Sunday, February 21, 2016

The week in review-Consistency!

So, yeah. Another week is in the wraps. If I had to pick a theme for this past week, it would have to be consistency.

The week started off with a trip to the downtown office building for some stair-training on Monday after work. I have wanted to make this a brick workout (of sorts)....run (literally) from my house to the building, do my stair routine, and then run back home. So far, I'm 0-for-2 on that endeavor. Stay tuned....I promise it will happen.
Ready for the stairs!
Anyways, this was only my second time (this season) working out on the stairways of this building (I routinely do stair-training in my home, though), and I was a little gun-shy after the week prior. I may have kinda/sorta overdid it by doing 16 sets of climbs (80 total flights of stairs) that first week. Even though I felt great, approximately 20 hours later, it was a different story when the dreaded DOMS hit me hard, and my calves were a painful, knotted-up mess. This past week, I did 12 sets (60 total flights). I still felt a good burn, and I was able to "run" most of these sets.

 

Later, I did a quick mile on the 'mill (#nevermissaMonday) and also a some-what intense cardio pyramid workout. All was good, and the DOMS were a no-show.

Want a quick "little" cardio challenge? Give this a whirl!
Tuesdays have been my long-standing arm/shoulder/upper body day. This goes way back to my days of long ago, when I first started doing strength training via P90X. That old habit of  "Tuesday arms,etc." has stuck, and I have the guns to show for it (#bang) (sorry, bad joke).

Wednesday, the temps started to climb. When I got home form work, we were entertaining upper 30-degree temps, so I took it to the streets. Three miles later, I returned home feeling like the caged bird who had been set free. Cabin fever is not my thing, and I have logged more miles than I care to think about on the 'mill in recent weeks.
Ahhhh...outdoor miles!!!!
Thursday also had pleasant temps for Iowa in February, so I met up with my friend, Barb, after work and we did 4 miles at a decent tempo-ish pace. It has been so nice doing all these miles in the daylight! It really is the little things that make me smile.

Barb & I ready for some daylight miles


Those daylight miles became tempo miles...and I had to shed the jacket and do a waist-tie

Finally, the weekend had me lacing up for back-to-back outdoor miles. Saturday, Barb and I ran 6 miles in the early morning sunshine. The temps were in the low 40's, and the wind was minimal. Most of the roads were clear and dry (from all the melted snow and slush).

The sunshine on Saturday was glorious!
Sunday, I waited until late in the afternoon, and did a quick 2-miler, again at a near tempo pace...not sure what is happening with me running faster than normal (no complaints). Typically, I don't do back-to-back running days, but sometimes the weather just beckons me outside. My mileage is still pretty much at the minimum, but will be gradually increasing as I get ready for my spring races. I could just jump right to 10-milers on the weekends, but this year I am committed to doing things gradually. After all, just because I can do certain things, doesn't necessarily mean that I should.

Feeling fine after Sunday's run
On a side note, another fun weekend project that I finished was my first-ever knitted hat!  I have made numerous scarves and sweaters, but have never attempted a hat with double-pointed needles (and a somewhat complicated pattern). The color scheme was my idea (because I'm an #artgeek #colorfreak), and so was the funky pom-pom.

Here's a closer look. I'm not really into skulls and such, but I thought the pattern was cool, and I'm always up for a challenge.


Were you consistent this week with your workouts? How was your weather? Have you ever created any wearable art from yarn?

I'm linking up with the awesome Holly from HoHo Runs  and Tricia from  MissSippiPiddlin  for the Weekly Wrap link-up. Do head over, and checkout what everyone's been up to. You're sure to get some great inspiration!!


45 comments:

  1. Hooray for outdoor running! You had a heatwave there. I saw your hat on I/G. That is so awesome. The pattern looks very complicated. I wouldn't know where to begin. The colors are great too. Do you always wear Mizunos? I've noticed them in several of your pics. I've always run in Wave Inspires. Thanks for linking with us Kimberly.

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    1. Currently I'm loving Brooks Adrenaline GTS-15's. I LOVED the Wave Inspire 8's, and had two pairs of the WI-11's last year.....I loved them as well, but just not as much as the WI-8's. They seemed to not give me as much support (?), and I could tell they were just not the same. That said, I also had a sporadic training cycle in the spring last year and had my first-ever episode with Plantar Fasciitis...so there were a lot of strange circumstances (and I do NOT blame the shoes). I still wear the WI-11's a lot, just not for long runs (I have the mint green ones and the rose/pink ones). I have heard a lot of people didn't like the WI-10's or 11's as much as previous models....your opinion? I haven't seen if the WI-12 is out (?)...I assume it is (?)

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  2. Wow, that hat is AWESOME!! I have knitted a baby blanket before but never done anything which required following a yarn color pattern. I'm super impressed. And you with the stairs! Holy smokes! I should have been doing that type of cross training last year to get ready for the run at Escape from Alcatraz. Hope your runs continue to feel great! Have a good week!

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    1. Thanks!! I started the stair-running thing a few years ago when I was training for my first Fight for Air Climb. I like the challenge ;-)

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  3. I love that hat! You could totally sell those. I don't have the patience for knitting. I wish I did.

    Great week of training! Glad the DOMS didn't visit you this week.

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    1. Thanks! Ironic I got my hat finished....just in time for the warm temps LOL Oh well, this is Iowa, and it's still February. I doubt the "warm" temps will stick around. #reality

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  4. That hat is so cool!!! I've never knit anything although I can sew. Back in the day, I made myself a reversible wrap skirt. I thought I was pretty cool. ;) Great week of workouts! Consistency feels so good, doesn't it? -C

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    1. yes, consistency feels great! I can sew a mean seam...by hand LOL

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  5. Great job on finishing your hat. It looks great! My mom had an adorable knit hat made for my son, and after seeing how cute he was in it (we just realized on Saturday that he's sadly outgrown it), I'm all about the knit hats now.

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    1. not that you have much (if ANY) free time...but knitting is a great stress-reliever. I do it mainly when I'm riding in a car or for 20 minutes or so before I go to bed.

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  6. I LOVE the hat! My mom knits and has tried to teach me several times but I just can't do it. I can do basic sewing though and am pretty good at basic elastic waist skirts, dress pants, and shells. Just no sleeves or zippers ;-) I too am LOVING being able to run outside in daylight!

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    1. I learned to knit when I was young (10 years old?), so it's been a part of my life forever. I'm pretty ambidextrous, so it's one of those things my art-geek-brain can grasp LOL

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  7. Great to get out for some warmer temperature runs! And your hat is very cute!

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    1. I'm loving the warmer temps!!!! I feel like I've been waiting all of 2016 for it!

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  8. The hat came out great! The only thing I ever made with yarn are those God's eye things where you wrap it around sticks. Haha! Yes, a brief taste of spring here too. Now I want it full-time alas snow is in the forecast. Sigh.

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    1. I never get too excited for warm weather, especially in February. As much as I enjoy it...I know it's not gonna last ;-(

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  9. You look really happy in all your pictures and it comes through in your post too. The sunshine and longer days will do that to you !

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    1. Absolutely! I need my sunshine and fresh air. I haven't been on the 'mill much (in comparison to the general population), but it's way more than I can handle.

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  10. Get it, girl! I used to do stairs when I lived in London and didn't have access to a gym. I just went up and down and up and down in my apartment building. It's a killer workout!

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    1. I love stairs....it's tough, but fairly quick & very effective ;-)

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  11. Consistency is good! And that might just be where the speed is coming from (that and those stairs).

    The hat is amazing. I can't believe it's your first. I spend too much time blogging now and haven't knit a thing this year. Or painted, or . . .

    Just got back from a walk with Lola in glorious sunshine (where were you yesterday?). Damn that felt good, even if it's only 30 or so. Sun makes all the difference!

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    1. mind you, I spend a lot of time blogging, too! I love it,but it definitely takes a lot of time & undivided attention. We went on a quick over-nighter last weekend for our son's swimming tournament, so I had almost eight hours of car time to kill.

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  12. Love the skull hat - good job on that!!! and this -->> just because I can do certain things, doesn't necessarily mean that I should. SO TRUE! i'm taking that approach this training cycle and so far, so good. Sounds like a great week!

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    1. Thanks ;-) I'm definitely taking my own advice in 2016, and taking things easy. I have nothing to gain by over-training when I have nothing on the calendar that requires it.

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  13. stair running is hard! Does it bother your knees? Love all your great colored leggings

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    1. I think the stair training works for me because I almost always take the steps by two. I'm tall (long legs) and it actually seems like much harder work single-stepping. Any discomfort I feel (usually) will be in my quads.

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  14. YAY for consistency!!!! Stair running bothers my knees, but it sure is good for the bum! hehe! Great job last week!

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    1. Thanks Michelle! I'm one of those weirdos who likes what most people try to avoid. ;-)

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  15. lime green is my (current) favorite color ;-) And I've always been a sucker for black & white, so this color combo just seemed like it had to happen ;-)

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  16. You can just send me the skulls hat I would so wear it! ;) Very neat you can do that! Wow at the amount of stairs you did! I need to incorporate them back into my routine I could tell I had not been working on hills nor stairs in my hilly half this weekend! :( Ugggh, got to change that! I did make a scarf but I didn't knit it. I took strands of yarn in different textures put them all together tied a knot and poof a scarf :) That is talent right there, not! :) Thanks Kim for linking up with us! Oh and the weather was wonderful in Mississippi this weekend! We even had dinner outside Friday night!

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    1. I have seen those scarves with the knotted yarn...they're cool! I challenge you to do some stairs....go ahead, step it UP! ;-)

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  17. Your hat is fantastic! I love the colors and the pattern! My calves would be screaming after a stair workout like that, and then they'd probably get revenge by giving me PF.

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    1. I've only had one incident with calf problems...and I was totally blind-sided by it because they felt fine (until 20 hours later LOL). I feel it more in my quads, probably because I always take the steps by two's... ;-)

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  18. Your hat is so cute! I wish I knew how to knit! Oooh, stair workouts! I haven't done a true stair workout in ages. Nice work!

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  19. LOVE the pompom. Great workouts! :)

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  20. It's been so nice having this break in the weather so we can get outside! I keep reminding myself that more snow will come and more cold will come, but boy am I grateful for this break! Cute hat :)

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    1. Thanks ;-) Yes, I know the break in the weather is probably just the calm before the (next) storm LOL

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  21. I love your hat!!! I do knit too. Scarves, hats and socks but nothing with a pattern.

    Stair workouts - what a great idea.

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    1. The stairs are actually a great challenge...and you don't have to do many to feel the burn ;-)

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  22. I love that hat! I tried to learn how to knit but it caused way to much stress for me! LOL! You are a stair climbing goddess!

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    1. ha ha...stress? Knitting is supposed to be relaxing ;-) Although, I must confess this hat was a little challenging with the constant black & white color changing....#humbled

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  23. Great week of workouts and runs! I love all your colorful leggings! Cute hat! I've never tried knitting anything.

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    1. You should try knitting!It's much more rewarding than cleaning my house ;-)

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