Gretch Runs

Is it finally February!? January has to be one of the longest months I remember but we're one step closer to warmer days! Even though I moved down to North Carolina and this winter has been a million times better than what I'm used to (lots of sunshine, not many days below freezing) I still miss kayaking and biking and just relaxing outside in the warmth. I heard that February is a very rainy month but I'm already looking forward to the 70 degree days I see in the forecast. Even though January felt like such a long month, I didn't really do much! I stay inside a lot and did a ton  of reading (I'll be sharing my reviews later this week) and got to see my sister, brother-in-law and nephew twice! My other highlight was getting a new tattoo, which brings my total up to three. I think I'm done for a while, but what people say about getting tattoos is addictive is definitely right so I'll never say never! Now let's get into my annual goals and see how those ar...

Another week has come and gone, and we're finally in the last day of January! This month was LONG and I'm excited for it to be February and race month! Hard to believe that race day is almost here, but I feel so ready for it and can't wait to see how I do. Here's how the week went! Monday 3 mile Run + Yoga + Core Convinced Dan to run with me today (trying to make it a weekly thing with him) and we did two miles together and then one solo. It warmed up after a cold weekend so I was happy to break out my shorts for this run. I also started my day on the right foot with a morning yoga flow with Erica on Zoom! She's starting to do a weekly class and I'm excited to add that to my schedule as well. Tuesday 4 mile Run + Bike + Core Morning run with friends at the Art Museum! We missed a few weeks with the colder weather but were back at it again this morning and it was awesome. In the evening I joined a live Peloton class with Cody- who always plays the best throwback ...

This week felt so long to me- just finishing up this post on Sunday night and looking back through what I did feels like it happened sometime last month. I guess that's what happens when you have all four seasons within a few days! Our weather was all over the place which changed a lot of my workout plans, but somehow I got it all done. Here's what I did- Monday 3 mile run + Yoga I had the day off and slept in- which has not happened for a while and felt great! I had a very lazy day and just went outside for a quick run with Dan, and a walk with Selma. I squeezed in my yoga at the end of the day because- like I said- I had a very lazy day! Tuesday 6 mile run + Yoga I was heading out for my run at lunchtime and just got a new pair of shoes delivered! Great timing so I could try them out on my midweek long-ish run. I ended up really liking them (they're the new Brooks Ghosts) and had a great run! I ran around my neighborhood and made a fun loop that included some greenways an...

Welcome back to another week of training! This was the halfway point of my plan, and I felt like things are really starting to click into place. I felt strong and great for almost every run, and also figured out a good morning routine for important runs! I'll try it out a few times and then share what's working with me since it's taken me a while to figure out.  Here's how my week went- Monday 3 mile Run + Core I honestly did not feel like getting up and running in the morning, but today that was the only option to get it done. Once I actually started I was so happy to be out there- I felt fantastic the entire run. It was a bit windy out but the temperature was perfect! I love runs like this, when you just feel free and the miles come easy. Tuesday 5 mile Run + Yoga I met up with Erica for an early 6AM run at the Art Museum. I donated blood last night so I still felt a little off, so we took the run really easy. It was a tiny bit chilly out but luckily there wasn't ...

Happy Monday and welcome back to another week of training! This was a really great week with my first test race and some crazy weather changes. One day was snowing and other days I was in shorts- it was insane! During the week I also kept up my 30 days of yoga challenge, and started a new program in Peloton. Here's how the week went- Monday 3 mile Run + Yoga Today's run was very special, because it was my first snow in North Carolina! We had a pretty big snow flurry around lunchtime, so I was excited to get out and run in it. It was pretty windy but not too cold so I enjoyed the run a lot! I also did day 2 of 30 Days of Yoga in the morning with Dan. Tuesday 4 mile Run + Yoga No snow today, and we had bright blue skies again. It was a tiny bit chilly, but once I started to run I warmed up immediately. This run felt so good and was a great mid-day workout! My day was filled with meetings so it felt so good to get outside and clear my mind a bit. Wednesday 3.2 mile Run + Yoga Fun ...

December was a huge reading month for me! I was on a really good roll with some great books, and I ended up reading 7 (which might be a record for me). Here's what I read and my thoughts on each book- The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio. When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it's this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it...

Hi everyone!  Hard to believe it's already the end of a year and the start of another, so today I wanted to share some of my favorites from 2021. These year-end lists are always my favorite to read, so I hope you'll enjoy this and would love to hear anything you've loved this year as well. Products Egg Chair When we moved into our apartment and had a balcony that overlooked a pond, I immediately knew that I wanted a cozy chair so I could sit out there and enjoy the view! I searched for a while for a chair in this exact design that wasn't too expensive (some of them are INSANE) and came upon this one. There was a small shipping issue where I missed an entire part of the frame in my package, but otherwise I absolutely love the chair and spend so much time in it. Highly recommend! Scoop Plus Colander As someone who loves to cook, I'm surprised it's taken me this long to get one of these scoop colanders. This has quickly become one of my most-used tools in the kitch...

It's been a while since I could say this, but I'm officially training for a race again! I have two races coming up- a 15k in February, and a 10 miler in April. I'm really excited for both of them because the races seem really fun, and the distance is perfect for me.  I started following the Hal Higdon Intermediate plan a few weeks ago, and I just completed week 3. Just like I used to do, I'll be recapping my training week and letting you all know how everything's going (and also keeping myself accountable to keep going!).  Here's how this week went- Monday 3 mile Run/Walk I got Dan to run with me this morning! We went out first thing in the morning and did a loop around our lake. I finished up with a mile solo on the trails. Tuesday 10.5 mile Bike Ride It was a gorgeous day out, so we headed out for a longer bike ride. It's been a while since I've ridden outside and I missed it so much! I also finally oiled my bike chains and it made such a difference- ...

Happy 2022 everyone! This feels like it's going to be a great year- I love even numbers so years that are even always feel more lucky to me. Let's try to make it a great one, which for me means making a bunch of goals. Let's start off my recapping how I did on my annual goal from last year, and my monthly goals I set in December. 2021 Combined Miles January -  44 running miles and 218 bike miles for a total of 262 miles February - 32 running miles and 206 bike miles for a total of 238 miles.  March - 36 running miles and 113 bike miles for a total of 149 miles. April - 31 running miles and 118 bike miles for a total of 149 miles. May - 26 running miles and 97 bike miles for a total of 123 miles. June - 33 running miles and 59 bike miles for a total of 92 miles. July - 50 running miles and 85 bike miles for a total of 135 miles. August - 50 running miles and 141 bike miles for a total of 191 miles. September - 54 running miles and 79 bike miles for a total of 133 miles. Octo...