Friday Five: Lately Life in Verbs

Hi Friday people — I’m alive!

It’s amazing how when you stop making something a habit, it’s so easy to just push it to the side. I have no intentions of quitting my blog life, but I honestly haven’t felt any overwhelming desire to post late, for one reason or another…or else when I do sit down to write, I can’t seem to focus on anything cohesive or put a post together.

Maybe it’s that I’m too busy livin’ & lovin’ summer life, or that I don’t feel that I have enough interesting stuff to write about, or don’t put any forethought into my posts. Or maybe it’s just that I fell into an unplanned break and have no reasons for that. Regardless, I’m still here, but sort of struggling with what to blog about these sunshiney days. Do I just share about my life? Do I need to take more pictures in NYC, when in reality I haven’t been going out that much because I work all.the.time?

So, here’s an end-of-August update on me, as I link up with Mar, Courtney & Cynthia for the Friday Five.

1. Running. It’s going. I mean, it’s going fine, even well, and I’m still totally enjoying it — but I’m not really marathon training, to be honest. We had 3-4 weeks of overbearing heat and humidity here where it was basically impossible for me to get any long runs in, so the only long runs I’ve done in the past month are two 11-milers in July and a 12-miler this past weekend — and while it felt great, it’s still a far cry from where I should be if I’m planning to run a marathon in 6 weeks. I think I like the idea of running this race again as it was an amazing experience for me last year and I’m chasing a revival of that all-the-feels-and-pride feeling — but I don’t know that I’m that into it this year. I need nice weather and lots of time on weekend mornings to do long runs the way I want…and lately, I’m refusing to run far in crazy humidity and finding myself wanting to do 10 miles (tops) and then go enjoy my day. I’m also giving myself the space to recognize that this is okay and that I do not have to want to run this marathon and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’ll see how the next few weeks of long runs (or not-so-long runs) go and decide if I should defer til next year or keep trying to tough it out and push past the resistance.

2. Wearing. In runfashion news, I’m absolutely crazy about my newest running capris and cannot NOT share with all you fit freaks: Athleta’s Mesh Sonar Capris. Love.

3. Wining. I’ve had a few new-to-me red wines that I really enjoyed this summer, with the most recent being 1000 Stories Red Zinfandel last night at this absolutely darling speakeasy in the Flatiron called The Grain. I immensely enjoyed this California wine and will be running right to the wine store on my way home from work today to snag some! It’s aged in bourbon barrels, which creates a unique flavor, and it was so smooth and lovely. 

Also, has anyone jumped on the whole “frosé” aka frozen rosé trend? I’m hearing about it everywhere lately and although I’ve yet to try it, I know it’s totally my thing. I’ve been saying for years that I want to make frozen sangria a thing and open up a shack serving that and tacos on the beach in San Diego…and this seems like a step toward that dream.

I’ve seen a whole mess of recipes for diff types of frozen wine slushies and love this article that has 15 drool-worthy choices. The boy and I are planning to try our hands at a red wine berry slushy concoction tonight to bring down to the Jersey Shore for a beach day with friends tomorrow, so I’ll keep you posted on how they turn out. Test run for Labor Day!

4. Reading. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown.

One of my best friends read this a couple of years ago and raved about it, so I finally borrowed it – and am so glad I did. It’s a really insightful, reflective book focused on the concept of having the courage to embrace vulnerability in all areas of our lives and reframe what we think “being vulnerable” means. This call to vulnerability is paired with a lesson in understanding shame and its destructive forces, and how battling shame is most effectively accomplished through the process of choosing to be vulnerable and authentic. She’s best known for her amazing viral TED talk on this subject called The Power of Vulnerability, which is actually the most-watched TED talk ever. She’s awesome.

5. Feeling. This is everything. This is what I hope to build my practice around — helping others live out authentic lives devoted to the daily pursuit of owning their own uniqueness and voicing their own story, in whatever way feels truest to them, so that they never tire of the lifelong journey toward the best version of themselves. ❤

Have a lovely weekend, lovies. ❤

Best part of your week?
Something you’re learning/an area of growth you’re experiencing lately?

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2 Things Tuesday: For the Love of Wine

ONE: Women who love wine. Heard of this IG account? It’s such a fun one, and definitely worth checking out if you’re, well…a woman who loves wine, otherwise known as a woman (period). 😉 I entered a giveaway contest they were hosting last week and actually won, to my happy surprise! What did I win? This adorable t-shirt that I’m totally digging:

How cute is that tee? They have other super cute shirts available on their site as well, so definitely check them out.

They were also gracious enough to offer all RunThisApple readers a 20% off discount sitewide, so use the code TIPSY at checkout and snag the shirt that speaks to you!

TWO: Rosés. It’s no secret that I enjoy my summer rosés, but in all honesty, I can be picky about them. Not all rosés are created equal in my book, and I’ve definitely had some lately that just didn’t do it for me at all. Then, I fortuitously stumbled upon this gem at my (one of 3) local wine stores (I love my neighborhood) and feel like it’d be unfair to not share.

I thiiiiink I might have had the 2015, but regardless, the Chateaux La Mouliniere Bordeaux Rose is amazing. It’s so light and crisp and fruity and such incredible quality for the price (I think I paid like $12?!). I went back to snag more the following week and they were sold out. In a case full of rose, this was the only one they’d sold out. Such a bummer.

If you can find it near you, definitely try it. (And please send me one!). 🙂

Happy rose (and day drinking) season, friends!

Which tee shirt would you choose from the WWLW site?
Fave summer wine?

Friday Five: July Loves

This is how I’m feeling right about now:

Ready for flip flops & summer skies & carefree everything — feeling those weekend vibes! Hope you’re counting down to something fun this weekend, wherever you are.

Today’s Friday Five linkup with the DC ladies Mar, Cynthia & Courtney is a “Free Friday,” which I’m interpreting as July Loves (aka things I’m loving this month).

ONE: Casual Fridays. This is a sweet perk about my new job that I haven’t had before, and I’m loving it. I’m actually wearing pants (obsessed with these wide-leg linen pants I got in Chicago this spring) for the first time since I started working here and it’s so nice to be so comfy at work. It also helps create such a laid-back atmosphere, which is always welcome on a trading floor. 

TWO: Balance board. We have standing desks at work, so my friend who sits next to me had the brilliant idea of ordering balance boards to stand on!

So rad, and totally catching on — I wouldn’t be surprised if a bunch more people will jump on this bandwagon! (I bought this one off Amazon.)

THREE: Rosé. All day. This has definitely been the drink-of-the-month for me…and every other white girl in America, I know I know. Hey, if the shoe fits…

FOUR: Marathon training. Having a plan for my running is a nice change again and I’m excited about sticking to it and mapping my progress. Also doesn’t hurt that I just got these babies my second week into training and am loving tackling a race with a fresh pair of kicks!
Feels oh-so-good. This will actually be my first full marathon in Nikes, now that I think of it! I ran the Brooklyn Half this May in these exact sneaks (diff pair/color) and have been having so much success with them this year, so it’s out with the Asics and in with the swoosh. I find I tread much lighter in these and haven’t had any shin pain thus far, so I’m praying they do me well all the way through. 

FIVE: Athleta. I love Lulu’s sports bras like no other, but I’m definitely a fan of Athleta’s colorful tights/capris and just got a new pair this week:

Their Mesh Sonar Capris in this cobalt color = so cute. I felt like I had to give them a shout-out today because they’re having an awesome sale right now that you definitely want to check out: an extra 20% off their already reduced sale items thru Monday 7/25. DO IT.

Hope you have a lovely weekend, friends! Mine will be full of running, fruit, lake time and people I love…in other words, exactly how I like my world to be. ❤

Whatcha up to this weekend?
Anyone else drink copious amounts of rose in the summer? Any favorite kinds?

Work it out Wednesday

Soooo, this is usually where I do a “Weekly Workouts” post, but I thought I’d do more of a looser “reflections on running and working out in my lately life” sort of thing, as I feel like I’ve been all over the place and so crazy busy lately and everything is just sort of squeezed in where I can fit it. Not complaining — I’m not slacking or feeling badly about it — it’s just been pretty unstructured and more of a get-up-and-do-what-I-can sort of deal.

The best part about running lately: I’m feeling great. Runhappy, really. No leg pain in any sense; no “oh my gosh this is hard and I don’t feel like doing this today” experiences; nothing holding me back from just enjoying running. It’s so refreshing and has been such a positive thing lately, especially as it’s been gorgeous in NYC (June is just amazing here) and the beautiful mornings are practically begging me to get out of bed and enjoy them. Warm-weather running is much more my style.

Mileage: I honestly haven’t been stressing about this, as I’m not currently in any urgent training phase — my next race as of now is a marathon in October, and I just ran a half in May that went really well, so I feel stress-free right now in regards to hitting specific numbers on a long run. I’ve probably done about 17 miles since Saturday (and run Sat, Sun, Tues and today), and I’m fine with it. I’ll hopefully get an 8-miler in at some point this weekend, but friends and boyfriend and beach time and all that…well, that needs to be balanced in right now, so as long as the running is there, I’m a-ok with that.

What to wear: I mentioned yesterday that I got a new sports bra that I realllly like, and with them, I ordered these shorts (also winners, woot!):

I also totally dig the styles in this Popsugar piece on gym crop tops (ok so many are glorified sports bras, but hey, they’re so cute, they can call them whatever they want). I’m especially lovin’ this tie dye Calvin Klein option:

I just might be swinging by Macy’s to hunt this down in the near future. Adorbs.

New runfun discovery: I recently discovered (don’t laugh at me, those of you who’ve known this for, um, ever) that Spotify has a Running station where it’ll choose running music for you based upon your music preferences, and tailor it to your speed (it’ll calibrate while you start running — not sure how much this impacts it but I like the fun concept of it). Loving this lately and I’ve been happy with their choices for me! You go, Spotify.

Runners: How’s it going for you lately? Running happy, or the heat getting to you?
Favorite sports bras/run crop tops?
Music suggestions, please! Any Spotify stations you love to run to?

 

 

Two Things Tuesday

Remember when I used to do these posts?

That was fun. Let’s do that again.

1. Sports bra love. Because I’m on an ever-constant quest for the best-feeling-and-fitting sports bras on the market, I feel entirely compelled to let you all know when I find a keeper — and as of this morning, I can confidently say that New Balance’s Tenderly Obsessive Bra falls into that category. (It’s also only $17, which is quite the steal, as it’s really well-made and supportive!)

I wasn’t totally sure about it as it offers more (cup) support than I generally prefer, but after wearing it on a run this morning, I’m hooked (and realize I probably have been wearing options with too little support). It’s lightweight, breathable, comfortable, and has built-in no-slip padding, which is clutch, b/c I hate those removable pads! Plus, I think every runner needs a fluorescent yellow sports bra, no? It just screams summer fun.

2. Spindrift. One of my bffs recently introduced me to this amazing real fruit infused sparkling water and am totally hooked. It’s seriously delicious, seltzer-fans, and entirely unsweetened — just splashed with a little real fruit!

I’ve had the Raspberry Lime and the Cucumber so far, and definitely have my eye out for the Blackberry. I feel like that’s going to be a winner for me. They also give 1% of their sales to environmental organizations and partner with non-profits all over the country.

Try them. You’ll like them.

Sparkling water: yay or nay? What flavor of Spindrift entices you most? I’m currently drinking a cucumber one as I write this and it’s totally hitting the spot!
Sports bra fave? I love Lulu’s but this new one is a real winner!

 

Thinking Out Loud (Thursday)

heyoooo to Thursday’s link-up with Amanda @ Running with Spoons!

1.  recipe. so the last thing i just read before starting this blog post was this amazing-looking recipe on Chocolate Covered Katie, which i now feel the necessity of making this weekend (substituting coconut flour).

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

photo taken by Katie and featured on her blog today

2. running. i’m in serious need of a good run and it’s sort of driving me nuts today. i’ve been fighting off a cold/sore throat/weird stomach thing all week so have been trying to take it easy (and sleep a lot!), but i’m dying to run. i might try to get in a few quick miles tonight after my client session and do some longer ones this weekend.

3. reading. stoked to start peeking at this lil gem after i finish this post:

eeeeee cannot wait for this trip! one week from today, i’ll be on the beach in my fave place. ❤

4. & more reading. speaking of…does anyone have any good book suggestions for me to take on the trip? i like a well-written, descriptive, this-person-can-really-manipulate-language-and-tell-a-great-story-and-make-you-feel-all-the-things novel. nothing light and kitschy, please. no more Girls on the Train or anything Moriarty.

5. watching. i recently got into Blue Bloods (thanks to my parents) on Netflix and have to say, i like Donnie Wahlberg even better in his second attempt at the spotlight.

i’m really liking this show, despite thinking a cop show wasn’t my thing.
the cast is pretty great and i love seeing all the NYC neighborhoods.

6. eating. i can’t get enough of it today. when i’m sick, that’s pretty much all i crave. i feel like i want to move somewhere tropical and start growing mangoes right about now.

7. drinking. i’m drinking JUST WATER this week b/c i temporarily broke up with wine. i know, i KNOW, but it’s actually been an easy break! i guess part of it is being a sicky, but i haven’t even craved my (almost-nightly) glass for a second since being out on Saturday night. maybe my body is just saving up for all those fun cocktails in Maui… 🙂

8. working. ever feel like you want to choose your next job based upon the frequency it allows you to wear gym clothes/sweat pants? i’m living that life daily right now. i’m currently wearing tights that have now become footless on one side, and it doesn’t even phase me. my hours are spent counting down the minutes til i can get out of work clothes and into sweats. it’s gotten pretty bad. i really just don’t like real clothes much at all.

9. fashion. Kate Spade’s 75% off Surprise Sales make me very, very happy. if you’re a KS fan and don’t subscribe to the email list, you’re missing some seriously great sales. i just snagged this pretty lil thing for a third of the original price, and i’m so happy with it. everyone needs a fun summer purse in their fave color, right??

10. wanderlust. because the soul can dream.

happy Friday eve, friends!

Tell me a random fun fact from your week!

Thinking Out Loud Thursday

(thanks, Miss Amanda, for hosting the Thursday Thinking Out Loud link-up!)

1. yesterday, everything in my world was rosey & bright.

boyfriends who surprise you at work with the loveliest flowers are so very nice to have. ❤  i haven’t heard of The Bouqs before, but they made a gorgeous first impression on me. thank youuuuuu lovey.

2. sparkling wine + QT with one of your best girlfriends = midweek perfection. lychees for an extra win.

3. don’t go see Zoolander 2. it was one of my biggest life failures as of late. i thought the first one was hilarious and was eagerly awaiting the second, but it was just downright awful. we were incredibly disappointed and barely laughed at all. not even Penelope Cruz and Kristen Wiig could save this monstrosity. such a ridiculous fail.

4. i finally bought my first pair of Lulu tights, the “High Times” pants, and they’re pretty fab. i definitely get the obsession — they’re so soft and cute and fun. they’re actually listed as yoga tights rather than running, but i wear them running and like the fit/feel.

luckily for me, the Lulu in my office building was having a huge sale on Friday, so i got them for less than half the original price. gotta love that!

5. if this isn’t true love, well, i don’t know what is.

& yes, i’d like a kettlebell with a heart in it, please.

6. i’m already looking forward to running outside on Saturday & Sunday mornings as it’s supposed to be 54 degrees and sunny both days this weekend! woot. bring it on, Spring.

7. today, we officially celebrate a holiday that i live out nearly every day of my life:

happy National Drink Wine Day, friends! i feel like this day was invented with me in mind.

enjoy your wine drinking today/night, friends — cheersing you from afar!

Anyone else celebrating this fabulous holiday? What’s your wine of choice?
Tell me something random from your week!

Two Things Tuesday

ONE: Travel. I have a mini trip coming up this weekend for the long weekend/Valentine’s Day (how nice is it that those two fall on the same weekend this year??) — the boy and I are headed up to Lake Placid for a 3-day, 2-night little jaunt to the north country. His family actually used to own the Mirror Lake Inn (I so wish they still did!), so I’m stoked to check that out, especially the apres ski bar called The Cottage, which just looks like the darlingest little winter lodge:

(photos taken from the Inn’s website)

How sweet is that spot? Consider it’s supposed to be, like, no degrees, I think we’ll be more than ready to curl up by a fire and enjoy a drink.

We’re going during Saranac Lake’s Winter Carnival, which means there’ll be plenty of events going on nearby and a giant ice palace to traipse through and fireworks to see. This year’s theme is Superheroes & Villians — does that make anyone else want to dress up like Wonder Woman and sing the Beach Boys song? Anyone with me?

Thoughts of this little winter getaway are totally getting me through the week. We rented a half of a farmhouse right in town through Airbnb, which I think will work out well. C’mon, Friday, hurry on up!

TWO: Fitness fashion. I can’t stop with the fun leggings lately. I think my recent success with the Athleta tights has spurred the addiction back into full force. I’m currently awaiting the arrival of these little beauties from GapFit:

These are the gFast mesh-ribbon leggings, and I’m praying I like them on as much as I do online. Or on that girl’s legs. 🙂

Anyone been to Lake Placid? If so, what are some of your fave spots?
Taking a mini-trip for the long weekend?
Anyone have GapFit leggings? Thoughts?
Favorite brand of running tights?

Loving Life in the Sunshine State

My favorite thing to do in January is to head south. #snowbirdintraining

No but seriously — January in NYC (or probably most of the northeast, unless you are fortunate enough to live on a ski slope and not work) just isn’t life at its best, even when it’s seasonally warm. The post-holiday blues + onset of (usually) frigid temps + so many months til Summer just makes for a rough time…which is why my favorite part of this month for the past 3 years has been my weekend in Florida.

It was Miami and Boca the past two years, which were an absolute blast, but this year has landed me in a new-to-me city (I love being able to check another one off the list): Melbourne Beach, located on a barrier island in the Atlantic. My parents are chilling here for a bit this year, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to visit them for a long weekend.

It’s a sweet, sleepy little town (probably a big retirement place, I’d imagine) with a beautiful stretch of beach, blue-green ocean water (in which I’d consider taking surfing lessons if it was a bit warmer!), and hardly any commercialization. I’ve spent 4 days running, sleeping and eating well, and spending so much wonderful quality time with my parents. In short, it’s been heavenly, and exactly what my soul needed.

Also, seeing this on the neighbor’s mailbox every time I return from a run makes me super happy & quite a bit envious:

It seems quite probable I’ve been doing this whole “living my life” thing incorrectly, when there are people who carry surfboards around in the sunshine on a daily basis. Hmpff.

I have been pretty successful with my workouts here, though, even if surfing isn’t one of them. I ran a pain-free 8.5 miles on Saturday morning, which I’m attributing to the beauuuuutiful weather and my welcome change in running route & scenery. I mean, this view could cheer anyone up.

Sunday I set out to run but had a lot of unexpected pain again, so I did a total of 5 miles but walked 2 of them, stopping to do sets of lunges and push-ups along the way and finishing with 5 minutes of planks. Note to self: try to live somewhere where you can plank outdoors year-round. It’s much nicer.

This morning, I actually ran to the local gym and bought a day pass and had a great, sweaty personal little boot camp session with free weights, kettlebells, lots of jumping all the leg things (squats, lunges, etc), a good 15 minutes of abs, and then power walked home. It felt amazing. Oh, and on that note of things that feel amazing:

I am entirely hooked on Athleta leggings.

I recently bought my first two pairs and cannot say enough about them. I’ve always been sort of brand-flex and have worn a wide variety of different running tights and capris, but my first experience with Athleta is seriously awesome. I wore them today to run, through an hour-long fairly intense workout, and then to walk back home, and they were incredibly comfortable, breathable, and just felt perfect. I’m totally a believer.

Note: I bought them through Schoola, so check out their current deal with Athleta while it’s still active to get some amazing pieces at a huge discount while giving to a great charity. I actually juuuuuust went and bought them in the pink pair right now as I’m typing this. Trust me, they’re that great. (And no, I didn’t get paid for this — I’m just that big of a fan.)

Now, excuse me while I head out to enjoy my final day in the sunshine state!

Hope you had wonderful weekends, friends!

Highlights from your weekend?
Anyone get a good run in?
Favorite pair of running/workout leggings?

2 Things Tuesday

ONE: Athleta gives back — and you can score big on this sale while doing so as well! so, i literally juuuust ordered two pairs of Athleta leggings off of Schoola, a charity shopping site dedicated to funding the arts in schools, for under $50 total. yes, they’re brand new, not second-hand, and yes, this is for real.

how? well, Athleta recently donated thousands of items to sell at 60% off on this site — all brand new, with tags on — with 40% of the proceeds going to the Malala Fund, which supports girls’ education endeavors worldwide. it’s definitely worth checking out!

TWO: running. i think i’m pretty overdue for a running update, hmm? well, it hasn’t been the easiest lately, i have to admit. i had one good, long hilly 12-miler upstate over Christmas break, and everything else has been 7 miles or shorter since then. the past 2 weeks, one of my legs has been giving me all sorts of annoying issues: started with calf pain/strain, then i’m sure i changed my gait to try to compensate for that and my IT band got aggravated, and now the whole leg is just a bundle of nervous twinges and aches. not the best, so i’m trying to rest it and keep my runs shorter at the moment. i did 6-7 on Saturday and it was sort of rough, and only made it 2 last night before changing to incline walking. it was 10 degrees and windy here, so i was forced to resort to the treadmill.

let’s hope this takes care of itself soon, b/c i’m SO over it and need to get back into better runs again. on a positive note, though, i find that i am enjoying running with the boy when he’s in town, so this largely solo runner can apparently become a partner-running convert.

i didn’t get into the NYC Half in March (boo!), but i want to keep up my running as if i’m training for a half all the time anyway. maybe i’ll find another winter race to run.

mostly i’m just trying to stay positive and not let myself get frustrated if my mileage goes down a bit in the chilly weather, and just be grateful for the ability to keep working out and being healthy. let’s go, 2016.

Any Athleta fans? Do you have any of their tights? these will be my first pairs and i have high hopes!
Anyone running winter races?