Sunday, August 28, 2016

Doing things I haven't done in awhile....or at all



Another week is wrapped up...care to hear what went down? Well, there were lot of things happening that I had not done in awhile...and several things I had never tried before.

For starters, the temps on Monday morning were very chill...and that is not a play on words. It was 55-degrees when I laced up the shoes for my #nevermissaMonday routine. Even though the cooler temps felt great, let me be clear on this.....I am NOT ready for summer to end.

brrrr....my first long-sleeved outing of the season
Tuesday morning was a bit more realistic...temps were in the mid-60's at the break of dawn. I did my 4-mile route somewhat in the dark because it was overcast. But, alas, the overcast skies started to break apart as I was finishing my four miles

Seriously, how do people stay inside when this kind of beauty awaits you outside?
My plan for Wednesday was some cross-training, in the name of cycling. I have not been on the Mongoose for any substantial length of time since before my ultra. But Momma N had a different idea...as I was getting my bike ready to roll, rain started falling. Seriously??? Well, I also have not done any major stair-climbing workouts in recent months, either...so I spent a good 20+ minutes going up and down the staircase (80 flights) and called it good.

Rain outside? I'll gladly take my cross-training inside...on the steps
Thursday, I had some hill repeats on the roster (I have not done hill repeats in awhile either). I headed out to a nearby county road that sports a couple of good hills (and not too many residents to witness my antics as I ran up and down, back and forth). Over all, I ended with four miles in total distance (including the warm-up and cool-down) and a very sweaty (and exhausted) feeling of accomplishment.

Yes, that's a hill...and YES, it's a lot more daunting than it appears in the photo
Friday was a light day of active recovery. My glutes and hammies were feeling the after-effects of the prior day's hill work. I did some foam rolling, stretching, and my daily August challenge stuff (planks, push-ups, etc.).

Saturday was my first double-digit run since my ultra. The weather forecast showed rain and storms, but the rain ended around 6:00AM. I headed out just after 7:00 and got the first seven miles done, then I met up with Barb (who does a lot of my long runs with me).  She ran the final three miles with me, and I headed back home feeling sorta beast-like. It's crazy how a 10-miler, even though I had not run that far in the past six weeks, still didn't seem like much of an effort.

I have not done much chalk artwork in awhile, either....
Sunday. Nothing specific workout-wise on the agenda, but I still wanted to get in some activity. The temps were warm and the humidity was high, but the sun was bright and beautiful. I had not been on my bike for awhile (remember Wednesday's rain?), so I dusted it off and met up with Barb. We cranked out almost 90 minutes of non-stop pedaling.

Somehow, we almost always manage to show up in matching outfits...
I should mention, I'm entering a new phase with my upcoming marathon (Route 66, Nov. 20th). What's new? (Cue the drum roll...) I'm working with a coach this time. I will not be posting my specific, detailed workouts, but I will be chatting about them. How do I feel about this adventure? I'm a little anxious in giving up that control,but also kinda excited about it, too. I'm one of those people who typically will go through the motions and do as I'm told (though I may question things now and then). When I'm left in charge, though, I tend to (sometimes) slack off and pull excuses out of the air. So, stay tuned! I'm eager to see how this plays out!

In other news.....

Another thing I have not done in awhile is post a selfie plank, first thing in the morning. Usually, I'm kind of  a disheveled mess, sans eye liner (trust me, no  one wants to see that!), and the bed head looks atrocious.  But, I believe in keeping things real.....even if it means I may resemble Cousin It in all my glory.

I know, I know...hot stuff! The compression socks, slippers, and messy hair really have it going on.
Let's talk filters for a quick minute. Another new venture for me is the use of filters on my pics. I'm very much a self-processed art geek. My goal in photography is to capture the moment, and have that "moment" stand on its own. But....there's also a part of me that likes to take a bland (BORING) pic and glam it up a bit. Hypocrite? Maybe so.....but I'm trying to keep a more open mind on the use of .filters. And fair warning, I will probably be succumbing to the pressure and using them more frequently.

For example:

How about this? The bright colors and heavy shadows give it more dimension...


...and this one? It almost looks like a chalk drawing with the stark contrast of black and white...

...and, last of all, this one resembles a Van Gogh creation with the crazy colors and brush strokes


While on Sunday's bike ride, I came across this little guy. He's been there all summer (but I don't usually have my phone or Ipod with me). Poor guy, he's looking a little weathered....



How was your week? Any new adventures you're undertaking? Ever worked with a coach? Have the temps started to feel more autumn-like?


As usual, I'm linking with the lovely ladies Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. Do yourself a favor, and head over and check out their awesome blogs, as well as all the numerous others.  








55 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great week and lots of fun. Poor little guy stuck to that sign.

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    1. The little bear is looking like he needs a bath and blow-out LOL

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  2. Love the bear! Do you run or walk your stairs workout?

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    1. I kind of do a happy medium of run/walking the stairs...I always take the steps by two's. It's not what I would call a "run," but definitely faster than a casual "walk." I have a video (from Jan. 2015, I think) that is still on my ROTF Facebook page....give that a look if you want a demo (and a good laugh) ;-)

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  3. A great week of new things. How exciting to be working with a coach too! The first morning I wake up at 5 a.m. and see less than 75 degrees and 95% humidity, I'm going to cry. Seriously. It's been a long row to hoe, so to speak. That's a cool bike selfie! I find them a little difficult to do. LOL. Thanks for linking, Kim!

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    1. Last week, that 55-degree temp almost made me cry...because it made it real that summer is winding down ;-(

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  4. I bet the temps won't got down here until right around the time school starts up! Too bad for me I won't be able to take advantage of those cooler morning runs now..boo!

    That is awesome that you ran 10 miles and it didn't feel like much effort. I applaud you and hope my 10 mile run feels like that! -M

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    1. well...the 10-miler did take some effort, but it was not anywhere close to a struggle. I'm thankful my endurance has not wavered much since my ultra ;-)

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  5. I like that exhausted feeling--that's how I felt after my ride yesterday. Completely spent and completely satisfied. It's been a while since I've felt that!

    I like your filter experiments!

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    1. I'm having fun with the filters, no doubt, but they are making some of the pics look more like cartoons (or comic books) LOL

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  6. 55 degrees!!! Oh wow!
    I hope when I get back to 10milers it won't feel as bad either. Oh wow how cool your getting a coach! I can't wait to hear more about your adventure.
    I chuckled when I read that about the filters.
    You know Marcia and Wendy have really set the bar high on those filtered pictures. They always seem to capture amazing shots. But dang girl these look just as amazing! Filters are fun I know I need to play with them more. I feel like mine never turn out like this.

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    1. I'm also playing around with more "creative" cropping....which can really change the composition of the pic, which also affects where the viewer will focus their attention.

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  7. I will be shedding tears of joy when we hit 55 degrees here!! I ran the stairs in my house this week too when the rain kept me from an outside workout ...it's a great way to get the old heart rate up. Love the plank pic!

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    1. Oh yes...the stairs really get the heart rate up! I don't know how tall you are, but I'm 5'9 so I have long legs. I sometimes take the steps "by three's" (much slower) and that seriously works the quads AND glutes ;-)

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  8. Love your pics.

    I cannot compete.

    Never used a coach. Maybe someday or if I ever attempt a full.

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    1. I figured I had nothing to lose, and lots to gain by working with a coach. Also, I've had these ongoing glute/hamstring issues that are very manageable...but still remain. It's great having some "subjective" insight to what's going on!

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  9. I have not trained for a race with a coach but admit I am kind of tempted. I will be very interested to know what you think.
    Great job on all your workouts this week. It was 100 degrees here for 5 days strait, much cooler on Sunday and very cool this morning (Monday). I don't want summer to go away !

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    1. I love summer...even with the heat. At least with the heat, you can always pause your running and walk...to cool down. You cannot do that in the winter!

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  10. Oh, temps in the 50s would be amazing! I love playing with photo filters but it can be such a time suck! The Van Gogh one is neat!

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    1. I've done some "filtering" before on Instagram...but those are just the basics (playing with light/brightness). These others are a whole new arena!

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  11. A friend of mine keeps inviting me to take on a stair climb so there may be one in my future. I actually spent some time on the step mill last weekend. I do love me some summer but this humidity is definitely wearing on me. I've had 2 running coaches, a tri coach and a trainer. Not all at once. Haha! Ironically I was running my best when I had no coach.

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    1. You should do it!! I did the Fight for Air in Chicago a couple years ago...the four Presidential Towers were tough!

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  12. I am so not creative with the filters but I enjoy others use of them. I think I peeped 70s and 80s later this week in DC. I'm thrilled about that!! Sounds like you had a good week!

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    1. Temps in the 70's and 80's aren't bad...as long as the humidity is in check. After my run on Saturday, my braided hair was soaked! I don't know if it was from sweat trickling down through the braids (?) or just from all the moisture in the air. Weird!

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  13. I've worked out using the stairs in my house before as well! Not that exciting but at least it's a workout. Our weather is all over the place, one day humid, one day cool.
    Looks like you had a great week!

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    1. I like using the stairs...there's actually a lot of variety you can do (single, double, triple steps), fast, slow, etc. It doesn't take long to get the heart pumping!

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  14. While I don't want summer to end, I am kinda jealous of your cooler temps. The runner in me is craving them!! I'm also a big fan of filters, especially for instagram :)

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    1. Well, the cooler temps were short-lived LOL Today, it was back in the mid-80's with high humidity ;-)

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  15. I, on the other hand, am so ready for summer to be over! I would kill for weather in the 60s! This morning it was in the low 80s and even that has been feeling cool lately compared to the almost 90s we've had through most of the summer. #sickoftheheat

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    1. I just hate it being so dark in the early morning hours....I'm up at 5:00 and I don't have much daylight until after 5:30 or so...and that's only gonna get worse ;-(

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  16. OMG, 55 degrees! Here in North Carolina it's still hot as Hades...in the 70s and humid even before sunrise. But fall will be here soon!

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  17. Wonderful! so much to be excited over!

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  18. Way to shake things up and get back out there for a long run! And yeah, filters can be FUN. Live it up! :-D

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    1. The filters are fun...but it makes me feel like an art-poser. It creates the "artwork" for you. Though it looks cool, the art geek in me is like..."that's cheating!" ha ha ha

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  19. I love all of your great pics and photos lately. Your 55 degree weather sounds like heaven.

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    1. Thanks! The cooler temps felt weird! It felt like an crisp October morning that one day!

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  20. Love that you're playing with filters! I usually keep mine filter free as simple as possible

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    1. I like the simplistic approach, too. The filters can be too much sometimes.

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  21. I am incredibly jealous of your 55*. I finally had to download the WTForecast weather app just to inject some humor into our miserable summer.

    You had a great week - it's so nice to get back to doing things you haven't done in a while.

    I use a coach for one race per year. I like it. I'm pretty self-motivated, but it's nice to have someone pushing me just outside my comfort zone to achieve my goals. Good luck and have fun!

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    1. Thank you! I'm looking forward to this adventure! There's probably some things I'm dong right, and most likely, a lot of things I'm dong wrong LOL I'm glad I'll have someone to be accountable to ;-)

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  22. I worked with a running coach for my last marathon and I loved it. Having someone to take the reigns and just follow their plan was great. Plus it definitely motivated me to be more consistent. I saw big results and plan to hire a coach again for my next marathon. I'm interested to see what your feelings are.

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    1. Exactly. I'm looking forward to not having to think so much about every little detail ;-)

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  23. looks like a great week! I had a pretty ok week here but my current aches and pains seem like they may be here a while so that's kind of a bummer. The temps here are nuts. We were basically waiting all summer for summer and then last week it hit us. So it was pretty HOT! I did my runs as late in the evening as I could to beat the heat and not be left in the dark in the countryside...I have not yet worked with a coach, though I would love to. I have two friends who are running trainers - one is busy with his own coaching classes and the other helps me on occasion or we run intervals together, for example. I was looking into coaching but I need to shift some stuff around to be able to afford it. I'll be seeing a sports dietician soon though, that is at least partially covered by my insurance! I envision next year to be even less races and then I'll have the ability to get a coach.

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    1. The coaching thing is definitely a new endeavor for me...I've done 3 marathons and two ultras "on my own," so it's gonna be a little awkward giving up that control. But, I know there are probably some things I have NOT been doing with my training, so this adventure will be very enlightening!

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  24. I have thought about working with a coach -/- it can be nice to not have to think about your workouts. But 10 miles is not always easy for me -- because I don't run as far as you crazy ultra people!

    Last week wasn't too bad until the weekend . . . now it sucks big time.

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    1. Are you calling me CrAzY? (thanks!!!) ;-) Our cool temps did not last long, and I'm OK with that. The humidity came back with a vengeance!

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  25. Love your photos (especially the one at the top of the post)! Filters definitely have their place, and can totally make your picture look extra awesome if used correctly. Which app do you use? I want to make my boring photos look like amazing works of art! hehe

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    1. This is from an app called Prisma...I like it, but it kinda does ALL creative work for the user LOL

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  26. Love your IG filters! Also cool that you will be working with a coach. I've had three different coaches for three different stages in my fitness journey and goals. The structure and accountability of a coach is quite helpful. individual styles are variable, communication is key to a successful coach-athlete relationship. And of course, always glad to see you on a bike :)

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  27. You know I love working with my coach! She is awesome so I am excited for your new adventure! I am loving those pictures- I need to work a little more on mine- thanks for the inspiration! and 55 degrees? you are joking right??? #sweatinginFlorida

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  28. Here's to things with your coach going well. I've never worked with a coach before. The idea is a bit intimidating to me.

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  29. That's exciting that you're working with a coach! I find that having a coach helps me stay accountable and I like having someone to talk about runnig with and any questions I might have about training or specific workouts.

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  30. How great that you're working with a coach!
    I've heard great things about Route 66.

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