How I’m Getting Back to Running

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 8 Comments

It’s week 3ish of my return to running from my hip adductor injury, and I’m pleased to share that I’m feeling pretty good. I still don’t feel 100%, but I’m feeling so grateful to be back at running!

We had some snow this week (ugh!) but on Sunday when it was snowy and a little slippery, I definitely had a change in attitude about running in the weather. I told myself, “I’m so lucky I can run in this!” Instead of “Ugh, I have to run in this” and immediately felt different. A few weeks ago, it would’ve been a different mentality for me.

So here’s how my runs went this week – and also some ways that I’m healing myself. Here’s what I’ve been doing to get back into running (hopefully) injury free:

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Five Friday Fitness-Related Favorites

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 6 Comments

Happy Friday! I’m joining the Fit Friday Five linkup today to share Five Fitness-related Favorites. Say that five times fast amiright? 

Now that my leg is nearly recovered, I’m feeling like I am finally getting back in the groove of my fitness routine. I’m back to running (somewhat) regularly, doing cross training, planking daily (up to 2:30!) and fitting in push ups and other exercises. So here are five things that I’m loving lately, related to fitness:

Note – there are some affiliate links below, but I really do love all these!

A good pair of shoe inserts. These are my go-to orthotic inserts for my running shoes. They are (relatively) cheap (compared to prescription ones) and they last me a while. Each time I buy a new pair of running shoes, I remove the inserts that come with them and add these instead. They’re so easy to use and keep me feeling supported when running!

From their website (but I’ve also bought at Amazon and from Fleet Feet)

PowerStep Pinnacle Insoles | Plantar Fasciitis & Heel Pain Relief Orthotic

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My massage gun. I was gifted with the Bob and Brad C2 Pro Massage Gun and it has become part of my routine. I use it weekly on my legs and lower back to help loosen up sore areas or places that I’m tight at. It comes with different tips, and you’re able to use it as a hot OR cold massager, which I LOVE. I’m always cold in the winter and love the heat option. I haven’t used it in the summer, but I know the cold will be lovely in summertime. It also comes with a carrying case, which makes it easy for when I bring it from the basement (where I work out) to other areas of the house.   Note — if you want to try out this massage gun for yourself, here is a 10% off discount code: PRC2PRO10. I don’t personally benefit from this code, but you do get a good deal, thanks to the Bob and Brad team.  

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A variety of core workouts. I have been trying to do a plank every day, and am doing 2-2:30 minutes ata time most days, which is great for me! I also like to switch it up and try different online core workouts. One of my favorite fitness influencers who has a variety of core workouts that I’m loving these days is Pamela Reif. She has a ton of pilates, yoga, aerobics and core/ab workouts, which I have been trying out. And best of all – they’re all free and online for anyone!  

My running vest. In Cleveland, it’s the season of in between weather. And on those days where it’s not quite cold enough for a jacket, but it’s too cold for just a shirt (or when I just want some extra pockets), I THRIVE in my running vest. I had a Nike one for years, which I have loved, but as it got older and more worn, I was looking for a new option. I found this affordable one (more affordable than some major running brands) on Amazon which has been perfect for me! In the winter I was wearing it over my running layers for extra heat. This week, one morning it was in the 40s and I wore shorts, a long sleeve and this vest. It’s perfect if you’re looking for something with pockets, that’s affordable and less frills. 

(Yes, the brand name is “Little Donkey,” which is hilarious)

I’m wearing it in this photo – I brought it to Thanksgiving for their turkey trot!

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Local raw honey. What does honey have to do with fitness you ask? Plenty! Well for me, at least. I LOVE honey for my fuel for long runs. I have honey packets for carrying with me during long runs. And because I’ve been fighting a cold, I’ve been having a teaspoon (err..or a few teaspoons) of the raw honey that we bought at Pancake Town a few times a day – before my run, and later in the day as well. It not only gives me energy, but I truly believe in its healing powers. Oh and it tastes delicous!

fawhoney

Shoe inserts, a massage gun, online core workouts, my running vest and raw honey – those are what’s keeping me fitness-happy lately. What about you?

 
Fit Five Friday is hosted by My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and The Running Teacher 

Questions for you:

  • Do you like honey? I admit I’m kind of a honey fanatic.
  • Do you wear a running vest often?

Healthier Cornbread

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Like my last blog post about cornbread a million years ago, I should start this post with two disclaimers:

One: Like my last cornbread recipe, this is not “southern style” savory cornbread. I prefer my cornbread on the sweeter side, so that’s what this is. It goes great with a big batch of turkey or bean chili.

Two: This is not a healthy recipe. (See butter in 1st ingredient) That said, I’ve made some swaps that help make it healthier than my last version, including adding yogurt for protein and flaxseeds for fiber, etc.

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Healthier Cornbread 

Here’s what you need:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 flax eggs (you’ll need 2 TB ground flaxseed and 6 TB water)*
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 9×9-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray, like Pam.
  2. Make your flax egg. Take 2 TB ground flaxseed and 6 TB of water and stir together in a bowl. Place in your fridge and set aside for 5 minutes, until it thickens.
  3. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe large boil. Once melted, add honey, yogurt and milk.  Mix well.
  4. Add in flax eggs and cornmeal, and stir so it’s all combined.
  5. In a small bowl, combine white whole wheat flour and baking soda. Add to wet mixture. Batter will be thick!
  6. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Because of thickness of batter you may need to spread the batter with a spatula to hit all sides of the pan.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until edges start to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. I start checking around 23 minutes.

Notes:

  • Make sure you have ground flaxseed.
  • This recipe is less sweet than my previous recipe, but still on the sweeter side. Play around with the honey content – your family may not need as much to still enjoy.

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The Weather in the Land Goes Up and Down

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 12 Comments

Our weather this week was another wild ride – we had 70 DEGREES on Monday with sun, then it cooled down to 30s, then went up again, and we’re due for cold and snow today. And I clearly have 3 little ones, because all I thought of was, The weather in the (Cleve)land goes up and down, to the tune of Wheels on the Bus, one of my 2-year-old’s favorite song.

I’m not complaining – the 70+ degree weather on Monday was amazing. It was 55 degrees when I woke up so I got in an unplanned run. I got in 2 walks that day. Every little bit of sunshine helps and it’s amazing what some natural vitamin D can do for your spirits!

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Taking It Easy

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 13 Comments

Normally this post would include a monthly running recap with total milrs run, highlights of the previous month, etc. But I will be honest with you — February did not include many miles. I was nursing an injury and instead stuck it to the indoor bike. But … I ran this week! I ran!

I didn’t have a lot of miles, but I did go running outside a few times to see how my leg felt.

Disclosure – it didn’t feel 100%. There’s still a slight soreness. But I’ll take soreness over PAIN any day. I remember when I tried to run around the block about a month ago and couldn’t do it because of my leg pain. Hopefully the soreness will go away and if I take it easy the next few weeks while starting to build up my mileage, I’ll be better soon.

Am I being too optimistic? Maybe. But with spring half marathons less than 3 months away and the weather getting better, I need to be! Here’s how this week looked:

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Friday Favorites and a Virtual Coffee Date

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 14 Comments

Happy first day of March! I’m joining several other bloggers today for a virtual coffee date, which is fun. I can’t remember the last time I did an actual real-life coffee date with someone (it’s been some time), so it’s fun to share with you instead some things I’ve been enjoying lately. 

Over coffee, I would tell you that these are five things I’ve been grateful for lately:

Note – there are some affiliate links below, so if you decide to buy my bike, thanks in advance 🙂 But I really do love all these!

This tea. Okay, I don’t actually drink caffeine regularly, so if we were having a coffee date, I’d probably be sipping on some delicious tea – Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice. And this tea has been giving me life lately. If I do need a little jolt of energy, this is what I’m brewing these days. If you like cinnamon, I highly recommend it!

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My exercise bike. I have been getting over a running injury (ugh!) and I’ve been so grateful to have my Merach exercise bike to get me through the past few weeks. It has kept me sane when I can’t run, and also given me a way to sweat and work some new muscles that I don’t focus on when running. It’s no Peloton, but I does it’s purpose and is a great bike for when cycling is your cross-training and not your primary workout. Oh, and it’s a great tool to have when your toddler is waking up at 6 am on weekends and wants to watch Daniel Tiger …

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This nail polish. I go through phases with my nails, but I have always loved a good painted nail. This Esse Gel Couture is a polish I use at home (thanks to my friend Emily for introducing me to it!) and it lasts longer than my traditional home “manicure.” I’ve done my nails on a Friday or Saturday and gone to work most of the following week with it still looking good, and that says something! Best of all – it’s regular nail polish. No need for any UV light or do anything special to take it off. I use regular polish remover with acetone and a cotton ball and it comes right off. I have this bright red color and the below pink, which is an amazing nude color.

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What I’m reading lately. After reading Killers of the Flower Moon, I wanted to find an easy, short book and this was everything I was looking for.  Sourdough was a light, fast read. It wasn’t my favorite book of the year but it was quick and easy. It also made me think about getting into the sourdough baking cult (yes, I know I’m 4 years too late). 

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Morning walks. As the weather starts to get warmer, I’m so glad to be able to get in a short morning walk with GM after the big kids go to school. The bus picks them up around 7:15, and if I’m working from home, I have a 45 minutes or so to kill before starting my day. While it was chilly some mornings this week, we had some beautiful 50-60 degree days with a gorgeous sunrise and I was able to get GM out for a few miles. These walks have also been key to my sanity while I’m not running – getting in any movement has been a blessing!

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Hope you liked my first Ultimate Coffee Date/Fit Five Friday linkup! 

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Ultimate-Coffee-Date-1.jpgUltimate Coffee Date is hosted by Coco and Deborah
Fit Five Friday is hosted by My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and The Running Teacher 

Questions for you:

  • Do you drink coffee or tea regularly?
  • How often do you paint your nails or get them done?

Am I Running Again?

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 9 Comments

Are you still injured? Are you back at running? How are you feeling?

Those are all questions I get asked. And the answer, is that I don’t know!

I decided to give running a try this week, but slowly/short runs only. Meaning, 2 runs – a 1 mile and a 3 mile.

During each run, I felt a little tight, but nothing else.

After each run, I did stretching and felt a little tight, but nothing else.

Did I feel normal? No. Is the tightness actually tightness or is it the injury starting back up again?

I don’t know! So we’ll see how next week goes. In the meantime, here’s how this week looked:

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Cycling my way to sanity

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 13 Comments

For me, running has always been my key to my sanity. Crazy week at work? Start the day with a run. Feeling anxious? Go for a run. Too much going on at home? Get some me time with a run. The past two weeks, however, I’ve had to adapt. Be flexible. As my hip adductor still heals, I’m trying to keep active on the bike and minimal weight lifting (focusing on arms) plus core work. I am enjoying switching it up, but still miss the feeling I get when running.

I’m going to try running again soon and if it still hurts, likely make an appt with a sports medicine dr and then PT.

Here’s how the full week looked:

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First Zero Mileage Week In Years

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 15 Comments

Well, I did it. A full week with no running. Did I like it? No. Would I like to continue doing this? No! But I know that I need to take some time off now so that hopefully I can be back sooner than if I keep going through the pain.

That said, I stayed somewhat active this week – I didn’t run, but I stayed on the indoor bike most days and got in a few walks, as well as my core and arm work. But when looking at my running log, this is the longest I’ve gone without running since GM was born – that was the last time I took a full week (and more) off from running.

Here’s how the full week looked:

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Football-Shaped Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeyes)

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Fun fact – back in my PR agency days, we had to come up with creative ways to say “Super Bowl.” We could never use the terminology Super Bowl when promoting any specials/promotions/deals, etc. Because of the NFL’s strict trademark rules, we had to say things like, “The Big Game” or “Sunday’s Game” or “Game Night,” etc.  So if you’re ever watching a TV ad or seeing a company tweet about their “Game Day Special” that’s why they’re not saying Super Bowl or even a team name.

Anyway, I digress. But as you’re getting ready for the Big Game – and looking for a treat to make to bring with you, here’s a fun idea!

I love buckeyes. I love anything peanut butter and chocolate. So if you’re wondering what I’m making to bring to this weekend’s festivities, in addition to Donna Kelce’s chocolate chip cookies, I’ll be sharing these delicious treats – football-shaped buckeyes!

If you’re not from the Midwest, haven’t ever lived in the Midwest, or not a big candy person, you may not know what a buckeye is — here’s a full buckeye recipe and explanation.  This recipe expands upon that to make something football themed. It’s tasty and fun to make!
buckeye footballs

Football-Shaped Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeyes)

Here’s what you need:

For the peanut butter filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

For the outer layer”

  • 1 12-oz package of semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 Tablespoon of Crisco or shortening
  • White frosting or icing– I used about 1/3-1/2 tube of Betty Crocker white decorating tube icing – you can also make your own white icing, but I went the easy way and this was perfect with the #5 decorating tip

Here’s what you do:

    1. Line a baking sheet with foil or waxed paper.
    2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar. Mix well (I use my KitchenAid) until it forms a stiff dough.
    3. Shape dough into balls, and then pinch the sides to make the ball into a football shape.
    4. Place each peanut butter football on the pan and then chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour or freezer for 30 minutes.
    5. When firm, it’s time to make the chocolate coating! Melt shortening and chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl. I recommend checking the chocolate every 30 minutes and stirring. It’s done when the chocolate looks *almost* all melted – you should then remove from microwave and be able to stir until smooth.
    6. Remove the peanut butter footballs from freezer. Dip each football into the melted chocolate until fully covered. I placed mine on a small fork but they also sell chocolate dippers. Return the chocolate-covered football to the wax paper/foil and repeat until all are covered.
    7. When chocolate is set, you can add the laces. Using your white icing, draw the laces onto the footballs.
    8. Refrigerate for 30 min to one hour to set completely. Enjoy!

I want to know – have you heard of a Buckeye as a dessert before?

Do you love peanut butter and chocolate like I do?

Any other football-themed desserts you enjoy?