Chatting over chai

Holy Brrrr, Batman!

Didn't we just recently celebrate Autumn's arrival? The leaves had finally started turning, the air was cool and crisp, the rain had finally stopped....and now we're entertaining sub-freezing temps and wind. And, already, there's some of that white stuff on the ground.

I don't mind the change of seasons. After all, it's pretty inevitable that's it's gonna happen anyways. In fact, I kind of embrace the various nuances of each season...but that doesn't mean I'm in any big hurry for Winter to arrive.

Anyways, I've been slamming the hot beverages 'round the clock to try to keep warm. Speaking of hot beverages, what would you be drinking if we were gathered 'round a cozy table? Care to join me? What would you share, if we were chatting over coffee?

Mission Accomplished: Marine Corps Marathon Race Recap

As they say in the Marine Corps, OORAH!

And, as I crossed the finish line, Mission Accomplished.

I have had the Marine Corps Marathon on my bucket list for a long time. After all, I'm very patriotic, my husband is retired military (Lieutenant Colonel, Air Force), and I have a love for running. Why not merge all of those factors into one big race?

Now in its 44th year, the Marine Corps Marathon takes place in and around Washington, DC. Sunday, October 27th was the date. I had spent the past (almost) three months training and was eager to see what I could do over the course of 26.2 miles.

The Final Countdown

Here we go! The final week of Taper...

Taking things easy. Staying active without over-doing anything. Erring on the side of caution. Getting a little more shuteye than usual....ugh! Just get me to the MCM start line already!

As luck would have it, Momma N felt it her duty to step in and give me some challenging weather. Or, maybe it was Fate? After all, if the weather outside is frightful, it may be in my best interest to stay inside and not risk getting sick.

IMT Des Moines Half Marathon 2019 Race Recap

Confession: I have a lot of favorite races.

Another confession: I'm SO guilty of going back, year after year, to these favorite races.

The thing is, I feel ZERO remorse is doing so. These races never get old, but still offer a comfy "been there-done-that" nuance.

One such race is the IMT Des Moines Marathon.  Now in its 18th year, it was in full force this past weekend in Iowa's capital city. This was my 10th time making an appearance for the weekend's festivities, and my 8th time running the half marathon.

STOP! Taper Time

...and the Taper goes on...

I am not one to dread the Taper. In fact, I look forward to it with bated breath (quite literally LOL) with every training cycle. It's like a small reward for all the hard work that's gone into the race I've been training for.

That said, things have been a little different this go-round. Much like the training itself has been different in terms of long-run-schedule-juggling (more so than I ever have before), this Taper has thrown me for a bit of a loop as well. I'm still enjoying the Taper, but just this week I experienced a subtle taste of burnout...in terms of weather (ahem, #wind #cold #rain) and not wanting to exert any extra effort in making workouts happen in said weather.

But, first things first...

Autumn 2019: What's on Tap

Buckle up, Friends! It's gonna be a bumpy ride...

Things have started to get a little crazy and busy in my running world. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

I have an action-packed line-up of activities (fitness and otherwise) to keep me on my toes for the remainder of the autumn season. There's weekly races, family celebrations, and plenty of entertainment as well.

Care to hear a few of the details?

Run for the Roses 10K

Windy and chilly and hilly. Those are three words that best describe a potentially tough race.

It just so happens, those were the exact race day conditions for the Run for the Roses 10K. The forecast had promised sunny skies, but the sun was a no-show. The wind was ever constant and ever cold. Oh, and hills? They were pretty non-stop as well.

But, it was kind of fun to have a face-to-face showdown with Momma N. Right there, on a chilly morning, on a new (to me) race course.

No Breaking My Stride

Sometimes you just gotta beat Momma N at her own game.

Case in point, the weather. Just go ahead and try to taper through it (as if simply running through it wasn't tough enough).

I'm no stranger to oddball weather (ahem, born and bred Iowan here), but 2019 has really thrown us some curve balls. What's a runner to do (or anyone, for that matter)? You face it, you adapt to it, and sometimes you adjust your plans accordingly. But you do not let it defeat you. Am I right?

The Allure of a Themed Race

How do you feel about themed races?

Are you one of those who eagerly gets in the spirit (and dresses for the theme)? Or do you "ain't got time for none of that nonsense?"

I have to say that a great thing about themed races is that they draw a lot of participants to the start line. Many participants are people who may not have been interested if it was just a typical road race. Even though some participants may not know all the appropriate race etiquette, it's awesome that they're there, supporting the cause and being active.

I have been running for more than 14 years, and have done a fair share of themed races. Care to hear a bit about a few of my favorites? Read on...

Weathering the Week

Momma N was in quite a mood this week.

We were treated to the heat and humidity of summer. There was a fair amount of wind and rain. And, we flirted with winter-like temps as well.

It would be nice if she could just pick a lane.

Coffe talk? Chai chat? Call it what you will

Shall we gather together over a warm beverage? I'll be sipping a chai latte'.

Maybe we can chat about the latest race or tough training run (I have had both). Or, we could talk about this proverbial change of seasons (is it really autumn...because it kind of feels like winter, at the moment, in Iowa). How about we share a few laughs, as only friends would do, if we were huddled around an inviting table of friendly faces.

Oh, what WOULD we talk about?