Howdy, I am getting back to blogging more. I am so glad Covid is basically over. I love not wearing a mask.

Races are now starting to be live!  Yeah!

This past month, I have been participating in many group classes at Life Time Fitness and doing a little bit of running to maintain my fitness level.

I am very pleased to report, my favorite races are coming back.

 On September 25^th, I will be participating in a race called Run to Home Base. This will be my second year running it.

On November 14^th, I will be running the race Run to Remember. This will be my third year running it.

Both races, honor the service and sacrifice of our arm forces.

Here is what I have been up to with my fitness in the past month.

…Barbell classes

.. A Kettle Bell Kombine class…I hated it. Spouse dragged me to the class.  I like working with dumbbells not a Kettle Bell!

…Strictly Strength Classes

 …And a little bit of running …about five miles a week. 

Besides fitness……………….

We are enjoying family fun times.  Our family has celebrated our granddaughter first birthday, oldest daughter birthday, Mother’s Day, College Graduation, my 52^nd birthday, 27^th wedding anniversary and so much more fun stuff.

We also will be cleaning up our backyard in the next few days.  As of now, it looks like a mud pit caused by our 4 wonderful ……4-legged big dog creatures.  We also have some areas in our yard where our grass will not grow.

We are getting some Astro turf for our yard to clean it up.  I am looking forward to a nice yard.

Looking forward to starting my blog up again….

 Spring is almost here and I couldn’t be happier. I have been running a lot more lately. I am very excited that LIVE (not virtual races) are making a comeback.  I have scheduled some LIVE races this spring.  I really MISS the comradery of running with my friends. My first live race will be the 

Hop + Grind “Hoppy” Leprechaun 5K 

that will be held Saturday March 20 in Durham NH. I can’t wait! 

I am also going to do the Dopey Running Challenge again in 2022. The runs include: 5K (3.1 miles), 10K (6.3 miles), Half-Marathon (13.1 miles) and a Marathon (26.2 miles).  I am also planning on participating in other Run Disney events.  I really love Disney events because you don’t need to be a speedster to enjoy them.  My strength is long distance running, speed not so much.  

During the past cold winter weeks, I have participated in some home virtual charity 5k events to keep me motivated.

The Donate Life Run/Walk 5k

Run Disney 5k

Mad Moose 5k

Black Goose 5k 

I am also keeping up with my weight training classes.    In our class, we cover every major muscle group. We work the chest, back, biceps, triceps, legs, abdomen and shoulders.  Strength training is not easy for me. My activity has mostly been running not weight lifting, so huffing up weights has been challenging. I often joke with my husband that I am a bit self-conscious in class because I lift the lightest of everyone in the class.  

 The worse is leg workouts especially lunges. Forget weights during lunges …I use my own body weight.

I still struggle with coordination and balance.  Squats …oy vey .. hard . 

Yet, I love the class. 

More updates next week.

Hello. My running blog is back.  It been a good 3 months and I am glad to be back.  I missed my blog.

  Last October, I honestly struggled being on any type of social media, mostly Facebook due to the crazy past political season. My brain could not handle the constant negativity, and toxicity, so I had to limit myself from all of it. 

   The coronavirus has taken a toll on my running motivation; however, I am still exercising. 

During the winter months, I have been exercising at Life Time Fitness.

  I have been strength training with dumbbell classes, swimming and recently I have been attending   step aerobics classes, and strictly strength classes.  I love my gym and feel they do a superb job implementing extensive safety measures and cleaning protocols in accordance with government guidelines. I feel very comfortable there. My gym is very large, which allows us and the gym to easily obey the require social distance laws.

Other than exercise:

 My mental and physical health has been good during the pandemic. 

I had a great Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s. With the limitations place on us, my husband and I still made the holidays feel special.   Our house was always filled with festive decorations; and I enjoyed celebrating the holidays with just our closest family.  

 I have four Labrador retrievers, that provide me an outlet for fun and play.  My dogs love to play fetch, hide and seek and chase.   If my dogs don’t get enough exercise, they start acting crazy from boredom. My dogs force me to move.

Lastly, I have been binge watching tv shows. 

 I am looking forward to fall  running races …

and blogging more about my races..

Best virtual run of the season.  Run to Home Base “Honoring our nation best”.   Veterans and All Military Branches …I am thankful for what they do.

Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, is dedicated to healing the invisible wounds for Veterans of all eras, Service Members, Military Families and Families of the Fallen through world-class clinical care, wellness, education and research. 

Also…….

My barbell classes are going great.  Strength training has been very good for me. 

On Wednesday, my daughter convinced me to take a Btone class with her.   The class is a combination of Pilates, Strength training and flexibility all done on some scary weird contraption called a  Btone former.  I was certainly stepping outside my comfort zone.  Prior to class, I was filled with fear.   My flexibility is lacking, my core is not strong, and I am not very coordinated.

 In the end, the class was just right, not too easy, not too hard. The teacher was very good and there was plenty of exercise modifications to keep me safe.  

     I would recommend trying Btone. 

 To sum it up, my daughter loves this class…. Me, …I will stick to Barbell Strength class.

Have a good week. 

Future races ….

Hopefully Live … Disney Star Wars 5k 10k and Half  

 Spring Summer Half Marathons 

 

I am not “book smart” or very educated academically, but what I do see is a unfriendly, rude discourse with people this political season. The political discourse in this country is disgusting.   The constant fighting about politics is hurting relationships. Republicans and Democrats are constantly insulting each other. I am conservative.

The greatest gift in life is love. Let’s all be more empathetic.

Show love care, affection..

No negative comments please…. I like you all and I don’t want to delete you.

 Ed and I 

We have been together for 26 years. Throughout the summer, we have been attending barbell strength classes together at Life Time fitness.  He has been helping me get stronger.  Strength equals improved running.

  Twice a week, Ed dedicates himself to my favorite class to make me happy.    Those days are Monday and Saturday . Love is good.  We argue but are best friends.

2020 Virtual 9/11 Heroes Run 

Supporting the thousands of veterans and families of the fallen 

https://www.travismanion.org/about-us/who-we-are/

Friend….I will always love and miss you until we meet again

Wonder Woman Virtual Run 5k.

You are stronger than you believe.   We all have Wonder Women inside of us.  

Wisdom, power, strength 

………………………..

Summer is flying by.  I have been strength training, running many miles, hanging with family and friends and enjoying life. 

2020 is a bit insane but I am making the most out of it. 

Thanks to my running groups …that encourage me to move …virtual races 

And the fitness instructors …that guide my strength training classes 

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.  The best is yet to come.

Summer running …it is very difficult …. I must keep moving

Slow or fast a mile is a mile

To achieve greatness

Start where you are

Use what you have

Do what you can

To keep me motivated ……two virtual fun runs….

Run for Chocolate and Run for Donuts

I had a nice 4th of July weekend!   This virtual race is dedicated to all the fallen 1st Responders.

The 2020 Boston Run to Remember ….5 miles race