Week in Review - 2/26

After last Sunday's painful 5-hour run, I decided I needed to step back from training for at least a week to give my knee a little time to settle down. It was so twingy both Sunday afternoon and Monday, that I was afraid it was something worse. I even wore a skirt on Monday, so I could slip on a compression sleeve for a few hours.

I skipped my strength workouts this week, too. Don't freak out! I still got in some good yoga videos, so I still feel really good about the week.

Unrelated, my little brother welcomed a little boy into the world Friday morning. I live so far away, so I won't get to meet the little guy for awhile, but I was so excited to receive a text from him Friday morning letting me know Teddy had arrived and momma was doing well. I have another brother that is expecting to welcome another little guy this coming week. Exciting!! 👶 👶 👶

Edit: My other brother welcomed his baby boy on Saturday night, but I didn't hear anything until Monday morning. So excited for both my brothers. :-)

Staying Fit in Sin City

I love living in Las Vegas! The lights, the glamour. The overindulgence.

It's a fabulous city, but isn't exactly a place synonymous with healthy. Being a local for several years now, I have learned a few ways to make your visit to the Las Vegas Strip a bit healthier.

Walk. Everywhere.

Skip the taxis, Ubers, and Lyfts. Instead slip on a pair of comfy shoes and walk, walk, walk. No better way to see the Strip and really experience Las Vegas (a.k.a. people watch) than on your feet. If you're a step counter, you'll quickly see that number skyrocket.

Be forewarned that while some of the casinos seem relatively close together on the map, they are deceivingly far apart. I definitely recommend good walking shoes.

Run the Strip.

This is one of my favorite things to do in Las Vegas! I live about a mile from the Strip and run it at least every couple months. I love it because it also incorporates a lot of stairs with all the pedestrian bridges, so I feel like I get an even better workout.

If you do this, I recommend going early in the morning. 6AM is the sweet spot, but I wouldn't go much later than 8 or 9, or you'll be dealing with large crowds. It's about 4 miles from the Stratosphere to Mandalay Bay, so you could easily get in any distance up to 8 miles. If you're looking for an even longer run, take it all the way downtown. It's about 6.5 miles from the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign to the Fremont Street Experience.

Make your visit to Las Vegas a bit healthier with these tips from @EnjoytheCourse.

Do a Stairs Workout.

There are a LOT of pedestrian bridges along the Strip to help the flow of traffic. They make for a nice and convenient workout, too. Here's my favorite stairs workout at the Wynn / Fashion Show Mall. It goes up and down escalators and stairs and crosses a bridge over the Strip.

Again, I'd recommend doing this early in the morning. Not staying in this part of the Strip? I'm sure you could come up with a similar workout using any of the other many pedestrian bridges.

Go for a Hike.

You could do an Indoor Hike at the Aria (after you've clicked to their site, hit the + symbol at the bottom of the fitness section to see all their fitness services). I've never done this but it sounds fun. This is not just a simple walk through the resort. It's a guided tour of the Aria's art collection as well. Your guide also throws in push-ups, squats, and other fun exercises. You will definitely get in a good sweat, according to this review in the Review-Journal. A little spendy for this girl, this indoor hike/tour of the Aria costs about $50, but I believe it also gets you access to the spa.

There are numerous excellent hikes off the Strip as well. The most popular is probably Red Rock National Conservation Area, which is gorgeous and only $7 per vehicle entrance fee. Of course, you'd likely need to rent a car, taxi, Uber, or Lyft, since it's about half an hour from the Strip. There are so many more places to hike as well, but all would require transportation off the Strip.

Take a Fitness Class.

Most of the resorts have a Spa and/or Fitness Center that offers a variety of fitness classes. You could do Dolphin Yoga ($50) at the Mirage or learn to pole dance at Stripper 101 ($39.99-$149.99) at Planet Hollywood.

We all know that staying fit is more than just exercise. What's the saying? You can't outrun a bad diet.

Well, Vegas has you covered in this respect, too. Many restaurants on the Strip have healthier options. Just peek at the menu before deciding which restaurant to dine at. If you don't see something that meets your needs, move along to one that does.

YES! You CAN eat healthy while visiting Fabulous Las Vegas! Check out these healthy gems that @EnjoytheCourse found.

I don't actually eat out that often, but I did a search for healthy eating in Las Vegas and found these gems.

The Juice Standard, in the Cosmopolitan. If you're into the juice craze, this is THE place to go on the Strip. Maybe even if you're not. 😉 They have juices, nut milks, & smoothies. Cocktails. Salads/wraps, toasts, & other snacks.
Harvest by Roy Ellamar, at the Bellagio. Only open for dinner, this is Farm to Table goodness. Everything sounds so good. Some options, of course, are healthier than others.
Mon Ami Gabi, in Paris. This came up on a few different lists of healthy options. I think mostly due to the variety of seafood.
Bruxie, at The Park. Their menu is filled with lots of decadence, but their killer salads look divine!
Nordstrom's Marketplace Cafe, in the Fashion Show Mall. Lots of delicious options! Plus their menu shows calories for each item, so you know what you're getting into.
Vegenation, Downtown. I threw in one off-the-Strip option, but still tourist-friendly. 😊 This is one I really need to try! They are 100% plant-based and support local farms. Win-win.

Ok. Now, I'm officially HUNGRY!
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While you're in Fabulous Las Vegas, be sure to also check out Vegas.com for great deals on hotels, shows, tours, and more!

Fun fact: In June it will be 5 years since I came to Las Vegas on vacation and never left! That's just crazy to me because it seems like just yesterday. Of course, most people do make it back home after a trip to Sin City. 😉

Have you ever been to Las Vegas?
What's your favorite tip for staying fit while traveling?

I'm linking up with Angela for Sunday Fitness & Food.

Week in Review - 2/19

Ugh. This definitely wasn't one of my best weeks. My body must have needed some rest, cuz that's what it got this week.

Before I get into my review of the week, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who entered my giveaway for a StrideBox.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Please watch for an email from me, so I can get a StrideBox out to you.

Running Love: Reasons I Love Run

Happy Valentine's Day... and Tuesday!

Today's topic for Tuesday's on the Run is... (no surprise)... Stuff I love about running.

Obviously, I love so. much. about running.

Here are a few reasons why I love to run.

In no particular order.

Running clothes are super cute and comfy. Next to yoga clothes, I'm not sure anything beats running clothes. At least the stuff I buy. I mean, I get by without wearing a bra or undies - cuz they come built it. 😏

Running makes me happy and feel alive. There's just something about getting that heart pumping and sweat flowing. It brings an energy that just makes me smile. Yes, even when it hurts - though sometimes not exactly in the moment.

Running allows me to have lots of little personal victories. It's such a personal sport where you can challenge yourself to go just a tiny bit further - in time, distance, pace. You name it! It's 100% customizable, and when you've pushed yourself and beaten even the tiniest of goals, you just feel so. damn. good!

Running gets me outside. If it weren't for running, I'd hardly leave my house. I certainly wouldn't explore my neighborhood as much as I do. It's a great excuse to get out there and enjoy the weather. Sun, rain, snow, clouds. I've learned to find beauty and joy in it all.

Running can be done anywhere. I'm not going to lie. I'm sometimes a pretty lazy runner. I love that I can just lace up and run from right out my front door. Or if I'm travelling wish I could do this more often! I can run in the neighborhood of the hotel/resort. Never forget to pack the running shoes!!
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Despite all of the above, sometimes running is hard and we need to remind ourselves of not only why we love it, but how to enjoy it. Be sure to check out my tips to make every run enjoyable for those runs when you're not feeling the love.

Don't forget to visit our TOTR hostesses - Marcia, Patty, and Erika - to read more posts about running love.

Why do you love running?
What makes you wanna lace up those shoes and get out there?
Doing anything fun for Valentine's Day?

Week in Review - 2/12 + A Giveaway

My knees are still bothering me a bit, but it didn't stop me from running about 18.5 miles yesterday. More on that below.

I've decided to rethink my ultra training plan. I was planning on running both Saturday and Sunday each weekend, but after my knees started hurting me last weekend, I decided just one long weekend run would probably be better. So, now I'm thinking a long run on Saturdays, an easy recovery run on Mondays, and another run on Thursdays (tempo?).

Friday Five 2.0 - Love

I'm taking a sick day today. I haven't been feeling tiptop the last few days, so I figured a day off from work would do me some good.

I haven't been as good at blogging since I started ultra training. I've been pretty tired and sore and focused on training.

But since I'm home from work today and came across this quote, I thought it was perfect for this week's Friday Five 2.0.

With Valentine's Day coming up next week, it's no surprise that this week's topic for Friday Five 2.0 is Love.

Five⁺ Ways to Love Yourself

1. Take a rest day. That's what I'm doing today. I'm looking forward to doing absolutely nothing today, with a nap or two sprinkled in.

2. Go outside. Soak up some Vitamin D. Take a hike or go for a run. Or simply sit in a park and read a book.

3. Have a spa day. If you can, go to an actual spa. Or, if you're a penny pincher, like me, have a DIY spa day. Soak your feet in warm water with Epsom salt. Take a bubble bath with your favorite music and candlelight. Paint your nails.

4. Make a list of things that make you happy. Reminding yourself of what makes you happy will feel like a big hug and certainly make you feel loved. Back in 2013, I made such a list. It still makes me smile.

5. Laugh. They say laughter is the best medicine, and I tend to agree. Laughter can make you feel all warm and fuzzy.

Plus. Do Yoga! We hold so much emotion in our tight muscles, and releasing it is a great way to give yourself some love. Even if you're not very good at yoga, or don't consider yourself a yogi, take some time to stretch. Or have a date with a foam roller.

Now I'm off to relish in my rest day. And maybe do a couple other things on this list.
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Be sure to stop by Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness to see what everyone else is loving on today.

Week in Review - 2/05

So, my knee started bugging me on today's run. I definitely need to give it some TLC this week, i.e. lots of foam rolling and compression and stretching.

I'm also trying to eat better. I used to never really worry about nutrition, thinking that my exercise was good enough. I know the saying, You can't outrun a bad diet. And I believe it, but I just didn't think my eating was all that bad.

But with ultra training, I decided I needed to think of food as fuel. So, I downloaded the My Fitness Pal app (which I hadn't used since 2009) and was shocked by what I was lacking. I hope to write a post on that later. Maybe this coming week.