Things I'm Loving Friday

Happy Friday!  This week seemed to fly by, and I can't believe we're already in December!  I'm not really sure where 2016 went, but I'm looking forward to wrapping up this year with my family and bringing in a new one!  I've compiled a list of things I'm loving lately.  Feel free to share what you're loving, too! 

My Fit Bit: I received this as a birthday gift and although it is mad at me every day for the lack of sleep I've been getting lately, it's been fun to see how many steps I get on the average day. (How fun is this color? I love the rose gold trim!)  Now that I know about where I am, I think it's time to set goals to be a bit more active, especially on days when I'm not doing a specific workout.

Training for the Shamrock Half Marathon: I just started yesterday and I was really excited that I seem to be at a decent starting point despite my lack of running lately.  I have high hopes for this training cycle and think that a new PR is in the cards if I work hard. 

Maddux in Cooler Temperatures: It's been so fun to watch my little old man on his walks lately.  He is loving the cooler temperatures and has been prancing, running, and leaping on his walks.  He has also been batting his treat ball around like crazy.  I always worry about him in the summer months, but he acts like a new dog in the winter!

He was not pleased that I went to the gym instead of staying at home to play!

The Down Dog app: I have been really appreciating yoga lately, but studios are costly and I feel bad enough leaving Maddux a couple times during the work week for outside the house workouts.  The Down Dog app has been AMAZING and it's free for the basic (which at this point is all I really need).  I usually do the 30 minute workouts, but am committing to doing at least 15 minutes every day in December to see if it can help me manage my stress a bit more.  The sessions remind me a lot of my favorite class (the music is the best!) and I think this app will get a ton of use from me (Maddux thinks this is the best playtime by the way--I am basically an extra tunnel for him to run under while he chases his treat ball ha!).

The Peppermint Chip Milkshake at Chickfila: Oh my gosh, this is easily one of my favorite desserts (I think the fact that I have a limited time to get it makes it even more appealing).  I'm kind of embarrassed about how many I have already gotten this season and I think it's a good thing that my half marathon training has started!

Thanksgiving Weekend:  I can't believe this was only last week!  I had the best time in Ohio with my sister and her pets.  It was fun just relaxing and eating lots of pie, watching Gilmore girls, and shopping some Black Friday sales (I got so much Christmas shopping done already, and while I try not to buy anything for myself around the holidays I couldn't resist getting a new oven mitt!).

 Anyone else training for a spring half?  How is it going?  What are you favorite yoga apps?! 

Have a fabulous weekend! 

Another Random Friday 5

Happy Friday!  I'm linking up with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney tonight.  I figured since I have once again dropped the ball a bit when it comes to posting that I would give an update on how things are going on my end.  Feel free to add some random thoughts to the comments!  I'd love to hear what you're up to!

1. We had such a great time with the foster pup!  Asphalt was so sweet, and while he was all about playing (especially when he was outside), he was also the best snuggler and made sure to give Maddux some personal space.  (Maddux doesn't care to play with the foster pups.)  Asphalt is still looking for his forever home, so if you're looking for an amazing pup, I highly recommend checking this boy out!

2. Mad Pup went back to the vet this week, and now we're moving forward with more tests so that we can finally get on a treatment path.  If anyone has experience with dogs and ultrasounds, please share!  Just for the record, Maddux is acting perfectly fine.  He has been loving his walks still and enjoys playing with his treat ball.  We're just trying to figure out what some concerning levels in his blood work are all about.

3. Still a Body Pump addict.  I wish I could go more than once a week! (It's rather expensive, so I have to settle with my once a week, but I LOVE it!)  I have been able to add some more weight, which is really exciting. 

4. This wine made me laugh so I did an impulse buy last week, and I'm glad I did!  I'm really enjoying it.

5. Some companies really are just better than others.  Cabot obviously cares a lot about their community of cheese lovers.  I applied to be part of the Cabot Fit Team (which I knew was a long shot, but I also believe that if you don't apply you will definitely never be accepted!) and although I wasn't ultimately chosen, they sent me this amazing package.  Wine and cheese party, anyone?

Have a great weekend!

Thinking Out Loud #3

Happy Thursday!  This week has been flying by and I can't believe we're almost to the weekend already.  It has been a busy week for this girl!  I'm linking up with Amanda for her Thinking Out Loud Thursday tradition.  Be sure to check out some of the other random thoughts.  I hope you guys are having a great week!

1. Grass is finally in sight!  It's muddy, but it's there.  We had just piles of snow after good ol' Jonas came to visit and I know my pup is happy that he can visit the backyard a little easier.

We've been having to stick to the roads lately, but sidewalks are finally clearing off!

2. I added some weight this week in Body Pump!  This was really exciting for me, but I've got to say a couple extra pounds makes a huge difference.  I'm taking the class through June, and I can't wait to see how strong I can get!

3. Speaking of Body Pump, I have had this song stuck in my head for days.  It's been our warm up for the past few weeks and then I heard it on the radio and haven't been able to get it out.  What can I say, Body Pump is my type of party!


4. Yoga is hard.  I know we've been over this, but man, my hamstrings are always sore the day after.  Although my instructor isn't someone who I would consider to be super zen like, I appreciate that she really wants us to understand how to do the poses correctly.  She takes the time to adjust us and wants us to understand where the effort and force should be coming from.  I wouldn't say that I'm getting any more flexible, but the poses are starting to feel more fluid now as I move between them and I am definitely more confident than I was when I first started. 

5. Mar is amazing (seriously, she keeps it real and is super encouraging!) and she is hosting an Instagram challenge.  Every day until February 14 you post a picture of how you are practicing self care.  You can read more about the challenge here.  Valentine's is all about that love and we can't forget to show ourselves a little!

6. Still trying to figure out what's going on with my pup.  We recently delivered a urine sample to our vet (yep, about as fun to collect as you're probably imagining) and it was once again inconclusive.  He's been on his liver supplement for a couple of weeks now though, so we're retesting his blood soon to see if his levels have improved.  Keep your fingers crossed for my little man!  I'm hoping we will have some answers soon.  (Just for the record, he is acting perfectly fine, but our vet was concerned when we got his yearly blood test results done.  She recommended the yearly tests when he reached "senior" status so that we can stay on top of his health.)

The picture of health!

7. This weekend I have 6 miles on the calendar.  I've had some great 5 milers the past couple of weeks, so even though I haven't been running a whole lot, I'm still excited to start getting into longer runs.  I have it mapped out so that I will do a 6, 7, 8, 9, and hopefully two 10 mile long runs before Shamrock.  I'm not going for a PR this time around (I just don't have the base built up), but there's no reason I shouldn't be able to have a strong race if I buckle down and get those long runs in. 

8. This week has been full of fresh veggies!  I got my first Hungry Harvest box and have been really enjoying it.  My box included kale, potatoes, a tomato, apples, some tangerines, a couple of pears, beets (eh not sure how I feel about those!), and broccoli.  I was surprised at how large the "mini harvest" option was and I feel good about the quality and quantity I received for the price I paid. (For all my fellow grad students--they have student discounts!) It's definitely worth looking into if you are looking for a fruit and veggie delivery service.  I forgot to snap a picture of the box before I unpacked it, but here's a picture of the box so that you can get an idea of how much produce you're getting! 

9.  My sister got me a subscription to Foot Cardigan for Christmas and I just got February's sock of the month.  How fun are these?

10.  I finally got a new plant for my zebra planter.  The mini poinsettia was a fun holiday plant, but we have moved on to the mini orchid.  Here's hoping I can keep it alive! 

Have a great rest of the week!

Friday Favorites: Maddux Edition

Happy Friday! I'm linking up with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney today for the Friday Five.  It's a free topic week, and since I got so much random rambling out yesterday, I figured I would do a more focused post today.  As you guys know, Maddux is my heart and soul.  He's my best bud and now that we're going on five years together, we have quite a collection of favorites.

1. Treat balls.  Maddux LOVES these.  The IQ treat ball is his absolute favorite, but this one is a close second for when the first one rolls under furniture.  My pup is not the most energetic guy (even when he was younger!), but you should see this dog move to get his treats.

2. Bil Jac Little Jacs treats.  Maddux is a short legged fella, and weight is something we always have to keep in mind.  Even a couple of extra pounds can be tough on his old joints.  These are small (sometimes I even break them in half!) so they are ideal for our walks and to put in his various balls and puzzles.

3. Treat Puzzles.  His favorite one is a bottle spinner toy that my mom made.  I bought a couple others from Petsmart, but he figured them out so fast that they don't hold his attention for quite as long.  Like I said earlier, that dog loves his treats!   

4. Burt's Bees wipes.  We have been using these constantly through this whole snow thing.  The salt they put down isn't the best for pup paws, and I feel better knowing that he is getting a wet wipe and a towel wipe.  Which brings me to the next point.... 

5. Muddy Buddy towel.  This is like the "shamwow" for dogs.  It dries really fast and to me it is easier to use than a towel because of how your hands can fit in the little pockets.  Maddux loves getting dried off with it!

What products does your pet love?  Maddux used to get a Bark Box, a monthly subscription with treats and toys, but we quickly got a huge surplus of treats and Maddux has enough toys for an entire city of dogs.  We loved it though, and will definitely go back one day!  We actually got the Muddy Buddy in one of our boxes!

Just for the record--This is just a list of our favorites and I am not being paid in any way to give them a shout out.  Have a great weekend!

Thinking Out Loud

Hello!  I hope you all are staying warm.  We're supposed to get a ton of snow in the DC area this weekend.  Not my favorite thing to hear!  A lot of you guys know that I took a pretty long blog hiatus, so now that I'm getting back into the swing of writing again I find myself having a lot of random things to say, but no real topics to concentrate on.  I recently stumbled upon Amanda's Thinking Out Loud link up and it seemed like the perfect place to get out some of the randomness that has built up! 

1. I finished an amazing book today.  I highly recommend The Lake House by Kate Morton (and all of her other books!).  It was one of those you almost hate for it to end because you enjoyed reading it so much. There were tons of twists and I kept revising my theories about how it was going to wrap up.

2. Am I the only one who has to leave notes to remember new medications?  Poor Maddux is on a liver supplement (he's ok, we're just trying to figure out what some off levels in his blood mean).  It has to be given on a full stomach, so I've been super paranoid about missing it and have resulted to leaving little post its as reminders.  I will keep you updated when I know what's going on with my little man.

3. Body Pump is amazing.

4. I am starting to really like yoga.  It challenges me in a way that running doesn't and it is kind of nice to be forced to slow down.  One of my new year's mantras (I guess that's the right word for it?) is to be mindful, and I'm hoping this helps! I'm also hoping adding Body Pump and yoga into my weekly routine will help my running.

5. The other day our heat broke (honestly, it was good timing.  If you have to break do it in time to get fixed before the blizzard!).  Poor Maddux looked so pathetic all snuggled up in his blanket.

6. I have been binge watching Gilmore Girls.  My sister got me hooked on the Gilmore Guys podcast (which was a life saver on my drive from Alabama to Virginia!).  Listening to them talk about some of the minute details made me want to go back and rewatch them all (again). 

7. I was all pumped to try my first Hungry Harvest delivery this weekend, but it got cancelled because of the impending doom blizzard.  Since I'm no longer getting my bread delivered, I figured I would stop by Panera and get a loaf to get me through the next few days (just in case!).  Grocery stores = crazy lines and no bread, Panera = no lines and lots of bread.  I call it a win.

8. Grad school starts back up again on Monday!  It's been really nice to have a break and I know the next four months are going to fly by.  

I hope you guys all have a safe, warm weekend!  (And that you get to start it a little early like I do!)

Friday 5: My Day

Hello!  Today I'm linking up with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney for the Friday Five!  The theme of the day is "Day in the Life" and while today hasn't been super exciting so far, I figured I'd play along!

• Maddux woke me up as usual around 6am for breakfast and as usual I stumbled back to bed for a couple of hours after I filled his dish.  Maddux let me sleep in until about 8 and then I made coffee and oatmeal and we snuggled on the couch for a little while watching Luke Bryan on Good Morning America.  It's been such a gray day that it was hard to get up and moving!

(No, I don't have snowflake sheets on my bed still.
This just captures our typical mornings after he eats!)

• After Luke was done backing it on up (Kick the Dust up, anyone?) Maddux and I headed out for our first walk of the day.  It's been surprisingly cool today!  Nice change of pace for sure.  When we got back I got ready for my run, which basically involved half heartedly using the stick to roll out my IT band while texting my mom about Luke's performance.  

• I headed to the park and felt really strong on my run!  Probably a big part of this was because of the cooler temps, but I'll take it any day!  My pace was about 45 seconds faster per mile than it has been lately and I even cranked out the last mile in just under 9 minutes.  It was a great confidence boost.  I need to figure out where I am on my training plan so I can start checking runs off again.  I didn't bring it with me on my Alabama trip, so I've just been kind of running to build up a base.  So far so good!

• After my run I ran some errands.  Maddux needed food and I needed the new Luke Bryan album so off to Target I went.  I know some of y'all are going to make jokes about the fact that I bought a cd, but y'all are going to hate it when you miss out on the bonus tracks haha!   While I was at Target I also redeemed my free Starbucks drink since it was about to expire.  

Corgis and Luke.  Doesn't get much better.

• Now I'm eating lunch and typing this up before it's time to get ready for my friends' wedding rehearsal.  I'm going to try to squeeze in one more quick walk and some homework, too!  

Congrats to the beautiful bride to be!

So that's been my day so far!  Just one of those run around getting things done kind of days.  I'm really looking forward to next week because I'll have a little bit of down time where I can focus on school work and relaxing before work kicks into high gear again.  

Tell me something about your day!  Did you get a break from the summer heat, too?  Any other Luke Bryan lovers?!  My sister and I are going to see him in concert in a few weeks and I am beyond excited!

Friday 5: Things I'm Loving

Happy Friday!  And happy May!  It's insane how fast the month of April went by.  I'm linking up with Cynthia, Courtney, and Mar (who is running the Pittsburgh half marathon this weekend!  Make sure to stop by and wish her luck!) for the Friday Five!  I figured I'd start the month of May off on a happy note and tell you the five things I'm really loving right now!

1. Walks with my pup.  The weather has been SO nice lately and paired with longer days, Maddux and I have gotten in some amazing quality walks.  He seems to be feeling really good these days, so hopefully that will carry on even as the days start to get warmer.

2. Training for races.  I signed up for two races this month!  I have loved just running for the sake of running, but lately have had a major itch to start training for something.  There were lots of great races to choose from this month, so I'll be running both a 5k and a 10k.

3. Reba's new cd.  Guys, I have loved Reba since I was really little and her new cd is everything I hoped it would be.

Probably the best pic I've ever taken.

4. Pure Barre deals.  So, I took my first Pure Barre class on Valentine's Day and loved it.  (Holy crap, my abs/arms/thighs were sore for DAYS.)  Only problem is that Pure Barre is super expensive.  I was so excited when for tax day they offered 4 classes for $15 each.  I have yet to cash in, but have a few good months to get them in.  The other day they had a deal for their DVDs which included two DVDs (abs and "seat" aka butt), streaming to online videos, the Pure Barre socks, the resistance band thingy (don't be mad PB lovers, I'm still learning!) and a tank top for $65.  <--Just a side note, when I looked up the price of the tank top to see if the package was a good deal, I found that it normally costs $65!  Yikes!  I hope it's the most flattering piece of clothing in the world!  I've already done part of the online video a couple of times and really enjoyed it.  If you guys are interested in the package, I think they are running the deal until May 4.  (Not being compensated in any way, just letting you guys know a good deal!)

5. Fitness challenges.  My nice friend and I are doing a May competition to see who gets the most exercise minutes in this month.  I'm planning on totally kicking his butt.  I have a feeling May is going to be a very active month as we try to one up each other!

What are some things that you are loving lately?  Anybody else have competitions with their friends/family?  

Have a fabulous weekend!

Weekend Update

Happy Monday!  It's hard to believe that it's so cold again after it was practically spring like yesterday!  I hope everyone got to get out and enjoy a little fresh air!  I'm linking up with Tara at Running 'n' Reading for her weekend update!

Friday night was really laid back.  My sister and I ichatted while catching up on Scandal and HTGAWM <--don't want anyone finding my blog by typing in the full name haha!  I started Lickety Split by Mary Kay Andrews (written as Kathy Hogan Trocheck--her name before she became Mary Kay!) as my "book by a favorite author" category on my reading challenge.  To be honest, I'm really glad I didn't read this one first!  The books she writes now are fun, girly, and total beach reads (a new one comes out in May!  I can't wait!) and this one is nothing like it!  While it's been a quick read, it's not exactly my kind of book.

Saturday morning I woke up fully intending to go to my group run.  After looking at the temperature and impending snow, my coffee and pancakes were looking better and better.  I opted for a treadmill run later and was really glad I did!  It started snowing a lot earlier than predicted and the roads in my neighborhood were a mess.  My walk to the gym was probably more of a workout than the actual run because of all the snow!  Can't tell you guys how thankful I am that I bought my boots earlier this year. Seriously guys, they are the best ever!

Sunday was the day to tackle my long run.  Even though it was a lot warmer, my side walks were still super slushy and I wanted to stay on the safe side.  I opted for the treadmill once again and it ended up being a fantastic run.  I even ran a little further than I had set out to because I switched treadmills after my favorite one freed up about two minutes into my run.  I wanted to see those double digits and figured 10.5 was better than 10.2.  I'm actually a little surprised with how not bored I was this week on my treadmill long runs.  I think the combination of music and Wait...Wait...Don't Tell Me! helped.  It probably doesn't hurt that Shamrock is getting closer and I'm thinking a PR is more doable than I had originally thought!  My brother and sister included me on a massive group text as well, and it's really hard to be bored when you have constant alerts going off.  Thanks, guys! :-)

I felt great this whole run! Can't wait for Shamrock!

Maddux and I got in a short walk Sunday afternoon (he wasn't a fan of getting his paws wet) and then I made it out of the house for a Petsmart and Target run.  All in all, a great weekend!

Ignore my weird hair and the angle of this picture.
 Maddux's face was too good to not share!

Tell me something good about your weekend!  Any other treadmill warriors out there?  Stay warm and have a great week!

Weekend Update #4

Happy Monday!  I hope you guys get to spend the day lounging around in your pajamas, reading good books, and drinking coffee like I plan to today!  I'm linking up with Tara over at Running 'n' Reading for her weekend update round up.  Make sure to send some love to the other bloggers!

Friday night I decided I would head to the gym and knock out my weekend 5 miler because rumor had it that I would not feel like running after Pure Barre on Saturday.  Well, the rumor was true.  Guys, I spent Sunday being so, so sore.  I will say though that Pure Barre was an absolute blast!  I'm not sure what I was expecting (I guess I was thinking more graceful movements with calming music), but it was completely different than I could have imagined.  It was upbeat and a huge butt kicker.  I can't remember the last time a workout burned the way that one did.  It was no joke!  I really wish the classes weren't so expensive, because I would love to be able to go on a more regular basis.  Unfortunately, they just don't fit in the budget right now!

The rest of Saturday afternoon wasn't too remarkable.  I cleaned a little, read a little, and napped with my pup a little.  No complaints there!  In the evening my nice friend came over.  We don't really celebrate Valentines' Day, but I had a gift card that we had been meaning to use for a while at Rock Bottom, so we figured we may as well have date night.  When we got in the car it wasn't snowing at all, but as we made our way over to the restaurant it came down harder and harder and the wind was making it a real pain.  (Remember I live in an area where we don't really do snow--I know you folks in Boston are laughing at our "dusting.")  At that point we figured we may as well just eat since we were almost there anyway, but by the time we left the roads were a mess.  I'm not sure why DC can't seem to pretreat roads, but I was not a happy camper on the way home.  Since we made it home alive we decided that yummy pizza and beer was totally worth it though!

I felt obligated to drink this beer because they donated
some of the proceeds to firemen.

On the way home there is a big hill and we decided to be smart and avoid a slippery, icy slope, but I guess a lot of people had the same idea.  When we tried to turn out of the little neighborhood onto the road leading back to my place there was a huge back up.  We opted to leave my little car in the neighborhood instead of sitting a quarter of a mile from home and ventured out into the wind.  We ended our Valentine's with lots of blankets, some good beer (Frostbite Black IPA ha!), and Harry Potter on ABC. All in all, not a bad way to spend Valentine's!

We spent a lot of Sunday bumming around waiting for the roads to clear up enough to retrieve my poor car.  I knew it was safe in the quiet neighborhood, but I always feel better when it's closer to home!  By late afternoon the sheet of ice coating the roads finally melted.  Poor Maddux didn't get much of a walk because of all the salt on the sidewalks and the crazy powerful winds.  I'm really thankful we have a little dog run close by!  He just kind of wanders around, but my weirdo dog refuses to do his business in our yard, so it was good that we have a salt free area for him to take care of it in.

Pretty sure he doesn't mind napping.

I hope you guys are staying warm!  I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for the snow we're supposed to be getting later tonight.  I'm sure you guys can guess how thrilled I am about that!  Have a great week!

Friday 5: Love Edition

It's Friday!!  I am looking forward to having a three day weekend!  I'm linking up with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney for the Friday Five!  I'm excited to see what I'm sure will be many valentine themed posts.  My parents always made Valentine's Day fun for us growing up and I've been a long time lover of the holiday (and let's be real, can a holiday that coats your chocolate in various shades of pink really be bad?).

1. Maddux.  I'm sure no one is surprised he made the list!  Every day I am reminded of how lucky I am to have this pup in my life.  After a hard day at work, seeing his happy face erases all the stress I'm feeling and completely turns my day around.  I don't know what I'd do without my boy!

2.  Seeing corgis on my runs.  No matter how a run is going, seeing a corgi makes it 10,000 times better.  At least for that moment my run is a happy place.

3.  Peanut Butter M&Ms.  Yes, the Valentine's ones are awesome, but the Easter ones are where it's really at.  Pretty sure they have more peanut butter in them than the regular ones.

4. Kate Morton books.   I just finished The Forgotten Garden (first book checked off my 2015 book challenge!) and like the others I have read, it did not disappoint.  I can't wait to exchange books with my mom next time I'm at her house! (We bought a few and I took some home and she kept some...in an ideal world we would live about 12 hours closer.)

5. J&A Races.  Yes, I know you guys know this, but Shamrock is only a little over a month away!  I could not be more excited!  I have a very chilly 14k race scheduled for this weekend in lieu of my long run.  Guys, the race email literally said that the water at the aid stations would probably freeze.  Yuck.  I can't wait to head to Virginia Beach next month!  My best friend also suggested that we run the Big Blue 5k!  It will be my first time running it and I'm thinking it might be a good time to go for that sub 27 minute!

Post race beer taste even better when you're with your best friend!

What are some things you're loving this Valentine's Eve Friday?  I hope you guys have a fabulous, chocolate filled weekend!

Weekend Update #3

Happy Monday!  I'm linking up with Tara over at Running and Reading for the weekend update!  Make sure to check out everyone's fun weekend posts!

My Saturday started waaaay too early.  We had gone out Friday night to celebrate my nice friend's sister starting a new job, so getting up to do my group run was a bit painful.  I was glad I went, but maaaaan those hills kicked my butt!  I know they'll make me stronger, but I was cursing our leader just a little.

Maddux says sleeping on the couch is better than running hills.

After a quick shower, I headed out to the mall to meet up with my cousin.  We strolled around, got coffee, and did a little bit of shopping and it was great to catch up!  We're both really excited because my mom and our aunts are coming to visit next month!  I bummed around most of the night and caught up with my ABC shows I'd been neglecting.

Can't wait to drink margs with the aunts on the east coast!

Sunday was one of those run around days.  I went to Target first thing in the morning and spent way too much time there.  How is it so easy to walk out with so much stuff there?  I had literally 2 things on my list.  After Target I had to go to the grocery store, which also ended up taking a lot longer than I expected.  If anybody knows where to find dried figs, I would love to hear your advice!  So much for trying to meal plan! (Yes, I'm a little obsessed with my Runner's World cookbook!)

After whipping up some Coconut Almond Energy Bars (for those of you who hadn't tried them out of the RW cookbook but want to, just know that it makes a TON) I took Maddux to the park.  It was gorgeous outside and I wanted my pup to get to enjoy the 65 degree weather, too!  We had a great hour long walk and loved every minute of it.

Not the same visit, but still a pretty park picture.

By the time I got home, it was time to get ready to run.  I don't know if it was a combination of running around and hills from the day before, but I was exhausted.  I didn't leave enough time to do my planned long run (oops) and ended up only doing 5 miles.  I was totally fine with my unplanned short cut though because the weather was amazing (shorts!! in February!!) and I got to enjoy some miles with my pup which I wouldn't have had I gone straight to my run.  Plus, I saw a corgi on my run.  Totally worth it!

To make up for my lack of plan following I ended up signing up for a few local races.  I'm really excited for them and I think it will be a nice way to get a few long runs in.

Tell me something fun about your weekend!  Anybody else sign up for races to make long runs more exciting?

Have a fabulous week!

Weekend Update 2

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!  I'm linking up with Tara over at Running 'N' Reading for her weekend update!  My weekend ended staying up too late watching the Super Bowl.  It was an exciting game!

I started the weekend with Kate Moving Forward's banana baked oatmeal (one of my favorite breakfasts!) and then headed to my group run.  It was so chilly, but I had a great run.  Any suggestions for keeping toes warm would be greatly appreciated!  After my run I was pretty sure I would never be warm again, so I grabbed a carmel macchiato from Starbucks and then curled up with my pup for a nap.  I think this is going to be my routine until the cold weather is gone!

That face.

Saturday night I made another recipe from my Runner's World cookbook.  I wasn't as sure of this recipe as some of the others, so I was glad my nice friend was there to try it out on!   I had to adjust a little bit because I didn't have all the vegetables required, but it was pretty good. Not sure this one is going to be on my regular rotation, but I'm glad that I have stayed out of my food rut lately!  After dinner we went to Denizen's, a local brewery, and sampled some beer.  We hadn't been there yet (and had been meaning to try for a while!), so I was really excited!  I highly recommend it if you are in town.  It's a fun atmosphere and they have a BBQ bus.  How can you not have a good time?

I picked the hoppy sampler.  Hoppiness is happiness after all. 

Sunday morning one of my friends and I headed to Founding Farmers for brunch.  We hadn't been before and it lived up to the hype!  Guys, the beignets?  To die for.  I can't wait to go back one day!  After brunch, pup and I may have taken another nap and then headed to the park.  It was cloudy, but it was nice to get out and about instead of our normal neighborhood walk.

Sunday also marked the beginning of my 2015 reading challenge!  I'll write more later, but basically there are 12 different categories (totally doable) and I started The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton for my "you've been meaning to read" book and am already loving it!

What were some of the highlights from your weekend?  Anybody have any fun Super Bowl parties?  We kept it low key (I had some work to do bah), but it's always fun to watch!

Friday 5: Things I'm Loving!

Happy Friday!  I'm linking up with Mar, Courtney, and Cynthia for my usual Friday Five post!  Make sure to check out their favorite indoor workout theme!  Since I have been focusing mainly on running lately (Cross training?  What's that?), I decided to just go over some things I've been loving right now, but I will say that Nike Training Club workouts rock!

1. These boots.  I ordered them before we were supposed to get our first snow of the year up here because I thought they were cute as far as snow boots go.  Now that I've had a chance to try them out, I love them even more!  They are warm, keep my feet dry, and I have yet to bust my butt. (Knock on wood.)

2. Sudoku.  This is silly, but I love the feeling I get when I solve them.  Sometimes you just need a win in your day.

3. Maddux's treat ball.  A couple of evenings ago it hailed.  Maddux and I were not walking in the hail (ouch), plus the sidewalks were super slippery.  Pup was cranky that he didn't get his normal walk, but this treat ball kept him entertained for a nice long while and wore him out.

4. Homemade cookies as running fuel.  I have an easy time saying no to most packaged cookies, but I am a sucker for homemade cookies.  I baked cookies before my run (because what better time is there to bake cookies?) and believe it or not, I had an amazing workout.  One of my fastest and best feeling runs of the training plan!  Woohoo!

5. Free classes!  Courtney posts all the time about her love of Pure Barre and I've been wanting to try it for a while now.  As I was looking for studios near me I found a Valentine's day special!  Check out your local studio to see if they are running a similar deal!  I figured the best time to try it was when I literally had nothing to lose.  I'm really looking forward to it!

What is something you are loving lately?  Do you use cookies as fuel, too?  Pure Barre lovers--what is it about it that makes everyone hooked?!  I want to go in prepared :-)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Weekend Update!

Happy Monday!  Thank you so much for all your kind words after my post on Friday!  I usually try to keep my blog positive, but every once and a while you have to get it all out there so that you can move forward.  I'm happy to report that after the weekend I'm already feeling much better!

Saturday morning Maddux woke me up around 8 (pup let me sleep in--a miracle!) and I was surprised to see only clouds (a rain/sleet/snow mix had been predicted!).  After a quick check on the weather app, I decided to head to my group run.  I'm so glad that the weather cooperated, because I was in much better spirits after!  The route was hilly, but it was a nice challenge and I felt fantastic when I was done. A stop at Starbucks for a mocha made a post chilly run even better.

This fella loves to sleep in on gloomy days!

The rest of Saturday was pretty gloomy, so I spent a lot of time cleaning and organizing.  It's incredible how a clean apartment can improve a girl's mood.  When the sun started peeking through the clouds, I took a much needed break and Maddux and I headed to the park and had a great walk.  Seriously, how can anyone be moody when you are walking in one of your favorite places with your favorite guy?  (Pup is doing MUCH better now!  All back to normal!)

Speaking of pup, Maddux got selected as the Mariner's Dog of the month at the Mariner's Museum in Newport News!  When my nice friend and I went back in October for Crawlin' Crab, we took Maddux to our favorite trail that we frequented in college.  We saw a sign featuring a "Mariner Dog" and I jokingly said how it was my goal to have Maddux be on that sign one day!  A couple of months later I got an email saying that he was Mr. January!  I love that my favorite pup gets to grace the Noland Trail all month!

My amazing Roomie snapped this picture for me!
If you're in Newport News be sure to check it out!

Sunday morning I headed to the grocery store first thing (more snow was predicted and I had no food in my fridge..) and was happy to have beaten any presnow madness.  I got some ingredients to make a couple more meals from my Runner's World cookbook (I'm loving it!).  Could it be possible that 2015 is the year I like to cook?  We'll see!

Sunday was still kind of gloomy, but the weather was in the 50s!  I had 9 miles on my schedule and couldn't have asked for better weather!  The run was definitely tough, but it felt so, so good to have it done.  It was a big confidence booster!  8 weeks until Shamrock and only 4 miles to add on!

By the way--It's my week to take over J&A's Facebook page!  Make sure to play along in the comments!  I would love to see what you have to say about my topic!

I'm linking up with Tara from Reading 'N' Running for the Weekend Update!  Have a great week!

Tell me something fun about your weekend!  Anybody else get awesome weather for a long run this weekend?!

Friday 5: Favorites

Hello!  It's been a little while since my last post (BUT I'm going to get more consistent here really soon).  In typical fashion, I'm linking up with Mar, Courtney, and Cynthia for the Friday 5!  Make sure to check out the amazing blogs in the link up!  I can't wait to read what other bloggers are loving right now!

1. Thanksgiving with family.  This year Maddux and I went to my sister's house in Ohio.  She did an amazing job cooking our dinner and we had lots of amazing walks at the parks near her home. Maddux went to the beach for the first time and it was so funny watching him with the waves.  My sister and I went to a wine and painting class and had the best time!  I'm not sure my painting looks quite as the instructor had envisioned, but I had a great time trying to figure it out.   (Side note: my sister just hit her goal of walking 1,000 miles for the year with her pup today!  So exciting!!)

2. Sweat Pink Ambassadors. It's so nice being a part of this community.  I've been getting horrible side cramps lately during my runs, and when I posted in the group seeking advice they immediately responded with a bunch of different things I could try.

3. Holiday Sweat Challenge.  I decided I needed a little motivation to keep up with cross training this winter, so I signed up for my first fitness challenge.  Although I've been horrified at how little water I have been drinking lately (you track it every day), it has been fun trying to get the workout points!  I've been making it a point to try to get more water and by the end of this thing I am determined to get my daily water point!

4.  Buying gifts.  While I still need ideas for my nice friend, I have the rest of my family all figured out! I was so bummed that I ran out of tape in the middle of wrapping.  I've had the best time picking out things I think that my family would like.  They all did an amazing job choosing things for my birthday, so I'm glad I get to turn around and spoil them a little now!

Dachshund gifts from my sister.  Short legged pups = love.

5. TRAINING PLANS!  I finally have my Shamrock plan all figured out.  It's printed and on my fridge all ready to be conquered.  Last time I didn't miss a single run.  I'm going to try for that again!  As I mentioned earlier, I'm going to start tracking my training again, so writing (and reading y'all's blogs!) will get much more consistent than my sporadic posting I've had going lately.

Get used to all my pictures looking weird for a while.  My phone
only lets me take selfies, which is not easy if your self isn't in them :)

What are some things you've been loving lately?