Gretch Runs

Another great month of reading! I spent a lot of time outside this month reading on our balcony- it's one of my favorite places to read and really got me to finish a lot of books this month. There were some great ones and also some I wouldn't recommend, in lots of genres! Here's what I read in February- The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over. With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from...

I'm so excited today to be sharing a race recap- which has not happened in a LONG time. I've run a few small races in the past year, but all have been for fun with not goal in mind. For this one- I followed a training plan and had some goals so it felt very different- scary but also good to be back in that mindset of pushing myself. The race was in Charlotte, which is an easy 2 hour drive from Raleigh. I went with a bunch of friends from my run club, and we rented an amazing house together! I think it helped with my race day nerves a lot to have so many people around to help distract me, and also to pump me up before the race. On Saturday morning, parking was really easy at the race and there were lots of porta-potties ready to go. I got my bag checked quickly and was off to the starting line before I knew it! The weather was absolutely perfect for the race- clear and 34 at the start that warmed up to mid-40s by the end. It was really sunny as well but felt great since there wa...

And just like that...it's race week. I can't believe that I'll be lining up on a start line in just a few short days! It seems like it's been forever since I executed a training plan and went in feeling confident about racing. I'm so excited and this week just capped off an amazing few weeks. It's hard to believe this, but this was my first time that I've ever trained for a race and not skipped a single run or workout. Go me! Now- let's take a look at how the week was! Monday 3 mile Run + Yoga Woke up and did some yoga right away, then did my run at lunchtime. It was pouring down rain so this was faster than I had planned, but it felt great. The rain was FREEZING though! Tuesday 6 mile Run + Yoga Early morning run with Erica. We met up at the Old Reedy Creek trailhead and ran into Umstead. It was kind of spooky and foggy in the morning so I'm glad I had my headlamp on me! Everyone else out there at 6AM did not have lights, and I have no idea how they...

Race day is just around the corner, and this was another solid week of training! I can't believe how quickly the race is coming up, which I feel like always happens to me. I'm still feeling great though and my week was full of fun runs with friends. Here's how it went- Monday 3 mile Run + Yoga + Core Had a later run than usual because I was going with some friends! We met up at Bottle Theory in Apex and ran along the White Oak Creek Greenway. The highlight was our Girl Scout cookie and beer pairing, which was perfect after a run.  Tuesday 5 mile Run + Yoga Early morning run with Erica! I tried drinking Ucan before the run as a pre-workout and it worked so well. I didn't have any bananas on hand so this was all I had before running and my stomach felt great the entire run and I felt energetic too! Very happy with that and enjoyed this easy run with a friend. When I got home I finished my final day of 30 Days of Yoga! Wednesday 3.2 mile Run + Yoga + Core Run club! Fun and...

You can probably tell that I stayed indoors a lot in January because I read A LOT. It got colder outside and it seems like everyone I know either got Covid or was in contact with someone that had it, so I did not venture out much this month! Books were my comfort once again, and I explored so many new places through the power of words. Here's what I read this month- The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe Madeleine Talmage Force is just seventeen when she attracts the attention of John Jacob “Jack” Astor. Madeleine is beautiful, intelligent, and solidly upper-class, but the Astors are in a league apart. Jack’s mother was the Mrs. Astor, American royalty and New York’s most formidable socialite. Jack is dashing and industrious—a hero of the Spanish-American war, an inventor, and a canny businessman. Despite their twenty-nine-year age difference, and the scandal of Jack’s recent divorce, Madeleine falls headlong into love—and becomes the press’s favorite target. On their extended honeymoo...