Sunday, November 25, 2018

Well Rested; Quite Thankful


What a busy week, full of all things family, food, and (some) fitness.

Thankfully, I'm feeling so much better than a week ago. It pays off, with huge dividends, when you scale back on the activity and take time to not only rest and recover, but to also enjoy the finer things.

In addition to the low-key (on the rebound) fitness, our house was full of family fun. The Pennsylvania daughter (and her dog and boyfriend), the UofI son and the Indian Hills CC daughter were here for most of the week as well. Let me just say, my heart was full and my smiles were nonstop.


Here's what all went down...

On Monday, I got out relatively early for a couple of miles. I seriously love my early morning outings, but especially on Mondays they help to "up the mojo" for the new week.
#nevermissaMonday
For Tuesday, I did my usual early morning walk before heading to work. Later, I got busy on the stairway with a full-body circuit:

Stairway Full-Body Circuit (2 sets)
**15 (weighted) squats
**15 bicep curls
**10 flights of double-steps
**10 push-ups
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** 15 burpees
**15 triceps extensions
**10 flights of double-steps
**10 push-ups
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**10 (weighted) walking lunges
**15 upward rows
**10 flights of double-steps
**10 push-ups

2 sets of the circuit netted me 30 squats, 30 burpees, 20 walking lunges, 90 arm reps, 60 flights of stairs and 60 push-ups. There was plenty of sweat equity going on and it felt so good!
#notjustarunner
Not much on tap for Wednesday. There were a couple of power walks (with each of the dogs) and my routine exercises (leg lifts, push-ups, planking, etc.).
#MaxtonMcArthur
Thursday started off great with our local Turkey Trot. A friend and myself have been overseeing this event since its inception in 2012. We don't have any registration fees, no timing mats or prizes. We have options for 1-mile, 2-mile or 5K routes. Participants are encouraged to bring non-perishables for our town's food pantry. This year, we had cold temps, but a very sunshiny sky. I haven't heard back on the final numbers, but I think we had our biggest turnout yet.
#turkeytrotting
#GetIntoGrinnell (our town's motto)
Later, our Thursday got crazy. Our son recently had an abscess drained from his throat, and earlier this week some of the pain returned. Our family doctor (on Wednesday) thought it looked fine, and prescribed rest and Tylenol. A day later, he had a slight fever and intense pain. The hubby took him to our local ER just as the rest of us were sitting down for the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. A cat scan showed the abscess was "filling back up" and, per consultation with the University hospital (where he'd had it drained two weeks prior), they wanted to transfer him to the UofI ER. Not a life-threatening situation, by any means, but frustrating that our local people couldn't do more for him. So, the hubby and I brought him home, regrouped briefly (in other words, took a few family pictures by the Christmas tree LOL), and then drove an hour to Iowa City (with the IV still intact in the son's arm). An ENT physician drained the abscess, and we were back home shortly after midnight. Whew.

Friday arrived, bringing with it more sunshine. I did an easy-paced 2-mile run before heading out for a little Black Friday shopping with my sister. Already, by late morning, the son was feeling better, and able to eat, swallow, and talk without wincing. But he will be getting his tonsils out over the winter break. Merry Christmas to him.
#gopinkorgohome
We had even more bright sunshine Saturday morning, and the 35F temps almost felt tropical. My goal was to walk for one mile, then run that same mile back...but the hamstrings were feeling good. So good, in fact, that I couldn't resist breaking into a run after the first two blocks and finished with some strides. 
Image may contain: 1 person, playing a sport, standing and outdoor
#milingandsmiling
Sunday
Momma N is a pretty fickle friend, and she can turn on you ever so quickly. After a few days of sunshine and mild temps, she taunted us with snow and ice. My solution? Beat her at her own game and head outside before she drops her wrath. Just a 1-mile run, and I was totally alright with that because the wind was nutzo. Besides, I'd run seven miles in the past three days, which was more mileage than I'd done, recently, in that time span. Later, I fired up 'Milly for a couple miles of walking (I know, UGH, but the walking miles aren't as annoying as the running ones on that contraption). I also did some yoga and stretching.
Image may contain: outdoor and nature
#optoutside
All told, it was an interesting week. As usual, it went way too fast having all three kids under the same roof. My running mileage was still on the conservative end (10 miles), and my walking was pretty low-end as well (12). It felt good to get busy on the steps with the 30-minute HIIT workout this week. I'm still doing my daily planks, leg lifts and push-ups. The hamstrings are still a bit wonky, but overall, are feeling MUCH better. I know I'm still not out of the woods, so everything I'm doing (running and otherwise) is with the utmost caution. This is my off-season, after all, and I have ZERO big races on the calendar for several months.

I only had two blog posts this week, here they are in case you missed them:

In other news:
Did you catch my #FridayFashionFlair post on Instagram? With all the craziness on Thanksgiving, I did manage to get a pic of my outfit and chose to showcase that on Friday (it was a lot more fun and funky than my Black Friday shopping outfit). It's no secret I love my cheetah print and white skinny jeans. A pop of red is always a festive and colorful touch, right? Although, in taking survey of all the pink I wore for my workouts and runs this week, I probably should have grabbed a pink scarf instead. Oh well. As per usual, you're invited to join me on Fridays...post a pic of a favorite outfit, grab the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair) and drop me a tag (@runningonthefly). Don't be a stranger!

As in years past, it's time for the annual Runner's World Winter Streak (Thanksgiving through New Years Day). I have done this for the past five years, so it's just a routine thing for me anymore. I am not an advocate for daily running, but I do this streak every year to switch things up for me. It also gives me something to focus on and get me through the holiday hoopla. Basically, I do an easy-paced 1-mile run on what would usually be my non-running days. No sprinting, no speedwork, nothing crazy, nothing excessive. My mileage still remains conservative because there's only an additional 3-4 miles run each week. And, I always do these streaks knowing I have the option to end at any time if things don't feel right. So here goes...stay tuned.
Image may contain: sky and text
#RWRunnersStreak2018
The Christmas decorating has begun. So far, I have both trees up and partially decorated.

And, finally, here's a pic of the family. We had to act quickly to get this pic, in between ER visits on Thursday, because we didn't know if they would want to admit our son or not once we got to the UofI hospital. The Pennsylvania daughter (and company) was scheduled to leave early on Saturday (like, 3:30 a.m. early) for their trek back home, so we figured this was our best opportunity. Priorities, right?

So, that's another wrap of another week. My fitness mojo has returned, but now I just have to keep things conservative as my hammies (and tendons) continue to rebound. The house is, again, void of kids but we have Max and Mizzy (the new guinea pig) and Donatelo (the daughter's turtle) to keep us entertained. Not many dull moments, and that's just the way I like it.

How was your week? Family visiting for Thanksgiving or did you travel? Did you host and if so...are you still eating leftovers (I've had turkey and gravy every morning for breakfast LOL)? Any turkey trotting?

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

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53 comments:

  1. Glad you are feeling good after backing off a bit! The situation with your son sounds scary- glad it all worked out ok! The weather here has been all over the place too.

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    1. Yeah, Thanksgiving in two different ER's was not in the plan...thankfully everything worked out well.

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  2. Oh no glad to hear that your son is ok now! That is kind of scary and bad timing :) Nice job on organizing your local Thanksgiving run what a fun way to bring your town together. Love it!

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    1. The whole ER thing was more frustrating than scary, at least from our end LOL We're really frustrated with our family practice docs....On a positive note, the Trot was so much fun and a great thing for our community ;-)

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  3. Sorry to read about your son's issues - how scary. Lovely pics of everyone together and I also love your red leggings! No Thanksgiving here, of course, but I always enjoy seeing everyone's traditions.

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    1. The red leggings were a Black Friday purchase (you probably don't have that either LOL)...I saw them and just knew I had to have them (#gobrightorgohome)

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    2. Yes, we now have Black Friday and Cyber Monday and indeed Giving Tuesday, it's just all after just a normal random Thursday!!!

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  4. I'm sorry to hear your Thanksgiving was interrupted by an ER visit but I'm glad your son was able to return. It looks like you had a great turn out for the turkey trot. I hope you collected a lot of food as well. That's one of my favorite causes. Is it wrong to admit I ate pecan pie a few mornings for breakfast after Thanksgiving? Thanks for linking!

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    1. ha ha...no pecan pie here (but we had pumpkin and cherry). I have been fueling on leftover turkey and gravy every morning....

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  5. So you know I'm reading about your son and my head is spinning. I am so glad you took him to the ER. That could have turned into a life threatening situation if the abcess blocked his airway. Glad he's ok. Whew!

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    1. Sorry if I gave the impression that it wasn't more serious...two weeks ago, it was very serious when he went to Student Health and they escorted him to the ER for that very reason (fear of his airway getting blocked). This time around, it was still in the early stages....but we're very frustrated with our family practice doc blowing it off the day prior.

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  6. Oh, gosh, I'm glad you're son is on the mend. That is an unexpected twist in your Thanksgiving recap! How cool that your organize that Turkey Trot. I think having it low-key and untimed is a great idea, especially to encourage non-runners to participate.

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    1. We've kept the Turkey Trot low-key for that very reason....we want as many people as possible to show up and get active. We encourage walkers, little kids, and pets (on leashes). So far, so good ;-)

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  7. What a great idea for your Turkey trot - bring some non-perishable food for the less fortunate. Untimed is the perfect way to do it. Less stress and more fun for everyone! Your son's abscess sounds scary! Hope he is OK now!

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    1. The Turkey Trot has been a fun "little" thing for our town. Every year it has grown, and the food donations has increased as well. We don't do any advertising, other than a press release for our local paper (and a Facebook event). The son is well on the mend, so that's all well and good ;-)

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  8. Let's hope those hammies keep getting better. I was tempted to run today and after two days of strength training, I knew I needed a day of rest. I hope your son is also healing.

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    1. The son is doing well, thanks! My hammies are feeling better, but I'm trying to take things easy for now. I have no major races for awhile, so there's no need for excessive anything.

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  9. It's not a holiday unless someone ends up in the ER! Hahaha! Just kidding but it seems like there's always something like that in my family. Your Turkey Trot sounds awesome! I love that it's homegrown and for a good cause.

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    1. Last year, the youngest daughter was sick, with a fever and on/off vomiting...so we didn't get a family pic until that Saturday LOL Yes, there's always something! Thankfully, the Turkey Trot went off without any drama ;-)

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  10. Wow! That's an amazing family photo considering the circumstances! I was supposed to have my tonsils out as a kid but still have them. Long story.

    I'm not super fond of turkey & we have a ton of it left! Good thing all the furkids love it. :)

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    1. I had horrible tonsils as a kid, too, but I still have mine. What's weird, is that the son has never had any problems like this before (other than two weeks ago). Anyways, he just has to get through his semester finals at college, then I'll be donning my nurse's duties LOL

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  11. Oh, your poor son! What a stressful day for you all! I'm so glad he's on the mend, but I'm sure you all could have done without that detour on Thursday.

    I love your Turkey Trot. It's so incredible that you are able to put on something like that in your community! Well done!

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    1. The Trot has been a fun little project for us. It's low-key, and that seems to be what everyone prefers.

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  12. WOW, what an eventful week! I'm glad your son is feeling better and it wasn't too serious, but still sounds intense.

    Congrats on organizing what appears to be a great event for Thanksgiving! Very fun.

    35 is definitely tropical in the midwest winter :)

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    1. Unfortunately, all of our temporary tropical weather is gone, and we're back to reality with an impending blizzard.....never a dull moment, right? ;-)

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  13. How wonderful to have all your kiddos home but yikes on the abscess. That's so scary and how frustrating your family doc blew it off. So so glad you caught it in time and got it dealt with. Yay for a great turnout at your trot!

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    1. Yes, this time it was our main family doc, it was her partner who blew off my infected knee last summer...and we all know how that ended.

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  14. What a full and busy week! Great job on your workouts as always. If I was healthier, I'd considering doing the RWStreak this year, but I'm just not ready to push it! We have to listen to our bodies, lol!

    Love your family photo and that you had another successful Turkey Trot, I enjoy hearing about it each year! :)

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    1. I have no idea if I'll make it through the 41 days of the Streak. I'm feeling good, but not 100% fantastic LOL

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  15. I absolutely love the Turkey Trot that you do in your town and that it encourages participants to bring non perishable food items. What a perfect way to give to those that need it most, especially on Thanksgiving.

    Good luck with the holiday run streak!

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    1. The Trot has been a lot of fun....I was really surprised at the huge turnout this year because it was so cold ;-)

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  16. Wow, you definitely had an interesting Thanksgiving. I hope your son is recovering well and that your daughter had a safe trip back to PA.

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    1. Thanks!! Everyone is doing well and made it back to their respective places safely.

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  17. Sounds like a great week overall, minus the medical emergency! Glad your son was feeling better by the end of the weekend.

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    1. We were able to catch it pretty early, so his recovery was much quicker than two weeks ago.

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  18. Glad your son is doing better now! Not how anyone wants to spend a holiday.

    Your low-key Turkey Trot sounds fun. Ours is anything but...but then it's also the biggest race of the year here.

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    1. ha ha....isn't it crazy (in a good way) how a race on a busy holiday can draw so many people?

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  19. I hope that your son is feeling much better. Way to get out and Turkey Trot! It looks like it was a gorgeous day!

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    1. It was cold with a crazy SE wind, but the sunshine was beautiful...so the Trot went well.

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  20. ER visits definitely aren't fun, but I'm really glad your son's doing better now!

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    1. I agree, ER visits aren't fun...and he's now had three in the past three weeks ($$$) ;-)

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  21. Glad your son is OK after the ER & ENT visits. Good luck with the holiday streak, I wish I could join!

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    1. The Streak is always a fun challenge...but it does get a little tedious in the final week or so. We'll see....if my hamstrings continue to feel good, I'll be fine.

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  22. I'm sorry that you had to deal with all of that right in the middle of Thanksgiving! I hope you at least got a few bites in at some point ;)

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    1. Well, we all got to have dinner except for the son and hubby ;-) Definitely not ideal..

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  23. Such a great family picture :) Isn't it wonderful having everyone home under one roof?! Hope your son is feeling better.

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    1. Thanks, Michelle. He's doing much better. Yes, having everyone home was so nice ;-)

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  24. I'm so glad you are feeling better, smart move to scale back...I know we runners can have a hard time with that one!!! I am also glad your son is ok, that must have been scary. Love all your photos, especially of your family!! xo

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    1. I take my off-season pretty seriously. Even with the Streak, I keep things very low-key through December/January because I'm so busy racing/training in all the other months.

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  25. 35 degrees feeling almost tropical? BRRRRR! And here I am shivering when it dips to the 40's, lol

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    1. Well, 35 does feel tropical when it's a 30-degree increase ;-)

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  26. Sounds like a fun and eventful time with your kiddos home! Love the family pic and your outfit is on point!
    Hope you have a great week!

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