Going with the Flow

There was a lot of "going" and "flowing" happening this past week.

That's what happens when you surrender to Momma N and just go with what she hands you. And, sometimes, she does play nice.


On Monday, The temps were nice, but my body was oh-so-achy (from the prior evening's 5-miler and lingering DOMS from a recent stair workout). When the alarm sounded, I declared it a rest day and took the dog out for a short walk...and saved my #nevermissaMonday run until after work. The run was a simple easy-paced 1-miler, and was just what I needed after my body had those extra hours to recover from the weekend.

I didn't even need "runner's hair" for this quick mile...

Momma N dealt me a wicked hand of cards on Tuesday morning...to the tune of heavy rain. Ugh. I'm not a fan of rainy running, but I'll do it (usually). One exception to my #optoutside mentality, though, is early morning (like, in the dark) and cool temps with heavy precip. The rain was forecasted to last the entire day, as well as into the evening. So, what to do? I fired up 'Milly (remember her? my treadmill?), and she and I spent some time together. It was a mere two mile adventure, but it was a very hot and sweaty endeavor. But, we got it done.

reunited with 'Milly...let there be sweat

Wednesday arrived, and with it came chilly temps....can you say, "43-degrees?" One of my October goals is to do at least 20-minutes of early morning cardio. There was no running on the calendar, but I still wanted to get outside (and the dog still needed walking), so I layered up in fleece and headed out for a 1.5-mile walk. Surprisingly, the temps didn't feel as cold as I thought they would, but still...43-degrees? I'm not quite ready for those temps just yet.

Those temps don't lie

I met up with my friend, Barb, Thursday morning for a #4at5 (four miles at 5:00 a.m.). Both of us are coming back from difficult summers (she's been dealing with Plantar Fasciitis, and you all know about my surgery)...so neither of us are eager to attempt our usual #5at5 on a work day just yet (because there may be some walking involved, making us rushed to get to work on time). The 53-degree temps felt like a major heat wave after Wednesday!

No running on the schedule for Friday, but I got out for a 1.5-mile power walk with the hubby and Max before daylight emerged. It's really crazy how dark it's gotten just in the past two weeks! My early morning adventures are in complete darkness now (except for the light of the moon).

Where did my legs go??? #awkwardpics

Momma N had been taunting me all week, and by Saturday, it looked like she was going to win. I had my second "rallying-back-from-recovery" race, the Mercy Live Up Loop 5-miler (part of the weekend's festivities for the IMT Des Moines Marathon), and there had been thunderstorms in the forecast. I was tempted to switch my registration to the 5K (which was on Sunday instead....with dryer weather) because there was a possible chance of the 5-miler getting delayed (or even cancelled) if the predicted storms were still showing at race time.  Spoiler alert---The rain was minimal, the race went on as scheduled, and I snagged a 3rd-place AG finish! Stay tuned...there's a recap coming in a few days.

WOW! An AG placing!

Sunday was a very breezy and chilly day (thanks, AGAIN, Momma N...those mid-40's felt so heavenly with that wind). The hubby and I took Max for a 1.5ish -mile walk and I promptly vowed that my run would be happening later...after the wind tamed down and the sun emerged from all of the cloud cover. Great strategy, right? Well, finally around noon, I gave in...and got dressed, laced up, and headed out. My hopes were to run 7 miles, but knew that was pretty ambitious given the fact that I had run those five miles the day prior (and had run them pretty strongly). I decided to run my usual 5-mile route and do an extra 2-mile loop when I got closer to home. Only, my right hamstring felt kind of achy, and my left arch was feeling a bit strained...and it seriously felt like I had a headwind the entire time I was running (which, theoretically, is probably impossible). I decided to white flag the 7-mile distance and just finish out the 5-mile route. No big deal anyways, I still ended the weekend with 10 total miles, so I'm calling it good.

Where's that sun, and why is the wind still blowing???

So, those are a few examples of how I had to just go with the flow last week. It's not always fun not being in charge...but, one is always in control of how they handle less-than-desirable circumstances. Going with the flow (and keeping that glass half full) has its benefits. And who knows? You just may be rewarded with a great finish time at a rally-back race!

My mileage for the week (Monday - Sunday) is decent: 17 miles of running (and probably another 5-7 miles of walking). Although, I'm not really in training for anything specific, I do have the Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon in Vegas (November 12th). Yes, that is a half marathon, but I am not planning on "racing" it. I am gradually increasing my long-distance runs each week, so I should be able to run those 13.1 miles at an easy pace, and there will probably be a few walk breaks sprinkled in as well. No worries.

In case you missed them, here's my posts from last week:
Another Week...

Just Breathe...

Hmmm???

In other news:
Did you catch my #FridayFashionFlair post on Instagram? How do you feel about leggings as pants? It's kind of a growing epidemic, but I say leggings are LEGGINGS and should be treated as such (meaning, make sure you have a long enough shirt/sweater/jacket that will cover your tush). That said, leggings are a staple nowadays for fall and winter because they're so comfy. Although they are more casual than business-like, you can dress them up a bit if you choose your accessories wisely, opting for flats or boots (instead of sneakers), adding some funky jewelry, and (as always) don't forget the lipstick. What's your opinion? Leggings: yay or no way?

"semi-casual" can be "dressed up"

Our dog, Max, is just so cute! I know I am a biased dog-mom, but he totally warms my heart (almost on an hourly basis) with his never-ending love and excitement. I'm so glad we found him almost three years and brought him home from the shelter. #adoptdontshop

Maxton McArthur

My October goals are going alright. I'm remembering to do the exercises most days (key word: "MOST"). My current planking minutes are at 70 (for the month), so I'm averaging 5-minutes (cumulative) each day.

And, last of all, there's another nearby race I'm adding to my fall line-up. The clincher is that it falls on the weekend prior to Las Vegas, but that's a mere technicality. It offers a half marathon, 10K, and 5K...and I'm opting for the 10K. I've done the half marathon course twice before, and it's flat and very scenic (on an asphalt rail trail). I have no business attempting back-to-back 13.1's this season (ha! remember, I'm still in that rally-back-from-surgery mode), but a 10K will be a great distance since I'll probably be running a comparable distance that weekend anyways.

So, that's a wrap on the past week. How was it for you? Any significant training runs? Weekend races? Crazy weather?

 I'm linking up with  Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap. This weekly check-in is such a great place to connect with fellow fitness-minded peeps. Please join us!