Happy New Year, Friends!
This is my second Friday Five of the month—earlier I wrapped up December (a little late), and now it’s time to reflect on January. I hope your 2026 is off to a wonderful start! Mine has begun on a really good note, and I’m feeling excited and hopeful as I ease into some new goals and adventures this year.
One – Happy New Year!
Well, I recapped Christmas in my last monthly recap, so why not move on over to New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day. We do the same thing every year, on New Year’s Eve we go to the Melting Pot and I’m usually in bed before midnight. And on New Year’s Day we go to Top Golf in the afternoon. This year I wore my new shiny gold top and shoes from Shop the Mint to The Melting Pot. I got my favorite Love Martini cocktail and Brian got his Yin & Yang.
I try to get a photo of us each year at our table. Here we are getting ready to eat all the meat. I think the best part is all the sauces they give you to dip it all into! Yum!
I went out for an early morning run on New Year’s Day, and all of the Christmas decorations were still up around the park. There was a New Year’s 5K happening at the same time — the runners were on the main roads while I stayed on the trail — and it was kind of fun passing by and soaking in the energy as they raced.
Top Golf in the afternoon is a New Year tradition for us. I had some spiked hot chocolate and it was SO good! I wore my new bow hat and mittens from sweet Ashley.
Two – Brian’s Birthday Celebration
Brian’s birthday is right after Christmas and sometimes we go to the Ritz for a night to celebrate! We always order champagne and chocolate strawberries when we get in the room and then we usually cozy up and watch a Netflix movie till dinner. We watched The Great Flood and I WOULD NOT recommend it. It was interesting, though. I’m also a little surprised by how highly rated it is… if you like apocalyptic movies, you may like it.
We dined at Casa Don Alfonso, the fancy Italian restaurant inside the Ritz Carlton. This has been our third or fourth time dining here and it is always fantastic. They have the absolute BEST espresso martinis EVER. I always have to get one. This time they put a cute bow in the froth! SO, so cute!
Here we are at our table with Brian’s birthday dessert.
The next morning I took a photo from our balcony. I love the courtyard to the Ritz Carlton in Clayton. Then we went down for the most delicious breakfast buffet and I ordered a fancy coffee off their coffee menu. The next day I started a 30 day coffee detox (NO coffee in any form!) and I’m proud to say that I’m halfway through it and it hasn’t been as hard as I thought it’d be. I have been drinking hot tea with 2 tablespoons of milk, though. Should I extend this coffee detox another 30 days or am I crazy?! Ha, ha!
Three – Running Stuff
This was my first full year using Strava consistently, and I’ve loved seeing all of my running (and workouts!) captured in one place. Over the summer, I added a fourth running day each week, and wow — look how close that got me to 1,000 miles. That alone has me setting a big goal for 2026: I want to hit 1,000 miles!
I also did a little more strength training than yoga this year, and I even spent about three months using our rower downstairs over the summer — which was actually really fun (and something I had more time for then).
These stats make me really proud. I finally broke 2:00 in the half marathon, and I PR’d my recent 15K with a 9:03 pace. So many wins, and so much to be excited about going into the new year!
Another new thing this year is that I joined a Christian moms running club — and it has been SO fun. We meet every Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. and run about 4.5–5 miles, with an optional breakfast at a nearby café afterward. My friend Michelle has been going for a while and kept encouraging me to join, and I’m so glad I finally did.
After each run, we all share photos in our Facebook group, which makes it feel even more special and connected. On my very first run, some of the ladies in the walking group even spotted an owl along the way. The woman who leads the group also gave me a cross bracelet on my first morning, which felt incredibly meaningful.
I’ve gone four times now and hope to keep going as I head back into half marathon training. It’s been such a sweet mix of movement, faith, and community.
One big running goal I have for 2026 is to fine-tune my nutrition, especially since I log a lot of miles each week. In endurance running, carbohydrates aren’t the enemy — they’re fuel. While carbs sometimes get a bad rap in general diets, for runners they’re essential for keeping your glycogen stores topped up so you can train hard and recover well. Most sports nutrition guidelines recommend that endurance athletes get the majority of their calories — often around 60-70% — from carbohydrates, with smaller amounts from protein and healthy fats to support performance and recovery.
That’s exactly why I signed up for the RunWell Collective, a program led by sports dietitian Cortney Berling that’s focused on sports-specific nutrition. Through this course I’m learning things like:
-
how different kinds of carbs (simple vs complex) impact energy and digestion
-
what to eat before, during, and after runs for optimal performance
-
how fueling changes on high-effort days versus lighter rest or recovery days
-
how to plan meals so I’m properly fueled without digestive issues on long runs
She covers proteins and fats too, but the emphasis has been on making carbohydrates work for my training — not against it — so I’m better prepared to hit big goals like a 1,000-mile year and faster race paces.
I’m already finding it super informative, and I feel even more confident going into next year with a structured nutrition plan that matches my mileage and goals.
Four – My 2025 Year in Books!
I read 13 books in 2025! I feel this is a bit less than other years, but I was kind of into watching some older movies this year (Harry Potter, Lord’s Ring, etc.) and that slowed my reading down. I am going to be more intentional in 2026 to read more! I read a lot of running motivational books in 2025 and they’re great to listen to on my Shokz while I run. At home, I enjoy reading fiction on my iPad. If I had to pick my ABSOLUTE faves from this year, they’d be these: The Frozen River, The Let Them, Can’t Hurt Me & Living With a Seal (these two are great to read back to back) and Let your Mind Run. ALL great books!!!
Five – Latest Finds
Shop Ninja Creami and my Favorite Protein Shake Powder:
I’ve been wanting a Ninja Creami for quite a while so I could make frosty, protein-packed shakes at home — and I finally got one for Christmas. Let me just say… it has completely changed the game. What used to feel like a basic protein shake now feels like a true indulgent treat.
So far, I’ve made a banana cinnamon and chocolate protein shakes that taste like dessert, plus a simple blend of plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon (so good). This machine is SO fun and makes everything extra creamy and satisfying. Of course, you can use it to make less-healthy treats like ice cream and milkshakes too, but I love that it can turn everyday protein into something that feels special.
I’ve been following The Hungry Runner Girl for a while, and she’s always raving about her famous Green Smoothie — so much so that she even delivers mugs of it to her neighbors. Naturally, I had to try it for myself.
It did not disappoint. It’s surprisingly delicious and such an easy way to pack extra nutrients into the day. I make mine in my Magic Bullet, so my portions are a bit smaller than the ones she shares, which means my “green” smoothie usually turns out more berry-colored than green — and I’m totally fine with that. I blend water, 1 cup of Super Greens (I buy Organic Girl’s Super Nutrition Super Greens, but find something with chard, spinach, kale), ½ cup frozen berries, ½ cup frozen banana, and 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. It’s quick, simple, and so good. I drink it right out of the Magic Bullet with a smoothie straw.
We recently went to a tea time at The London Tea Room. I LOVED this new tea I tried called Royal Wedding Tea. I decided to order some online so that I can make it at home. I enjoy it plain with 2 tablespoons of milk. I also love their Cream Earl Grey. You can check out their teas for sale HERE.
I was at the running store with Nathan and couldn’t resist picking up a new pair of sunglasses for my runs. I grabbed a fun pair from Goodr, and this colorway is called Guacamole Sunrise. I love the name!
Here’s to a month of routines finding their place, goals taking shape, and easing into the year one step at a time.
I’d LOVE for you to follow me on the below platforms! Let me know if you decide to follow me on any of them in the comments, because I’d love to follow you back!
