Category: Fit Five Friday

Fit Five Friday: 5 favorite fitness moments of 2023

We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and MoreRunning With AttitudeRun Laugh Eat PieRuns with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up!  This week’s topic is “5 favorite fitness moments of 2023.”  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

The 2023 wasn’t the best one for me for running.  However, I did start walking (I just need to start again) and that is something that I haven’t done before.

Here are my 5 favorite fitness moments of 2023:

Running the NYC Half Marathon – I know I have mentioned this race a few times, but I think this might be the last time I will mention it.  

Spectating the Chicago Marathon – It was a great and fun day!  It is one of my favorite days in Chicago.  This year I was inspired by all of the runners and entered the lottery to run it next year.  Unfortunately, I was not selected.  That is OK.  It just wasn’t meant to be.  But it does mean that I will be there again as a spectator.

Negative splits on a run – It is a good feeling when that happens.

A “fast” average pace – I have days in which I finish my run faster than I expected.  I ran by feel or a good and comfortable pace but sometimes my legs want to go faster.

Good health report – I try to take good care of myself but sometimes I slip.  I think we all do.  Sometimes my cholesterol is a little hight but then my A1C is at a decent level.  Overall, I am pleased when I get the results from the bloodwork.

The topic for next week: 5 fitness goals for 2024.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

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Fit Five Friday: 5 favorite fitness stocking stuffers

Fit Five Friday-19

We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and MoreRunning With AttitudeRun Laugh Eat PieRuns with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up!  This week’s topic is “5 favorite fitness stocking stuffers.”  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

More holiday gift ideas!  Here is my holiday gift guide.  It has a variety of gifts that I have purchased for me or my students.  

Here are 5 additional items to use for stocking stuffers:

🎄 Gift cards – You can never go wrong with gift cards.  I know many people think they’re impersonal but I actually love them.  There is a gift card for pretty much every store.

🎄 Socks – One can never have enough socks.  I go through stages and have own pairs from Smartwool and Balega.  Currently, all of the ones I use now are Brooks Ghost Lite No Show Socks.

🎄 Pens – I love pens.  Everyone needs pens.  I have so many at home and school.  I told myself NO MORE PENS.  A few that I love are the BIC Cristal Xtra Bold Ballpoint Pens, Bold Point; Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens | Medium PointPilot Precise P-700 Gel Ink Rolling Ball Stick Pens, Fine Point; and the TUL Retractable Gel Pens, Needle Point, 0.5 mm.  I know these aren’t fitness related, but I still need pens to write down ideas and thoughts for my blog.

🎄 Kitsch Spiral Hair Ties for Women – They’re gentle on the hair and they prevent tangling and hair damage.

🎄SABRE Pepper Spray – Sad that women “have” to carry this while out on a run.  That is another conversation.

The topic for next week: 5 favorite fitness moments of 2023.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Fit Five Friday and December 2023 Ultimate Coffee Date

Welcome to the December edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah.  It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by My First 5K and More, Running with AttitudeRun Laugh Eat PieRuns with Pugs, and me!  

This is the last coffee date of 2023!  What a year it has been.  I wanted to participate every month but made it to all except for two months.  Not bad at all.  It is fun to catch up and read everyone’s post.  Now, grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat briefly!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I was inspired while spectating the Chicago Marathon last month and entered the lottery for next year.  I will find out in a few days if I get picked.  I haven’t run a marathon since 2016.  I got a PR that year and bettered my time by 40 minutes from my first marathon in 2006.

I read my race recap and laughed.  Erica wrote about how disliked “The number of people who report being “disappointed” after running a personal best in the Chicago Marathon”.  I agree with her, but I wrote the same thing in 2016.

I may not have gotten a huge PR and I am a little disappointed in myself.  I trained hard this summer. OK, so I did miss a few runs and the last 3 weeks I hardly ran at all.  I am glad I was able to finish but I know I could have done better.  I was hoping to finish under 5 hours. Sigh. Maybe I should just stop here, let it go, and move on.  Another marathon in the books and call it a day.

I also entered the lottery for the NYC Half Marathon in March and I got picked.  I was actually surprised that I got picked again.  I am excited about it.  I hope to actually train for it and that it isn’t too cold like it was this year.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that even though I am not a big fan of Halloween, I had a good time that day.  It was wild!  I spent the morning going over reading and math, but the afternoon was all about Halloween.  We passed out candy; played musical chairs, bingo, and hot potato; we danced; and then we had a school parade.  My students said they had fun.  Mission accomplished!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that last week I got the covid and a flu vaccines along with the second shingles booster.  Last year I only got the flu and shingles and was sick the next day.  The same thing happened this year.  I had a fever and my whole body ached.  I could barely get out of bed, but I managed because I had to eat and use the bathroom.  Priorities.  On Thursday I felt so much better and felt like a new woman.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that Kim will no longer host the Tuesday Linkup with me.  Her last post with me will be on December 26.  We had a good time together and am happy for those years we hosted it together.  I am pleased that Jenn will be hosting the linkup with me.  I have been working on a new graphic for us.  It was fun creating one and I even made one with our favorite pets but, no, we will not be using that one.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I’ve been looking for a race shirt.  I’ve always liked how Erica has one shirt she wears for her races.  During a big race it is “easy” to find her.  The shirt that I originally wanted wasn’t available in my size.  I found another one in a different color but in a men’s size.  It doesn’t fit quite well.  I will keep looking and hopefully will get one soon.

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – 5 running/fitness safety tips.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Fit Five Friday: 5 goals for the last 1/4 of the year

We’ve got FIVE incredible co-hosts My First 5K and MoreRunning With AttitudeRun Laugh Eat PieRuns with Pugs, and me for another Fit Five Friday link-up!  This week’s topic is “5 goals for the last 1/4 of the year.”  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.

How is it that we have less than 3 months left of this year?  This year didn’t go how I hoped it would (running-wise) but I cannot complain too much about it.  That is life.

Here are 5 goals for the remaining 3 months of the year:

Be consistent with running.  I sound like a broken record.  After a few weeks off, I started running again, early in the morning when it is dark, and I like it.  After spectating the marathon on Sunday, I was inspired to run another marathon.  I plan to enter the lottery next year for the Chicago Marathon.  

Stop working so much.  I have put in so many hours at work since August and noticed it was beginning to affect me.  I wasn’t taking care of myself.  I know I will never be caught up and that is OK.  Things are a bit smoother at work than they were a few weeks ago – my days are not so chaotic anymore.

Continue to read.  I have one book that I am trying to finish reading and hopefully can do it this month.  I have a few more waiting for me at the library.  Thanks, Wendy for all of your reviews!

Listen to Des and Kara’s podcast.  I am probably late to the party here but I recently began listening to it.  I am enjoying it a lot!  I know they were in town recording an episode and I am bummed I missed it.

Run a 5k.  I’ve run a variety of distances this year and only need that one.  Will it count if I do an “official” one on my own?

The topic for next week: 5 challenges to your fitness through holidays.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Fit Five Friday and October 2023 Ultimate Coffee Date

Welcome to the October edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah.  It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by My First 5K and More, Running with AttitudeRun Laugh Eat PieRuns with Pugs, and me!  

Now, grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat briefly!

If we were having coffee…
I’d ask you if you’ve been a victim of credit card fraud.  I’ve had two credit cards that were both in my possession ALL OF THE time used by two different people  One person used my Chase card and purchased over $600 on the Adidas website and someone else used a debit card (from another bank) to make multiple purchases (almost $200) from Little Caesar and Uber Eats.  Luckily, Chase removed the charges and issued me a new card.  I am still waiting on the other card.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you I had the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso from Starbucks and IT IS SO GOOD.  Thank you Marcia for the recommendation!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that one of the things I hate about doing laundry at the laundromat is that I tend to lose some socks.  I don’t know how since I am careful and double-check the washer to ensure I don’t leave anything behind.  Well, somehow I “lost” a sock.  I noticed it when I got home and put the remaining one on top of the drawer meaning to throw it away but then I forgot about it.  Well, the other day I wore a jacket that I hadn’t worn in a while and guess what I found in the pocket?  Yep, the missing sock.  Running socks are not cheap so yes I was happy to find it.

If we were having coffee…
I’d ask you what your thoughts on about the cut-off time for the 2024 Boston Marathon.  It is unfortunate that even though people qualified, they cannot run it due to the cut-off time.  I understand the history of it, but why not just have a lottery like the other major marathons?  I wonder if people will still be drawn to it even though it doesn’t require a qualifying time.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I entered the lottery to win tickets to see Hamilton and I won.  Yep, I found out yesterday.  I was given 2 hours to claim the tickets and made it with 40 minutes to spare.  I asked my friend to go with me and we’ll be going on Wednesday.

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – 5 goals for the last 1/4 of the year.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter