Running

Hot Mama Maternity Workout Wear

Jul182013

I am SO excited about today’s post! My beautiful friend Raven is visiting from her incredible blog, Cheers to New Beginnings!, to talk to us about what she is loving in the world of maternity workout clothes. I love living vicariously through this girl and the amazing adventures her and her husband have been on while living abroad. I can’t wait to hear all about her newest adventure – motherhood! Thanks so much, Raven, for visiting and giving all those pregnant mamas out there some amazing options! — Ashley

Let me begin by thanking the lovely and talented author of The Mommy Games for asking me to write this guest post. I’m honored and delighted. I write a blog myself, though quite different from The Mommy Games. My husband, Jon, and I are currently American expats living in Brussels, Belgium, and I started my blog in 2010 to document our lives and experiences as expats. Though mostly travel related, of late, the blog has been dotted with a few momma-to-be posts as Jon and I eagerly anticipate the arrival of our first bundle of joy in a few short weeks (August 2nd). Pregnancy definitely has its challenges, and one that tends to present itself most every day is clothing. Looking presentable, and shall I even say cute – while avoiding looking frumpy and whale-like – on a “reasonable” budget can be mentally daunting.

As a former college athlete and regular at the local gym, I have done my best to maintain some level of fitness throughout my pregnancy through a variety of activities. The hardest question at times, though, was what to wear! As the running tights and spinning shorts became uncomfortably tight and the tank tops a bit too short, I turned to the following items, which have been a mainstay in my wardrobe of late:

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· Filed Under: Looking Good, Mommy Know How, Mommy Must Haves, Running · Tagged With: clothes, guest post, maternity, what to wear, workout wear

Hot Mama Summer Workout Wear

Jun272013

You know those women who show up to the gym dressed to the nines? Full on hair and make-up and outfits that look more appropriate on a runway than a treadmill? Yep, I am so not one of those. I look for function first and foremost from my workout clothes, and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve worn make-up to the gym (probably leftover from a late night before).

But since having kids, my schedule has become significantly more packed, and sometimes it’s just easier to dress for a workout early and hope to squeeze it in at some point before dinner. This means that I’m probably going to be running errands, taking the kids to classes or the playground, and doing a number of other things that will require that I run into a least a handful of people I know. And I probably don’t want to look a hot mess.

Thank goodness so many fitness apparel lines realized many women have the same issue, and have come up with some amazing options. Here’s what I’m living in this summer:

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· Filed Under: Looking Good, Mommy, Mommy Must Haves, Running · Tagged With: athleta, clothes, hot weather, lululemon, mommy, nike, running, saucony, summer, workout gear

How to Start Stroller Running

Jun132013

“How in the heck do you run with that thing?!” is a question I get all too often. People see me toting the kids to and from in our ginormous (at least by NYC standards) running stroller and can’t believe I push it around the grocery store, let alone run with it. But with school out for summer, many moms, myself included, find getting in their workouts difficult. Stroller running is an awesome way to get in your cardio while the kids get fresh air. You are also showing them first hand what leading a healthy lifestyle looks like. I like to track the miles I run with my kids and can’t wait to tell them that they’ve “run” 1,000 miles or something similar when they are old enough to understand.

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· Filed Under: Mommy, Mommy Know How, Running, Stroller Running · Tagged With: kids, mommy, running, running stroller, working out

Oakley NY Mini 10K Race Recap and Thoughts on Goal Setting

Jun82013

I am not a goal setter. Well, at least not a very aggressive one. I like to set attainable goals that I know are within reach, then pleasantly surprise myself with better results. I know this flies in the face of every motivating philosophy out there, but it’s worked for me, especially when it comes to running. Running is supposed to be fun and beneficial in a zillion different ways that have nothing to do with a particular time. Running keeps me healthy and sane, and it would do exactly the same thing whether I ran 7:30 paced miles or 7:20. Don’t get me wrong, I’m competitive (sometimes to a fault), but I don’t like to add fuel to that fire by giving voice to my big goals. I like keeping running in a stress free bubble most of the time.

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· Filed Under: Race Recap, Running · Tagged With: 10k, goal setting, mother runner, race, race recap, running

Brooklyn Half Marathon Race Recap

May192013

This past Saturday, I ran the Brooklyn half marathon for the first time. This race has gotten a lot of hype, enough so to have convinced me to venture off Manhattan at the crack of dawn (I hardly leave the UWS, so this was a serious jaunt). My initial plan was to treat this as a hard long run, but not go for a PR. I’m targeting a 10-k in a few weeks and didn’t want to lose training time recovering this week. Well, that went out the window in like the first mile. Here’s how it went down:

Miles 1-3 (5k in 22:54) – The weather was beyond perfect. Slightly cool and overcast. I don’t remember ever being too hot which was a huge blessing because I definitely had been skimping on the pre-race hydration. We jumped in a car around 5:45 to head over to the start and ended up with plenty of time. My friend and I had planned on running together, and I had hung back in her coral with her so that we could. Ultimately, there was no one checking corals and we all ended up pushing our way towards the front anyways, so it wouldn’t have mattered. Did anyone else find it strange that they talked up the security measures so much, but this was the first race where I didn’t even see people manning corrals or hardly anyone at the start? We never felt unsafe, but I was prepared to have more of a hassle getting lined up, when in fact it was the most relaxed of any of the nyrr races I’ve run.

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· Filed Under: Running · Tagged With: Brooklyn, half marathon, race, running

Run for the Parks 4-Miler Race Recap

Apr222013

We are trying something a little different, so if you are here for the food and mommy talk, be sure to check back later in the week!

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m going to start touching on my running a bit here, so let’s kick it off with a race recap from a run I did with my husband yesterday. The last time I did this race was actually back in 2005 when I was in the city interning. It’s funny because most of my old race times are under my maiden name, so I got a clean slate when I officially changed my last name. I still like to look back and see how much I’ve improved though (especially since I was doing more partying than running back in those days and my times definitely reflected it!). The weather was a little chilly but an overall gorgeous day. NYRR had us all wear “I run for Boston” bibs on our backs, and tons of people were dressed in the blue and gold of the Boston Marathon. I was nearly brought to tears when the woman who sung the national anthem, a native Bostonian, started choking up. I think everyone felt the weight of what had transpired last Monday, and it was definitely an emotional moment. It felt good to be at the starting line, honoring Boston, even in the smallest way.

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· Filed Under: Running · Tagged With: central park, New York City, race recap, racing

I’m a Runner

Apr182013

I’m a runner. Many of you already know this, but after the events on Monday, I feel compelled to not only proclaim it on my blog, but to scream it to the world. I have never before been more proud of my sport than seeing the amazing way the running community has come together in this time of tragedy. I get chills just thinking about it. We are a tough, committed, and loving group and I feel so blessed to be a part of this incredible way of life. Running embraces all abilities. It changes lives. I don’t think there is any way to measure the amount of joy, health, and healing the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other has afforded its participants, and those who love them.

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· Filed Under: Running · Tagged With: boston marathon, running

Winter Stroller Running

Dec92012

It might be cold out side, but mommy still needs to get in her run! There’s only so many treadmill miles you can log before the monotony starts to get old. So let’s talk about how to keep your little ones comfy and warm while you get your miles in outside.

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