturday- I taught my cardio kickboxing class at the Oak Square YMCA. The fall crowds are back and I love it!! We worked super hard and I was crazy sore on Sunday. What do you think of my new shirt? Super deal at Lulu.

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  • Sunday- Rest day #2

This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I will have taught my 6am Muscle Mix class by the time this post goes up.
  • Tuesday- I’m not sure. I might go to the bootcamp class at the Wellington BSC that I went to a few weeks ago.
  • Wednesday- I will probably run before UXF Burn. It’s supposed to be like 70 something degrees out so hopefully I can run outside!
  • Thursday & Friday- One of these days will be a rest day. I’ll likely decide based on how I feel from my workouts earlier in the week.
  • Saturday- I’m subbing for Missy, so I’ll be back at the Oak Square YMCA for cardio kickboxing.
  • Sunday- Rest day. My parents will be here and I have book club so it will be a busy day.

Things I’m Looking Forward To

I’m looking forward to a quieter week- last week was insane and there just weren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. I’m only teaching 3 classes this week, so that helps a lot. I’m also looking forward to my parents coming on Saturday. They are meeting RM’s family for the first time and I can’t wait!

Questions for you: What was your best workout last week? How do you take advantage of rest days? What are you looking to this week?

My first New Balance Girls Night Out event

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Hi! A few weeks ago, I was finally able to attend a New Balance Girls Night Out (NBGNO, for short) event. They always fall on Wednesdays, which doesn’t work for my schedule because I already teach on Wednesdays, but after reading recaps on various blogs (Athena’s, to mention one), I made the decision to get a sub for my class so I could finally attend one of the events. Boy, am I happy I did that- the event was such a wonderful experience, especially this heartfelt one that was centered around Breast Cancer Awareness.

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I was so happy I had my bright pink Lulu pants because they were perfect for a pink-themed event! IMG_9033

Sherri, from fun fit flavor opened the event with some words about what this event meant to her and the story behind New Balance’s #LaceUp365 slogan. Sherri’s sister was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, so it was an emotional start to the night listening to her speak.

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If you’re not familiar with #LaceUp365, it’s a program that was created last year to mark New Balance and Susan G. Komen’s 25 year partnership anniversary. The idea behind it, is that breast cancer awareness shouldn’t just be during the month of October- it should be a yearlong thing. With #LaceUp365, you are able to dedicate your workouts all year long to a breast cancer survivor or someone who has been diagnosed. During Sherri’s intro, she asked us to all think of someone we know who has been affected by breast cancer and dedicate our run to them. What a powerful way to go into a run.

With that said, we laced up and headed out.

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Sherri’s photo

I went with Sarah, from Blonde Bostonian, as she was leading the 4.5 mile group. My sister joined Caroline for the 2.2 mile run.

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Our run was so fun! I was able to meet and chat with new people, as well as finally meet Sarah in real life. We ran through the city and Cambridge and it was perfect weather to do that.

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Every bit of the run was great… that is, until I totally wiped out at the end! The worst part is that I was at the front, so a few others tripped over me, haha I’d like to say I was super embarrassed, but I actually wasn’t. My phone was fine, my pants were fine and I knew my knee injuries were merely external (unlike last time I fell while running and broke my elbow!). My knee was pretty painful, but after a glass of wine and some snacks, the pain subsided a bit.

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Once we were all back at the store, Sherri spoke again and we also heard from Dr. Priscilla Brastianos, who is a woman on the mission to find a cure for breast cancer. I wish I could put into words how amazing her speech was- it had everyone’s attention.

The rest of the event was spent mingling, eating and drinking. I was so happy to have my sister there, as well as blogger friends!

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As if the run, inspirational speeches and food and drinks wasn’t enough, we walked away with some pretty sweet swag boxes, including a sports bra, coupons, #LaceUp365 laces and a workout log. Seriously, they spoiled us!

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I’ve worn the sports bra a few times now and LOVE it. While I wasn’t sure about the padding at first, I realized it’s super supportive and I like that it’s all built in so you don’t have to deal with stupid bra pads in the washer, which happens to me with all my lulu tops!

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All in all, the event was so awesome. Not only were we working out for a good cause and to raise breast cancer awareness all year long (with the ultimate goal to cure it), we were able to learn more about the program and meet so many amazing women. I challenge each of you to dedicate your workouts this week… and the year… for someone you know who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

And, the best part?? They are hosting another one on Tuesday, November 4th at the Westin Copley. The theme this time is “staying fit on the go”, which is something I’m very passionate about (I’ve shared my Tips to Stay Healthy While on the Road, as well as many on the road workouts with you before) so I’m super excited for this event. Not only that, but my friend Caroline is hosting with Sherri again. This time, they’re offering a bootcamp AND a run, so you can choose what you’re more interested in. Are you hooked yet? You can sign up here if you are. I’ll warn you, though- these events fill up fast!

Thanks again, New Balance!

Questions for you: Have you ever been to a New Balance Girls Night Out event? Have you heard about the #LaceUp365 program? Have you ever fallen while running?

 

This Week: Workouts, subbing & things I’m looking forward to

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Good morning and happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend 🙂 I have to tell you something I’m proud of myself for: I took an unplanned, totally random day off from the gym last week and instead of working out, I watched tv and drank wine. I did get on my yoga mat for about 15 minutes of stretching and sun salutations, but that was mostly to stretch my incredibly tight hip flexors! I was supposed to be teaching a bonus bootcamp, but since it was raining I had to cancel it. After a late night out on Wednesday (and an unplanned double), by the time Thursday afternoon rolled around I was spent. Work has been crazy and I went back and forth about whether I should suck it up and go to the gym or just listen to my body and go home and relax. The fact that I picked the latter was a big step for me!

Last Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I subbed a cardio kickboxing class at the Watertown BSC. I hadn’t taught kickboxing in almost 3 weeks and boy did I feel it the next couple of days. I got to wear my new kicks- LOVED them!

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  • Tuesday- I taught my last bootcamp class of the season. We got so dirty doing a super fun workout- I can’t wait to share it with you!

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  • Wednesday- I went to the gym expecting to go for an outdoor run before teaching UXF Burn, but literally as I was outside tying my sneakers, the manager came out and asked me to cover the 5:30 class. Mind you, it was 5:45 at that point, and there were only TWO people in the room waiting for the class. I really, really, really didn’t want to teach the class as I was already teaching a lot and wanted to have time for myself and my own workout, but I didn’t really have a choice. It ended up being a good workout and I pulled myself together, but I wasn’t happy with it at first!
  • Thursday- As I mentioned above, I had to cancel my bootcamp and decided to do a little yoga before relaxing. It was perfect.

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  • Friday- I went to the gym during lunch and ran 3.5 miles and then did some strength exercises.

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  • Saturday- I had had a stressful Friday night, so I decided a run was a good idea before the day started. We were also going to be eating and drinking a lot all day, so that was extra motivation. I ran a beautiful 3 miles and did 4 sets of squats, plié squats, oblique dips, oblique twists and push-ups throughout.

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  • Sunday- Another rest day!

This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I don’t know what I am going to do today. I have to deal with a lot of sh*tty stuff today ( more on that later), so I’m definitely going to need a solid workout after work.
  • Tuesday- I’m subbing the 5:30 cardio kickboxing and 6:30 UXF Burn at the South Station BSC. I like that double!
  • Wednesday- I’ll probably run before teaching UXF Burn
  • Thursday- I’m either going to rest on Thursday or Friday. If I workout on Thursday it will be during the day since I need to prep for my party on Thursday night (shopping, cleaning, etc).
  • Friday- I have a feeling I’ll rest on Thursday so I’ll probably head to the gym during my lunch break. I’ve really enjoyed my Friday lunch break workouts as it breaks up the day!
  • Saturday- I’ll teach my cardio kickboxing class at the Oak Square YMCA before my party.
  • Sunday- Another rest day. I’ll have to clean and stuff like that so it will be an active rest.

Things I’m Looking Forward To

Although this is a busy week, it’s all fun stuff so I can’t really complain 🙂 I’m excited to host my first party at my new place! Some of my friends and my mom and her friends can’t come, but I think there’s still going to be a good crowd- hopefully it will be good weather so we can go outside. I’m also looking forward to my friend Jen’s birthday dinner on Friday night. I won’t be able to stay for long since I have to prep for my party, but it will be good to see those girls.

Questions for you: What was the best workout you had last week? When’s the last time you skipped a workout “just because”? What are you looking forward to this week?