The weekend is here! Well, almost at least!

I don’t know about you all, but it has been a long week here! After a short week last week it makes this one feel even longer.

Getting back into the 4:00 AM routine hasn’t been too easy either. I’m slowly getting there, but my body sure got used to sleeping in until 6:00 last week!

 

Running has been going well for the most part this week. I’ll talk more about it Sunday, but for now I think my body is responding well for the slow progress I’ve been taking in getting back into a routine.

 

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Five Things Friday post and since I have a few exciting things I’ve come across this week I figured it was the perfect time!

 

Kodiak Cakes

My husband and I have been on a serious breakfast for dinner kick that all started with these Kodiak Cakes.

We’ve tried the Super Foods and Honey & Buttermilk flavors. I also added blueberries to a batch the other night to jazz it up.

I’m not sure if this breakfast for dinner kick will EVER end!

 

Night Runner 270

This recent kick starter campaign is probably one of the greatest inventions for runners I have seen lately.

I run early in the morning, usually before the sun ever comes up, and I don’t really like headlamps. I have one and I use it because it’s necessary but it drives me insane. I’ve tried just about everything to make it comfortable but it just never is.

The Night Runner 270 has been amazing to use this past week.

“Developed by athletes, Night Runner 270 safely lights the way from dusk till dawn without the hassles of headbands, belts, or straps. Designed for urban running, trail running, hiking, biking, and walking, Night Runner is a hands-free lighting solution that illuminates the path directly in front of you. The patent-pending bi-lateral ‘wing’ design guarantees 270-degree of visibility up to 30 meters. Weighing in at an impressively light 1.5 ounces, the lights are housed in a high-impact, water-resistant casing to keep you safe no matter pouring rain or uneven terrain.”

These guarantee I can see in front of me and others can see me out on the road. I was hesitant about them at first thinking they would move around on my feet, but to my surprised I didn’t even know they were there!

If you are a looking for a night time or early morning running light, make sure to check these out!

 

The Awesome People at Nike Town Chicago

I bought some awesome Nike running capris at the Chicago Marathon expo. Unfortunately, I had someone go and get me a small from the back and when she brought them to me I went to purchase them without double checking (mistake). I ended up with an extra-small which fit but a little too tight for comfort.

We called Nike and got very little help as all marathon expo gear was not allowed to be returned or refunded. On one last effort we called up the local Chicago Nike store to see if they could help. They graciously offered for us to ship them back to them, they would order a small, and have them shipped back to me.

I love the color, fit, and feel of these! I can’t wait to get lots of use out of them this fall/winter.

 

A “Normal” Feeling Run

Thursday morning was the first run that I really felt like I was back to normal. I upped it to 6 miles for the longest mid-week run thus far.

One really big focus has been not looking at my watch until I get back to the house. For me, it’s about just doing what my body feels like that day. Not pushing it too hard. It’s been really nice to just go out and do whatever my body feels like doing that day.

 

Seeing Improvement

I mentioned several times that I’ve been refocusing on some of the things that had gone to the side during marathon training.

One thing that I’ve done almost every day this week is form drills. I’ve gotten a request or two to share mine, and while they aren’t that exciting, I will in a future post. However, it’s been so great this week to already see small improvements.

I’ve had this problem with my right leg kicking out. I noticed it a lot during my marathon especially as I began to get tired. This is a combination of some problems with my form and weak quads, but of which I plan to work on.

After 4-5 days of consistent form drills I’ve already noticed an improvement! I still have a ways to go but seeing progress is always an awesome and motivating thing.

 

Tell me something AWESOME about your week!