*REVIEW* Classpass hit Boston!

"Wow! I really want to try that new spin studio in town, but I don't want to dive in for a full membership." "I wish I could shop around to find the perfect yoga studio for me."

"Hmm my gym doesn't offer the boot camp variety I need in my workouts."

Have you ever said any of the statements listed above? I know I have.

And apparently Classpass was listening!

What is Classpass you may be wondering?

ClassPass is a monthly service that gives its members access to the best studios in their city. For $99 a month, members get 10 classes to be used to visit any studio of their choice up to 3 times per month. 

We want fitness to be accessible and approachable. We want fitness minded people to be able to meet like-minded individuals; where a thriving community and support system can become established.

I was psyched when Classpass reached out to me and asked if I wanted to test out the service. You bet I did!

(Note: While I was giving a complimentary month to Classpass, all thoughts and reviews of studios are my own!)

For $99 a month, you have 10 classes to use at more than 50 fitness studios in and around the Boston area (Spin, pilates, yoga, bootcamp, Zumba, etc), BUT you cannot attend a single studio (no matter how many locations they have) more than 3 times during that month.

The latest studios added to the Classpass website

Reserving classes on the site is simple.

Reserve a class by clicking on one of the venues, and then selecting the class you would like to reserve. Press the “reserve” button next to the class and confirm your reservation, and you’ll be added to the list! You do not need to bring a voucher or print out to class — just bring a photo id. 

New classes are added to ClassPass everyday at noon. Classes are available to be booked on ClassPass for one week in advance.

Now you will be penalized $20 if you do NOT cancel a class reservation at least 24 hours in advance AND you lose one of your 10 classes for the month.

I understand why they do this, but it was a bummer for me as I got injured the night before two afternoon classes and had to cancel. But it was within 24 hours of the classes so I had to pay $40 AND lost 2 of my 10 trials. Boo!! I wish they understood that last minute illnesses and injuries happen.

Currently Classpass is available in Boston, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. I am hearing rumblings that Chicago might be one of the next to get the feature.

***

Let's get to the classes themselves. I was able to use 7 of my 10 classes after 3 were nixed due to canceling last minute. :/

I wanted to use this opportunity to test out the many Spin studios Boston has to offer.

--

My first stop was an easy choice: Flywheel at the Prudential Center. I made sure to attend a class with my friend and Tedy's Team mate Melinda would be teaching.

A single ride will cost you $28, but the first ride is always free at Flywheel.

Now I had attended one Flywheel class before Classpass which you can read about here. Flywheel is an experience of it's own. I would recommend this studio to everyone.

Having the torq board really sets the studio apart from the others. You feel an entire body workout when you walk out the door.

I had to do a 1 hr and 45 minute training ride for my half ironman so I took a double one Wednesday morning with Melinda.

Ohh boy! It was awesome to see how many others did the double as well.

Wins

^ First class is free!

^ Free cycling shoes to all participants (and I did see them disinfecting them in between classes)

^ Padded bike seat covers available

^ Torq board

^ Secure Lockers

^ Showers available

Losses

^ With Classpass, you don't get to choose your bike - it is automatically reserved for you

--> I would definitely go back to this studio!

--

Next up on the Spin studio tour was The Handle Bar at the Fenway Park location.

The Handle Bar Indoor Cycling Studio has two locations: South End and the newer Fenway Park.

A single class at the studio will run you $20. Shoe rental is $2 (unless you are an unlimited rider member then it is free)

I registered for a Wednesday afternoon class, where we were greeted by a substitute instructor named Lena. I had no idea what to expect at the studio and wasn't offered much advice when heading into the studio.

Thankfully I knew how to set my own bike up since I couldn't grab the instructor's attention for help. She started right into the class and I felt lost.

Now I have taken many a Spin class, but this was the first where I couldn't follow along. A majority of the class was pushups and ab work while cycling. So while it was a GREAT calorie burn, I didn't feel like it was a great Spin workout.

I couldn't hear the cues from the instructor so I had to rely on the other participants to get the flow down.

Upon finishing the class, I thought I would never walk into a Handle Bar class again.

After seeing my thoughts on social media I was contacted by the owner Jess who was upset to hear about my experience. She assures me not all classes are like that and would like me to come back and try a different class. So I will do that and follow up with everyone.

Wins

^ Good calorie burn

^ Intimate studio

^ Fast-paced music

Losses

^ Cubbies instead of lockers

^ Lack of instruction

^ Unfriendly desk staff

^ Pay for shoe rental

--> Based on this experience I would not go back, but I will give another instructor a chance thanks to Jess' offer.

--

B Spoke Studios in Downtown Crossing (Federal St) would be my third Spin studio.

A single class would run you $27, but your first visit to the studio is free.

B Spoke Studios had a beautiful bathroom with showers.

Photo Courtesy B Spoke

And good bathroom mirrors for selfies :P

They had complimentary spin shoe rental, but I did not see them disinfecting the shoes between classes. Thankfully I had brought my own shoes just in case.

After putting my backpack away in the secure lockers, I grabbed a free water (17oz - free to all participants) and headed into the studio.

Photo Courtesy B Spoke

I was warned ahead of time that the instructor had an appointment after class and it would be ending about 5 minutes early. If I had paid the $27 I would've been irked.

B Spoke liked to pack a full-body workout - cardio, hand weights, core work - into a 45-minute class.

Feel the beat, clear your head, and prepare to sweat

As I said the class was cut short, but I liked the more Spin focused workout while adding in pushups and core work. We did sprints, hills and jumps.

Nadia, the instructor, did a great job of calling out the cues, making sure everyone's bike was set up correctly and keeping us motivated during the ride.

Wins

^ First class is free!

^ Free bottles of water

^ Complimentary spin shoe rental

^ Secure Lockers

^ Showers

Losses

^ Didn't see shoes being disinfected

^ Not as many classes offered (they are working on including more in the Fall)

--> I would definitely go back to this studio!

--

Final studio on my Classpass tour was Recycle Studio on Newbury St.

A single ride is $22. Oh and I just saw on their website that a new rider can get a full "welcome week" for $30. Wow! That's a good deal.

Photo courtesy Recycle Studio

I chose to take a Rebalance Ride one Friday morning.

REBALANCE is made for those who are looking to regain balance through a sweaty, dynamic class with lots of out of the saddle movement. The 45 minute ride will focus on core work/posture which is often overlooked in traditional classes. Get those abs and legs fired up and sweat it out.

The studio is located on the fourth floor of a building on Newbury Street.

Recycle Studio is Boston’s first indoor cycling studio. Here we ride to the beat, choreograph a full body workout and get lost in time. Our studios don’t have clocks, we ride in candle light and sweat with strength.

It has a small changing area with cubbies.

And a great mirror for selfies!

They do a great job of utilizing the space they have and including an area for their classes (yoga,private training, etc) and the studio room itself.

As mentioned above the class is taught to candle light. Anni, the instructor, did a great job checking in with newbies before the class making sure we knew there would be "choreography" and that she would make sure to explain it before the class. She did a great job calling out the moves and I felt up-to-speed the entire ride.

Anni did a great job blending the upper body/core work with a great Spin class of hills, jumps and sprints. I was dripping with sweat afterwards and feeling a full-body workout.

The weights track focused on little movements, which gave me flashbacks of my Pure Barre classes.

Having the lights off really took the focus off the time of the class and put it onto the ride and movements. It was a great way to kick off a Friday morning.

Wins

^ Intimate studio

^ Great instruction

^ Good blend of arms/core and spin work

^ Lights off took focus off the clock

Losses

^ No bike reservation

^ No showers

--> I would go to this studio again!

--

But there is more to Classpass and Boston than Spin studios. I had planned on trying a yoga class and two Zumba classes, but had to cancel those due to injury.

I was however able to make my Barry's Bootcamp class with Sarah of SarahFit.com.

A single class is $28.

I took Sarah's Butt & Legs 1-hour bootcamp class on a Tuesday morning. Sarah did a great job taking us on a quick tour and then explaining how the class would work. On that day we would be doing two circuits: treadmill, bench/weight/floor work ... and repeat!

As someone who doesn't do a lot of weight training (I know I know), I was worried especially since my left hamstring was still hurting. Sarah was great about showing me adjustments to the moves so that I could still take part.

It was a great environment where I realized no one was looking at how deep my squats were or that I was using lighter weights than everyone else. Each person was focusing on their own movements.

Plus Sarah gave great ranges when working on treadmill sprints so everyone felt included. I was pretty proud of the progress I made on the sprints. It wasn't until the second round of treadmill work that I realized you could see what pace you were sprinting at. I am apparently not quick on the uptake. ;)

Let me tell you my butt and legs were DEFINITELY feeling it. Thanks to Sarah for a great workout and doable variations of the workouts.

--> I would definitely give this boot camp another try!

Wins

^ Great workout

^ Uplifting environment

^ They have Sparkly Soul headbands on sale at their Boston location ;)

^ Secure lockers

Losses

^ Not the friendliest/welcoming front desk atmosphere

--> I would go back to this studio

***

Wow! Classpass really let me explore what the fitness side of Boston looks like. I wish it was more than 10 classes a month, but based on the single class prices listed above - 10 classes for $99 is a great deal.

So fellow Bostonians - will you be checking out Classpass?

RACE RECAP: 2nd Annual Race To The Row 5k

How many races do you participate in that take place across the street from your house? Oh is that next to none?

Yeah I feel you on that...

... except when the Race To The Row 5k comes around!

That's right. It takes the wife about 5 minutes (more if there is a stop at Dunkin' Donuts for her) to get to the Start Area of the Race To The Row 5k, which is at the new Assembly Row area in Somerville, MA.

When the inaugural race took part last year, the Assembly Row area was still under construction so the race course lacked a lot of visual beauty. But with Assembly Row in full effect this year, I was ready to enjoy the beautiful new buildings and shots of the Mystic River.

Since the race didn't start until 9:30, I was 1) able to sleep in and 2) could do bib check day of. Woo!

We decided to leave the house just after 8:30 to stop at Dunkins and give us enough time to chat with friends before the Kids Race would start at 9:15.

There were a lot of great local businesses set up near bib pick-up and day of registration.

Somerville's own Runfellow gear

Runfellow also hosts a Tuesday night run club, which changes venues each week, but always takes place in the Somerville-Cambridge area.

b Positive Project out of South Boston

After browsing the booths, we made sure to get a good spot for the Kids Race. It was just about a 1/4 mile and each participant received an adorable Finisher's Medal. (Side Note: I really wish I had entered ;P)

My favorite was this tiny tiny boy with a big Superman cape on. I really wanted to borrow it from him, but he seemed attached to it.

Once the kids and their parents cleared the Start Area, it was time to line up.

I had no idea what kind of time to expect. My body was tired from the workouts the day prior - 1.5 mile swim, 30 mile bike and 5k run - so I didn't expect a PR.

I actually PRed at this race the previous year pulling a 21:59.2... yeah that wouldn't happen again. But I was ready to give it all I had.

The Sun was out and ready to shine out on the pretty shadeless course.

Now the Somerville Road Runners, the group organizing the race, had changed the course from the year prior. We would now be doing 2 loops, which was intriguing.

As we lined up, I distracted myself by chatting with a fellow Nike Run & Walk Club and Somerville resident, Ben. He was coming off an injury so also unsure what sort of race he would have.

The goal as always was to enjoy the run ... and hurry to the beer! ;)

The horn went off and it was a blaze of color in front of me. I tried to keep myself in my own groove and not worry about the folks around me. Which is always easier said than done at the beginning of a race for me.

Since I am working on racing without music in prep for the Half Ironman, I spent most of the race listening to my own breathing and the breathing of the folks around me. Ouch! Not the best soundtrack for a run.

BUT there was a slight out and back portion of the race so I could cheer for my friends after rounding the first turn. YES! I love being able to do that. Plus, I could marvel at the lead pack. Man those guys were flying!!

Mile 1: 7:29

I may or may not have picked a couple near me after that first mile and set a goal to get ahead of them at some point in the next mile. Sometimes it is a fun game to play and a way to push yourself in a race.

As we hit the end of the first loop, I waved to the wife, gave Jillian (creator of Runfellow) a high-five (pictured above) and checked in with the body. I was hot and I could tell the legs were slowing down.

I picked myself up by posting my halfway mark selfie to the interwebs before bearing down and finishing off the race.

Not one of my finest mid-run selfies

At least with the double loop you know when the Finish is coming.

Mile 2: 7:38

Now I never actually saw the Mile 2 marker, but when my Garmin buzzed I tried to dig deep and give it everything I could for the final mile.

I was back-and-forth with a couple of girls during Mile 2 so I kept them in my sights during the final mile.

I can't tell you how many times I repeated to myself Beer Beer Beer during that last stretch.

The volunteers did a great job directing and cheering on the runners.

I definitely won over the water stop with my Sparkle Skirt! ;)

Oddly enough not so many comments on the BEER socks, which surprised me.

Oh and yes these were thoughts during the final 1/2 mile of the run.

Mile 3: 7:40

Just get me to the BEER!

Final Finish: 23:46

Sweet. I was definitely happy with that. The quads felt good and the left hamstring was a bearable dull pain. ;) Baby steps.

According to the results I finished 79th overall and 10th in my division. Yeah! I never end up in Top 10 of my division.

After crossing the Finish Line, I headed right into the post-race party for some food and beer.

Thanks to Harpoon Brewery and J.P. Licks

I can't pass on mint chocolate chip ice cream at 10am.

Oh and Ernesto's pizza - great crust!

The post-race party was treated to the musical stylings of the IT Band.

It was a great vibe and always fun hanging out with my fellow Slumbrew Happy Soles.

The Race To The Row 5k is such a great local race and I cannot wait to see the race flourish over the years.

I will see you at the 3rd Annual race in 2015.

***

Did you Race To The Row? What was your favorite part?

Monday Musings: Weekend of Workouts & Wedding Wonder

Weekends this summer have been full of workouts, laughs, love, friends and family ...but not a ton of rest! So you can imagine this past weekend was right along those same lines. ;) My wife actually got up early on Sunday to get her 4 mile run in before we walked over to my 5k race and she quipped later that day: "Wow, I don't know how you do this getting up early to workout thing all the time."

It made me smile to myself. Now she appreciates the early mornings I put in so that we can have more time to spend together. :)

Sunday marked just two weeks until the Pumpkinman Half Ironman. Wow September 7 will be here before I know it. This weekend I needed to really buckle down and focus.

The workouts started bright and early Friday after a great weigh-in. Did you hear I am happily back in the 150s?

My goal on Friday was to get 4 hours in on the bike, but that didn't happen. Between a Recycle Studio Spin workout and a bike tide out to Bedford from Somerville - I spent about 3 hours in the saddle.

But I still haven't gotten 56 miles in on the bike and I need to do that before the race just to show myself I can do it. So guess what is on the docket for this upcoming week?

The bike is so mental for me. My body knows it can do it, but the mind gets nervous and overwhelmed. Time to shut the brain down.

The rest of the Friday called for relaxation and blogging. Isn't that what all the cool kids do on a Friday night? :)

I had an early morning on Saturday. I wanted to hit up the 8am Weight Watchers meeting and claim my Ace Your Summer Challenge bling for having attended 10 of the last 11 weeks of meetings. Woo!

It is such a nice and welcoming group. I am happy to attend their meetings and occasionally sub before I return to long run Saturdays this Fall.

I was smiling from ear to ear as members of the group talked about the fun they had attending the Nike Run & Walk Club that I have been helping to host. They talked about feeling welcome without thought of pace or fitness level. Exactly the kind of group I have been trying to create. :)

Full of motivation and inspiration, I headed to the pool to get my 1.2 mile time trial swim done.

During the entire swim I felt strong and like I could keep swimming for days. :) I guess that training is paying off. :P It was a great morning in the pool full of entertainment from the kids' swim classes going on on the opposite side of the pool from me.

Once I was out of the pool, I had to race home, quickly change and head to my cousin's wedding dress appointment. How cute are the cards our friend Lauren made to judge the dresses?

They are so my cousin. :)

Since I never did the wedding dress shopping thing myself (maybe some day), it was a complete learning experience. It really is a live version of Say Yes To The Dress. My cousin found a style she liked, but didn't say yes to a dress at the first location.

My cousin & I working the duck lips

She inevitably found her dress at appointment #2 of the day, which I wasn't able to make.

While my Saturday afternoons were canceled last minute, I wouldn't waste the time by getting in my BRICK workout with my #1 supporter the wife by my side.

She humored me while I blabbered on about nothing for two hours on the bike trainer and then jumped on her bike while I knocked out a quick 5k (26:34) to shake the legs out.

She also listened to me curse out the wind for blowing in my face for the entire run. Not sure I could've said: "Are you serious wind?" any more than I did. Haha.

We decided to cook in on Saturday night and enjoy a lovely meal outside in the backyard, while the pups played.

Please note: it is the wife who is drinking Pumpkin beer in August. #TheShame 

The wife made Skinnytaste's Weeknight Skillet Sazon Chicken Tenders and it was delicious!! We paired it with our once a month treat of yellow rice (yum) and steamed broccoli.

After a fantastic dinner outside, we finally watched Muppets Most Wanted. It was cute but not nearly as good as the Muppet Movie from 2011.

Now while the wife got up early on Sunday to run I slept in until 7:15am - woah! Late I know. ;) But it was great to lounge around and snuggle some pups until she came home.

The Race To The Row 5k I was running on Sunday didn't start until 9:30am AND was located across the street from my house which meant a late departure time. Boy I wish all of my races were that close.

It was a fun morning with lots of friends. I will post a recap of that race shortly.

I wasn't sure how my body would handle the race since I had done a 1.5 mile swim, 30 mile bike and 5k run the day before.

But as you can see it was pretty speedy. I ended up 79th overall and 10th in my division. Woo! I never reach the top 10 in my division so that was exciting.

Following the race I had a couple of hours of downtime before we headed to a wedding celebration for my friend Nicole and her partner Melsen. It was a lovely afternoon in Brookline with friends.

They had a great spread and a make your own burritos area, which totally was up the wife's alley. I ate most of the large salad they had available. :P

Our crew has gotten older and maybe more mature? Okay not at all more mature, but it was fun to come together to celebrate love and friendship.

With a busy weekend in the books, it was great to come home and just vet out for the rest of the evening.

I went to bed Sunday night with a happy heart, a complete Weight Watchers food tracker and renewed energy for the week ahead.

***

Since we know I am - for now - just enjoying adult beverages on the weekend, here are a couple of the local brews I tried:

Berkshire Brewing Company

Tap Brewing Company (Haverhill, MA)

Both were full of hoppy goodness...

***

Two other notes for this week:

1) I have a $10 off discount code for the Max Performance Buzzards Bay Sprint Triathlon on September 14.

Use code: WOMSBUZZ14 (code expires Friday, August 29)

2) I am holding a giveaway for a free entry into the inaugural South Shore Half Marathon in Norwell, MA on November 2.

Feel free to enter here.

***

How did you stay active this weekend?

Racecancer’s Boston 5k Summer Series: Race #4

Boston Summer Nights are made for 5ks along the Charles River. Thankfully Racecancer is giving me six chances to take in the glorious views of the water during the Boston 5k Summer Series. August 14th marked the fourth installment of the race and the weather was perfect - 6:30pm start for Women's Only 5k and a 7pm start for the Co-Ed 5k.

I got there a tad early to walk around and take in the sponsor tents. Since I have the season pass for the race series, I use the same bib for all 6 races so I didn't need to pick anything up.

The week prior to the race I experienced a quad injury, which left me with 5 forced rest days. For those that read this blog, you know that is unheard of in my world recently. ;) So it was tough.

The 5k would mark my first run since the injury so my goal was to take it easy.

But I am a horrible pacer when trying to take it easy during a race - I get swept up in the adrenaline of a race. I turned my Garmin over so I wouldn't be tempted to quicken up my pace if I felt I was running "too slow."

I was excited to be testing out my New Balance gear for the first time in a race - I had previously worn it for cross training and practice runs. Aren't those Foam Fresh 980s sweet?

Just before 6:30 I moved myself over to the Start Area for the Women's Only 5k.

My goal? Make it through pain free.

Race Director, Alain, spoke to the crowd briefly and shared a moment of silence for a member of the community's family member who had passed away from cancer. After the moment and race instructions, we were off.

The good thing about a race series means you become very familiar with the course. Knowing the course means less focus on going the right way and more about taking in the views.

Mile 1: 8:09

Even when the Garmin buzzed at Mile One, I went against my instincts and didn't sneak a peek. I was feeling good and wanted to focus on that.

Thankfully there wasn't any quad pain during the race. Now the pesky left hamstring pain took the forefront. I guess it was masked the week before by the quad pain.

It is a lingering pain from May and I know with more rest it will heal ... which I can do once the Half Ironman is over.

I want to commend the 5k for having two water stops on the course (Mile 1 and Mile 2). It is greatly appreciated by the runners.

Now I am doing this race alone and without music so it is all me and my thoughts during the run. ;) Which is a tough thing sometimes. The self-doubt and negative talk can come out in full effect. Trying to banish it is what I am working on.

Mile 2: 8:06

I passed on the water at the second water stop, but the volunteers were cheering everyone on loudly. Something I truly appreciated since this stretch of the race is a little light on the views/fan fare.

As I took the left onto the Arsenal St bridge, I smacked right into two guys standing with their bikes in the middle of the path. The race takes place on an open bike path, but I don't think these guys were ready to share the road. I let them know that there were a bunch of runners behind me and to make sure they stay on one side of the road.

It is all about sharing the road path folks!!

Once over the Arsenal St bridge, you take a left and head straight back to the Start on the path. This is a shady area along the water, which is great for a selfie break.

Now this is why I tell people to take multiple shots. Not every one will be a winner. ;)

(Read more at Mid-Run Selfie)

Mile 3: 8:04

I made sure just before Mile 3 to readjust the outfit before crossing the Finish Line. Gotta look good for those Finish Line photos. ;)

Final: 24:57

Very good for having come off rest and keeping it conservative.

After grabbing some water and stretching, I was debating taking part in the Co-Ed 5k as well (women's entry gets them into both races), but decided to keep it smart. I had the Falmouth Road Race (7 miles) on the Sunday and didn't want to risk any further injury.

But I did make sure to cheer them off.

It was a great turnout and I know folks had a great after party at Miller's Boston Ale House with Clown Shoes on tap.

I celebrated my 5k with my Chocolate Milk at home. At some point I will make it to an after party ... well I have 2 chances left. :P

Speaking of the next Boston 5k Summer Race is September 4 and you can register here (6pm for Women's Only and 6:30 for Co-Ed).

***

Will I see you there?

Face It Friday: Lack Of Activity 8/15/14

5 days of forced rest for my sore quads threw me for a mental loop this week. As you all know my Weight Watchers week starts on Friday so by Monday I usually have anywhere from 30-50 Activity Points depending on what my training plan has in store.

Well when I plugged my little Activelink into my computer on Monday morning I had 2 APs. That's right folks 2. Ouch!

I was held out of activity Thursday-Monday. It was rough. I hated seeing my Fitbit barely recording steps and my Activelink lacking in lit up lights. It was frustrating, but I knew it was the best thing for my body.

But I had a big weekend that needed those APs.

That's right folks. You can see a pretty big negative number up in the tracker.

This past weekend I filled a few cravings I had been having: Chinese Food, chicken tenders, etc. Oh and attended a wedding too.

I actually didn't track after 5pm Friday through Sunday night. I didn't want to know. But then I woke up with that nagging inner guilt on Monday morning and faced the music.

OUCH!

But it was fun and I do not regret any of the choices I made.

I still hit my Good Health Guidelines and my water goals during those 3 days.

Now I know I need to improve my weekend habits, but for now this type of balance is working for me and the social engagements that creep up. Keeping indulging and adult beverages to the weekend is definitely making a difference.

So like usual I tightened up the eating on Monday, but still didn't have the activity to counteract the damage.

Luckily my quads starting feeling better on Tuesday so I was able to swim on Tuesday, bike on Wednesday and run a little on Thursday. Something was better than nothing. Those three days led to the 14 of my 18 APs for the week.

I cannot remember the last time I had as few as 24 APs in a week. I thought for sure I would have an automatic gain just because of that. It worried me for future weeks when I can't keep my AP level to the usual 75-100 APs I've been clocking.

I knew I would face the music this morning. Whatever happened would happen. I enjoyed the weekend and made sure to keep my injury and health at the forefront of my mind for the week. I didn't force an extra workout just to try to earn back some extra APs because my body wasn't ready.

Well, I stepped on the scale today and was down 0.5 lbs from last Friday's unexpected gain. Woo! I will take it.

I really didn't care what the scale said because I feel good. The good routines are outweighing the bad. The balance is being found. I am getting back into a groove.

The progress in the last nine weeks is great. It is more than the 17.8 lbs I have relost, but the healthy habits are outweighing the bad. The motivation has been refound. The light rekindled.

So this morning, I changed my Weight Watchers goal weight from 155 to 157. The 155 was a number set by my doctor, but it seems my body is happier in the higher end of the 150s.

Hey! As a girl who used to sit in the 230s, I will love any number in the 150s.

From here on out my personal goal will be 155 and my WW goal will be 157 (giving me a range of 155-159).

And I am almost back there.

I really beat myself up over this weight gain. How could I let this happen after 2 years at goal? How could I let myself, my readers and my members down? Then I remembered: I am human. Life happens. It is how you respond to it that truly defines you.

I am a fighter and will continue to learn and adapt as my lifestyle and fitness levels evolve. Finding a balance is crucial.

***

How do you handle unexpected rest weeks?

Join Me Weekly At Nike Run AND Walk Club at Assembly Row

Are you in the Somerville area? Have you been looking to get extra accountability to get out and run or walk?

Then look no farther than the Nike Run AND Walk Club every Wednesday night at 6:30pm at Assembly Row.

What a sweet looking crew right? :)

Each Wednesday the group tackles a 5k loop near the Assembly Row area in Somerville. The entire course is on a bike path so there are no street crossings. There is also a water fountain available twice on the first half of the course.

The group offers pacers for those running, run-walking or strictly walking.

ALL PACES ARE WELCOME!!

As I like to say no person is left behind.

One week I had the pleasure of pacing the group and made sure each person had a great time complete with high fives along the way.

Following the 5k, which starts and ends at the Nike Factory Store, Nike offers water and granola bars to refuel.

Once Slumbrew's American Fresh opens up at Assembly Row, I know I will be heading over there for a beer or two. ;)

My fellow Slumbrew Happy Soles and I! #SportTheFort

There is also free parking and at some point in the fall the orange line stop at Assembly Row should open, but Assembly Row is easily accessible via the orange line stops at Sullivan and Wellington.

So if you are a runner, run-walker or walker and want to meet some new workout buddies then join us each Wednesday at 6:30pm at Nike Factory Store at Assembly Row! :)

***

Will I see you one Wednesday?

Face It Friday: Unexpected Gain 8/8/14

I'm grumpy! I yelled at the scale this morning. I called it some names that I am not proud of, but I did it.

Why?

Because of that stupid unexpected gain. You ever have one of those?

You do every. single. thing. right and how does the scale repay you????? By going in the wrong direction.

It's just rude. Plain and simple.

So I had my hissy fit (it was good one too). I got the emotions out and then I talked to myself like I would talk to one of MY Weight Watchers members.

^ The scale does NOT dictate my worth.

^ My BODY just happened to forget that it is supposed to weigh the lightest for the week at 6:25am on Friday! *How rude!*

^ A gain does not take away all of the good work I did the past week.

^ Unexpected gain does not give me liberty to say SCREW THE UPCOMING WEEK, but to buckle down and keep at it.

^ Focus on the positives from the past week...

So what are those positives?

** I tried my first Barry's Bootcamp class on Tuesday ... and lived to tell the tale about Butts & Legs!

** For the first time in weeks, I came out of the weekend WITHOUT being in the negative!! I was right at zero. :P

** I did my first 3-hour training bike ride - outside - by myself!

** I am listening to my body and taking a couple of much-needed rest days to try and fix these tight quads.

** I feel in control, lean and overall awesome! Clothes are loose again and I feel stronger in my workouts (pre-injury).

And the best of all...

** I am happy again! Through and through I am overall feeling more positive about life, which is a great bonus.

So if you ever have one of those weeks where the scale forgets to repay you for your hard work just remember: Your Check Is In The Mail!

The scale will catch up to your awesomeness.

But if for some reason it doesn't then simply remember:

***

Before I get back to icing my quads, I would LOOOOVVEEE your daily vote in the following two Got Chocolate Milk contests… each ends on August 15!

Chocolate Milk Contest

^I am currently in fourth place (by a lot I know), but the top three vote getters secure the prizes. 1st prize is valued just over $5k, 2nd prize just under $1,900 and 3rd prize around $775. Holy cow they are sweet.

and

Team Chocolate Milk

^The prize? $500 in sponsorship money, which I will use to fund my first Ragnar Relay experience, new training gear and free race entries. Each time you vote $1 is donated to the Challenged Athletes Foundation. How awesome is that?

Thank you all so much!!!

***

How do you get past an unexpected gain?

Three Things Thursday: Book Edition

Books Books Books!!! I'm so excited to share what I've been reading with you all.

Now these books are not your kick back on a Sunday afternoon looking to escape reality type stories. We are growing our minds here people. It's time to get our learn on.

***

First up, it's Snack Girl to the Rescue! (value $17.99)

I've been following Lisa (aka Snack Girl) online (Twitter) for a few years so I was excited to check out her book.

In addition to dishing out 100 recipes (all under 400 calories), she shares her wisdom about weight loss, emotional eating, exercise, every day temptations, healthy cooking, as well as food marketing. Lisa, who is a mom of two, offers a friendly, witty and encouraging tone to her advice.

As a proponent of healthy living over "dieting," I agree with many of the points that Lisa brings up throughout Part 1 - Encouragement and Guidance - of the book.

When discussing creating a workout routine, she suggests:

Begin to see exercise as a gift to yourself rather than a burden

AMEN SISTER!! I love it and something I tell my Weight Watchers members often.

Speaking of Weight Watchers, Lisa offers the nutrition facts on all of her recipes, which made it easy for me to calculate the Points Plus Values. I made sure to calculate and write them on the recipes as soon as I received the book.

You can find the 100 recipes in Part 2 - Recipes (catchy I know) - of the book, which includes the philosophy behind her recipes, the recipes themselves, and a handy pantry list.

Instead of just giving you the facts for the recipes, Lisa shares a personal story or anecdote with each. For example, on her Beef and Veggie Cottage Pie (pg 178 - 5PPV per serving), she writes:

The original recipe was created to use up the leftover roast meat and potatoes from the night before. My version uses ground beer because most of us aren't eating beef roasts very often.

The recipe section is broken up into Breakfast, Mains, Sides, Snacks and Desserts. Oh be sure to check out the No-Bake Brownie Balls (2 PPV each) on page 253 and bring some by if you stop at my house anytime soon. ;)

So if you are looking for a relatable, realistic and entertaining recipe book, check out Snack Girl to the Rescue!

***

The best book on the list is one I have been holding on to since April and kept meaning to share, but those darn races were in my way. ;)

I give you The Runner's World Big Book of Running for Beginners!! (value $21.99)

The book is co authored by some heavy hitters in the running community: Bart Yasso, Jen Van Allen, and Amby Burfoot. Ummm exactly amazing.

Now when I started running I didn't know anything and didn't really know where to go for help. I really wish there was a book like this around in 2005. It even features five training plans to help you start exercising, start running, run nonstop, run faster, and run longer.

Additionally you can find inspirational stories from people who used running as a tool to lose weight, stop smoking, overcome illness and heartache, and manage chronic pain. Who doesn't love a motivational story?

There are three main parts to the book: Getting Started; Nutrition and Weight Loss; and Staying Healthy and Managing Injuries. These three authors pretty much run the gamut to cover any potential questions you may have.

In the Keys to Success (pg 56) within Chapter 2 (Become A Runner In Five Easy Steps) they stress being flexible. Now not physically, while I am sure that can help, but rather with the training plans.

Don't feel like you have to do these workouts on the days specified here. Do the workouts on whatever day gives you enough time to do the workout and clean up without feeling rushed.

Seems pretty basic, right? Well when I started out I thought I was an EPIC failure if I didn't follow the training plans to the letter. I've learned through the years that the plan is there for you to be tweaked as you/life needs it.

In addition to the mounds of information in my now overly highlighted copy, they even have a Guide To Common Running Terms. Thank you! So often people would be rattling off about fartleks, VO2 max and stride length and I would have ZERO idea what they heck they were talking about. Now you can find all those answers in once place.

I have recommended this book to countless newbie runners and even some folks like myself who think they know what is going on. Hey, I admit that I do not know a lot about running and will take all opportunities to learn and improve.

Pick up this book and you too can learn to "act like a runner even when you're not exercising!"

***

There is NO hiding it here on the blog that I am scared of my bike and not a fan of riding it outdoors that much. ;) I am working on it folks so when offered the chance to check out a couple cycling books I jumped pedaled at the chance.

The Big Book of Cycling for Beginners by Tori Bortman (value $21.99) and the Essential Road Bike Maintenance Handbook by Todd Downs (value $14.99).

The Big Book of Cycling for Beginners is breaking it down for us in topics like:

• Selecting a bicycle that best fits you and your needs • How to appropriately outfit yourself with gear and equipment • Basic riding and etiquette skills, including how to navigate traffic • The anatomy of a bicycle and its various components • Body tune up for greater endurance, strength, and speed • Training and Nutrition • Maintaining your bike, how to perform routine repairs

The 10-Part book really takes you from deciding what type of biker you are planning to be - Recreational Rider, Fitness Cyclist or Racing Cyclist - to tuning your own ride - what you can control and what the experts at the bike shop should handle.

I personally spent most of my time in Part 7 - Well, How Do You Do? Road Etiquette - as I haven't spent a ton of time on the open streets with my bike Roxie. Like did you know there are not only hand signals for signaling and stopping, but potholes, narrowing roads and parked cars? Yeah I definitely didn't. Now I know the arm signals as well as the "shout-out" for each. These are especially important when riding in a group.

I also took my highlighter out for most of Part 10 - Tuning Your Ride - as I have so much to learn about bike maintenance. There are so many parts that need attention on one lovely bike: chains, wheels, frames, etc.

But, if the Big Book of Cycling doesn't offer enough on Bike Maintenance, there is the Essential Road Bike Maintenance Handbook.

Readers will find a comprehensive guide to bike repair and simple solutions to common problems riders regularly face. With step-by-step instructions and links to various how-to videos via Bicycling.com, this handy guide will save money and aggravation by distilling core bike-maintenance fundamentals.

This book is so helpful that I've been known to shove it into the back bag under my bike seat just in case. You never know when something can go wrong. Am I right?

So for my fellow newbies, I plead you to pick up the Big Book of Cycling for Beginners - you won't be disappointed.

***

Have you read or used any of the books I mentioned?

T-minus 1 month 'til that little Half Ironman

Have I told you lately I am training for a Half Ironman? OOOOHHHH have I been too subtle with my postings? Man I thought that would happen. ;)

No really, I continue to say the words, see the workouts happen and tick the days off until the big day is here, but I am still living in a world where it doesn't seem real.

Does that even make sense?

Wow I am throwing a ton of questions at you guys RIGHT off the bat today. Sorry about that.

For those that are new to the blog - HEEYYYY!!!! welcome welcome - I am taking on my first Half Ironman at Pumpkinman on September 7 in Maine. Here were my thoughts from July 7 - 2 months 'til the big day.

Now we are just one month until Race Day.

Why am I freakin' out? 

This is sooo far out of my comfort zone that I am plain old scared.

The biggest fear? Being swept! Yup, I am paralyzed with fear that I will be swept off the course after all this work I put in. The course limit is 8 hours.

I am a worrier by nature so you can guess that most of my workouts are spent breaking down how slowly I can do each section in order to finish in time.

After talking with friends and looking at my own times during workouts, I don't really think a sweep will happen - but you NEVER know what can happen on race day. So the fear is still there.

All I can do on race day is try my hardest whatever happens will happen. Can you tell I have been reciting that over and over again?

Every time I start freakin' out I remind myself why I signed up for this crazy thing to begin with ... to 1) push myself our of my comfort zone and 2) have fun! Ohhhh this is all supposed to be fun? Right right. Sometimes I forget that.

I wish I had a coach to bounce my questions off of and to make sure the training I am doing is correct. Am I doing enough? Too much? Just right?

But for now I just trust the book I am using and reach out to my experienced friends for help.

How is training going?

The training itself is actually okay. It is trying to fit all the workouts in to the week that is the toughest. I have been tweaking my work day to fit in an afternoon workout then will finish work in the evening.

I do need to work on more BRICK workouts in this final month - making sure my legs are used to running after biking.

I also need to spend more time stretching. I had a scary shooting pain in my right quad today that left me paralyzed on the front steps of my house for a couple of minutes - scary!! So stretching, icing, heating, etc are all high priority down the stretch...

SWIM

I love swimming so the swim workouts in the pool are actually enjoyable. Not sure I am doing the speed work fast enough, but I am giving my 100% every time I get into the pool.

I think down the stretch I will need to spend a little more time in the open water in my wetsuit to get used to swimming in it. I don't find it as enjoyable as swimming in the tri kit/bathing suit - which shocks me now.

I did successfully swim 96-consecutive lengths of the pool and lived to tell the tale.

The Half Ironman swim is 1.2 miles and I swam almost 1.5, which put me at ease. I kept the pace nice and moderate and felt strong the entire time. Now if only I had a bunch of other folks in the pool trying to kick and punch me while swimming in the same direction in order to experience race conditions. ;)

Big thanks to my parents for starting my swim lessons at age six months for my love of the water.

BIKE

My weakest and most hated portion of the triathlon. :P I have so much fear on the bike - flipping over the handlebars, tipping over while trying to grab my water bottle, flying off the bike while sailing quickly down the downhill, etc.

You know the normal bike fears - ohhh I am the only one thinking I will crash and burn every time they get on the bike? Yeah I figured. It's okay.

I am proud of myself for getting out last week and doing my 3 hour training ride outside and solo.

The bike portion of the Half Ironman is 56 miles.

I know this will be my slowest portion and one I pray to make it through.

I will say that thanks to training and Spin classes I am feeling slightly stronger on the bike, especially when facing the large hills.

But I really do not enjoy it. I want to badly, but the entire 3-hour ride I wished I was running. :P Maybe with more practice and less fear the love will appear, but for now I plug through the rides and am thankful for being healthy enough to bike.

RUN

If you read this blog you know that this is clearly my favorite section of the triathlon. :) Well it is my comfort zone. During Iron Girl Webster Sprint Tri in July, I celebrated lacing up my sneakers and heading out for the run.

Now I know this won't be a PR half at the end of the Half Ironman, but I hope that it will be easiest to push through since I love running.

My long runs haven't truly been happening during this training as I am nursing a left hamstring injury, but I am still trying to get out there and keep some miles on the legs. Hence why there haven't been as many BRICK workouts as there should be.

But, I do feel pretty conditioned on the running side from all of my racing so far in 2014.

***

So what will push me through the race besides a sense of accomplishment and badass-ery? A sweet sweet medal.

Thanks to my friend Lisa for sharing her medal from 2011

Hellooo bling!

***

So what will the last month of training bring?

More mental work. I am doing all I can physically, but I need to get the positive, confident, brainspace to push through a long race day. Plus I need to trust in the training.

Ramp up my low-fat chocolate milk intake of course! ;)

Oh and remember I need to give it all I can on that day ... and E-N-J-O-Y it!

***

How do you get mentally tough for a new fitness challenge?

How To Take The Perfect Mid-Run Selfie ... And Post It!

"How do you take selfies while running?" "Wait did you just post a selfie to Instagram during the race?"

"Don't you trip or fall while taking those mid-run selfies?"

Have you thought or actually asked me any of these question on social media or in real life?

Well, it's finally time for me to share my secrets...

Get ready internet, you are about to be FULL of mid-run selfies!

Well well well where to start?? Do I need to define what a selfie is? I'm hoping I can gloss right over that part.

Let's start with...

Why

Why did I start doing this? There were a few reasons.

I hated waiting for official race photos to come online to include in recaps/sharing on social media.

I was bored with pre and post race shots - it was getting boring. Plus, I can only pose so many ways before and after a race. ;)

I wanted something to compliment the twitter/Facebook updates I was doing mid-race.

I needed extra motivation during a run and posting a picture allowed my online friends to send in some encouragement!

Mile 5 of a very hot & humid Finish At The 50 10k (2014)

Or letting everyone know how much fun I am having mid-race :)

Mile 4 of the 2014 Boston Run To Remember Half

It is also a great way to showcase who I am running with...

Mark Remy from Runner's World at Heartbreak Hill Half 

Once I got the hang of it, it became really fun and now I just feel weird if I don't have some mid-run selfies happening.

When

This can vary from race to race and practice run to practice run.

I started by taking them at significant points in the race: 5k mark, 10k mark, halfway, new distance record, etc.

2014 Boston Athletic Association 10k

Or if you want to announce to your followers that you are actually running the marathon rather than the half marathon you said you were. :P

2014 Rock 'n' Roll Nashville Marathon

If you are also near a famous landmark either from your own life or for the city/race you are running in then you would want to capture those scenes with a selfie.

Speedway during 2014 WDW Marathon

If you happen to come across a famous person or a couple of friends and you want to document the experience, selfie it.

Patriots HOFer Tedy Bruschi & I during 2014 Boston Marathon

Ladies of We Run Disney during 2014 WDW Marathon

How

The real reason you are tuning into this post. Now there are action mid-run selfies and stationary mid-run selfies. I'll speak to both below.

Also, I take my photos with my phone. I have some talented friends out there (Fannetastic Food) who takes mid-race seflies with a real camera. I'm not there yet.

Step One: Look around at your surroundings

Safety first my friends for action selfies. Make sure you don't have any potholes in front of your or a group of runners that you could potentially bump into or trip over. Let's keep a clear area around us.

For example, a downhill may not be the best place to choose to selfie IF you are doing it on the move.

If taking a stationary mid-run selfie, be sure to get over to the side of the road and out of the way of other runners. Let's not piss off 20,000 of our friends because we caught a hilarious race sign we just needed a pic with. M'kay?

Step Two: Have the phone at the ready

I used to run with my phone in an arm band, but realized I was taking it out so much for texting/tweeting/Facebooking and pics that it was becoming a nuisance. So for the past few months, I have been running with my phone in my hand or tucked into my running shorts, which ever was more comfy at the time (and depending on length of race).

For shorter races I definitely say keep the phone in the hand as the opportunity for the mid-run selfie is less than a longer run. But if you absolutely cannot run with a phone in hand then armband or waistband it up folks.

Since REALLY the focus is on the race and not the picture ... or so I've been told.

Just make sure the phone is handy since photo ops can happen at any point in time.

Step Three: Take the password protection off the phone

This is something I have yet to remember to do. That's right folks. Every time I go to take a picture mid-race I have to enter in my stupid iPhone code. Please be smarter than me and dismantle pre-race.

Now I know you can take a picture without doing the code on the iPhone BUT if you want to post it right after taking it you would still have to enter the code. But more on posting the pic on the move later.

Step Four: Remember to switch the camera view to selfie

I can't stress the importance of having the camera actually looking at YOU for the selfie. Hey! Things can happen mid-race and the brain isn't thinking straight.

Step Five: Clue in your running partner

If you are taking an action photo with a friend or celebrity, be sure to give them the heads up so they to are looking at your phone.

Heather & I during Nike Run Club

My friends know the drill well enough that they suggest when we should snap them. :)

My BFF & I during 2014 Old Port Marathon

Step Six: Hold the phone just above your head and angle towards you slightly

Now I normally use just my right hand/arm while taking the pics, but if cold or having a hard time gripping my phone then I will use the double arm tactic. I find that if I do the two arms it does hinder my running. :P

Snack break during Black Cat 20-Miler (2014)

Step Seven: Snap 3-5 pictures

Rarely does a mid-run selfie come out on first take. Since you don't want to risk ending up with a dud while rocking the peace sign along the water, take some extras - moving the arm ever so slightly during the "photo shoot." ;)

Note: Fitsnap was added to this photo POST race

There have been some SERIOUS duds on my phone over the past year, but those thankfully don't see the light of day. ;)

And there you have it!! Seven quick steps to your own mid-run selfie.

PointOneMiles & I during 2014 Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half

Since you have the shots, you can go ahead and save those to enjoy post-run oorrr....

you can take it to the next level:

Posting While Running

Now that I have my great pic, I want to share with my friends and family, which can take a little more skill.

Step One: Get a handle on texting/tweeting/Facebooking while running

Typing while running is NOT an easy feat. The iPhone autocorrect feature can help or seriously hinder a post. :P Practice running around your apartment or neighborhood to get used to looking at the phone and at the ground. Again we are focusing on safety first friends.

Step Two: Use the hashtags BEFORE the race starts

If you are looking to tag a certain race or fitness group then you need to have the hashtags already stored in your Instagram!! As long as you have used the hashtag prior and Instagram has managed not to crash in the meantime, you will have an easier time pulling up a hashtag on the move.

Step Three: Make sure Instagram is connected to Twitter

If you like to add a nice filter/border before posting then uploading the photo right to Instagram will help with that.

2014 WDW Marathon

Next up will be posting it to Twitter and you can do that right from Instagram.

Now many folks will post a photo to Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr from Instagram. I use Instagram for Twitter and Tumblr.

So if you have your short message ready in Instagram, you are good to hit send and out it goes to Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook.

I do Facebook separately. I will select all then copy the message on Instagram then paste into my blog's Facebook page.

And there you have it!!!

You now have the main tips and tricks to taking and posting your own mid-run - action or stationary - selfies.

Please remember the number one rule: safety first!!

***

Have you dared to mid-run selfie before?