Thursday, April 26, 2018

Runfessing The Latest

April has been a most peculiar month.

There's been all kinds of extremes with the weather. I've had some interesting spur-of-the-moment Aha moments. I have learned some new things (hip hop dancing, none the less!). And, just recently, I have taken a few steps out of my comfort zone.

Here's a taste of what went down in April...

I've had to wave the white flag a few times. I am not a quitter, but the past couple weeks have been totally topsy-turvy in my little corner of the universe. I had been dutifully committed to the daily exercises in the 2018 challenges Rachel has been hosting. In fact, I had a near-perfect record...up until recently. With all of my busy work with Prom last week, and all the extra rehearsals and running around this week (in my running shoes and otherwise), I gotta runfess to skipping some of the daily exercises. I have not completely quit the Triceps, Push-ups, Squats Challenge, but I have not been 100% committed in the past 10 days. Oh well, I have not been sitting idle, eating donuts, so there's that.
Tricep dipping....
Believe it or not, I ran 13.1 miles on barely any sleep (90 minutes)...and felt like a rock star at the finish line. Granted, my finish for the Drake Relays Half Marathon was far from a PR, but this was one of the fastest 13.1's I have run in recent years (and my finish time even included a good 2-minutes of porta-potty hibernation). Did I mention the race course was rather hilly? I runfess that there were times when I wished I had a sign on my back that said "Forgive me, but I just pulled an all-nighter!" But there were even more times when I surprised myself by how I could keep on running without needing any walk breaks (except through a few of the water stations), almost like my body was operating in auto-pilot mode.
13.1 miles of hills...with 90 minutes of sleep
I raced my first-ever 1-miler, and came away triumphant. Two days after that half marathon, I returned to Des Moines for part two of the Bulldog Double. All runners who run either the 5K, 10K, or 13.1 on Sunday AND also run the Grand Blue Mile on Tuesday qualify for the Bulldog Double, and get a bonus medal (and shirt) for doing so. Having never done a 1-mile race, nor having any natural born "speed" skills, I had no idea how to pace myself. I figured I'd just treat it kind of like a (short) tempo run. Low and behold, I finished in 7:53...and earned 3rd place honors (from a field of 74 gals in my age group). For a middle-of-the-pack runner, I runfess that this felt like winning the Olympics.


My fastest mile EVER!
I think I actually can dance!  In preparation for our daughter's senior recital, I'm doing a Mom/Daughter dance with her (and several other moms and daughters). It's a hip-hop number, and it's been a fun endeavor trying something completely out of my comfort zone. I gotta runfess, I think I actually can do it! I made it through dress rehearsal without any flubs...let's hope the actual performance follows suit this weekend. Stay tuned...
So, you think you can dance?
And, finally, Spring seems to have officially arrived. Truthfully, this has been the l.o.n.g.e.s.t. winter, ever. As eager as I am to just fast-forward to summer, let me runfess that I do LOVE seeing all the spring flowers emerging from their long winter slumber. I returned home Thursday, from my 5-mile early morning adventure, and noticed the first daffodil of 2018 waiting for me.
Can you see it? The first daffodil of 2018!
So, yes, April has been a little nutzo, especially the past two weeks of it! Fortunately, I'll get a little breather after dance recital, but will have a graduation party to finalize next month. And a 76-mile relay. And another race in early June...

What's April been like for you? Anything(s) to runfess? Was your weather crazy, too? Any races that left you feeling victorious (even if your finish time wasn't as good as you'd hoped)? Ever done a 1-mile race? 

I'm linking up with Marcia for the ever awesome monthly Runfessions. Please join us!

I'm also linking this with Meranda and Lacey and Rachel for the Friday Five 2.0. 


35 comments:

  1. April has definitely been a weird month and I am ready for May! It just started to feel like spring this week with warmer weather and rain. Lots of rain. You had a busy month but still killed it with your workouts and races!

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    1. Thankfully, our rain has been minimal (knock wood), but we sure have waited long enough for the seasonal temps to arrive.

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  2. I hope your success with the mile and with hip hop will has taught you to stop selling yourself short. I had no doubt you'd be successful! My knee injury put an abrupt stop to the challenges. Now we're in that crazy busy time of year so I'm taking a breather from them. Thanks for linking!

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    1. This is a totally crazy time of year! Well, it's not that I'm selling myself short, I'm trying to be realistic LOL Just because I managed a fast mile does not mean it's gonna happen every time I toe a start line ;-) I'm trying to enjoy the accomplishment but stay humble about it ;-)

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  3. No shame in missing some of the challenge--I completely dropped out. It was too much for me.

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    1. I like the daily stuff, but it can get a little demanding when there's other stuff that needs attention as well

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  4. Sounds like besides missing some challenge stuff you had a successful month!!

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    1. Over all, I'm happy with everything (except the crazy weather)

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  5. April was crazy, but I'm still not ready for it to be MAY. Probably because April felt a lot like winter.

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    1. April certainly felt like winter.....I'll be thankful to move on to summer

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  6. So many fun things about this post! Congrats on winning an AG for the mile!

    The mother daughter dance sounds exciting. Reminds me of the episode of the Goldberg's when the mom wanted to do a dance with other moms at what I think was a talent show or something.

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    1. The dance will be fun, assuming I don't screw up when I'm in the front row LOL

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  7. 3rd out of 74 -- that is so NOT middle of the pack.

    The daffodils finally bloomed here, too. Unfortunately after such a nice start to the week weather-wise things took a real dive. :( But next week is May and the forecast looks much more Spring-like -- actually, I told Mr. Judy we're going to have to turn the AC back on (our bedroom is on the second floor, which heats up quickly).

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    1. I'm seeing a lot more daffodils just today, and noticed a few tulips merging out of their leaves. And, my magnolia tree survived the numerous snowfalls and "freezes" after the buds appeared ;-)

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  8. We have had crazy weather.

    Under 8mm is not MOTP, lady!! Congrats on your award.

    Have fun at the dance. You will rock it!!

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    1. Thanks, I'm looking forward to the dance with the daughter ;-)

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  9. That's so cute your daughter's dance studio is doing a mother/daughter number! They should do father/daughter next year. :)

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    1. The studio usually has a father/daughter dance every five years or so. This is the first time the instructor has ever brought the moms on stage with the daughters, though.

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  10. Congrats on your AG! You are way speedier that you give yourself credit for :) I can't wait to hear about the dance recital - you're going to do great!

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    1. Ha! Well, that one mile was way speedier than I ever thought possible. The gal who won, though, clocked a 4:35...so, a sub 8:00 is not very speedy in comparison to that LOL

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  11. You had a really busy month and your AG award - #rockstar!

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  12. Yes it's been weird month. It was certainly one where we had all sorts of weather, from high 70s to snow, sometimes the very next day. We have spring weather this weekend, and I'm taking advantage of it.

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    1. Knock wood, we have had "spring" for an entire week now ;-)

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  13. It's actually kind of nice to see that you missed a couple of challenge days. Now I know you really are human, haha ;)

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  14. How fun that you're doin that mother/daughter dance! It sounds like a really fun idea :)

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    1. The dance will be a fun finale for us...it's our daughter's last recital. I'm glad we'll have this memory ;-)

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  15. Glad to hear you're finally getting some spring...it seemed like the snow was never going to end for you!

    I can't wait to see that dance!

    Congrats on your race, I'd be so intimidated to do a 1-miler! Great job! And your 13.1? Reminds me of my hungover 5K, lol, though you definitely had a great accomplishment than I did!

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    1. The 1-mile race was a little intimidating, but I honestly did not expect to run it as fast as I did. The gal who won, though, clocked a 4:35...so, I got nothing on her LOL

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  16. How fun -- I hope you get a video of the dance and post for all to see!!!

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  17. Love that you are dancing with your daughter. That should be so much fun!

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  18. Girl, you are on a roll with your racing! Congratulations! maybe you should pull all nighters before every race! Lol Good luck with the mother/daughter dance ..sounds like so much fun!

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  19. Your race day performance the morning after prom just amazes me. You definitely earned your rock star status last weekend!

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  20. April was my derail month! I am ready for May and getting 100% back on track!
    That hip hop dance sounds fun! Can't wait to see how it all goes!
    Way to go on your race with little sleep and then a stellar 1 miler!
    Cheers to almost May!

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