About a month ago, I signed up to do a Fall into Fit Gear Exchange. I was given Janelle over at Wholly Healthy and I sent her a package of some new things and some old favourites. I forgot to take a picture, so you’ll have to check out her blog. 

I received a package from Brittany who recently became a fitness instructor in her spare time (way to go!). Brittany is the master-mind behind this fun exchange. She blogs over at My Mama Journey.

It’s always a fun day when you get a package in the mail but when you forget you signed up for an exchange it’s even better. I sent off my packaged and it arrived at Janelle’s house on the West Coast and I kinda forgot I would be getting something in the mail, until the package arrived! It was sent in two shipments so I waited for the second package to arrive.

Well, let’s just say when I opened everything I was overwhelmed! Brittany couldn’t have known my any better. From the workout foam roller book to the skipping rope, tea, book and new recipes – well, it was all awesome. She also wrote me a super awesome note which I read just before heading off to run my 3rd half marathon. It was just the message I needed to read, so thank you for that Brittany.

The tea’s are almost gone and the foam roller book has been opened and unopened many times. I love the note book and I’m pretty sure I have to many of them but I do use them all the time! Brittany, thanks for putting a lot of though into the exchange not to mention hosting it. I’m excited to give the skipping rope a go even though it looks so professional 🙂 I’m sure it will add it my fitness.

Post Half Marathon Run

In other news, I finally went for my first post half marathon run yesterday! Yes, it took me a full week to do, not because I didn’t want to but because my hamstring needed the rest and I was on the road all week for work. And…..it was great!

I was running out of time on Sunday but managed to get in a 5k run. I ran down the hill and out of our subdivision and made my way onto the trail (rails to trails) with the intentions of stopping at the grocery store on my way back. See, I needed an onion for dinner and my husband suggested I combine the two: get my run in and pick up an onion. Really, this was a win-win situation.

Oh  my way back I hit 4k and kept running at close to the grocery store as I could. I paused my Garmin and walked slowly behind a lady that was out for a Sunday walk I’m sure. Once I got in the store I briskly walked over to get an onion and then to the cash register….no lines! I quickly took out the $5 in the back of my skirt and paid for it. I’m pretty sure the cashier knew exactly what I was doing as she asked if I wanted a second bag to carry the onion it. Nope!

As I walked…okay I started to run up the ramp to leave the grocery store, I hit “resume” on my Garmin at the door! I hadn’t lost the satellite – BAM – just like that I was running again. I put the change in my back pocket and threw out the recipe in the garbage bin and kept on running.

I turned the corner with the onion in my hand was just loving my run. I hit the button to cross the street and started my trek back up the hill into my subdivision. Breathing hard, I kept my pace consistent and pushed the last few 100 metres.

Somehow I managed a sub 30 minute 5k ….haven’t seen that in a while! 29:57 with a stop in the grocery store between kilometres 4 and 5…not too shabby! Even though I stretched well my hamstring was sore a few hours later…..what a friggin bummer. I iced it and that seemed to help but it’s not 100%. Gotta get it and my glutes stronger.

We also had a great weekend: swimming lessons for Lilly, jumping in piles of leaves, indoor soccer started for BOTH girls and just time as a whole family was awesome.

How was your weekend?

Ever exchange fitness gear with someone you didn’t know?

Do you use a skipping rope for training? (Got any workouts to share for this newbie?)