Summer of Hamilton: Runfessions September 2020

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 36 Comments
Philip Schuyler’s summer home (yup, the Hamiltons spent time there)

Sometimes when I fall, I fall hard! It was all Hamilton, all the time this Summer. Watching the movie like five times. Listening to the soundtrack. Visiting the Schuyler Summer home. Reading Hamilton: The Revolution. Then rereading Gore Vidal’s Burr, which I read a lot as a kid — which is surprising, it was kind of dry reading it as an adult! Interesting, though. Then starting to reread My Dear Hamilton, which I read a couple of Summers ago.

I runfess . . .
We are rewatching the West Wing at the moment. We’re into season three (well, four, now). I’d been watching for the episode with the “mind at work” quote. Lin Manuel Miranda wrote an entire song based on that quote from the show. I thought I’d missed it early on but no! It’s season 3, episode 18 (if you’re curious). I was so excited when I finally heard it. Mr. Judy didn’t quite catch my excitement.

Then the next episode they talked about the Vice President being the craziest VP since Aaron Burr, who shot Hamilton, obviously. We were both highly amused by that. We seem to find Hamilton references everywhere now.

It lasts so much longer in some water!

I runfess . . .
I know that sticking asparagus into water is supposed to keep it fresher longer (did you?), but I never did it. Until this Summer. Guess what? Yup, it stays fresh much longer that way! Why do we resist things?

I runfess . . .
About a month or so I had a very small stye on my eye. They’re usually created from stress. I didn’t feel overly stressed (the last one I had was right about the time Chester passed, and then for sure I was stressed).

There really is no treatment. You can use hot compresses. You shouldn’t wear contacts. Which is why I’m wearing my glasses in one of my Yoga videos (that & the fact that I couldn’t see my whiteboard wearing nothing).

I runfess that I did wear my contacts when I went to visit my mom — then I didn’t want to have to wear glasses all day. And I ran a time or two with just one contact in . . .probably would’ve cleared if more quickly if I hadn’t worn contacts (oh vanity!).

I runfess . . .
Right about the time I had the stye I ordered new contacts. I ordered about 6 months worth. Then the next day I ordered another 6 months worth, mainly because I didn’t want to go to the eye doctor and if I waited too long I would’ve had to. I’m good on contacts for at least a year now.

I runfess . . .
I finally broke up with nasal breathing. A month or so ago. At least temporarily. I actually have someone to contact about it . . . but after months of giving it my best, in the heat I found it almost impossible to do without slowing down to a crawl.

I don’t really care about the pace, but that means longer runs — not at all what I wanted in high heat & humidity.

The other reason was that one of the purposes was to get you into the flow state, only it actually made me feel worse. So we’ll see, maybe I’ll do a consultation, or maybe I’ll revisit it when it’s consistently cooler. I’m enjoying my runs much more. Or maybe that’s just the Fall weather!

What was the last movie/show/book that really caught your interest? 

Discovered any kitchen hacks with being home more?

What have you been resisting lately?

What do you have to runfess from September? Come join us

Runfessions

I am also linking up with:

You are an Experiment of 1

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 21 Comments

bexperiment

It’s oh-so-tempting to get caught up in someone else’s running journey. I blame Social Media for a lot of that — but sometimes there’s peer pressure in a group of running friends, too.

That peer pressure can get you out of a rut and out of your comfort zone — in a good way sometimes, and sometimes in a really bad way.

You do You
Do you look around and see someone running a ton of virtual races and think maybe I should do that?

Maybe your running friends try to convince you that yes, of course you can run that race, even though you have an injury.

Do you sign up for a trail race because all your friends are doing it — even though you hate trail running?

What about hiring a coach? Do you have a reason, or is it just someone else did it and they got stronger or faster so you think that’s the magic bullet for that?

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Replace FOMO with Self Knowledge
Your mom was right, you know — if everyone was jumping off a bridge, would you jump off it too?

The next time you’re faced with something “everyone is doing” or find yourself envious of a friend, try coming back to the five whys. Ask yourself why. Once you’ve come up with an answer, ask yourself why about that answer. Keep going five times. Maybe you’ll decide it’s just not right for you, because you’re an experiment of 1 — or maybe you’ll decide that it’s worth trying at least once.

An experiment of one just means that you are unique. You have to try things and decide for yourself whether or not it’s right for you.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying don’t do things with your friends. I’m just saying do it for the right reasons, not because everyone is doing it or FOMO.

Which brings me to . . .

How to support your friends
Let’s say you’ve dug deep and you’ve decided you really don’t want to do what all your friends (or those runners you follow on the Internet) are doing.

Become a cheerleader! Cheer them on for every success. Maybe offer to literally go and cheer them on. Ask them to tell you about their exploits, because you know how runners love to tell you about their runs/races. Offer to help them train — which doesn’t mean you necessarily have to run as much/as far as they are, but maybe you run with them for some portion of their training.

Final Thoughts
Never was there ever another you. We are all so unique, and that makes the world and life interesting! So get to know your one precious self. Don’t be afraid to try things — but realize when it’s not for you and do your right thing.

Trying new things is never a bad thing. That’s how we grow and learn. It’s only bad when you do things just because others are doing it — and not because you really feel called to do it. — Chocolaterunsjudy

What have you tried because it looked like so much fun on someone’s IG/FB/Twitter feed?

Are you easily swayed by FOMO? 

Do you sometimes prefer to just cheer someone else on? 

btuesdaytopics

Linking up with Zenaida Arroyo and Kim @ Kookyrunner

This week I am also joining up with the new Runners’ Roundup linkup.

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Zooming into the New Year: 9/14 – 20 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 35 Comments
Looked amazingly like a lake we went to growing up (but isn’t)

Another busy week with an unplanned visit to my mom — nothing new there, I just hadn’t been planning on visiting this week. Mainly because I was deep into prep for Mr. Judy’s 60th birthday. It worked out well, though, because we had a family Zoom call on Friday (for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year) and I brought back the laptop she’d given me to update — which allowed her to get in on the call.

I stopped on the way at Taghkanic State Park, and did some hiking and some walking. There’s also a Taconic State Park near where I grew up — yes, both spelled differently. The beach areas looked almost exactly the same, which was so nostalgic for me. And the bathrooms were open, score!

bwrd

Joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and reaching peak week for the Dempsey Challenge.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, Yoga (60 min)
  • Tuesday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, 3 miles easy, Yoga (40 min)
  • Wednesday: Yoga (20 min), Hiking/Walking Taghkanic State Park, Yoga (15 min)
  • Thursday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, Peloton Bootcamp (30 min) + Endurance run (cut it short to about 20 min), Yoga (20 min)
  • Friday: Yoga (50 min), Dogwalk,, Yoga
  • Saturday:  Yoga (30 min), 7 mile LSD, Yoga (20 min)
  • Sunday: Yoga (50 min), Dogwalk, PB Walking + Toning, Yoga (20 min)

Mileage: 13 (-3)

JY = Jasyoga
PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
YFR = Yoga for Runners*
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike
YFPR = Yoga for Pain Relief
YTU = Yoga Tune Up Lower Body*

*Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate links; I will make a small amount of money if you buy through these links

Running Update

Pumpkins everywhere

Monday intention: an attitude of gratitude
An attitude of gratitude was so easy today, with the perfect running weather and not needing to get out til after 10 am, although the dogwalk before, while a great warmup, made things a bit hectic. Perfect negative splits that just felt so good. Just because the weather is perfect, we all know, doesn’t necessarily mean a great run but today was the kind of run that reminds you why you run!

Thursday intention: get stronger + speed
This week got a little crazy, so time to run wasn’t there most days. Due to other stuff, too. I wanted to get in 3 miles today, thought about strides, but couldn’t get out til later in the morning. Probably would’ve been fine with the cooler temps, but I also wanted to get some ST in.

I chose a 30 minute bootcamp, which did some speed intervals. Then backed that up with what was supposed to be a 30 minute endurance run. I cut it short simply because I was “running” into lunch and I’d hit my goal of 3 miles with the two classes combined. Someday when I have more time I’ll revisit this class.

Yup another neighborhood pumpkin

Sunday intention: smile every mile (when I remembered)
Who wouldn’t smile with the great weather? I wore almost the same thing I’ve been running long in for a while, although a different skirt and knee high compression socks. I added my vest — I was afraid I’d overheat eventually, but with temps in the low 50s it was perfect. So grateful for sunshine and cool temps!

Started the holiday weekend with brisket, corn on the cob, trail mix, & apples & honey

Favorites of the week
I had bought a big box of BBQ (ribs, brisket, sausage) from a place Mr. Judy liked in TX as an early birthday present. Brisket is pretty standard for Rosh Hashanah, so that was perfect too. We’d picked up our veggie box that morning, so had fresh corn on the cob and I cooked up some of the chard for myself. My mom had sent the trail mix, dried fruit, and nuts as a New Year’s gift. And I made the traditional apples and honey (for a sweet new year).

His sister & I went in together on an infrared heater for our deck

The birthday shenanigans continued with a Zoom call with college friends and a second one with family (East and West coast). And cake, of course!

I was looking forward to maybe going somewhere hiking next week, with family obligations finally wrapped up, only last night Lola suddenly wouldn’t put her weight on one of her paws. She’s eating ok and still trying to play, so I’m not super worried, but I don’t see it healing up that quickly.

Are you beginning to see a lot of pumpkins?

How are you celebrating big birthdays this year? 

What is one thing you’re proud you did this week? 

GWYT Pre Run Yin1

ICYMI: I promised you a shorter Yin Yoga Warmup last week and today I’m delivering it here. All of these practices are great post run, too — or even the night before a hard workout.

Coming up on Tuesday: Find out what it means to be an experiment of one. On Friday we’re back at the Runfessional here. Hard to believe another month is at a close!

I Started It: a 40 Day Kriya

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 11 Comments

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Kriya is a Sanskrit term. Essentially it’s a set of exercises to help move energy throughout the body. Although there is some resemblance to “normal” Yoga asana, it’s quite different too.

Fairytales and Fitness

I am definitely no expert in either Kriyas or Kundalini Yoga, which is the type of Yoga Kriyas are often associated with. I have dabbled a bit, though, taken a course here and there and read a few books. So I am not doing a deep dive here — if your interest is piqued, I will point you to my teacher, Brett Larkin. She has a YouTube channel here (just search Kundalini), and also an app which is amazing, but not free.

Often when you start a Kriya, you do the same set of exercises for 40 days. The exact same exercises in the the exact same order. I did one last December I think. I haven’t done another one since then . . . until the other day when on a whim I picked up one of my books and just did one. I did it the next day, and the next . . .

According to the “rules”, if you skip a day, you have to go back and start from day one until you complete forty days straight. Many Kundalini practitioners practice in the morning — for the same reason many runners run in the morning. Get it done before the day gets away from you!

So it’s sort of like a run streak, except that there are consequences if you skip a day — unlike a run streak, which you can break at any time. Of course you could just stop doing your Kriya; I don’t think you’d be struck down by lightning or anything.

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That’s all my AM Yoga that you see on my weekly run downs!

Kundalini is different
There are many different types of Yoga. Kundalini was shrouded in mystery for centuries. There were few books, and of course way back when no Internet. Generally it was passed down from Guru (teacher) to student. In fact, for thousands of years that’s how all Yoga was taught.

Now we do have Internet, and the veils have been pulled aside. In Kundalini Yoga asana, pranayama, and meditation are all bundled up together. “Regular” Yoga, for instance, has you practice asana, then pranayama, then meditation. Kundalini may have you do asana, pranayama, and meditation all in one pose.

Many poses have movement in them, or involve holding your legs or arms up for fairly long periods of time. It can be very challenging physically, and sometimes triggering mentally. It can also help tone your body all over — especially in areas we don’t get to as much as we should, like our core, lower back, and hamstrings.

Why am I doing a 40 day Kriya?
I didn’t really have that intention when I picked up my book. I guess my intuition guided me to try something different. You can practice Kundalini Yoga without doing a 40 Day Kriya.

I settled on a Kriya for energy. Because I feel as though I’m always lacking energy. You know what? I definitely felt better after I practiced that particular Kriya! That’s why I decided to just keep going with it.

My teacher advises not judging a Kundalini pose/Kriya on how you feel during, but how you feel after (sound familiar, runners?).

Final Thoughts
I don’t really recommend that you just search YouTube for Kundalini videos. You can trust Brett’s videos.

Committing to something — much like running a long distance race — can give you such a sense of accomplishment when you finish. Some days you’ll be excited and some days you really won’t want to do it, but in the end, you just know that you’re going to come away a changed person — in a good way.

Does this just sound really bizarre to you or interesting?

When have you committed to doing something for some amount of time (not running!)?

What did you gain from that commitment?

I Feel the Need for Speed . . .

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 24 Comments

 

New runners often have two concerns:

  • How do I get faster?
  • When will I feel like I’m not dying?

The not dying question is usually answered simply: slow down! Getting faster? That’s more complicated.

Here are a few things you can try. Disclaimer: I am not a running coach, and I am not going into detail here, just letting you know there are options for you, even as a beginner runner.

Strides
Strides are pretty simple: somewhere during your run, you take roughly 20-30 seconds and you run almost at a sprint pace. Then you take it easy to recover, and repeat several times. I like to do this after I’ve completed my run, but it can be used as a warmup or even in the middle of the run to pick up the pace a bit, which is why Strides can also be called Pickups.

Run/Walk Intervals
Right now you’re probably spluttering: I want to run — I don’t want to walk! The genius behind using run/walk intervals is that it helps to hold off fatigue. Sure, you’re probably going to get tired at some point, but not as soon as you will if running your entire run.

Run/Walk is great for beginners because it also allows your body to become accustomed to running — you may feel ruining fast is great, but your body needs time to adjust to that pounding.

Check out:

Yes, if you run, you’re a runner. Even if you run/walk. I have run/walk for most of my running.

Fartleks
Fartlek roughly translate as “speed play”. Pick an object and run fast towards it. Then walk or run slower to the next object to recover. Repeat. You can also just run fast for time rather than picking objects to run between. I love to pick a row of trees and run fast to the next tree, walk or run slowly to the next, and so on. Mailboxes and lightposts work well, too.

The difference between Fartleks and Strides is that there is no consistent time you’re running fast in a fartlek– it’s really by feel and totally up to you.

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Hill Repeats
I don’t really recommend hill repeats for a brand new runner. Hill repeats can be used in place of speed work, though. I actually enjoy hill repeats; there’s something about “conquering” a hill.

You simply run up a hill at a slightly faster pace, then walk or run slowly back down the hill to recover. Repeat several times. Start with just a few, and build up the repeats over time.

Final Thoughts
New runners really shouldn’t worry about pace. While running may be simple, it’s not easy for many people in the beginning. Even if it feels easy, it takes your body time to adapt to running.

I highly suggest joining a running group to get off on the right foot (although I didn’t when I began running). Better yet consider hiring a running coach! Yes, even new runners can benefit from a coach. Especially new runners!

I stand by saying “new runners shouldn’t worry about pace”, but inevitably, they do. They worry about having no one to run with. They worry about coming in last in a race. Start running worrying more about form and taking care of your body, though, and you just might become a runner for life. — Chocolaterunsjudy

I love to train and keep trying to improve via training, but in the end, pace isn’t what keeps me running. Getting out in nature, getting in touch with my body, jump starting my creativity, and those feel-good endorphins are the things that keep me running.

What would you tell a new runner about speed?

Did you just start to run on your own, or did you use a group or an app? 

What other advice to you have for new runners about getting faster? 

btuesdaytopics

Linking up with Zenaida Arroyo and Kim @ Kookyrunner

This week I am also joining up with the new Runners’ Roundup linkup.

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Close Encounters . . .: 9/7 – 13 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 39 Comments

. . . The Cat Edition

It was a busy week with going back and forth to a friend’s house for four days to take care of her cats. Just in the mornings! She told me I was unlikely to see either of the cats — will she or won’t she? That’s in the favorites!

bwrd

Joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and reaching peak week for the Dempsey Challenge.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (20 min), 3 miles easy, Dogwalk, Yoga (60 min)
  • Tuesday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, Peloton Bootcamp ST + 1.5+ mile, Yoga (40 min)
  • Wednesday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, Filmed Yoga Video (20 min), Yoga (15 min)
  • Thursday: Yoga (20 min), Dogwalk, 2.5 Progressive TM miles, Yoga (20 min)
  • Friday: Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, PB Walking + Toning (25 min), Yoga
  • Saturday:  Yoga (30 min), Dogwalk, Yoga (20 min)
  • Sunday: Yoga (20 min), 9 mile LSD

Mileage: 16 (+2)

JY = Jasyoga
PB = Killer B
TM = Treadmill
YFR = Yoga for Runners*
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike
YFPR = Yoga for Pain Relief
YTU = Yoga Tune Up Lower Body*

*Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate links; I will make a small amount of money if you buy through these links

Running Update

A new rainbow

Monday intention: take it easy; no really!
Another great morning to run with a nice breeze! Running is definitely less “I have to” and more “I choose to” now. Since I was planning a bootcamp tomorrow (aka a hard effort), I really wanted to keep it easy. Despite the negative splits, I kept it mostly in zone 2 for my HR. So yes, an easy effort.

Tuesday intention: get stronger!
A shorter Peloton bootcamp (45 min) today. My running portions of this bootcamp were mostly straight running, so I got in a little extra running by doing it and of course strength work as well. Just a teeny bit sore the next day, but no real DOMs like last week.

Thursday intention: work on speed
I took a Peloton progressive run. I had several errands in the morning, and it rained a lot of the morning and into the afternoon (and was very humid afterwards). I am proud of this run because I ran the whole 30 minutes, while continuing to increase the speed (I’ve been doing run/walk this summer). Not that the pace was ever blistering, but proud of staying the course — even though that wasn’t really what I set out to do!

First pumpkin sightings in the neighborhood

Sunday intention: smile every mile
Another nice day to run, with a breeze and clouds, and cooler temps. So nice to be able to get ready without rushing. Still #allthehills! I did, indeed, smile every mile, although some were tougher than others, I won’t lie. I walked up some (not all) of the hills. My virtual 10k in a couple of weeks will be partially in the neighborhood (slight inclines & declines) and then roughly 5k running downhill. Then it’s time for a small break from running!

The “brave” cat — NOT!

Favorites of the week
As you can see above, obviously I did see one of the cats. Actually, on the last day I saw both cats. On the third day I opened my eyes and there was one of the cats. No photos, because I can’t turn off the shutter click on my phone and I knew the noise would spook her. She was the shyer cat, as it turns out!

She circled around me completely a couple of times, keeping her distance. Then she’d sit down somewhere. This happened a few more times, with her getting just a little bit closer each time. I knew that she wasn’t actually going to come up to me this visit, so after she walked off the third time, I quietly got up and left.

The next day the other cat was on the stairs. He was supposedly the braver cat. I got a toy to play with him, but that spooked him. However, my friend, the female, came and circled me again. This time I was armed with a toy. I got her to play for a while! I never did get to pet either one, and I also noticed they never meowed at me. No purring either. It’s been almost two years since Giz passed, however, so even this close encounter with cats was fun (since I can’t teach Cat Yoga right now).

I’ll drive, Ma!

When I put Lola’s supplements onto the passenger seat, Lola hopped into the driver’s seat (she rides in the back).

Bandit sunning

We had what could be our last days warm enough to bathe the dogs, so we did. Bandit oddly seemed to enjoy it (he doesn’t usually). Lola, as usual, tolerated it.

Any exciting virtual races you’re training for — or even a “real” race?

Have you had to break out jackets and tights (not necessarily for running, but just walking around)? I’ve only had to do it a couple of times for walking.

What is one thing you’re proud you did this week? 

GWYT Pre Run Yin1

ICYMI: A “short” Yin Yoga practice to warm you up for a run. This actually ran a lot longer than I’d anticipated — so I have two more videos I’ll be uploading this week that get progressively shorter; keep an eye out for that! Watch this first Yin Yoga Warmup here. All of these practices are great post run, too.

On the blog, I shared a post about running cards — what I would put on them if I made some. I invited you to say what you would put on yours. You can see what people commented on that post here.

Also, if you’re lacking in motivation, I shared my ABCs of Motivation — again, I invited readers to share theirs. Quite a few played along and if you read the comments you’re sure to pick up some motivation here!

Coming up on Tuesday: Ways you *might* get faster if you’re a new runner. On Friday I’m sharing something I started recently — almost on a whim.

Playing Cards for Running

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 8 Comments

brunningcards

Did you know that there are card decks for all sorts of topics? Yes, I have a few different card decks for Yoga. I have a couple for positive affirmations. Imagine my surprise, though, when I went looking for running card decks and came up empty.

Fairytales and Fitness

So I decided to just make a few running cards. Not a whole deck (maybe someday?), but just a few. Feel free to right click (PC) and save them if you want.

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If you run, you’re a runner

bcard2
Celebrate every finish line!

bcard3
Find the good in every run/race

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Smile! Your run will feel easier!

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Will run for chocolate!

Enjoy!

Running isn’t always serious!
It’s always good to put a little fun into our running — and into our days! If you had a whole deck, you could pick a card at random every day. Maybe we need a famous runner deck with short bios? That would actually be a fun project.

Do you have any fun decks of cards you use?

What quote would you like on a running card?

How do you put the fun in your running?

The ABCs of Motivation

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 30 Comments

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Motivation comes and motivation goes. Sometimes we’re super focused and dedicated, and other times we just want to pull the covers over our heads. That’s normal!

If you find your motivation slipping, though, and you really want to get it back, just turn to the alphabet.

Always have a Goal
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with running for fun, but if you do find yourself in a rut, a goal can help you find your running mojo again. Especially if it’s a goal for someone else. I’m not sure why we tend to work harder for someone else, and more easily blow things off when it’s just us, but we do!

backlit dawn foggy friendship
Be Kind to Yourself | Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com

Be Kind to Yourself
Kindness can take many forms:

  • Cutting a bad run short
  • Taking that rest day
  • Not worrying about pace
  • Skipping a long run when you’re burnt out
  • Running with friends

There’s nothing wrong with cutting yourself a little slack when you’re just not feeling it. Cutting back might just be the answer to finding your mojo again.

Compare Yourself only to Yourself
The comparison game never ends well. Running may come easily to some people, but you can bet there’s another area of their life they’re struggling with. You can’t change your age, or your body type — even your energy level on any given day!

When all else fails . . .

. . . Reward Yourself!

People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily. — Zig Ziglar

Final thoughts
I almost said Consistency for “C”. If you are consistent, then fitness becomes a habit. It’s like driving home. You turn the same way you always do — even sometimes when you meant to take a different route!

You may lose your motivation from time to time, but an ingrained habit can be hard to break.

Can you think of other ABCs for motivation?

What keeps you motivated? 

What’s your number one, never fails motivation tip? 

btuesdaytopics

Linking up with Zenaida Arroyo and Kim @ Kookyrunner

This week I am also joining up with the new Runners’ Roundup linkup.

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Best Swag of 2020!: Tea/coffee Date September 2020

~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 36 Comments

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Pull up a chair and mug with Coco and Deborah and me and a bunch of bloggers for the ultimate coffee tea date: My mug was way overdue for an update!

Best swag of 2020 so far

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I would share with you again the cool mug I earned by four hot, sweaty, buggy trail runs in July. Well, three, I caved on the last one because they were mostly so miserable and just folded it into a long run. I do love this mug though, so it’s my new Ultimate “Coffee” mascot.

Do they stay or do they go?

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that this house was supposed to a be temporary home. It was a temporary appointment for Mr. Judy. That was 12 years ago (he still has 5 years to go to match our temporary move to TX). Landscaping wasn’t a big priority at first, but with all the time at home in 2020 we are trying a little harder. We’ll see what survives Winter.

I’m usually good at looking up which plants are toxic to dogs before we buy, but I didn’t do that with the Black Eye’d Susans. I’m seeing conflicting info. What to do? However, as I was researching that, I did find out that the Aloe plant I bought a few months ago is most definitely highly toxic to dogs. Which is weird, because aloe gel can be very soothing for them. It’s been moved.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you we’re moving into Fall, which means Winter is coming (we watched Game of Thrones this Summer), which means getting in movement is harder and harder.

I’ve finally been motivated to get in some more movement to my days — some days. More solo walks. More walking on my side trips to my mom. I balance that out with some rest days, too, because I know I need that. I don’t have much longer to easily get in that extra movement — not sure why I waited so long.

Oh yeah, hot, humid, buggy Summer!

We have a sunflower “field” in our own neighborhood!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell we’ve been watching these flowers grow all Summer. They tilled 3 rows outside their fenced in yard, which seemed weird. It kind of looks like flowers with herbs planted between rows of flowers. Did they just not want their dogs to eat the flowers? Inquiring minds want to know!

Flowers & herbs?

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that you already know that I’m constantly losing things. Constantly. Little things. Big things. This one might be the biggest one yet: an entire sheet set.

I’ve been chipping away at the house all year, decluttering, reorganizing . . . and every time I reorganize it seems I can’t remember where I reorganized things. The sheet set was in a different laundry bag. Thanks to running, I have a ton of “laundry bags”.

Have you been ramping it up in Summer, or waiting for cooler days?

Ever had a temporary home that lasted for years? 

Do you use those bags we get as swag as laundry bags? What do you use them for?

I am also linking up with:

I am also linking up with the  Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness from Fairytales & Fitness.

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