Can you say SNOW???

If I had to pick a theme for this past week, it would have to be SNOW, because we got  lots of it!

It's really too bad I totally jinxed myself on a recent post (Runfessions, Anyone?) where I proclaimed that I thought the worst of winter was in the rear window. HA! Apparently, Momma N was not about to go down without a fight.


Here's a taste of what all happened...

Monday
As is typical, I had my #nevermissaMonday on tap. I knew we were going to be getting some snow in the afternoon, so I opted for a quick mile on the 'mill upon wake-up. I also added in 40 supermans (for the Superman, Squat, and Twist Challenge..more info at the bottom of this post) and  40 burpees (because I'm still a glutton for punishment). I also did some arm work in the evening.
***Monday's snow fall: almost 8 inches.

Welcome to Monday!

Tuesday
Per my February monthly plan, there wasn't much on Tuesday's roster other than the 40 squats for the Challenge and some rest/recovery. I was totally good with that.

squatting in the pj's with some lovely bed head.

Wednesday
We awoke to a few inches of new snow on the ground. I met up with my friend, Barb, and we ran our usual #5at5 loop. Although the temps looked cold on the weather app, it actually didn't feel too bad outside (except for a brief 1/2-mile directly into the mild wind). I'm always amazed how bright it is in the winter, even with the moon hidden behind the clouds.
**Tuesday's overnight/Wednesday's early morning snowfall: a couple of inches

Out on the streets, that's where we meet....

Thursday
How about another stair circuit workout? Since I'm doing supermans on Thursdays for the Challenge, I decided to incorporate them into my stair workouts. Why not, right? Besides, they offer a brief recovery period in between the cardio from the stairs and burpees (yes, I'm also keeping the burpees alive on Thursdays as well).

Here's what it looked like:
**10 supermans
*10 flights of doubles
**10 reverse flutter kicks
*10 burpees

--> five sets  netted me 50 of everything, and a thorough sweat. The "glow" was a-flowing and my heart definitely was a-pumping.
***Thursday's afternoon snowfall: approximately 3 inches

supermans, stairs, reverse flutter kicks, and burpees...and a 2:30 plank for dessert

Friday
I'm utilizing Fridays as a predominant rest day this month... except for the 50 weighted squats that were on tap for the Challenge.

50 squats for breakfast

There was more snow in the forecast, mainly for Friday overnight and for Saturday morning, which inspired Friday's post, Should I Stay, or Should I Go?, in reference to the Red Flannel Run. With the potential for several more inches of snow (not only for us, but also for Des Moines, where the race would take place), I started to have doubts as to whether or not I should DNS (do not start) the race. The travel roads may (or may not) be cleared, but how about the race course? And, with the colder-than-cold temps, could the race itself be canceled? How badly did I really want to run it?
***Friday's overnight snow fall: a few (more) inches

Saturday 
Well, with the potential to DNS one of my favorite races, the hubby stepped in and encouraged me to just go for it. He had a few errands he could take care of while I ran the race, and then I wouldn't have to worry about driving myself (the race was an hour's drive away; potentially longer if the roads were a mess).  Since the run was still "on," we decided to head out around 7:00, which would allow for plenty of travel time for the 9:00 start.

My 7th Red Flannel Run!

Let's just say, all went well. The roads were clearer than we expected, and we arrived with a good 45-minutes to spare. The race itself went very smooth, despite the heavy snow along some of the streets. Many times, it felt like I was running in thick (and slushy) quick sand, making it rather difficult to get good traction. Thankfully, I had  my clothing layered with near perfection and never felt cold in the single digit temps. Also, although I slipped a couple times, I was able to maintain a "vertical" stance and finish the race upright. The 5-mile course ran a bit short (4.61 miles according to my Garmin), and my pace reflected the difficulty with the snow-covered streets, but I'm very happy with my finish time. I haven't yet seen the official results (we weren't able to stick around for awards), but it did show me finishing 5th place in my age group.

Sunday
Although I am not embracing the revert-back-to-winter conditions, it is my reality. We received a few additional inches of the white stuff overnight, so Sunday's shakeout run was all about making my own tracks. There is something soothing and tranquil about being the first one to leave footprints, am I right?

More footprints in the snow...

So, there's my snow-enhanced week! All told, we received approximately 15 inches of the white stuff (Monday through Sunday) . Not only did I run about 12 miles in the stuff, I also put in a couple of miscellaneous hours of snow shoveling. Ugh. That's life in Iowa!

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

Back in the Training Mode

I'm Content

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

In other news:

A big highlight this weekend was a celebration for my Aunt Thelma's 95th birthday! She's the eldest sibling in my father's family, and you'd think she was 15-20 years younger than what her birth certificate indicates. She still drives, is very independent, and frequently travels (alone) to Arizona to visit family. We high-tailed it back home after my race on Saturday, did a quick clothing change (and and clean-up), picked up my parents and made the 3-hour drive to SE Minnesota for this awesome family event.

Thelma and my father

My #FridayFashionFlair post (on Instagram) featured a favorite fashion necessity...a cheetah print cardigan. I'm all about cheetah-print anything (in small doses, though LOL). It's a wardrobe staple and ever timeless as it can be dressed up or down. You're invited to join me on Friday...post a pick of a favorite outfit, use the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair), and drop me a tag (@runningonthefly)! What do you think...cheetah-print yay or no-way?

Cheetah print for the win

As mentioned above, February has me doing all sorts of supermans, squats, and twists for another challenge (hosted by Rachel). Here's what we did this past week:

Monday - 40 supermans
Tuesday - 40 squats
Wednesday- 40- twists
Thursday- 50 supermans
Friday - 50 squats
Saturday - 50 Twists

Twisting (but not shouting) before leaving for my race on Saturday

And, finally, did I tell you about my February plan of action? I modified my weekly training to include the exercise moves from the Challenge on certain running days and also to make good use of rest/recovery days. So far, all is working well with my training for next month's half marathon.

Alright, it's your turn...talk to me! How was your week? Any more snow? If so, have you been outside, making tracks? Have you ever DNS'd a favorite race due to weather? 

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