Confession: my Wednesday outfits have been…m’eh lately. Sorry friends.

However my Tuesday outfit this week? Was baller.

skirt: NY&Co
Sweater: JCrew Outlet
Tank: Lilly Pulitzer
Shoes: JCrew Outlet
Necklace: Tiffany Pearls

Tonight we’re running a favorite downtown loop of mine. I’m SUPER sore from the workout yesterday – like holy owies. Dinner will be some amazing Salmon Burgers that we got on sale at Whole Foods the other day – expect a post (and another one later about the amazeballs pizza we made). And cleaning. Lots of cleaning. Because we were busy much of last week it’s been a little hectic on the home front in regards to keeping up with it. Don’t you hate that? When things go to hell in a hand basket because you just don’t have time? Yeah that’s been life recently.

In case you missed it….I posted over on NewlyMarylanders about 12 things I want to do this summer – 12 things? 12 weeks of summer? Hmmm…I think I’m on to something here.

Lately, I’ve been all about the smoothies. Seriously, they’re my go to breakfast. I’m not the type who usually has time to sit down and enjoy breakfast at home, so I usually whip up a smoothie and take it to go and it’ll tide me over til lunch or so.

What’s in this bad boy?

1/2 – 1 c. Almond Milk (I don’t measure perfectly)
ice cubes (i usually put 5-6)
1 handful spinach
1 T nutella
1 large banana
1 scoop whey protein powder

It’s a favorite of mine. Occasionally, I’ll add in some oatmeal or flaxseed but usually I kind of forget because I’m in a rush.

This week’s workouts…

Monday – we rested. I cleaned. That’s workout enough.
Tuesday – strength workout + 10 warm up cardio
Wednesday – 4 mile run
Thursday – Strength + cardio
Friday – 3 mile run
Saturday – Ten miles!
Sunday – Rest

Today’s strength workout was inspired by Jamie Eason’s LiveFit Trainer. I saw this linked over on Julie’s blog yesterday and was like hmmm… I’m awful at keeping up with strength workouts, so any inspiration I can get on those is key. This one was really good, while I don’t see myself following the trainer exactly because our lil’ gym doesn’t have all the equipment, I really want to be better about 3 strength workouts per week because I do know how important they are to burn more calories, improve overall bone health, and to rev up your metabolism.

So that was today’s workout and all I have to say is holy triceps batman!

Do you do a lot of strength workouts? Any tips for sticking with it?

Worthy reading:20 great reasons to start strength training {via Greatist}
Weight Training for Beginners {via Greatist}
Quick Strength Training Guide for Women {via Womens Health}
How Strength Training Benefits Runners {via Running Times}

Confession: Any good I did by running 9 miles was undone by the fun I had.

Insert  the Girls on the Run 5k. Yay! Fun! Not a PR but my legs were still being jerks and not wanting to move as fast as I know they can. Since it’s not timed, I did wear my garmin and my time was about 32 minutes or so. My calves were tight and my shins were sore. But I still had a great time.

Insert 6 miles after (well. 5 1/2. Still close enough for government work). West Annapolis. Naval Academy Bridge and around Route 2. Hilly mcHillerson. Not a fan. Even if I know hills are necessary workouts especially for Zooma.

Insert lunch with a great friend.

Insert cupcakes.

Insert wine. Lots and lots of wine. Thursday or Friday, Lexi posted about having a couple of extra tickets for the Mount Vernon Wine Festival – her and her beau had raved about this festival for many years and we’ve never been able to attend for one reason or another. But I decided at the last minute to take them up on one of those extra tickets. Was so worth the beautiful evening with wonderful friends and great wines.

Top to Bottom: Mount Vernon Estate; Liz and I; view to the west – the beautiful Potomac.

So much wine. Followed by late night Checkers. Not the best call but whatever. There wasn’t much food at the wine fest and we were all starvin’ marvins. I was mostly dehydrated all day since I didn’t hydrate well for my run but thankfully I fixed that.  I’m bummed that hubs missed out on it due to his drill weekend, but I’m looking forward to attending in the fall with him and the same group!

Sunday I drove up to Reistertown to see Adam’s RSP graduation. Initially, when you join the National Guard, they have what’s called RSP (Recruit Sustainment Program I think) which preps you mentally and physically for the challenges of becoming a soldier. Once you return from AIT, you have a unit hand off ceremony. This for Adam, fell on his 30th birthday which was yesterday!

After, we went to Arundel Mills to buy hubs a suit (Banana Republic outlet FTW! A suit, off the rack for less than $200?! Amazing.)

Then we went for dinner at Yellowfin, and then, I took hubs for Smith Island Cake.

Oh em gee. So. Yum.

All in all, a very fun weekend. I didn’t like the number on the scale yesterday morning but like Adam told me “you don’t go to wine festivals every day. Nor do you have your own full slice of Smith Island Cake. Every day.”

He’s right. And I just know that I need to do better at finding the balance on the weekends so as to not undo everything I work hard for during the week. Stay tuned later for this week’s workouts!

How do you handle your healthy living habits during the weekend?

Track workout: 6.25 miles

This morning? 4.25 miles done. Slow. Sore. Need foam roller. ASAP.

Tonight? Dinner at Great Sage. I’ve read Sana’s reviews of this joint and while it’s a bit further than I would usually go, my friend M from CT is down for work/visiting family and is staying in Silver Spring area ish and so it was a nice halfway point for the both of us. I’m pretty excited – while I’m not a vegetarian or vegan by any means, the food sounds spectacular.

Tomorrow – Girls on the Run 5k + 5 miles to get in a total of 8 then lunch in DC with this gal and then a wine festival with more friends before going to Baltimore on Sunday to see Hubs get handed over to his unit then celebrating his 30th birthday low key style. It should be a good filling weekend! Phew. It’s exhausting just thinking about it.

What are YOU looking forward to this weekend?

I know, I know, it’s a day late.

But I was running late yesterday morning and threw on an outfit I had already worn on here (seriously, Wednesdays shape up to be my cutest outfit days since I know I’m going to blog about it). So I thought, Oh, I’ll just change for my Junior League dinner.

So I did.

But then I got home a bit late and was tired and not in the mood to blog. Seriously, who reads blogs at like 1030 at night anyhow.

Dress: Lilly Pulitzer
shoes: steve madden
sunglasses: target

See, I was all dressed up for our annual dinner which was held at Level downtown this year (versus Yellowfin last  year – which was tons of fun)

Eat, drink and socialize we shall!

The food was really good – Level has by far the best risotto I’ve ever had. The company was spectacular. Then there was this.

!!!!!!

I really threw myself into the Junior League when Adam was gone, taking up volunteer hours, attending every meeting, training and event I could. I leaned on these women to get through the 7 months that hubs was gone which was, probably one of the most trying experiences. Being away from my family though, I had to create my own support network full of friends and colleagues.

So thank YOU to all my pals and colleagues in Junior League – I’m pretty stoked for next year!

Tonight:

We’re hitting up Severna Park High School track to get in a track workout – we have a need for speed! And I love doing speed workouts on the track – the last time when we ran over at Annapolis High I had clear memories of my own track days way back when (not at that track obvi but you know what I mean).

Workout tonight:

1 mi warm up (running to track)
1200m sprint
200 m rest
800 m sprint
200m rest
400m sprint
200m rest
200 m sprint
200m rest
400 m sprint
200m rest
800m sprint
200m rest
1 mi cool down back to the car

total run: ~5 mi

Should be a great workout and I’m going to get Adam’s splits so he knows what his pace feels like for his PT test. We’ll probably also throw in some pushups, and crunches because he likes to torture me the same way I do him.  But I’ve really learned the benefit of speed workouts, which I’ve written about before so I’ve been doing a lot better about incorporating them into our weekly workouts. He’s more worried about speed on shorter distances while I’m more concerned with distance in general but the two – as I’ve been telling him – really go hand in hand.

What’s  your favorite type of run? Longer distances? Shorter? Speed workouts? 

Happy Thursday friends!

Today my morning went a little like this….

5:45a – alarm goes off. Snooze.
6:00a – alarm goes off. Snooze.
6:10a – Alarm goes off. Snooze
6:15a – Alarm goes off. Snooze (should be getting up here. Adam apparently attempted. I wouldn’t budge)
cue this every ten minutes until 7:15a
7:15a – alarm goes off “five more minutes…”
7:25a – alarm goes off. Cue cuddling.
7:40a – FINALLY GET OUT OF BED.
7:50a – depart house.
8:15a – arrive home. jump in shower.
8:45a – depart for work.

Cue massive whiskey tango foxtrot here. I had wanted to run 3-5 miles but instead got in only 2.25 – a run is still a run but insert mild disappointment with myself here.

We had a rude awakening today. That a. we suck at morning workouts. b. we suck at getting to bed at a decent hour. The past two nights it’s been closer to midnight than 11a bedtime (though Monday’s late night was so worth it.) c. we need to be better about the good habits we both built while he was gone.

I’ve written before about my struggles with morning workouts. I don’t deny that I would much rather stay in bed cuddled up under my down comforter next to the warmth of my husband but reality is, lately if I don’t work out in the morning, I don’t workout at all and that my friends is a problem. A big one.

How do you fix good habits gone awry?

Get on the same page.

So we went back to the drawing board.

1. No more eating out during the week. Easy. Plan meals. Grocery shop on sundays. This week was tough since I had a Junior League happy hour Monday, we went out last night to celebrate his 30th that’s coming up and tonight I have my end of the year dinner for Junior League. It’s best though when we plan ahead, bring lunches. Make smoothies for breakfast, etc…

2. Set Expectations. Each night we will go to bed by x time to get up at y time and do z workout for b time period. Generally, we have to be in bed before 11p, up by 6:30a at the latest to fit in a 30-60 minute workout and still have time to shower/eat/make lunch and be out the door by 8:30-8:40a so I can get to work by 9a. When hubs was gone his schedule was way more structured than mine but I still managed to get myself up and moving for the most part when I said I would or worked out after work when I didn’t.

3. No Excuses. If we set ourselves up by making a workout plan (which I typically like to do anyhow) we’re less likely to make excuses. But if I make a workout plan (which I often do) and don’t share that with him, we’re a. not on the same page and b. I can justify excuses. No more though!

4. Keep each other accountable. Similar to the no more excuses and being on the same page, if we each have goals, communicate those goals and support each other, we’ll be more successful. Stick to the plan, reward ourselves when we succeed and build this up, our lifestyle will be so much better.

Do you work out with your spouse? If so, how do you hold each other accountable??

Helpful reading:

How to be a morning person {via Greatist}
Learn to love morning workouts {via SparkPeople}
10 Morning Workout Motivators {via Womens Day}

Yesterday morning we did a modified workout of the failed workout on Sunday. Which would have been a great workout except hubs and I both thought the bleachers were being used so we vowed to go back later…and never made it back. Whoops

But yesterday we fit in a quick workout before work at the gym since it was rainy – 1 mi warm up run, 3 sets of 20 pushups, crunches, arm dips and tuck jumps and a quick .25 mi run home.

Tuesday: rest (it was pouring this morning, and I stayed up late)
Wednesday: 3-5 mi
Thursday: 800m w/u, 1200m/800/400/200 w/ 400m rest 800m c/d (~3.5)
Friday:  run 3-5 mi
Saturday: Girls on the Run 5k followed by 5 miles (total 8.1)
Sun: rest

Yes friends, I stayed up late last night. It was so so worth it though….

Hubs and I are both officially registered for:

Apparently it sold out by 9a so the late night last night was definitely worth it!

So that puts me at 16 races left for the year. I’m pretty sure I can find at least ten more in there. I might not be the fastest runner but running races excites me to run and train and keep up this level of fitness and keep getting better. Everyone has to find that thing that gets them moving. Right? Races are mine.

1 ten miler (Oct)
4 half marathons (June, Sept, and 2 in December)
4 10k’s (2 in June, 1 in Oct, and 1 in November)
6 5k’s (throughout the summer, and fall I’m sure I’ll add to this number)
1 15k  (December)

What gets YOU moving?

The weekend started out great. We got up early yesterday, ran down Bestgate/Rowe Blvd and watched the TriRock Triathlon.

We grabbed a small bite to eat, and then walked downtown to Church Circle. On the way down, we saw one of my Junior League members (soon to be president to be exact!) running around mile 1!

We kept walking and finally saw her looking amazing towards the finish. While waiting, we also saw Jess starting her 5k leg! Seeing all those awesome athletes totally makes me want to sign up for a tri. Maybe next summer….

 Rockstars. All of them. I want to do this race next year because that finish? Down that hill? Amazing.

We ran home back through the closed streets of a race that had passed, and up the quiet sleepy streets of Ridgely but then it started to get hot. And I realized that wearing a long sleeve shirt was not the right decision. But still, it was a beautiful day for a run and that was what really mattered – getting out and running.

It was a slow 6.5 miles but 6.5 miles none the less. Next weekend I’ll fit in 8 at some point, between a 5k for Girls on the Run and then movie and lunch with a gal pal. But this upcoming weeks workouts will be in a separate post.

Veggie burger – made with black beans and fresh veggies.

After, we got lunch at Punk’s which is a local favorite, and then headed to South County to check out some vineyards.

I had a LivingSocial deal for Running Hare Winery down in Prince Frederick (speaking of which, how do you pronounce that – Adam and I couldn’t decide who was correct he said fred-er-ick and I was saying fred-rick who’s correct?) in Calvert County. The wines were decent, the location was beautiful, it was quite possibly the perfect place to spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

The winery was beautiful and there was a wedding setting up!

We brought some cheeses and bread to enjoy while enjoying a bottle of wine – which came with the deal (win!).

The wines were for the most part decent. I’d go back, it was a really nice afternoon joint – there was music, tons of tables, just a great place to enjoy a nice bottle of wine.

After… we were going to head to Solomon’s Island – which we ended up at later – but on our way down we saw signs for another winery. So we stopped at Perigeaux Winery which was a little off the beaten path but another beautiful space as well.

The winery was beautiful and apparently the tasting space is relatively new! A beautiful space. I wasn’t a HUGE fan of the wines, I found them to be a bit more acidic and not particularly enjoyable. That being said, hubs liked them so to each their own! The woman who did the tasting at Perigeaux was much more pleasant and fun to talk to than the harried tasters at Running Hare who were overwhelmed and less helpful when it came to understanding the wines.

We popped down to Solomons after that – but I was underwhelmed though I’ve heard since that there’s a fun Tiki bar and a good BBQ place down there so we may have to make another trip eventually.

Solomon’s itself is nestled at the mouth of the Patuxent River with a bunch of history to it also. It’s really beautiful there.

Instead of eating down there, because we were both being rather picky, we hit up Nova sushi – a place I found via yelp on our way home. So. Worth it. Oh. Em. Gee. Best sushi I’ve ever had. Yes that is seared (with a blow torch no less) fatty tuna. OM NOM NOM.

Sunday was much more laid back with a failed workout, a failed hunt for breakfast, an ikea trip and then a lazy evening at home. It was one of those perfect weekends that was a perfect combination of productive and lazy that left you feeling relaxed and refreshed when the work week started.

Happy rainy Tuesday morning! How was YOUR weekend??

The hardest part about moving away when I was 23 was leaving my mom. My mom has been, most importantly, throughout my life, there for me always and I would definitely not be where I am today if it were not for her and everything she’s done for me and how she’s supported and encouraged me along the way.

Thank you for everything Mom. You’re amazing and an inspiration and I love you more than words could ever say.

Happy Mothers Day.

After getting off work early on Friday, we were going to go for a run, but I compromised. Told hubs we’d have an early night in, run in the morning so we can go down and see the Triathlon, and then go to some wineries on Saturday afternoon.

So we planned a Towne Centre date night.

Dinner at the Paladar Happy hour ($5 plates/drinks – yes please!), walking around (I wanted to see what was new in lululemon) and then dessert at Menchies. It was quite perfect really – not too expensive and perfect to spend the beautiful evening outdoors.

It was sooo beautiful out.

Sangria and Mojitos. Delish.

I had the chorizo and cheese pupusas. They were AMAZING.

We also shared a side of guacamole, I probably wouldn’t go to Paladar for non-happy hour as their dishes seem a little over priced but the happy hour is a great value for what you get and the food is delightfully flavorful. The atmosphere – though sometimes a bit loud and crowded is nice – especially outdoors.  I’ve definitely had better mexican food but this is more “latin fusion” which is a nice change from the usual nachos and enchilladas (my go to).

We finished date night off at Menchies and let’s just be honest…I don’t mess around with Menchies. None of that healthy FroYo crap – if I’m going to have dessert? I’m going for hot fudge, sprinkles and mini cookie dough bites. All. In. I have an intense sweet tooth so sticking with moderation at Menchies is definitely key.

We ended at home by watching My Week with Marilyn which was spectacular. I’m really not a huge movie person so if a movie can keep my attention and not make me want to nap, then I call it a success and a good movie. A few weeks ago we watched The Blind Side and it was AMAZING. This makes two movies in a row so hubs was quite proud of me

The great thing about last night was while it wasn’t a ten on the super healthy scale, it definitely wasn’t a big fat 0 either. The portion sizes at Paladar for their happy hour menu are incredibly reasonable, and we left satisfied but not stuffed. We got some walking in, didn’t get wasted face (though I may not have needed that second sangria).

We’re off to explore South County today so expect some fun posts over on NewlyMarylanders soon and an update about our (miserable) long run today while cheering on the TriRock later this weekend!

Happy Saturday friends!