Team for Kids Charity Auction, take 2

Ok guys, the charity auction is over but I still have some leftover awesome items!!! So, here comes Charity Auction, take 2!

100% of the proceeds from this auction will go directly to support Team For Kids and their effort to provide free or low cost health/running programs for school age children across the United States.

– So how does this work? First, read the rules post here.
– Second, find something you like and place your bid!
– Email me at nicoleruns2620.at.gmail.com with your bid amount and which lot you are bidding on. I will post the highest bid below the lot and update as I get more bids so keep checking back!
– Want to outbid someone? Remember, each bid must be at least $10 more than the previous bids.
– What happens when you win? I will email the winners and you will have 24 hours to make your donation in the correct amount to my Team For Kids page!

The auction will end on 6/12/2017 at 8:00pm!

Mother runner package

• Tales from Another Mother Runner (signed) + Train Like A Mother sticker + Badass Mother Runner sweaty band (color may vary) ($30 value)
• $15 Road ID gift card
• Starting bid: $25
• Current winning bid: n/a

Safety package 1 

• WearSafe pod (white)+ 1 year of service ($72 value!)
• $15 Road ID gift card
• Starting bid: $25
• Current winning bid: n/a

Safety package 2 

• WearSafe pod (gray)+ 1 year of service ($72 value!)
• $15 Road ID gift card
• Starting bid: $25
• Current winning bid: n/a

Shopping!

• $25 Running Warehouse gift card
• $15 Road ID gift card
• Starting bid: $25
• Current winning bid: n/a

Hydrate

• 2 10-count boxes of SOS Rehydrate ($40 value)
• SOS Rehydrate bottle ($10 value)
• Starting bid: $25
• Current winning bid: n/a

Recover

• Trigger Point prize package: GRID foam roller, MB1 Massage Ball, & NANO foot roller ($80 value)
• Starting bid: $25
• Current winning bid: n/a

Snack bonanza 1

• Bakery on Main granola bar sampler ($50 value)
• Starting bid: $25
• Current winning bid: n/a

Snack bonanza 2

• Bakery on Main granola snack pack sampler – 1 oz packages ($65 value)
• Starting bid: $25
• Current winning bid: n/a

All about that base

{And of course, the obligatory: I’m hosting a second round of my charity auction to support Team for Kids!!! Please please please check out the awesome swag that is up for bid. The first 4 people to bid today will automatically get a set of Brilliant Reflective strips! You can check out the charity auction here}

It’s hump day! And it’s Wild Workout Wednesday and I’m linking up with  Fitful Focus, The Fit Foodie Mama, Fruition Fitness, and Pretty Little Grub.

Lately, I’ve been mentally gearing up for marathon training. One, because I love planning and two, because I know it’s going to be HARD. Training officially starts in July. And I live in Atlanta. I’m from New England. So basically, get ready to watch a 4 month dumpster fire. I’m gearing up for it…

Just an aside: I can blather on and on and on about base building. I think it may be my favorite running topic ever.

What I plan to do between now and July:

Work on my weaknesses: Say what now? A.k.a. strengthen my hips and glutes and foam roll my calves religiously. Up until recently, I hadn’t struggled with calf issues but my hips are a known bugger in training. Race Pace Jess posted an awesome article on what to do before starting marathon training.

Build endurance: I love Jason Fitzgerald’s article on building a base.

[And] Bob Kennedy, the former American record holder in the 5,000m, explains, “There are three basic phases to a training cycle: base, strength and speed. The problem that most athletes have is that they think [the phases] are mutually exclusive. I think that the phase of training is defined by what you are focusing on during that phase.

But you always do a little of all of those things. There’s never a time of year when you’re just running mileage or you’re just doing speed. You’re always doing all of it, it’s just a matter of to what degree.”

Any base period should include three components: gradually increasing mileage, the critical long run, and of course, at least one faster workout per week.

Training plan: I’m still so undecided. I did a “modified” Hansons for my last marathon and felt pretty much amazing up until the very end. But I also found this Women’s Running training plan that looks appealing. Part of me wants to “save” Hansons for when I’m ready to make some big time goals.

Have fun: I’m just going to live these Disney Princesses hit the gym video right here…

Weekly recap + Mother’s Day!

Yesterday was a disturbingly easy Monday (and I loved every second of it). So. Here’s to hoping that Tuesday is an equally laid back Tuesday! I’m linking up with MCM Mama, Patty, and Marcia.

Also: I have some leftover goodies from my charity auction, check out how to snag them here!

First off, here is my week in workouts, as captured by my iPhone:

Notes: Can we just talk about how I did THREE strength training workouts last week? Go. Me. Also, I totally planned to run Saturday and/or Sunday but ended up not lacing my shoes in an effort to stave off some calf tightness that was creeping up on me. I am SO paranoid of any uncomfortable feeling in my shins/calves now. In reality, I should have taken Friday completely off so I could do a longer run Saturday but lesson learned.

Goals for the week: More running, rest when I need to. I’d like to start working on some longer runs, so if that means more mileage but fewer days running during the week I’m okay with that for now…I keep reminding myself that I just need to get myself healthy and strong to the start of marathon training!

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SUNDAY IS MOTHER’S DAY!!!!!!!

Unfortunately, my mom lives in another state. And I won’t get to see her. Literally heartbroken over that fact, but I will get to see my dad and sister + mother in law and get to spend time in one of my favorite cities)…so there’s that. Instead of being all mopey, I’m planning my “ideal” Mother’s Day weekend as if my mom were in town:

1. BRUNCH. Does this even need an explanation?

2. Run/walk. Duh. I love to run. My mom is more of a walker, so I’d love to jog and stroll along the river with her.

3. Coffee & chocolate. I definitely inherited my love for both from my mom. She taught me to appreciate a good coffee and embrace being a chocolate snob.

4. Shopping. While I did NOT inherit a love for shopping from my mom, I love browsing boutiques and know that it makes her happy.

How do you plan to celebrate Mother’s Day? Do you go all out?!

♥ Nicole

Friday Five: On the go

IT’S FRIDAY!!!! CAN YOU TELL THAT I AM OVERWHELMINGLY EXCITED?! (Because I am). I’m linking up with I’m linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for some Friday fun.

{And of course, the obligatory: My charity auction ends on Sunday!!! Please please please check out the awesome swag that is up for bid. The first 4 people to bid today will automatically get a set of Brilliant Reflective strips! You can check out the charity auction here}

5 things I’ve learned about being a runner on the go (aka full-time job and a strong, strong desire to be as lazy as possible whenever I can…)

1. Dry shampoo is my best friend. I really detest washing my hair every day and don’t like how the blow dryer fries my hair. But. I am the sweatiest sweater to ever sweat. So without dry shampoo, my hair turns into a greasy disaster. Lately I’ve been in love with Clean Freak dry shampoo. Pretty much all dry shampoo makes my hair look better but still feel kind of gross…but Clean Freak has a slightly less grimy feel.

2. Night wine is the best wine. I recently tried boxed wine (classy, I know…but it lasts for so long!) and it’s pretty much the best thing ever. I like being able to have a glass after a long day. Sometimes it’s just so needed.

3. Sometimes I just need to drop the ball. I pretty much set up my coffee maker every night because a morning without coffee just isn’t going to happen…but some nights I just skip making lunch for the next day and head to the cafeteria for some good old zero effort food.

4. Plan out my workout before I leave work. I will always mentally tell myself what workout I’m going to do before I step out the door to head home. If I am prepared to go home, change, and hit the gym before I actually get home, it’s much more likely to happen

5. Treat myself like a hungry toddler. AKA always have snacks in my bag. Nothing will derail a day of plans like hunger than goes unfed. Larabars are my go to lately, but I love Kind bars and Annie’s cheddar bunnies too.

TGIF!!! What are your weekend plans? I’m at a conference today and tomorrow and I’m not going to lie…I’m kind up pumped for a “break” from the daily grind.

♥ Nicole

On Thursdays, we think out loud

Happy pre-Friday, friends!!! It’s Thursday and you know what that means…Thinking Out Loud!

-My charity auction ends on Sunday!!! Please please please check out the awesome swag that is up for bid. The first 4 people to bid today will automatically get a set of Brilliant Reflective strips! You can check out the charity auction here

-Weighted glute bridges are kicking my butt (har har har). Hips are my weak point so I’m trying to strengthen hamstrings/glutes and I definitely spent all of Wednesday hobbling up and down stairs. 2nd day soreness is so totally worse than day after soreness…

-I made overnight oats with chia seeds + Greek yogurt + blueberries & strawberries. I think I’m in love. I hate boring breakfasts but my motivation is literally -1000 when my alarm goes off (it’s a struggle to just stumble my way over to the coffee maker). So I think overnight oats are my new go to warm weather breakfast.

-I am totally obsessed with The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. So freaking GOOD! But also a little terrifying and jarring

-And I can’t resist…

Happy Star Wars day!

♥ Nicole

 

How to be awesome at everything (jk)

{First, a little plea. My charity auction ends on Sunday!!! Please please please check out the awesome swag that is up for bid. The first 5 people to bid today will automatically get a set of Brilliant Reflective strips! You can check out the charity auction here}

Okay party people, it’s Wild Workout Wednesday and I’m linking up with  Fitful Focus, The Fit Foodie Mama, Fruition Fitness, and Pretty Little Grub.

For me, May is all about finding balance. A healthy balance. Since I’m definitely no expert on balance (yet), I’ve tried to compile an awesome resource for just “chilling out”. I may be in love with running and working out but let’s face it…it’s not my job and sometimes it’s nice to not take things so seriously.

Before I went away this past week I was OVER IT. Over work, over responsibilities, over the grind of work-gym-dinner-fundraise-rush. It took stepping back for a second and forgetting about everything “real” for a moment to realize that I can’t do everything all the time no matter what or I’ll go cray cray.

That’s not to say I’m about to give up on going to the gym or stop running altogether (let’s be honest, I’ll still probably go 4-5 days a week until marathon training starts), but if I re-realized anything on my girls’ weekend it’s that sometimes it’s nice to take a leisurely hike instead of worrying about when I’m going to run. Much balanced.

Why A Running Break Is Necessary

Balancing Life & Training 

Finding balance between running and everything else

How to create a balanced life

Without getting all mushy/deep, here is how I plan to enjoy this busy month:

1. Keep going to yoga. It’s great “me” time.
2. When I’m out of town/doing something, be ALL THERE. Don’t freak out over missing a run or lower mileage weeks. They’ll happen.
3. I have very few free Saturdays this month, but I’d love to test out the waters with a running group. Social runs = the best runs and I’ve been missing the camaraderie of running with friends since moving away from home. (PS camaraderie is a hard a$$ word to spell. Totally had to consult the interwebs)
4. Plan plan plan. The more I have written down, the more I can decide what I’m doing when.
5. Veg out more in the evening. Once dinner is done, I’d like to be as screen free as possible.

How do you find balance?

♥ Nicole

April recap + May goals

Happy Tuesday! Today I am linking up with MCM Mama, Patty, and Marcia

And don’t forget to check out my charity auction! It ends on May 7 so you don’t want to miss out on awesome swag. 

April recap

• Finish reading The Nest. For real this time, guys.

Um…yeah this didn’t happen. But I listened to A LOT of podcasts. Does that count

• Continue yoga once a week

Yes! Plus some. I’ve totally learned to embrace home practice and have noticed a huge change in my body since doing more yoga

• Launch my charity auction for Team for Kids!

Done!! Check out all of the awesome swag up for bid here!

• Try my hand at freezer meals that are prepped on Sunday

So I didn’t try freezer meals. But I started making big batches of food on Sunday evenings, which lasted for 3 or 4 dinners. Much, much, much easier than worrying about cooking after work

• TBD…I want to do something exciting this month, I just don’t know what yet!

I went on a girl’s trip this past weekend! I 100% needed some gal pal time and it was great to catch up/disengage from the “real world”.

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Running recap, April 24-30

Monday, 4/24: REST freaking DAY!

Tuesday, 4/25: kettle bell workout + 3.1 mile run. My legs felt like pure jello getting on the treadmill after doing squats and lunges but I am SO proud of myself for being brave enough to do some strength training. Lame, but I was super intimidated by strength training.

Wednesday, 4/26: ~11 mile bike ride with super sore quads. I watched the newest episode of Jane the Virgin to help pass my time

Thursday, 4/27: 1 hour yoga class

Friday, 4/28: 3.2 mile pyramid run, 9:17 pace. This was the first “speedier” run I’ve done since my shin debacle and it felt surprisingly good

Saturday, 4/29: 3.7 hot as hades miles, 9:57 pace. My body glide definitely betrayed my poor thighs. Hello chub rub.

Sunday, 4/30: semi-rest day. 5 mile pre-brunch hike.

Total mileage:

• Running: 10 miles
• Cycling: 11 miles
• Hiking: 5 miles

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May goals

1. Strength train 1-2x per week

2. Maintain some sort of balance. I have a MILLION obligations coming up so it’s highly likely that blogging will take a little bit of a back seat so I can have some sort of zen time not in front of a screen at night

3. Continue cross training. My body has been loving not running all day every day and I feel like this is a great way to build my fitness before marathon training

4. Enjoy. I want to stop and smell the roses and really take in all of the awesome things that May will bring.

And remember…

♥ Nicole