My Favorite Recovery Tools for Runners

Disclosure: The products from The Stick, NOW Foods, and Moji were received complimentary to review and share. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s been 7 years since I started training for my first ever 5K, and now at the end of the week I will be running my 7^th marathon. There’s a lot of miles in there which means a lot of sore muscles. Runners will try everything to get rid of soreness and prevent injury. While I don’t always use them as much as I should, I do have a whole basket full of various foam rollers and recovery devices that I have acquired over the years. If you have heard about foam rolling or maybe even purchased one but don’t know how to use it, I love this article on foam-rolling from Runner’s World showing you how to use a roller for different muscles with videos so you can see exactly what to do. Since we are entering the start of fall racing season, it is a good time to talk about my favorite recovery tools. Don’t be like me, and DO YOUR PREHAB and foam roll often! I have linked these products, but most of these can be found on Amazon or at your local running store.

1 . The Stick, price varies

The Stick is a classic massage tool that has been around since 1988. I bought a travel stick years ago and also received a full-size version when I was at the Runner’s World Half & Festival last year. It’s made of a flexible plastic and has a rod with spindles that roll over the muscles to release myofascial and inactivate trigger points. You can read more about how it works here.

I really like using mine for my constantly tight calves, but it can be used all over the body. It also is waterproof and can be placed in the dishwasher for cleaning/sanitizing which is a cool feature. The only downside of The Stick is that some of the longer versions may be too big to fit into a bag for travel or taking places. I own the fuchsia Sprinter Stick which is a firmer, shorter stick that is great for legs (which is mainly what I use it for!) and retails for $34.95.

2. Moji Foot Massager Pro, $39.95

Any photos with my foot looked weird, so this is all you get!

I have been using the Moji Foot Massager Pro since I received a complimentary one from Moji after trying it at the Chicago Marathon expo in 2016. These are also a hot item at Charm City Run, and I have sold many to people after they tried it out in store. Sure you can use a lacrosse or tennis ball to roll your feet, but the Moji Foot Massager Pro is a totally upgraded experience and worth the price. It has high-tech stainless steel balls which you roll your foot over to break up scar tissue and dig into your foot muscles. 

Having all the small spheres really massages your whole entire foot with you controlling the pressure. People suffering from Plantar Fasciitis or foot pain really like this tool! One of my favorite parts is that I keep mine in the freezer for an icy massage, and pop it out every so often to roll my feet over it while I’m sitting at my computer. It feels AMAZING. 

3. R8 from ROLL Recovery, $129.00

The R8 is that thing that looks like a torture device. It is actually a magical recovery tool that gives your muscles a deep tissue massage. I can’t afford a massage every month so this was a good investment. It is expensive (ask for it as a gift, maybe?), but it WORKS. I love deep pressure, but if you are not a fan of that this may take some getting used to. It is TSA-approved (although you might get some questions) and a registered medical device made with stainless steel hardware and soft TPU. Again it can reduce inflammation and really provide myofascial release. I have the older version, but now there is a newer, updated version. 

I place the R8 parallel to my legs and then flip it down so it gets pressure along all sides. You can use it sitting, standing, or laying down.  I like this because I am not rolling around on the floor doing work, rather the R8 is doing all the work, and I am just guiding it along my tight muscles. It hurts so good.

4. NOW® Solutions Joint & Muscle Cream, $14.99 (also available on Amazon!)

This is a newer addition to my recovery arsenal. The NOW® Solutions Joint & Muscle Cream was in my goodie bag from my trip to the NOW Foods headquarters in May. It is made for active individuals to use topically around active joints and muscles. The cream is not super thick and contains Glucosamine (found in joint cartilage and used to keep joints healthy as a supplement) along with Boswellia, Capsacin, and natural Methyl Salicylate for skin care. 

My chemistry background comes out now because capsaicin is a chili pepper extract which has pain-relieving properties and makes this cream feel similar to icy hot. That being said, WARNING: do not apply this cream to your legs and then touch your eyes or face. The hot feeling does last a long time also so be warned, but it does make my sore legs feel nice. NOW® Solutions Joint & Muscle Cream is a great affordable and natural product for runners.

5. The Original Worm, $24.00 or $32.00 based on size

The Original Worm is a portable massager that is a mash up between a foam roller and therapy balls. It’s a neoprene case surrounding 4 rubber balls (and looks like a worm!). This also release trigger points and can give you full-body therapeutic relief. 

While the Original Worm is great for legs and feet as well, I mostly use this for my back pain and neck pain. It’s similar to using lacrosse balls but more stable if I use it against a wall for my shoulders and low back. It also is a great release if I place it under my neck with a yoga block or pillow for my head. The biggest plus to this is that it’s super portable and smaller so it’s great for travel and is what I find throwing into my bag most for a weekend trip.

6. MojiHeat Massage Roller, $69.99

Moji makes another appearance on this list with my most recent recovery tool addition of the MojiHeat massage Roller. When Moji reached out about me reviewing this I was excited because of how much I like the Moji Foot Massager Pro, but was skeptical that this would be another unnecessary variation on a roller. This roller is denser, weighing 3 lbs and 13" long, with a textured outside and combines massage therapy with heat therapy. 

This roller comes apart into two pieces which then are popped into your microwave for 3 minutes. Once your massage roller is heated you twist it back together into one piece and use like a regular massage roller except you are receiving the therapeutic benefits of heat (which is great for recovery). It's made for larger muscle relief but just half could be used for ease when travelling. When I first used this and took it out of the microwave it didn’t feel very warm, but once I started using it I realized it was heating a little bit more after the microwave and felt AMAZING on my legs. The MojiHeat massage roller will hold heat for up to 30 minutes. Especially in the winter, I see myself reaching for the MojiHeat Massage Roller more often for recovery or even as a way to warm up my muscles before a chilly run!

What is your favorite recovery tool? Do you use a foam roller or massage roller?

This post was linked up with the Weekly Wrap hosted by Hoho Runs and Taking the Long Way Home. 

Post- Boston Marathon Recovery Tips

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Fizzique through a campaign with Fit Approach. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I’m still finishing up my big Boston Marathon race recap (so much rain/wind/cold! so many thoughts!) but have really been focusing on my recovery since the race over a week ago. I talked about how my marathon training has been different since my injury , but I’ve also been more conscientious of my recovery as well. With travelling to Boston and an out-of-state wedding right after I haven’t been doing any foam-rolling or exercising. Now that I’m over a week out I’m focusing on getting myself recovered and reverse tapering back into running. I’ve talked on my blog about some broader post-marathon tips, but today I’ll share what I’m focusing on this week specifically for recovery!  

REST

I’m still trying to get plenty of actual sleep during the week, especially the couple days post-race. With the weather conditions along with regular hills on the Boston course, I read from some others that they felt they needed more rest after this race than previous ones. It is important to give your body proper time to fully recover, even if you are feeling better a few days after. This article from Runners Connect  talks about the physiological changes in your body after a marathon including how it takes your muscles about 2 weeks post-marathon to return to full strength. 

After the Philadelphia Marathon I really didn’t run except for a couple miles while coaching for 2 weeks and am doing the same after the Boston Marathon, especially because I had some foot pain the last few miles.

Injury Update #2: Stress Fracture Recovery Begins

In case you missed it, I was diagnosed with a 4th metatarsal stress fracture at the very end of October/beginning of November and survived almost 4 weeks in an Aircast boot doing pretty much zero exercise of any type. Yup, I did pretty much nothing besides a few workouts during my time recovering. 

What I'm Doing

Physical Therapy
Das boot came off in December after an X-Ray and getting the okay from my orthopedist. I wore an ortho sandal for 2 weeks after the boot to still offer some protection, but could at least get around better. Luckily I was not having any pain in my foot. 

The second week of December I began to see a physical therapist once a week as recommended by my orthopedist. A gait analysis was completed and the body mechanics of muscles involved in running were analyzed.  Not so shocking, but I found out I have weak hips (main problem) and weak glutes. ::whomp::whomp::

But really though. Happy Gilmore, anyone?

Exercises
To help strengthen these muscles I was prescribed weekly exercises to do at therapy and at home daily during with a Theraband. Lots of variations on clamshells, squats, step-ups, lunges, and fire hydrants. This article from Runner's Connect has a nice set of exercises which includes some that I have been doing. These will continue to be a staple in my life to help prevent any injuries in the future. 

Theraband exercises are why PT is short for Pure Torture, right? Just hitting you with some rehabilitation professional jokes. 

How to Survive Being an Injured Runner {Stress Fracture Life!}

Disclosure: I received Mizuno winter gear through a campaign with Fitfluential, LLC. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I survived 3.5 weeks in a boot due to a  a stress fracture and over a month of not running or working out really at all. This crazy runner lady has not run in over a month. If I can do it so can any injured runner. Honestly being swamped with school and work has made the time fly by.  I still am in a little bit of a funk and just got cleared to seated cycle so I'm hoping to hit the gym and start working on my cardio again this week. Running and working out makes me feel good about myself and is stress-relieving so it has been a difficult transition. Here's some of the ways I found to make an injury bearable. 

How to Survive Being an Injured Runner

1. Catch up on sleep. 

I have been running on fumes for the past 6 months and have been trying to catch up on sleep on the weekends because I was averaging 6 hours of sleep a night during the week. I don't know what caused my stress fracture, but I'm assuming that lack of solid sleep and recovery may have played a factor.  No early morning runs or workouts means an extra hour or so of sleep!

2. Netflix and chill, literally. 

At the moment at least! {source}

I spent lots of time relaxing on the couch, putting my foot and boot up, and catching up on my Netflix queue, guilt-free. Find a new show to binge when you get home from work or school. I'm currently making my way through Parenthood-it's SO good.  

3.  Stay off of social media. 

{Source}

So I Have a Metatarsal Stress Fracture

So this really isn't the thing you want to be given (aka pay for) at the doctor's office as a runner. 

It seems I have a metatarsal stress fracture in my right foot. 

According to OrthoInfo a stress fracture is "a small crack in a bone, or severe bruising within a bone. Most stress fractures are caused by overuse and repetitive activity, and are common in runners and athletes who participate in running sports, such as soccer and basketball." Recovery time for healing is 6-8 weeks. 

How it started
So 6 days after the Chicago Marathon on 10/9 and a couple easy runs, I decided to run the 5K and a leg of the marathon relay (Leg 4- 7 miles) at the Baltimore Running Festival on 10/15/16. It was super fun and the excitement got to me so I ran a little fast. The next day as I took my first steps during my run with the Charm City Run training group I was coaching, I had pain on the bottom side of my foot that did not go away.  In fact it continued to hurt the next couple of day as I took each step walking. It was mostly this pain on the outside of my foot which made me suspect tendinosis, but there was also this achy not sharp pain on the bottom top and heel of my foot that also felt kinda burning sometimes.  

Initial Steps
I took a a bunch of rest days, iced my foot, and used some KT tape to tape it up. It was feeling better later that week by the time of the appointment I made with the orthopedist. I've never had any injuries so I was freaked out and wanted to get it looked at. Things felt good and the X-Rays came back clear. I did a couple shorter runs with my training group (3, 4 miles), and it felt a lot better.  

Monday 10/24 I went for a 9 mile run with a friend, and my foot felt great until just after mile 4 where it was in pain. After the run it was in a lot of pain-no bueno. So I called my doctor and got an MRI scheduled for 10/29. Perhaps for another post, but MRIs are SO weird. 

MRI & Where I'm At Now
The MRI saw some bursitis between my 2nd, 3rd, 4th metatarsals (inflammation between my toes), tendinosis and fluid at my peroneal longus tendon (inflammation in my tendon along the outer edge of my foot), and a 4th metatarsal stress reaction (stress fracture almost in my 4th toe). 

Image from AAOS

My doctor said it's a stress fracture from what he sees on the MRI despite there not being a ton of pain. It hurts more when he presses on it than the next toe but not a ton and way less than there was initially.  Honestly the tendinosis is bothering me on the bottom/side outer edge of my foot more lately.  As a future clinician the science of it all and looking at my MRI was pretty cool. Minus the fact that it was MY foot. 

The doctor think it is just an overuse activity from running and marathon training since nothing else seems glaring wrong. Although we're going to get my bone density tested as a precaution (despite not having the Female Athlete Triad), and in a few weeks I'll go to physical therapy and get my gait analyzed to see if it's something bio-mechanical in how I'm running as well as re-strengthen my foot. I just had my calcium and Vitamin D levels tested with Insidetracker, and both were in the normal range (which I tried hard to make sound legit when I explained to my doctor, haha).  

I got the MRI results on Thursday and pretty much spent all weekend watching Netflix and having a pity party party for myself. There was a lot of sobbing, beers, and some ice cream. Plus reading every Google search results on metatarsal stress fractures and running, of course. 

It just sucks because medical issues cost lots of money and time which I am happy to do to be healthy but still I'm a poor graduate student. Also I LOVE RUNNING, and JUST came off some great races and was finally feeling stronger and faster for the first time in a while. 

Now I feel like I'm going back to square one.

I went to a yoga class (that was actually great) last Tuesday and haven't worked out since. 

For now I'm in the Aircast boot for 3 weeks all the time except sleeping, until I go see my Dr. again and get re-evaluated with some X-Rays to see how its healing. He said for now pretty much just rest unless I can get in a pool and go swimming.  

Feelings About It All
Honestly I go back and forth between being fine and accepting my body-mandated rest period, and then just crying and freaking out. I'm actually really bummed that I can't run the Philadelphia Marathon anymore, but clearly it wasn't meant to be this year.  

Despite this I have a lot of gratitude. It's sucky but hey this all happened after training for the Chicago Marathon and then running a big PR and BQ and amazing race. I'm assuming since it's November it should get colder and take a couple months off from running at the holidays to rest won't be so badly. Lastly (and only second importantly to already getting the PR/BQ), is that I am lucky enough to still have healthcare through my job even though working full-time ish hours during full-time grad school sucks. That means I have a Hopkins sports medicine orthopedist to work with through all this which is awesome. He thinks I should be back to my running self in January/February which is great to hear.

Now I'm that runner who is on #injurydeck and can't run. Bring on the Netflix marathons and stay tuned!

So anyone ever had a stress fracture? How do you stay sane during injuries?

The Still Point at Haven on the Lake Spa Afternoon

When I received an email with an invitation to tour and experience the newly opened The Still Point at Haven on the Lake in Columbia, MD I was excited.  Relaxing at a spa sounded like the perfect way to chill last Sunday afternoon.  

Columbia is around a 30 minute drive outside of the city and Haven on the Lake is conveniently located near the mall and below a new Whole Foods. Yes, fresh food and drinks from Whole Foods are actually delivered to Haven on the Lake so you don't have to bring your own lunch! 

Since it's nestled right in the middle of things, I was surprised at how relaxing and calm the environment was from the minute I walked in.  There was something about the huge space, open layout, and their signature scent in the air that made me right at ease.  

When you walk in The Still Point is on the left and the on the right are the studios and pool and therapy areas.  

The Still Point offers a large selection of wellness services including acupuncture, massage, holistic skin care, body treatments, natural nail care, and nutrition coaching. The spa looked pristine and was well-staffed.   

The first part of the afternoon was a tour of Haven on the Lake itself.  It has a huge pool area which includes a hot tub, relaxation pool, cold plunge pool, sauna, and steam bath.  All the areas looked stunning, and I was absolutely regretting not bringing my bathing suit to sneak in a dip! 

Two of the most interesting things available are the tropical rain shower and the Crystal Salt Room.  Apparently the Crystal Salt Room is used as alternative medicine for common ailments and skin conditions and is surprisingly the most-booked area at Haven on the Lake! 

Yes, I;m talking gorgeous pools like this.  

Haven on the Lake also offers meditation and relaxation lounges, childcare services and a plethora of Mind Body classes including barre, aqua pilates,and yoga. 

I chose to try out the Yoga Wall class instead of the barre class. The studio literally is right on the lake and provides a beautiful, peaceful environment to practice in. .They even have an terrace for outside classes when the weather warms up.

Monday Motivation-Be Nice to Yourself

In the healthy living and fitness communities you are always hearing the messages: make no excuses, get your workout done no matter what, and keep pushing yourself. I even come across these mantras on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest:  

   

Don't get me wrong, I love some tough love, and sometimes that motivation style is necessary to get you pumped up to get your workout in.  Sometimes though, you don't need to push yourself but rather need to take a step back and breathe.  

This week especially has been crazy busy with an anniversary dinner, midterms for my class, an impromptu concert on Friday, and a growing to-do list. Oh yeah, and I'm running another half marathon this weekend and another at the end of April so I should probably be running more. Whoops. 

 I think I got in three solid workouts last week. Instead of letting that stress me out, I went with it and felt at ease. My eating wasn't exactly on point with my big anniversary dinner, french fries & beer, oh and those braised short ribs I whipped up in the crockpot last night (amazing, I might add).  So what, that's what enjoying life is about for me. This week, I've got a fridge full of healthy snacks and lunches prepped.

Work, but don't forget to live

Things have still been moving at a whirlwind pace, and I've been taking a step back to remember to do what I gotta do, but just live.

My cup of Yogi tea gave me some serendipitous wisdom last night, as it always seems to.

Besides some personal life drama, I feel like fall is here and I need to be doing more. I've discussed before how I get caught up in life and neglect myself sometimes. Especially lately, I've been meditating on that notion more. I'm also trying to stay healthy and strong for that marathon I'm running in 17 days and all (WHAT?!).

Here's some things I've been doing instead of blogging, studying, stressing out, and working (too hard):

1. Going out for ice cream with my siblings and getting a two scoop sundae with vanilla vegan (due to my tummy troubles) ice cream, gooey caramel sauce, Reeses Pieces, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. I ate all but a few spoonfuls because then my stomach hurt. Probably due to the massive amount of sugar I devoured in 5 minutes. It was worth it though because I haven't had a legit ice cream sundae in so long, and it was DELISH. No photo because I ate it too fast, haha.

2. Waffles. Yes, if I happen to have some extra time in the morning, I'll treat myself to some waffles for breakfast, since they take a bit longer to make than pancakes and all. Even on a weekday. I'm worth it, and waffles are delicious, especially when you pan cook some banana slices in coconut oil to top your waffles with. 

3. You deserve the best. Thank you, Chobani, I need to think that more often. I already received my coupons for free yogurtto replace a few bad cups I had purchased when they were having issues with fizzing,moldy yogurts. I still love you, Chobani, especially with your great customer service.

4. Going to Virgin Mobile FreeFest Music Festival even though it poured rain all afternoon and evening to see Vampire Weekend, Robin Thicke, City and Colour,The Avett Brothers, Kaskade, and Pretty Lights. Yeah the rain made it pretty miserable, especially since I had woken up at 5:30 AM and ran lots and lots  of miles (22!), but I love music and couldn't pass up a free concert. I had never seen Vampire Weekend live and LOVED it.  

Oh hey, Robin Thicke!

5. Sleeping in. I haven't been really working out in the mornings because I've been choosing sleep over exhasution later in the day. I need to buckle down with the marathon race day quickly approaching but figure being well-rested is better for my body! Stay healthy people, I hear lots of coughing and sniffling on the bus and at work with the changing of the seasons. 

Have you been taking care of yourself this week? What do you do to de-stress?

Just keep breathing {marathon training update week 13}

This week has been trying for me. Before I get to that, here's my Week 13 (AH!) marathon training update. 

The Road to 26.2 -Marathon Training Week 13

Runs:

Short runs: My training group was another short hillwork run. The weather was supposed to be unusually hot and humid again so we only did 3 of each of the 4 hills. It was a shorter workout and ended up not being as hot as the forecast predicted, but it's better to be safe than sorry! 

Long Run- There was 18 miles scheduled for Saturday. I was feeling okay and the run had us starting out with a flat stretch along the harbor and then climbing some hills over near Patterson Park. I hadn't gotten up as early as I should have so for the first time in my training runs I had to deal with bathroom issues in the middle of a long run. Of course they started in the park area where there are no bathrooms or businesses in sight. I suppose it was good practice to learn how to run when you're feeling uncomfortable and just push through it. Eventually about 4 miles later I pulled off from the group and stopped to use a Starbucks bathroom. This was a good reminder to get up early, get things moving, and go to the bathroom before a long run.  Otherwise, the weather was lovely, and my fueling was on-point.  I was conscious of my nutrition intake but not over or under using the GU and Honey Stinger chews I had brought along. 

What was awesome last week:   I've been good at listening to my body. Fueling it, resting it, and stretching it out are so important, especially towards the end of training. I will take a rest day or skip a run if I need to. 

What I need to work on this week: I need to de-stress and try to keep calm. Stress only wreaks havoc on my body and mind. I've noticed I've been remembering bits of dreams, all involving less than pleasant situations which I think is a manifest of some of my stress. I certainly don't need to get myself sick or run down.

Remember, tomorrow (Friday 9/20/13) is the last day to enter the Delta Labs fall recipe contest! Entries should be original recipes with photos if possible and can be submitted via email to contests@deltalabsusa.com.The winner will receive a $50 VISA gift card and gets to have their recipe featured on the Delta Labs website and made into a Delta Dishes video! 

This week has been quite the doozy in my personal life so I've been kind of absent from blogging, social media, and life in general. I'm trying to get my priorities straight and just remember to breathe. Deep, yoga breathing. 

Everything happens for a reason and it's nice to have those moments where you know somebody, somewhere was looking out for your family.  Remember to tell people that are important to you that you love them. 

here are some reminders I pinned on Pinterest!

If you're training for a race, how is it going? What do you focus on when times get tough?

Oh wait, it's Tuesday?

My family was in town this weekend and my sister stayed through Labor Day. I was a cool sister and took her out to the bars and ate lots of greasy food and eggs. Sorry I missed my marvelous monday post!

Yesterday was spent resting, doing homework, food shopping, Neftlix, and looking like this:

Today I needed one of these in the morning to get some veggies in, along with a big bowl of peanut butter overnight oats :

picked this up at Whole Foods

Work has been extra crazy today with lots of things going on and as I try to get myself situated with the week and what I have to do I need to keep reminding myself that it's September. 

It's also already Wednesday tomorrow, which makes me feel like this: 

I'm coming up with some September goals this week and running a fun NFL Ravens football 5K tomorrow that begins and ends at M&T Bank Stadium where the Ravens play so that should be exciting and of course you'll hear all about it. Or at least see a photo or too :)

Did you do anything fun Labor Day weekend? Are you having trouble adjusting after a long weekend? 

Importance of Catching Zzzs

I had another one of those weekends where I'm just going going going and feeling exhausted when I wake up. I took about 6 naps this past weekend and still feel drained.  After my  vacation (Bonnaroo!!!)  through the end of this week I'm going to work on getting better sleep. I was going to post something else but decided that this was something important to discuss after I realized yet again I was exhausted this morning.  

 On my run on Sunday I felt crappy which is mostly due to the fact that I was just exhausted combined with the heat and humidity.  That's not going to cut it when I start marathon training in a week!

A 2006 Harvard Study found that chronic sleep loss majorly affects our health in a negative way. I am usually getting from around 4-6 hours of sleep lately.  Apparently most people sleep less than 6 hours a night, which can lead to weight gain, higher blood pressure, and suppressed immune system.  Mostly people need at least 7.5-8.5  hours of sleep (and I know I do!).  During sleep the brain is committing new information to memory which is clearly important.  Constantly being sleep deprived also causes weight gain due to altering appetite-affecting hormone levels.  Another obvious effect of sleep deprivation is that my mood is definitely more irritable and less focused.  

Unplugging

I wrote before about how I've been trying to unplug before bed and not spend half an hour on my Instagram or twitter.  Honestly all the bombardment of social media, aka a place for people to share but also show off has been causing a lot of anxiety for me. 

 I've decided for the next month to limit my social media time to 30 minutes approximately a day. I'll check out some of the blogs I like, do a quick Facebook check since I keep in touch with people that way, and limit my time online in general.  Seeing everybody who has 5 social media sites and instagrams their abs or oatmeal everyday causing a lot of comparisons and makes me feel down about myself about how much more I should be working out, eating less, and burning more calories.

The beginning of this week I felt so good and happy and strong and want to keep that going.  I'll try to blog probably about once or twice a week.  The interwebs and the strange world it is will go on whether I'm on it for a half an hour or 4 hours.  I'm going to get back into reading more books with my free time instead of just flipping through magazines on the bus to work or spending my lunch break on my phone. Hopefully as the weather warms up I'll spend some more time outside.

I've been thinking about my priorities and what I want in my life these past few months (residual New Year thoughts, perhaps?).  I have been working on removing negativity from my life and therefore stress.  I want to spend my time doing things that me happy and are productive while also giving myself enough time to recharge everyday.  This past week I've been working out because I want to, not because I feel like it is a chore I need to day. Monday there was a strength training circuit for Best Body Bootcamp that was on the schedule, but I was upset and just needed to run 4 miles, so I did.

If you are caught up in the craziness of life, which is how I usually feel around Wednesdays in the middle of the week, take a moment and breathe. 

Do something that makes you happy :)