Hey everyone! It's been a while but I'm back! I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to Maine with Nike to run the Beach to Beacon 10k and what an experience it was. I feel so lucky to have been able to attend. Here's a full recap of the trip.
Friday morning, I caught the 6:28 AM train into NYC. I arrive to New York Penn station at around 7:30 AM. From there, I whistled for a cab and when it came near the license plate said fresh and it had a dice in the mirror... unfortunately, that last part isn't true. It was just a regular cab. I arrived in the Upper East Side NIke store around 8 AM. As I arrived, the first thing I noticed were two huge charter buses that said "Just do it." with the Nike swoop. "Wow, how is this real life?" I thought to myself. I'm greeted as I walk into the store. They let us know where to go to sign in and that there is also food. At check in, we're given information about the restaurants in Maine and a gift card to cover dinner expenses. Wow. Seriously impressed. At about 9:00 AM we're instructed to board the buses and told that we each get a Nike neck pillow. I used mine the entire time on the bus. It was a really sweet gesture for them to include such a practical and helpful item. The bus was so nice! It had hardwood (I'm not sure if it was real or just looked like it) floors. Definitely an upgrade from the usual charter buses. I had a row to myself, so I could spread out, which was so nice. There were also outlets in each row of seats. I was so happy to have an outlet so my phone didn't die. We arrive at the Westin in Portland Maine and directed to a conference room where we can check in and get our hotel room key. We're also provided maps for a 3 or 5 mile shakeout run. Check in was very well organized and went very smoothly. All of the staff with both NIke and the Westin were fantastic. After check in, I head up to my room and see that there is my race shirt, bib, Nike hat and Nike bag laid out on the bed. There is also a sweet note explaining the events. So impressed. From there, I get changed and head out for a shakeout run. We ended up getting lost (even with the help of the map haha) and just sort of explored Portland. We ended up down by the water on a super cute path along the water. There were old train cars along the route. It was adorable (and of course I had to stop get a picture). We also passed the art museum. They had free entry for the day that I wish I would have taken advantage of, but I did get to see a few sculptures outside. After the run, I showered and changed and headed out for dinner. We ended up choosing what felt like the only restaurant that served pasta in Portland. The food was AMAZING. I ended up having leftovers of my spaghetti and meatballs that made it all the way by to NYC with me but then I threw them out on the bus. I still regret that hahaha. From dinner, I came back to the hotel, laid out all of my gear for the AM, washed up and headed to bed. Alarms were set for 4 AM. I'm not a morning person, so I was worried about that. I ended up waking up before the alarm even went off. I usually wear sunglasses (yes, I still run in RayBan aviators but I will be "growing up" and getting real running sunglasses soon) and a hat if it's really sunny. I chose to leave both at the hotel. They would have been helpful on the race! I also did not take advantage of the amazing breakfast spread Nike had provided, which wasn't smart. If I could re-do the race (which I'd love to do again next year Nike!!) I'd make sure I fueled better. We all loaded on the Nike bus at 6:15 AM and headed over to Cape Elizabeth. The race was very well run! Fantastic organization. Brovo to race organizers. The course was hilly and it was hot and humid but beautiful. It was a huge test of mental strength. The first mile went by so quickly. I remember thinking to myself, I'm going to PR big time. Then shortly into mile 3 (there was a huge hill a the end of mile 2) I realized a PR wasn't going to happen. I picked up the pace a little in mile 4. Mile 6 was my slowest mile. I let myself get into my head. I was exhausted but I know I could have kept going with a better attitude. One thing that surprised me was there was no race medal. Now, I'm not complaining but I do love me some race medals haha. After the race, Nike staff were waiting for us with towels and cold water / Gatorade. The other runners got warm water, which may not seem like a big deal, but after running a hilly 10k in hot, humid weather, cold water was so needed. I was so thankful for Nike's generosity yet again. It felt so good to towel off and drink a nice cold water. From there, we all loaded onto the buses and headed back to the Westin to shower, change and check out. On the way home, we stopped an an amazing brewery called Rising Tide. We had a huge room to ourselves. They had lobster rolls (yum!!), Greek food, soups, salad and drinks. I stuffed myself with a lobster roll, corn salad and lobster bisque. It was simply amazing. At 2 PM, we all headed back to the bus for a group photo then off to NYC we went. We arrived back at around 8:30 PM. The train was every hour on the 11's so I had about 40 minutes to get from the Upper East Side to New York Penn. If I missed that train, I'd have to wait another hour and take the 10:11 train. One of the sweet runner actually offered to drive me! I was so touched with her kindness, but after traveling all day, I felt bad making them drive out of their way (if you're reading, you know who you are... and thank you again!). So, I called an Uber and headed on my way. My driver was amazing. I explained to him my situation and he said he'd do his best to get me there by 8:50 PM. Wouldn't you know it, he got me there 2 minutes earlier than I was hoping. I don't Uber often, so I wasn't sure if I could tip through the app and he goes "don't worry about that. I'm just worried about you getting your train". What an awesome guy (I was able to tip him through the app)! Wow, that ended up being a long one. Thanks for reading. And again, a huge thank you to Nike. I'm so thankful for this experience and hope to do it again! xoxo, Chelsea
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In today’s world, there is probably an app for that. App can help you save time, remember things, spice up your pictures. You name it! So, I wanted to put together a list of apps that you might also find helpful. Unroll.Me - If you're like me, you're probably bombarded with emails (most of which you don't even open). I found an amazon app called Unroll.Me. This thing is seriously incredible. I used to have about 200-300 emails per day on my personal email. Now, I've averaging about 80. It's made checking email easier because I'm not digging my way through hundreds of emails I don't need. It's so simple to use too. I highly, highly recommend this one!! Down Dog - I love yoga, but there are days when I just don't have time to go to a class. Or there isn't a class available the works with my schedule. Down Dog is an awesome yoga app. There is a free version, too! Unlike a lot of apps that have paid services and free, this free version gives you a lot. In the free version you get to choose your sequence type, difficulty and length. I really like the voice and their directions are very clear. It really feels like you're in a class. VSCO is pretty high on the photo & video apps so you may have already heard about it. I use this app on just about every picture I post. It really is an awesome app! Their filters are gorgeous and really improve the look of pictures. There is a free and paid version for this app. The free version gives you lot of tools but for only $19.99 you can get an entire year of all of their filters. When I fist got the app, you had to purchase filter bundles and add ons. I love that they've switched to a subscription model and include them all. There is also a social aspect to the app, which I don't use BUT I've heard that part of it is fun too. Achievement - This app connects with your fitness accounts (My Fitness Pal, Nike +, TomTom, etc.) and you earn points for your activity. For every 10,000 points you earn, you get $10! Setting it up is super easy, too. I love getting rewarded for trying to be healthy! I'm about 900 points away from the $10... pretty excited haha.
Well, that is all for now! I hope this post has helped you discover a new app. I'd love to hear from you! What is your go-to app that people may not know about? xoxo, Chelsea Hey everyone!! Writing this blog has been invaluable to getting my creative juices flowing, so sincerest thanks to you all for reading. I have always loved art. I'm sure I got that from my mother. I remember growing up and her showing me her watercolor pieces. She mostly did flowers and they were just gorgeous. I was never one of those people who got deep into art, like "I painted this piece because the black represents loneliness but the stars represent hope". I enjoyed doing art because it is fun. If you appreciate art on a deeper level, that's great! It was just never me. A perfect example of this is from high school. I applied to be a part of gifted and talented art program, twice. This program wanted you to get philosophical about your art and why you've done this or that. For the interview portion, they asked why I made a certain piece. My response was basically "I was bored over spring break". Needless to say, I didn't more on to the next round. The next year, I decided to try it again. This time, I was ready. I had a "deep" explanation for my work and made it through to the next round. The final round was a group interview. I thought I nailed it buttt I didn't get picked. Anyway, I continued art in college taking a few classes here any there. It wasn't until a few months ago that I realized I really missed it. I don't have space for an easel, so I came up with an alternative. Make-up! It relaxes me so much and it really feels just like I'm painting. It's just a different canvas. Full disclosure, I'm actually quite nervous to even be sharing this. This is something I've held off writing about for a few months to see if it was something I was going to actually keep up with. So, I'm going to start blogging about my make-up madness and some looks I do. Some looks are more practical than others. I'm still learning / practicing so things aren't anywhere close to perfect. I'm not a MUA (obviously). I'm also growing out my eyebrows, so they're a total mess. Maybe I shouldn't be sharing these... haha... but it's something I love and I want to share things I love with you all. So, without further adieu (and before I change my mind and delete this post haha) here are some looks I've created recently. I haven't linked any products or said which products I used for a look. I didn't see myself incorporating that into my blog when I first started playing with different looks, so I didn't write it down. If you are interested in knowing what I've used, please let me know and I'll be happy to let you know. Any future posts about make-up will be much more informative. I should have a what NOT to do post soon. Seriously, every time I do my makeup, research, watch a video on tips, I realize there is something else I'm doing wrong.
Anyone else recently re-discover their love for something? An old hobby? I'd love to hear your story! Thanks for reading. xoxo, Chelsea Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by my blog. I will officially be starting BBG over with a few girlfriends to support each other and keep us motivated. I wrote a post about BBG tips a while ago (full post here). I still think these tips are good tips and definitly helpful but I feel like there is a lot more I can include now. I'm in a much different place than I was when I wrote my first post.
A little catch-up on my fitness from that post. I've been running almost exclusively. First I was training for Broad Street, then the 1/2 marathon, then the 10k. Since then, I've just been enjoying running. The last time I did BBG was probably February 2016. I stopped to focus on running, but I miss it! So, it's time to bring it back. If you're looking to get back into doing BBG, here a few more tips: 1: Plan - make sure you map out your week. I usually do this every Monday. I'll sit down with my planner, take a look at the week ahead and plan accordingly. Sometimes MWF resistance doesn't work for me, so I'll change it up. 2: Keep moving - It is no secret that BBG is hard. The key is to keep moving. Can't do real push-ups? Modify them and do push-ups on your knees. The program is only 28-minutes of work. So you've got to keep moving during that time. Don't think you could do single squat? Shake out those legs real fast and you may be surprised that you have one more in you. 3: Form over reps - While you want to keep moving, you also don't want to hurt yourself. Make sure that in every move you do, you're using good form. 4: Be prepared to be sore and know the difference between between sore muscles and injury. One of the things I love about BBG, it is always surprises me how sore I am! I won't always be sore, but every once and a while, I'll randomly be sore after one of the workouts. I like it because, to me, it indicates that I'm pushing. I'm always expecting to be sore, so I make sure I foam roll or use the suction cup and stretch. I also take BCAA to combat the soreness. 5: Don't be afraid to modify. There is ZERO shame in having to modify. Can't do a push-up? Modify! Knees hurting from x squats? Modify them. The key here isn't to modify it to make it easier than you need, it's to help you to build up strength to get where you want to be. 6: Have a good playlist. When you're pushing yourself there are going to be moments of doubt where you don't think you could do another rep. Let the music help you out. Once I start BBG again on the 15th, I'll be posting weekly recaps of workouts, how I feel, etc. If there is anything specifically you're interested in, please let me know! xoxo, Chelsea We are official out of 2017 and into 2018... I honestly cannot believe how fast 2017 went. To celebrate a great year, I decided to put together a post highlighting my favorite parts of 2017. I'll be going chronologically from January 2017 all the way through the year. This isn't all inclusive by any means. There were births, birthdays, first birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, pregnancy announcements and so, so much more. This is a pretty long post, so if you make it to the end, I commend you. Let's take a look back! 2017 kicked off with celebrating our friend's engagement along with the honor of being asked to be a bridesmaid! The wedding is in May 2018, so I'm really looking forward to all of the fun things that come along with the wedding. Showering the bride, the bachlorette, the big day! The big chop! You may not know, I used to have platinum hair. We're talking bleach blonde, almost white! I got it professionally corrected (took over 6 hours!) for the wedding. Shortly after our wedding in 2011, I went dark and never looked back. Fast forward to 2017, I started to get the itch to do something new to my hair. I hadn't have a real cut since I had gone dark in 2011, just trims by Rob haha. So, I chopped a lot of my hair off. And while I regretted it instantly, it needed to be done haha. I needed to chop off all the split ends. 2018 will NOT be including a drastic hair cut. Broad Street Run... this is the most fun race I have ever done! When KS and I entered the lottery, we thought there was no chance that we both get in and sure enough, we did!! (I sadly can't do the run in 2018 but hope to enter the lottery again for 2019). I had done a full post on tips and tricks for the race here. Finding out my sister is pregnant and I'm going to be an Auntie again! We had just wrapped up an awesome weekend celebrating my SIL's birthday (which included margs, swimming, Taylor Swift dance parties, sparklers and more!) and headed right to the Somerset Patriots game. Rob and I were exhausted and almost didn't go. Thankfully we went!! Mid way through the game my sister and her husband pull our a tiny sweatshirt and shared the big news. There were screams of joy, crying, hugging... it was so exciting!! Wildwood! We were lucky enough to go to Wildwood twice this summer. Once for a week and then again for a weekend with my whole family. Amusement park visit with the nieces... I can't believe how big my nieces are getting! They're officially big enough to go on roller coasters and big rides, so we took a trip to visit and all headed to the park! It was soo much fun and I hope to do it again in 2018! My cousin's wedding... the venue gorgeous and grooms extremely handsome and it was SO much fun to get together with my extended family to celebrate love. We all danced the night away! Half marathon number 3 - this time, I had two buddies training with me! It made the weeks go by faster and the finish line more fun! Full recap post: here. It was a blast walking around Philly the night before. Washington Crossing Brew Fest - It was an absolute blast to get together with our friends on a beautiful day and taste different beers. I had SO much fun. The gender reveal!! I have never been to a gender reveal party, so I was delighted when I heard our friends were going to be having one. You had to dress in blue if you thought they were having a boy and pink/purple if you through they were having a girl. Team girl won out on this one! The Jets game - Rob is a huge Jets fan. Since the team isn't very good this year, we were able to get amazing seats for a great price. I felt so pampered a the game. Our seats were supper padded, we could go into the suit area to warm up. Plus, Rob loved it! If they played every Christmas Eve, I could see going to see them be a new tradition. Starting off 2018 with old friends! Though Rob and I were sick the entire holiday, we decided to suck it up and head to Jersey City to ring in the new year with my friend for close to 20 years and my maid of honor. It was an amazing way to end 2017 and start 2018! Wow! So many memories. I cannot wait to see what is in store for 2018. I know it's going to include a wedding, first communion and a few new babies!
XOXO, Chelsea
We're 7 days away from Christmas! Are you holiday celebrations always the same? Have they become repetitive and boring? I hope it isn't the case! But if it is, I've put together a list of things to spice up your holiday celebrations! Everything is under $50 and can be ordered from Amazon.com. Their fast shipping options are your best bet to get things to you before the big day!
This adorable reindeer ring toss. Super silly, but I think this game would add fun to anyone's day. I've actually purchased this. It will be a riot to play with the nieces. Plus, after a few cocktails, I could even see all of the adults getting in on the action. This game will get you up and moving! Adding a competitive twist to the holidays? Count me in!
If you're not looking to get some competition going, a calmer way to spice up the holiday celebrations is with a mini photo-booth by getting some props. This one is less than $10 and with Amazon Prime, it should arrive before Christmas.
My family has been doing this for a couple years now and it is a great way to get everyone involved. It will definitely elicit some laughter from the group!
This next one, the box says it all "A party game for horrible people" and isn't for the weak of heart. If you go into playing this game knowing it's extremely dirty and offensive, than you'll be okay! This is not for children. With the right group of people, this game will have your holiday celebrations roaring with laughter and turning red embarrassment.
Build an extra special Mario themed gingerbread castle. Who doesn't love the nostalgia of Mario. This adorable castle takes a fun spin on gingerbread. It's an activity the whole family can do together. Plus, you get to eat it all when you're done! That sounds like a win, win to me!
A holiday spin to the classic pin the tail on the donkey game. This game is reusable, so you'll be able to make it a family tradition! It's adhesive, so you won't have to worry about the reindeer falling down from your wall while you're playing. It's family friendly and is sure to get everyone to play.
That wraps up my ideas to spice up your holiday celebrations!
I'd love to hear from you! Does your family have and fun / unusual activities they do to celebrate? xoxo, ​Chelsea Don't let the drop in temperature cause you to drop your mileage! We've reached that time of year where snow fall is pretty common (at least in the north east US) and roads and sidewalks can have icy patches. If you're having trouble getting your runs in during the winter, I've got a few ideas that might help you out! First, you've gotta have the right gear. You'll want to have gloves, warm socks, reflective gear, a headlamp (if running at night), hat / ear protection. One thing to keep in mind is that it's really easy to overdress in the winter. If you overdress, you'll cause your body to get too warm which will make you sweat. Then, your sweat will start to freeze and you'll be even colder than you were to start with. It took me a while to find the right amount of winter gear. My best advice is to feel a little cold when you start. If you go outside and you're already warm, you've overdressed. If you're running while it is snowing, you may want something to protect your eyes from the snow. I would recommend wearing a hat and sunglasses. Don't care about snow flakes pummeling your eyes? Me either! Enjoy those frosty eye lashes. Be sure to show them off in your post run selfie! Go slow! I wouldn't recommend doing any speed work outside when there is snow and ice on the ground. It's too easy to slip and fall. Keep the pace down and be aware of each step you make. On particularly slippery days, I keep my cadence up and my strides short to prevent slipping. I keep my cadence up because if I hit some ice, my steps are quick so my foot has already been pulled off the ground, making the slip have less impact on my center of gravity. My goal is to have my foot begin to lift as soon as it has touched the ground. I try to pretend the road is lava and I'm lifting my feet off of it. Also, by making my strides shorter, I'm keeping the center of gravity right under me. Leaning forward or backward will make it harder for you to stop yourself from falling if you slip. Don't be afraid to take your run indoors. Running inside, you won't need to worry about the elements. Many gyms have indoor tracks and there is always the treadmill. If you're hitting the treadmill you can watch some Netflix or listen to a podcast. For me, doing either of those really helps to make the time fly! If you don't have a gym and are in the market for a treadmill, I've got a great resource for you! After all, a treadmill is a large purchase, so you're going to want to make sure you have the best one for your needs. Reviews.com has reached out to me with a great guide I wanted to share. It'll make choosing a treadmill so much easier. They've done a TON of research and they even put the treadmills to the test. Check out their full guide on treadmills here: https://www.reviews.com/treadmills/ Enjoy your run! Running in the snow can be really enjoyable. On a snowy day it seems like the world has slowed down. There are less cars on the road and less people out an about. Don't think about a to-do list or work, live in the moment. Take in the the sound of snow crunching beneath your feet. Look around at the trees with snow accumulating on the branches. Feel the crisp air. Catch a snowflake on your tongue!
Xoxo, Chelsea It's officially December and holiday shopping has begun. If you’re like me, the men in your life aren't forthcoming with ideas for Christmas gifts. Over the years, I [think] I've gotten pretty good at choosing gifts, so I wanted to share a few ideas with you all. I've included images and product links for all of these items for my gift ideas below. For the professional (shop here) - These Old Navy pants are not only affordable, but they're also great quality. They don't fade and still look great after washing/drying many times. R has a few pairs of these and they've become his go-to work pant. He says they're very comfortable! Plus, they come in a lot of color options. For the beer drinker (shop here) - craft beers are the rage these days. If your man enjoys a nice ice cold beer and you don't know what to get him, try something like this personalized beer mug. It's something he'll actually use. Bonus for the men in your life active on social media. I can definitely image some Insta-worthy pictures he'll be able to snap with his new mug. For the athlete (shop bandanna here and towel here) - I've actually got both of these on my wish list! I think both of these products are SO cool and their reviews are really good. With the bandanna, simply wet it and put it on. It will keep you cool. It's easy enough to get it to cool once it's dry. If you're at a theme park, run it under the water fountain. This would be a great a hiker or runner too. Then there is the towel. After a hard workout, the headband alone might not be enough to cool down. The towel works similarly to the headband, wet the towel, ring it out and then it will become cold. For the jet-setter (shop here) - this Grit-it! organizer can keep a phone, cords, pens, and lot of other items organized while traveling. Plus, it's thin enough to slip into a briefcase without adding bulk. It's got a lot of great reviews on Amazon and it's less than $10! For the grill-master (shop here) - This 36-piece BBQ tool set has everything your guy will need to throw a great BBQ. It's got basting brushes, re-useable 'flag' markers to indicate how well meet is cooked, tongs, kebab skewers a large fork, corn skewers and last, but not least a stainless steel bottle opener. This tool kit would be any BBQ-er dream! I don't even own a BBQ and want this set! For the handy-man (shop here) - A personalized hammer is thoughtful and will get lots of use by the handy man in your life. Plus, because you can personalize it, you can add a sweet message or pun. I can think of a few very funny hammer puns that would be great for this gift idea. Have I hammered in the fact that I LOVE puns yet?! Well, that's all I've got for now! I'm working to post a bunch of gift idea posts as we get closer to the holiday season! Quick running update - I don't think I'll hit 1,000 miles this year. But I should be in the 900's! Hope you have a great night! xoxo, Chelsea run because I genuinely love it. The freedom of getting out on the road is amazing. I love that its is competitive but also relaxing. Had a hard day at work? Heading out for an easy run can really help to clear you mind and unwind. At the same time, during a race your lungs may be burning, you may feel like you're going to vomit, you're worrying about if your pace and if you need nutrition. So many things! Then the feeling of finishing a race makes it all worth it. It's just an awesome feeling. I love that running has made me set goals and work my buns off to get to them. Running isn't just those things though, running has a TON of health benefits. Sports Fitness Adviser has an amazing list of health benefits from running. I highly recommend checking it out here. Since I discovered my love of running I have made a LOT of mistakes, so I wanted to talk about some tips to begin running. Things I've learned along the way. Hopefully, they'll help you avoid making the same mistakes. While, I'm not a fast runner, I'm a month and one day away from an injury free year and I'm proud of that. *I am not a doctor and this in no way should serve as medical advise. Consult your doctor before beginning a new working preogam* If you're new to running and are having trouble getting yourself to follow through, register for a race. This will give you something to work to. It'll give you a reason to lace up and run when you may otherwise not have gone out. And man, that feeling when the race starts is like no other. Pure adrenaline. Plus, you'll get your first race bib, probably get a t-shirt or medal. Save your bibs! It's so much fun to pull out all of the bibs you've worn and reflect back on all of your hard work. If you are running at night, there are two things that I believe are critical. 1: Reflective clothing and 2: a head lamp. I love shoes that have reflection, but I also wear a reflective jacket. If it's too warm for that, I also have a reflective vest. It's so important to make sure you're visible to cars. The headlamp is important to help you avoid any hazards like potholes or sticks. Before you lace up, make sure you have the right shoes and that they fit properly. I recently found my first pair of sneakers I ran in (see the above image). I decided take a trip down memory lane and lace them back up for a short run. I couldn't believe it, when I put them on they were too small!! I'd say at least 1/2 size too small. What was I thinking?! Just another example of how I did basically everything wrong when I first started! No wonder I always had blisters from them. Start slow. If you go out and try to run 5 miles and you've never fun before, you'll likely be in pain afterwards. So, don't do that! I began by doing walking and running. I'd go out for maybe 30 minutes and do a 5 minute warm up, stretch and then 20 minutes of walking running. Sometimes I'd set a time and do something like 3 minutes running, 1 minute walking. You can also use landmarks. Run to the stoplight ahead and then walk past the next three houses, etc. Keep it fun! This graph shows the number of miles I ran per month since I began running in September 2013. Notice the months with big spikes, then a lull? Those are all injuries. I'd have a moth with big numbers, then end up hurt a few weeks later. I had knee issues, I had shin issues. My body basically hated me (I'm so sorry for hurting you, body! ha) Finally, this year I've learned to slowly work into it. I've also embraced running slower paced training runs. The picture above is the perfect example of running way too fast. For an easy run, I now do about 2 minutes faster than my 5k pace (and monitoring my heart rate). I had just run a 5k eight days earlier at a 10:52 pace. Please, do not do this! My pace for the 6 mile run should have been in at least 12:5x. Maybe even in the low to mid 13 min mile not 10:57, which was almost exactly the 5k pace. Not to mention, I should not have gone from running a 5k (with 1 training run) to running 6 miles in EIGHT days. Speaking of starting slow, run slow too. It sounds counter intuitive, but running slow is really good for you and can help you become a better, faster runner. In the early stages of starting to run, you're building up endurance and your body is getting accustomed to doing a new activity. So, I wouldn't worry too much about speed.
I made the mistake of trying to run faster and longer than I had the week before. My joints hurt and it wasn't fun anymore. I think my biggest piece of advice is to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. I put that in all caps because it is sooo important!! I could have prevented so many injuries if I would have listened to my body when I started running. If your shin is hurting, stretch and ice it. Maybe even considering resting a few days. It all depends on the level of pain. I knew something was wrong but tried to "push through" and ended up with a stress fracture, which mean no running for at least 6-weeks. So, I had I listened to my body, I could have taken maybe 1-2 weeks off and had my shin splints go away BUT because I didn't listen they got worse, turned into a stress fracture and made my recovery time SO much longer. Finally, make sure you stretch! I battled with my IT band hurting until I found a stretch that I do all the time now. Stretching is super important and will help you stay injury free. I made a whole blog post about my go to stretches here. I'd love to hear from you! If you have any questions about how I started running or any advice I may have (or any what NOT to dos), shoot me an email or comment below xoxo, Chelsea Fabulous Friday!! And, yes... our Christmas tree is already up and decorated haha. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record but I have seriously been slacking with only posting once per week. I've run into some growing pains! I didn't expect each post to take a much time as it does. First, you need to come up with an idea for the post. I try very hard to come up with content that I think will be helpful. For flat lay posts, I have to come up with the outfit. This (surprisingly) takes a LOT of time. I pull tons of things out of my closet and dresser. I make a huge mess, which will only get worse as I incorporate more accessories (sorry R!) and I try a bunch of looks before I settle on the one. Then there are the pictures. I do not have a nice expensive camera, I'm just a gal and her iPhone. A picture of one outfit takes a lot of tries. I just got a light source to help make the pictures easier, yay! Then, there is the actual writing of the post. My goal is to make it so that someone is able to imagine the outfit or the room or feeling I'm describing. I try to use colorful language to try to achieve that goal, so it takes some time to get everything out. Then there is product linking, because I'm a huge proponent of using what you've got, it takes a while to find similar items. I start working on posts 3-4 days before they go live, so I'm working to develop a schedule of posts and go from there. Hopefully, once I've got the schedule and kinks of it all worked out, I should be golden on more posts. Also, to you bloggers that can pump out content, major kudos to you! If you've been reading along, you may already know that I have blazers that I want to wear, but never do. I challenged myself to put together a few outfits with blazers to get me wanting to wear them. So I've chosen three looks with blazers. I'm not linking similar items for this post. Instead, I encourage you to use what you have. Get out of your comfort level and try something new. It's a lot of fun and I feel like my personal style has expended so much since I've really been pushing myself. Plus, my wallet has been happier. Rather than purchasing, I'm finding new way to look at pieces I own. If you realllllly want to know similar items, shoot me an email and I'll be happy to send some suggestions. My first look is a sexy (slightly scandalous) combination. Something I wouldn't usually wear but wanted to go out of my comfort zone. A light pink blazer with black trim, black vegan leather pants and black pumps (and sunnies). Aren't I forgetting a shirt? NOPE! The way this blazer fastens, it is low cut but provides full coverage and stays closed, so you don't technically need to wear a shirt. Plus, I love the idea of wearing a blazer as a shirt. It just feels so scandalous haha. You can also add a black tank or cami if this is too risque for you and the look would be the same. Simple but sexy! I wasn't able to get the wrinkles out of the pants but loved them with the blazer, so please excuse them (more growing pains!) Next up, a look that I think would be great for the upcoming holiday season and one of my favorite looks I've put together so far. I'm not sure if it's the red blazer or the intricate detail and pattern to the pants or if it's because our apartment is already decked out for the season, but this outfit just feels so festive to me! The base of the outfit is very basic black, white and gold. I paired it first with a black blazer and it just didn't finish off the look. By adding the pop of red, it solidified the look and really made the gold touches pop. I opted to roll the blazer sleeve so the striped shirt would also be viable on the sleeves. It's amazing how little touches like that seem to take it from a good look to a great look! So far, this outfit is a front runner for Thanksgiving! This next look is so easy to recreate. I started with white pants and a white T-shirt. I finished the look with a patterned blazer. I love this blazer! The colors and pattern are just perfect. Can’t wait to wear this outfit. The final look of the week is a little more casual. I paired a black blazer with a pearl embellished 3/4 length sleeve, high neck sweater and pink distressed jeans. I finished the look off with a nude strappy pump and gold metallic clutch. I love the relaxed look of the frayed hem of the jean against the formal look of the pumps. I love the different length sleeve in this outfit. This time of year, temperature is such a variable (especially with the oven cooking dinner) so it is nice to have built in layers to adapt to the change in the temperature. I also like the mixture of gold and silver. Both the shoes and the pants have gold detail but the shirt and the clutch have silver (and pear) detail. I always wear my grandmother's gold rings and my white gold wedding ring, so I'm constantly wearing gold and silver. I like that it's continued through the outfit in this case. We've come to the end of another blog post and work week. I've been seriously slacking on running (ugh!) and blogging, too! I love that we gained an hour when the time changed but coming home from work in the dark is downright depressing and I do not approve of it! I want to finish on a more positive note..... only 38 days until Christmas (for those who celebrate it)!! Wooo!! *Sound the holiday music* I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. XOXO, Chelsea We've done it! We've made it through the week to arrive at another glorious Friday! This week, I'm centering looks around one shoe. It's got as many nicknames as ways to wear the shoe. The one, the only, Converse All-Stars aka Chucks aka Chuck Taylor's and the names go on and on. The story of the shoe is an interesting one too. So, Charles Taylor (aka Chuck Taylor) was famous basketball player who loved the shoe so much that he ended up joining Converse sales team. His efforts selling the shoe were so successful it became the most worn shoe in basketball. To thank him, in 1932 Converse added his name to the shoe and thus the "‘Chuck Taylor All Star’ was born" (source). For this week's Flat Lay Friday, I'm specifically centering looks around my white low top Chucks and a few ways to style them. They're very versatile, I'll likely do more than just this blog on pairing Chucks with outfits. For this look, I paired a blush tulle skirt (similar), black shirt and black moto jacket (similar here and here) and Chucks (exact shoe here). I love the juxtaposition of the "tough motorcycle chick" feel from the jacket with the "elegant, classic ballerina" feel from the tulle skirt (ballerina's are bad-ass BTW). Together they create a feminine, casually cool look with a hit of rocker. Plus, it's simple enough to throw it on and be out the door. The chucks really finish the look and tie it all together. While you could probably wear fun black booties with a motorcycle feel to dress it up, I just love how the Chucks work with it. I also like the white shoe to bring together the dark jacket and light skirt. For this look, I wanted to dress down this black and white blazer (similar style here and here). One of the purposes of me blogging is to use the items that I have in new ways. I've got a lot of blazers that I never wear. I played around with a few looks and settled on this one. I paired the blazer with a simple black and white stripe shirt for subtle pattern mixing (similar here). Up close the jacket has a chevron pattern (shown above). I wanted a pop of color to help relax the look, so I added a simple pink scarf (similar here). Then, adding distressed jeans (here) and Chucks to make the look even more relaxed and casual. This look could easily be changed by swapping out the scarf and blazer with some colorful options. I definitely see a lot of looks styled with blazers and Chucks in my future. For this look, I took a simple black long sleeve swing dress (similar here) and added a yellow, gray and white plaid scarf (similar style here) for a pop of color. Finish it off with my Chucks and a felt hat (similar here). I love swing dresses because they can be dressed up or down. They're also extremely comfortable. Overall, this casual look is easy, comfortable and fun. For colder days, you can add tights. Switch out the scarf for a solid colored scarf and add patterned tights. Or keep the scarf, and pattern mix with fun tights. The simplicity of the shoe and dress make it so easy to swap out a piece or two and totally change the entire look. Next up, I took my camouflage button down (similar here and here), white jeans (similar) and Chucks. I added a magenta and gold necklace (here) and a tortoise monogram necklace (here) to add some femininity to the look. I love how the pink necklace pops on the camo. Another very easy outfit to quickly put on and get out the door. Last but not least, I styled my chucks with skinny jeans (similar), a gray bow top (here) and a knit hat (similar style here). I felt like this outfit needed some color (sense a trend yet?) so I added a purple nail for a pop of color. The bow top is such an attention grabbing piece that I like pairing it with simple Chucks. It's pretty cold today, so I finished it all off with a puffy gray hat (which is sooo warm & soft).
This gray bow top is one of my all time favorites right now. It is absolutely adorable and a little bit over the top but still elegant (in my opinion). But I over do everything, so it is perfect and it matches my Tiffany & Co. bow earrings - shout out to the best hubby for getting them for me a few years back. There you have it! Chucks 5 ways. I love how each look has a different feel to it. From edgy to preppy, Chucks can do it all. Plus, they're comfortable! Can't beat that. I'd love to see how you style your Chucks! Shoot me an email at [email protected] or comment below with your favorite ways to style your Chucks. XOXO, Chelsea This weekend was spent showering my sister and her baby! This is the first baby in my immediate family and saying we're excited, would be the understatement of the year. Kimberly and her husband, John, have chosen not to find out the sex. Rather than go with gender neutral colors, we chose to incorporate pinks and blues. Kimberly wore a beautiful off the shoulder baby blue dress with beautiful ruffles (similar style here and here) and John wore a dapper (I wanted to write dipper instead of dapper to be punny, but I restrained myself, sort of) pink shirt (similar here). The colors looks so cute together!
For the theme, we chose to keep it rustic to pay homage to their wedding day. Burlap banners for the gift table, fire place and room entrance continued the rustic feel (similar here). The prizes for the games were put onto the mantle to add a splash of color. The venue fit the theme perfectly. I wasn't able to find any information with regards to the historical aspect of it but based on the name, I'm guessing it was used a inn way back when. It's a gorgeous building, inside and out! The rustic ambiance oozes from the building and that continues as you make your way through the restaurant into the party room. The party room had a beautiful fireplace and huge windows, it was cozy and intimate. The restaurant did a great job setting up the tables in the room. It provided a really great flow. A round table for the parents-to-be and helpers (some of Kim's bridesmaids). One long table down the middle of the room, with enough room for people to get around it on all four sides, and three long table against the window, perpendicular to the middle long table. This allowed people to see Kimberly and John opening their presents and leave the room without having to walk in front. It also facilitated lots of mingling! Every place setting had the favors, which were mason jars filled with cheddar and caramel popcorn, the menu and our first two games. (Side note on the popcorn, it sounds like a weird combination, right? You've gotta try it! Those two flavors together are flipping delicious.) We tied each jar with twine, pink and blue ribbon and finished it off with a sticker saying "she's ready to pop". Everyone also got a small box of candy with pink and blue ribbon tied around it. The boxes looked like they were wood, which continued the rustic theme. There were five total tables for guests. A few tables had beautiful yellow and white flowers. Classic, simple and beautiful. There were six games to win prizes including games like bingo, guess the baby animal, baby word scramble and guess the belly size. As the self titled "master of the games", I tried to keep a nice flow between eating, mingling and presents. I didn't want anyone to feel rushed (except during the timed game!). When I felt the group's energy change, I knew it was time for a break and a game. Watching people open presents for hours can get boring. Plus, it can get taxing on the guest of honor, so I tried to keep it moving, so everyone was having fun! For the prizes, Kimberly's mother-in-law chose the super cute gifts. Each one had a spa theme and various spy type products or candles, plus they included a pumpkin facial mask! I mean, who wouldn't love a pumpkin face mask. I must admit, I'm sad I was ineligible to win. I'll have to find those masks on my own! All in all, I'd say it was a fantastic day celebrating the soon to be parents! I hope you all had an amazing weekend. XOXO, Chelsea
Happy Halloween ghouls! Get ready for a pun filled post! I love boooo-ty products, so I decided to put together a list of treats! I'm going to creep it real and and give you my honest thoughts on these products. Spoiler alert - I'm batty about them all.
​​ 1. Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Nahz Fur Atoo. I'd never tried anything from Kat Von D's makeup line but I'd always heard good things. Recently, I've heard people raving about her liquid lipstick. I saw a picture of someone with a similar skin tone as me and it looked great on her. So, I crossed my fingers that it would work for me. I absolutely love it! Beyond the color, I love the product. It goes on feeling like a lip gloss, then it dries (doesn't dry out your lips) and doesn't move. I tested it out on a 6 mile run (yes, I test products on runs, witches, haha). It looks exactly the same as it did as when I put it on.
2. Living Proof PhD Dry Shampoo - I try to only wash my hair about 1-2 times per week (yes, I shower a lot more frequently than that! I just don't wash my hair when I shower). Your natural oils are so important to keeping your hair healthy. I've tried just about every dry shampoo. There are a few I like so I wasn't expecting much from this product but O.M.G was I wrong. This stuff is incredible. You spray it onto your hair, wait 30 seconds and rub it in/comb it. This stuff made my hair look like I just finished blow drying it. There was no white residue, not gross feeling and the smell is to die for! This is now my absolute #1 favorite dry shampoo.
3. Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer - I'd been using Erase Paste from Benefit for years. It's my go to concealer but it's unfortunately finally run out. I loved the build-able coverage and the color match. I decided to give Boi-ing a shot before trying a different brand. I'm so glad I did! It has everything I loved about Erase Paste but with a matte finish. 4. Essie Gel Coutour Color, Turn 'n' Pose Nail Polish - I love Essie. Their nail polish never disappoints and their gel line is no different. While $12 is expensive for a bottle of polish, it's cheaper than going to a salon. I love the deep purple color of this. It's perfect as we transition into fall and winter. 5. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix - While the price on this may seem wicked, you use a very small amount. I love the applicator because it helps to eliminate wasted product. Since using this, I swear my under eyes have improved. Less lines. I've been trying to find a great under eye cream for years. This has been by far my favorite. 6. Estee Lauder product: Crescent White Full Cycle Brightening Cleanser - I've got very sensitive skin but I also still get pimples. It's been hard to find a product that doesn't dry out my face but still keeps it clear. Don't let the price scare you. A tiny bit goes a long way. I'm talking pea sized small (picture below shows the size drop I use)! Since I've been using it, my skin has cleared up and my skin tone has improved, a lot! I feel like my skin has a glow to it now.
Well, that's a wrap! One final parting gift for the day, I would make a skeleton joke, but you wouldn't find it very humerus.
​Happy Halloween! xoxo, ​Chelsea While the desire to improve is always there, sometimes the motivation to actually get out and do it isn't. I'm coming off of a week where I had no motivation to run or blog. My feeling is, if you want something, you should make time for it. I want to improve my running. I want to continue to blog. My lack of motivation kept me from accomplishing both last week. Normally, I'm pretty driven. But with everything, there are always ups and down. So far this week, I'm back on track which got me to thinking about motivation. One thing I will admit I'm actually good at is staying motivated. My personality is to go at things 150. My good friend K.S. said it best "You overdo everything you do". BUT there are times, like last week, where it diminishes a bit. It's important to re-set and re-motivate yourself. Don't get down on yourself because you had no motivation. It's normal. It happens to everyone. Let that go, and move forward.
Motivation isn't forever. You need to replenish your motivation every now and again. I'ts like a pillow that needs to be fluffed. It's like lipstick, you need to reapply it from time to time. Here are my tips and tricks to stay motivated: 1. Preparation. Before the week began, I sat down a listed all of the days I planned to run along with planned mileage. Now I've got something in writing that I want to complete. This will keep me accountable on days that I'm feeling meh, to get out an accomplish the daily goal I set for myself. I use a planner for this and it is EXTREMELY helpful. I do not think I'd hit my goals without my planner (Side note: I went jumbo sized again this year, up from large last year, and I'm in love. SO MUCH ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES, er, I mean WRITING). 2. Attitude change. I was treating things that I love like a chore. I choose to do these things because I love it. No one is forcing me to do it. Once I reminded myself the "why" behind running (and blogging), I was able to change my attitude away from treating running like a chore and back into the mind set that I'm lucky to be able to do it. I remembered how frustrated I was when I was injured and couldn't run. During those times, I said I'd never take it for granted and yet, I was. 3. Set goals. Having a purpose for what you're doing makes it a lot easier to stay motivated. For me this year, first I was training for Broad Street, shortly after that a half marathon and now I'm aiming 1,000 miles for the year. Knowing there is a bigger reason than just that one run is really helpful. 4. Bribe yourself. A new lipstick just came out that you reallly want? A top, sneakers, bag? Do not allow yourself to make that purchase until you hit your goal! This will give you some extra incentive to hit your goals on days your motivation is low. PLUS, you get something you've coveted. Sometimes, that "thing" you've been wanting, doesn't end up being as important as it was when you set your bribe. 5. Remember how you felt when you didn't accomplish your goal. Sometimes, it's important to reflect on a time you've failed. Don't beat yourself up about it. But remember that feeling. Remember all the 'what ifs' that you had. You know you could have accomplished your goal, but you didn't get out and get it done, Let that feeling fuel you to get out the door, or to write your blog post. You can do it, so get up and do it now. 6. Just do it: as Nike says, "just do it". There are days when I'm feeling lazy and do not want to blog or run. But I make myself do it anyway. Why? Oh. Because she's dead... whoops, went off on a T.Swift tangent.. Let's bring it back in (told ya, it wouldn't be my blog without a side note here or there). I will just make myself go out and run or sit down and write because a lot of times (most time), once I've gotten started, I remember why I do what I do. I remember the feeling you get from a run (runners high is real!). I remember how good it feels to get my brain moving to come up with ideas or colorful language. xoxo, Chelsea Sleep is really, really important. I know, I know... here I go again, talking about sleep. Seriously though, sleep is SO crutial! Here's a few reasons::
That said, sleep isn't just about quantity. Quality of sleep matters. Some days I feel like I've had a great night's sleep and others not so much. But I've never had a way to analyze my sleep and see if was getting quality sleep. That's why when I received a complementary Sleeptracker from BeautyRest, I was over the moon with excitement! It comes with two sleep sensors, a processor and the power plug. It was super easy to set up and they even include an instructional video in the ap. The sleep sensors are placed under the pillow. For Rob and me, we placed them towards the outside of the bed to monitor us each individually. The first night, we were SO excited to get some sleep to test this out. The first night, it can take about 18-hours to get your results. I got mine in about 6 hours. I had felt like I got a great night's sleep, so I was interested to see if the numbers lined up with how I felt. Here are my numbers from the first night (& yes, I sleep for a long time haha): I was delighted to see that my sleep score and sleep efficiency were both above the range. Night two, I didn't get as much REM sleep. I felt pretty groggy all day. I decided to to a little research on the sleep cycle (I'll do a full post about that), but basically your body cycles through different levels of sleep. Each are important and have their own function. REM (rapid eye movement) is when usually when you're dreaming. REM sleep is the phase of sleep where your body is repairing itself.
The two features I really enjoy are the white noise maker and the alarm. The white noise maker is so relaxing. Since using it, I feel like I've been getting a deeper sleep. The alarm feature is really cool. You set your wake up time and the app will have the alarm go off within 30 minuets. Because of the sleep sensors, it knows what the optimal time to wake you up, leaving you less groggy. Since I've been using the app, I've been able to pin point why I've felt a certain way in the morning. On days where I'm feeling very energize, my sleep matches that. I've been in the deep sleep and REM sleep longer than light sleep. All in all this is a remarkable product! I would recommend this product to anyone, especially if you're having problems sleeping or, if you're like me and loveeee data! This has been a great tool for me to see what my sleep was like and follow the tips provided from the app to improve my sleep. Hope you are all having an amazing week! xoxo, Chelsea Hi everyone and happy hump day. I hope you like the random pictures, I feel like they’re a pretty good representation of me.
I haven't forgotten about blogging. I've been sick, so blogging has taken a backseat to some rest. I've got some fun stuff in the works that I'm excited to share with you all! While this week will be fewer posts, I'll be picking up steam again next week. I feel like it's important to have a specific purpose of all of this (blogging), so I wanted to share with you some of the "WHY" behind why I chose to write Run Wilk. Why Run Wilk Exists:
If you're still reading, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking it out. Run Wilk has been a fun project so far and I can't express my gratitude to the people who are following and reading along. xoxo, Chelsea Happiest of Friday's to you all!! It's finally the weekend again! This week, instead of featuring a few looks, I've decided to show you guys a few new pieces I am LOVING right now. I've got links for everything above (not affiliate links, I just do it because I love it!). My other posts had older items styled (I am a girl on a budget after all), with options of similar styles. However; this post is all linked to the exact item that I have. {Sorry for the dark pictures! Our light blew and we didn't have an extra bulb on hand, so I made due with what I had.} First up, I've got these adorable booties! The heel height is perfect and the color will go with so many pieces. These also have memory foam, so they're comfortable to wear. My favorite part is that they're water & stain resistant so they won't get ruined in the rain. I love cute pieces that are practical too! Next up, another Old Navy find. I love saddle bags. It is so nice being able to put the bag on and have both hands free. I'm looking forward to being able to use this for an upcoming brew fest. It'll keep my hands free so I can sample some beers, but I'll still be able to carry essentials, like, you know, lip gloss hehe. I also love they color of this. It's a pretty light blush color, so I'll be able to use it all year. Finally, I love the adorable tassel they added. It adds a bit of fun to a classic style. Another piece I'm loving is this black hat from Abercrombie. I own a few other felt hats and the quality of this felt is way better! It's so sturdy and thick. I'm very impressed. I also love the chain they added to the hat. It makes the hat a little more edgy and inspired me to dress it in different ways. I can picture this with a pair of vegan leather pants and chucks. I can also picture it with a black swing dress, over the knee boots and a fall scarf. And the price?! Currently on sale for $7.60! That's what my Starbucks order costs me when I order whilst hungry, haha. Another item I've been crushing on is this magenta Kendra Scott necklace. A little pricey for a necklace, I think it is definitely worth it. *TIP: You can also sometimes find these on sale on other websites. If you sign up for emails from Kendra, you'll also get a 15% off code* I didn't expect to get so much use from this necklace but I find myself wearing it all the time. I wear it with jeans and a casual shirt, I wear it in the summer with shorts and I will definitely be wearing it during the fall. The bright pink of color really adds a splash of fun to outfits. Last but not least, an adorable ruffle shoulder sweater from Abercrombie (I got size small in oatmeal and I'd say it runs true to size). This sweater is literally SO soft! I also love the color, a perfect neutral! It's also light enough to wear during this transition period. I'm going to try to experiment with laying this sweater as it gets colder. That's all for now! I hope you have a splendid weekend. I'll be spending tonight watching spooky movies with my girls. It is Friday the 13th after all! Saturday will be spent celebrating a 1st birthday. It's going to be a great weekend.
Side note (would this be my blog is a post didn't have a side note? I think not haha): I recently realized that hitting 1,000 miles for the year is realistic at this point. I'm over 700 miles with 3 months left. If I average 112 miles the next three months, I'll hit it! So far this month, I'm right on track with only two runs left this week. I'd love to hear from you! Is there anything in particular that you'd like me to blog about? Any questions or topics that interested you? Would you want to hear more about my running plans or what not to do? Style posts? I'm all ears! XOXO, Chelsea You may have heard the saying that running is 90% mental. I tend to agree with that and my mind certainly was not in it on Saturday. I was slow to get up, didn't have the proper nutrition pre-race and generally, unfocused. I didn't "feel" like warming up. I was just blah. Looking back, I'm a little disappointed that I wasn't more focused. My training has been consistent and I know I could have done better. I wanted to do the race and I was excited about it but race day, my mind wasn't having it. I'll be sure to make sure to be mentally ready for my next race. That said, I'd still call it a successful day. I had great weather and the best fan/photographer there to cheer me on (I'm looking at you, Rob).
I was the third overall woman! It was a small race, so that isn't as impressive as it sounds but, I'm still pretty proud. I've never been able to say that about a race I've done. Now onto the summary: Goal: 54:47 or faster Actual: 6.82 1:01:57 -> 6.2 finished in 56:05 (calculated via Smash Run) Mile 1: 8:15 Race starts and I'm feeling pretty good! It was a smaller race, so I'm keeping up with the front-ish of the pack. This race was really cool because they didn't shut the roads down, the cops were driving along with us and closing the intersections as we arrived. I've never seen such a presence for a race. Big shout out to the East Orange cops. They did an excellent job! Mile 1 ends, I'm at 8:15. During my half, my first mile was in the 7's so I'm already a little behind. I'll just be more consistent here than I was for the half, I think to myself. Only three miles and I'm half way, this'll be easy. Mile 2: 8:53 At this point, I'm already feeling it. The music isn't doing it and I'm just feeling blah. I look at my watch and I haven't even completed mile two yet?! What is going on? I feel like I'm running forever at this point. This blows my mind. I usually never do runs that are shorter than three miles, so why would I be feeling this way during mile 2? I realized at this point, it's going to be a longgg race. Mile 3: 9:24 I finally made it out of the terrible second mile. I know once I finish this mile, I'll be about half way and I can start concentrating on picking up speed and finishing. I thought mile three would be better than mile two. I was wrong! Early into mile three, I was passed by two woman, I was no longer the first place female. I was frustrated. I tried to keep up with them but my mind wasn't in it. After I was passed, I thought about walking, I thought about giving up, I thought about quitting. Instead of stopping, I bargained with myself. Slow down for this mile, use it as a recovery mile, and if you still feel like quitting, you can walk next mile. And so, that is what I did. Mile three was my slowest of the run. Mile 4: 9:16 During mile 4, I really focused on picking things back up. I knew my cadence took a hit during mile three, so I really concentrated on lifting my feet as fast as possible. This made running a little easier and I began to settle into the run. At this point, I was already half way, and I stopped fighting with myself so much. Mile 5: 9:20 I was not feeling it! I settled in during mile four but mile five was just a battle. I knew the end was coming, I knew I was almost there but I just couldn't get myself going. There was a lot of internal battling going on during mile 5. I also knew I wouldn't PR during mile 5. Mile 6: 9:07 I think realizing I wasn't going to PR today allowed me to relax and not be so focused on the time. I passed a few people at mile six. Quick side note: there was a father and son running together. The son was probably about maybe 7-8 years old, maybe even a little younger. They ran almost the entire race hand in hand. I was so adorable and definitely #goals for me with out (hopefully) future children! The final stretch: .82 miles 9:06 pace A true 10k is 6.21371 miles. Understandably, I was excited when I entered the final stretch. I've completed 6 miles, so not much more left! 6.2 miles came and went, I looked at my watch and saw the mileage climbing. 6.4... 6.5.... Is this ever going to end?! What felt like turn after turn, I like someone was playing a joke on me. I actually thought the race would never end and that I was lost. Finally, one of the police officers announces through their car PA system, "You're almost done! You're going to tun right, then left. Then you'll make a right and you're on the home stretch." I felt like I had run for a while after the announcement and still no end in sight. I almost asked some people if I was getting close to the stadium because I was desperate to finish! Finally, I made the last turn and saw Rob. I'm almost done!! I thought. I was elated!! While, my recap may sound like I hated the race, I really did enjoy it. I always enjoy races. I'll be doing this race again if they have it next year. I was just so mentally not in the right place that it made reflection back on the race seem so, well, negative! Saturday was a big wake up call about how important mental strength is. Running is 90% mental, couldn't ring more true. While I will continue to work to be a faster runner, I'll also be working on mental strength. While I haven't exactly figured out how to go about doing that, I'll be sure to share what I come up with! I hope you all had a marvelous weekend! xoxo, Chelsea It's finally Friday! We've made it to the glorious weekend. If you haven't noticed, I love flat lays! Like I said, I'll never claim to know it all, but flat lays give me a way of testing new looks together without dragging Rob with me to a cute spot to take a million pictures. Now, I'd love to have a professional photographer on call to be able to get gorgeous shots in picture perfect places, but that isn't in my budget! So, flat lays are the next best thing! I'm also going to compile a post wearing the flat lay looks, but I'm not quite there yet! Baby steps ;-) I love the contrast of the dark chambray dress with the tan scarf. The red boots really help make the red accents in the scarf pop, too! I finished the look of with a tan fall hat to tie the whole look together. I'm definitely going to have this on repeat as we transition into cooler temperatures. An unusually warm fall is an excuse to keep on wearing bright clothes. I paired this long sleeve Lilly Pulitzer with a blue moto jacket. The sleeves of this dress are mesh and they've got bubble out at the bottom. It's absolutely adorable. There's a lot going on with the dress, so I kept the shoes simple with some nude wedges. I paired this off shoulder gingham dress with nude wedges, a tan felt had and bright blue lens sunglasses. I will probably continue to wear off shoulder throughout the winder (yes, impracticable) but I just love the style. I keep this look transitional by pairing wedges with a felt hat. I also added gold dangle earrings to dress it up. I love this time of year. It's kind of like how you can dress up (or down) certain pieces. This time of year you can "summer-ify" or "fall-ify" different pieces to make a transitional look. It's too warm to bust out the Uggs, but not too warm for a fall hat. What are you favorite transitional looks? xoxo, Chelsea Shop The Looks:Stretching is so important! I'm guilty of not stretching enough but this past year, I've really made an effort to stretch after my runs. Happily, I haven't had any real IT issues, stress fractures or knee pains this year, so I wanted to share my stretching routine. I also foam roll, but I'll cover that in a different post. Don't just take my word on how important stretching is, here's what Mayo Clinc has to say about stretching: Stretching can help improve flexibility, and, consequently, range of motion about your joints. Better flexibility may:
I personally do not stretch before most runs. For races, I will stretch but only after a warm up. Stretching cold muscles can actually end up hurting you. So, if you stretch pre-workout, be sure to do a quick warm up prior to stretching. A few notes before getting into the nitty-gritty:
Standing Quad StretchQuadriceps are the large muscle group in on the top front of your leg. They're called quadriceps because the group is made up of four different muscles. They're critical to running, squatting, walking, A LOT. Being such a large muscle group, it's important to stretch them. Pretty basic stretch, you've probably been doing this since elementary school gym class. Remember to stand tall and gently pull up so you feel the stretch on your quad. If you don't feel a stretch, gently move your quad back, so instead of being parallel as shown above, your knee will be slightly behind the standing leg. You do not want to pull the lower half of the bent leg too close or past the top half of the bent leg. Changing the angle of your hips will also deepen or lessen the stretch depending on your personal flexibility. Be sure to do this on both sides. Downward Facing DogTypically, in downward dog, your head should be in alignment with your arms. However, I push through my arms to get a nice stretch in my shoulders, too. My gaze is toward my shins. I love this because it stretches my calves, hamstrings and shoulders. Elongating my body also helps with posture. I'll hold this longer than 30-seconds. I like to breathe nice and slow while in downward dog. Stretching my calves in downward dog has helped to eliminate shin splints (which untreated, can turn into stress fractures... I learned that the the hard way.... twice). Shin splints are usually caused from over use, this pounding of the pavement on the shin bone causes the muscles to become irritated and swell. The swelling of these muscles causes them to pull on your shin bone. Shin splints are painful and can be dangerous if left untreated. By focusing on stretching, I'm helping to increase blood flow and prevent the muscles from swelling. Standing Pike - lEGS cROSSEDThis is another simple stretch that hits a few muscles groups. It will stretch your calf, hamstring and bum. Step 1: Cross your legs. Step 2: Fold forward and try to touch your toes. If you're not able to go all the way down, add a block (or a book) so you can rest your hands on it. Be sure to do this for both legs. This stretch has been great for me for preventing knee problems. The hamstring is an important muscle, making sure to stretch it really well has helped me stay injury free. sTANDING pIKESimilar to the last stretch, just not with your legs crossed. This can also be done in seated position. sTRADDLEThis is another stretch that is simply but effective. It stretches your hamstrings, your calf, and your groin. If you're not able to touch your toe, keep your back straight, look toward your foot and gently reach forward keeping your back straight. Maybe it is the former cheerleader and gymnast in me, but I still love the straddle stretch. You can do this with your toes pointed and flexed. Just be sure to do the same on all three sides to keep everything even. Crossed Leg IT Band StretchThis is the IT band stretch that has been SO helpful for me. I didn't even know what an IT band was until I started running. IT band aka iliotibial band is a pesky one. ITBS is iliotibial band syndrome, aka runners knee. The IT band runs from your hip to your knee. If it isn't stretched properly, it can cause severe pain. Runners knee is one of the most common injuries for runners, so preventing is very important! When I had ITBS, it felt like someone was stabbing the side of my knee. It was just awful. Finding this stretch has been great for me. Start by crossing your legs. You want to keep the bottom leg and the top leg parallel. Make sure both your cheeks are on the ground and that you're not leaning to either side. Once you've got yourself set up, apply pressure to the top knee. You'll feel the stretch on your bum and outside of the leg. LungeThe lunge is another stretch I'm sure you've been doing most of your life. I like to start in downward dog and step through to my hands with one leg at a time. Make sure your knee is over your toe. This will prevent any pressure on your knee. Push through your heal on the back leg. Depending on your flexibility, this may look different for you. Your hands do not need to be on the ground, If you're performing this standing, make sure to keep your knee over your toe. If you push your hip forward, you'll feel this more in your hip flexor and the back of your leg. The great thing about a lunge is there are SO many different lunges you can do, this one just happens to be my go to! And that is my stretching routine! Don't stretch regularly? I can't recommend it enough. It's been so helpful for me and I will definitely continue to stretch. xoxo, Chelsea Shop The Post:Shop:
As a girl on a budget, I'm always looking to spruce up my wardrobe, but I don't want to break the bank doing it. I've put together seven items that, in my mind, radiate all the fall feels and the colors remind me of the falling leaves.
I'd have to say that my favorite color of fall (right now) is marigold. I absolutely love how vibrant it is while still totally feeling like fall. Putting this together, I've realized I need to add more marigold to my wardrobe pronto! While, I won't be ditching my bright clothes for the entire fall, I am totally in love with rich fall hues. What are you favorite fall colors? xoxo, Chelsea I am heartbroken to learn of the shooting in Las Vegas. My heart goes out to everyone affected. My thoughts and prayers are with you. With Love, Chelsea I figured I'd kick my first post about my favorite things with a fitness edition. This felt fitting considering this blog basically started as just a diary about my workouts and somehow transformed into so much more than just running. I've linked the products on all titles of the favorite thing I'm talking about! Lululemon SpeedsMy local Lululemon store let me know they've recently changed the name to Speed Up shorts. When I tried the Speed Up short, it fit exactly as the Speeds did, fewh! Speed, excuse me, Speed Up shorts are my go to shorts. I like the length, the liner and the material. Speeds are my go to shorts, especially for races & long runs. I like the 2-way stretch and the 4-way stretch. One thing that surprised my about Speeds and Lululemon is the sizing. While I'd say their sizing is pretty consistent across the board for me. I had to go a size larger than I would have initially guessed. But once I got over the fact that size is just a number (no one cares what size you are if you're happy with yourself), I rock the fact that I'm a 6 in Lulu, loud and proud. The only con with these is they're a little expensive for shorts. Sometimes you can find them on clearance but most time these will set you back about $60. The quality and customer service from Lulu is FANTASTIC, so for me, the investment has been worth it. Here's a few pictures of me either pre or post race in my speeds. Talos Jump Rope
Thanks to a good jump rope, I’ve discovered that jumping rope is HARD. It’s such a good workout too. I also like it because you can learn tricks and switch things up. If you don’t have a good jump rope yet, I highly recommend incorporating one into your routine. Here’s a video showing some variations (and you can see how much I’m enjoying it). Lumo RunIf you follow me, I’m sure you’ve read my rave review of the Lumo run. This thing is incredible. Coming from a cheerleading and gymnastic background, I’m a sucker for good form. Heck, when I saw Cirque du Soleil, I cried watching the perfect form of the performers. It was stunning. With running, I wasn’t really sure what good form was, so I just fumbled my way through it. This lack of form was a big contributing factor to being injured pretty much all the time in 2015 and 2016. Since I’ve been using Lumo, my form has improved. My times have improved. My confidence in my running has improved. I’m recovering faster after races because I’m using good technique. Is my technique perfect? Nope! I still have yet to get all 5 aspects Lumo tracks into the green. I can’t say enough how valuable Lumo has been for me. I’m a Lumo ambassador (my opinions are 100% my own), if you use my code CWI10, you’ll get $10 off a Lumo of your own! Reflective JacketNow that it is starting to get darker earlier means it is important to stay safe if you're working out outside. Rob got me this AMAZING reflective jacket for Christmas. I honestly feel so safe running while wearing this because I know that people can see me. Mine is made by Kyodan. Unfortunately, it looks like they're not making it any longer but I've linked a similar one above. That wraps up my list of favorite things, fitness edition!
I'd love to hear from you. What are some of your favorite fitness related things? xoxo, Chelsea If you're like me you're probably watching what you eat (except on those cheat meals... can't live without those... am I right?), working out and drinking water but you can't seem to "lose two pounds" (Mean Girls reference). Well, you might not be getting enough sleep. Wait, what?! How did I just jump from weight to sleep? Surprisingly enough, lack of sleep could be causing you to gain weight! (NOTE: Weight isn't all about vanity either. Maintaining a proper weight is critical to your overall health. When you're at the proper weight, you lower the risk of stroke, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.) The National Sleep Foundation says the recommended sleep range for adults is 7-9 hours. Without enough sleep, your body isn't able to regulate key hormones that factor into the feeling of hunger and ability to feel full: ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin, aka the “hunger hormone”, works to regulate hunger and appetite. Leptin, aka the “satiety hormone” is the opposite of ghrelin and works to deter hunger. So, if these hormones could talk, ghrelin is hangry and is saying “I’m hungry… feed me NOW” and leptin says “I’m full. Time to put the fork down”. If these hormones aren't regulated properly, your body sends the wrong signals, which can cause overeating. When your body isn’t getting enough rest, it lowers the levels of leptin in your blood stream and increases the levels of ghrelin. This will cause your body to signal you're hungry, even when you're not or that you're still not full, when you really are, causing you to over eat and gain weight. In one study, people suffering from lack of sleep consumed 300 more calories per day than the group that was getting enough sleep. That could add up to 30 pounds in one year alone! Not only does lack of sleep cause an imbalance in the hormones that control hunger signals, it has also been shown to drastically slow metabolism. This means your body will burn fewer calories throughout the day than if you had been getting the proper amount sleep. So, combine heavier appetite, inability to tell when you're full and a lower metabolism?! No thank you!! That's just asking for some serious weight gain, which puts your entire body at risk for stroke, diabetes, and even cancer (not to mention, for me, shopping for a bigger size always stings). Make sure you're catching those zzzz's! xoxo, Chelsea PS - "Four for you Glen Coco, You GO Glen Coco! ....And none for Gretchen Weiners" |
About meMore than just running....
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