Runfessions...Can We Talk?

Don't you just love this time of the month?

A chance to bare your soles (see what I did there?) and chat about all things running (and otherwise) over coffee with friends. So what if we're not all seated together, around the same table in the same coffee bar, we still got each other's company. We all have our beverages of choice, and we all probably have plenty to say.

Winter Running...are you Vested?

Are YOU a vested runner?

Anyone who has ever seen a semblance of me in colder-than-summer weather has probably seen me in a puffer vest.

Hands-down, a cozy puffer vest is my first choice in winter running wardrobe must-haves.

Well Rested; Quite Thankful

What a busy week, full of all things family, food, and (some) fitness.

Thankfully, I'm feeling so much better than a week ago. It pays off, with huge dividends, when you scale back on the activity and take time to not only rest and recover, but to also enjoy the finer things.

In addition to the low-key (on the rebound) fitness, our house was full of family fun. The Pennsylvania daughter (and her dog and boyfriend), the UofI son and the Indian Hills CC daughter were here for most of the week as well. Let me just say, my heart was full and my smiles were nonstop.

Ever. So. Incredibly.Thankful. 2018

 Being a runner has had a pretty significant impact on my life.

There is SO much to be grateful for...and not just this time of season, but year-round.

I've written previous Thankful posts (in 2017, in 2016, in 2015 and in 2014), and I honestly don't know if I could say it any better. Bear with me, I'm gonna go with (mainly) what's been said before, but tweak some of it to make it more current.

Enter Off-Season

It's that time of year I look forward to and dread at the same time.

Enter Off-Season.

We've all been there. It's not necessarily a time to be slack with our fitness, but definitely a time to scale back a bit. My body not only needs recovery from a busy season of activity (hello? four half marathons and a full in less than three months), but it also needs a time to rebuild.

Cold Weather Hacks for the Outdoor Runner

What happens when you're a runner and the temps turn cold?

If you're anything like me, you suck it up and head outside! It's no secret that I don't like 'Milly (my treadmill), and she's not too fond of me either.

I live in Iowa, after all, and winter seems to last six months (at the minimum) here. We not only have frigidly cold temps (often sub-ZERO with windchill), we also tend to get a lot of snow and the wind can be most ferocious. But, I refuse to let Momma N defeat me.

Favorite Cities for Racing

Do I have a favorite city for racing?

By default, I'd have to go with Des Moines. Not because I live there (I'm actually about 50 miles east of Iowa's capital city), but because that seems to be where a lot of my races happen.

It seems like I find myself in Des Moines frequently, whether it's for shopping, travel (via the Des Moines International Airport) or a fun dining out experience. Hands-down, though, I'm there far more often for some of my favorite races.

Just Ch-Ch-Ch-Chillin'

Baby, it's been cold outside!

As much as I dearly love my hot summer days, I can tolerate the cooler days of autumn. Heck, I even enjoy being outside in the crisp air. The fall foliage is nothing short of dramatic. Running in the cold air leaves one feeling invigorated. It's (usually) all good.

But, seriously. Momma N seems to have catapulted us a couple months into the future with the colder-than-normal temps this past week. Again.

Not only was I chillin' in the cold temps, I was still chillin' with my fitness and taking things moderately easy...you know, #earlyoffseason and all things #recovery.

Five things about (cold weather) Running that make me smile

Believe it or not, I do enjoy cold weather running.

Granted, I enjoy hot weather running more (MUCH more, actually), but cold weather definitely has its perks. Care to hear a few of them?

OOPS! Don't ya hate it when that happens?

OOPS! Don't ya hate it when that happens?

You know, a dreaded racing mistake. Surely, I'm not the only one? 

In a perfect racing existence, none of us would make any mistakes...we'd always have a picture perfect race day, with optimal fuel, a good night's rest and no worries about chafing or porta potty fails. 

Alas, with no mistakes to be made, no lessons would be learned.

Back in Maintenance Mode

Back in maintenance mode.

Sounds rather boring, considering the past several months of non-stop action, right? Alas, "maintenance" is a step above "rallying back" (I've been there before) and certainly more desirable than "starting over." I'm good with that. Onward!

...if we were having coffee...

If we were having coffee....

Well, truth be told, I'd probably be drinking something other than coffee (like a chai latte'), but I would be basking in the heavenly aroma of  the coffee shop. As much as I love the smell of coffee, the taste of it is not my gig... but with all kinds of options for hot beverages, I'll never pass up a chance for a coffee meet-up.

Even better than the atmosphere of said coffee shop, though, is the company of friends. Whether we are laughing about life, commiserating on recent achievements, sighing over frustrations or planning our next runcation, we'd have a lot of fun simply just chatting with each other.