What day is it...again?

It's been an out-of-sorts kind of week.

The temps were especially muggy, there was a holiday, and I ran a mid-week race. All of which was great, but I think I spent the majority of the week in a state of confusion and flux. First world probs, right?

But, first things first...

Welcome to the Weekly Run Down! I am so excited to host this link-up with Deborah (from Confessions of a Mother Runner). If you write a fitness-based blog, you're invited to join the party. The link-up opens at 1:00 (EST) on Sundays and remains open through noon on Monday. Please share your weekly fitness endeavors, training highlights (or low lights) and race recaps. We ask that you link back to both hosts, and we encourage you to read/comment on the other linked blogs as well.

Anyways, here's the Run Down...

Monday - #nevermissaMonday
I was up and out the door for a short run, in the early Monday morning hours. Just for fun, I posted a tongue-in-cheek thing on Insta/FB ("Never have I ever (1) worn a visor on a cloudy day, (2) used lipstick as a lip balm, and (3) gone for a run while my manicure dried")...and some peeps thought I was serious! I thought everyone was familiar with the Never Have I Ever game (I guess not). So, I had some explaining to do. None the less, my hair was under control,  the lipstick did its duty and my nails were dry when I returned home from those two miles. Enough said.

Tuesday - #5at5
Even though I'd run 17 miles in the previous four days, there was iffy weather in the forecast. Barb and I decided to do our weekly early morning 5-miler a day early. Also, we had a race coming up on Thursday, so this would give us (almost) two full days of rest/recovery prior to the start line. Although the temps weren't unbearable (low 70F's), the humidity was heavy. When I returned home, I took a minute to just enjoy the gentle breeze blowing on my saturated and sweaty self...it felt almost as good as those post-run endorphins.

Wednesday - #easydoesit
Although my body didn't feel especially tired from five continuous days of running (and 22 miles), I knew it would serve me well to have an easy day. I seldom ever have five straight days of running, and doing so in the heat of summer would be an opportune time to risk burnout or injury (no thanks). I did get out for a 2-mile walk, though. The forecast rain was a no-show, but the air was still pretty muggy. And, since I'd run the #5at5 the day prior, I kept thinking Wednesday was Thursday...or that I'd need to get out after work to get those five "Wednesday" miles done...

Thursday - #doubleblingonthe4th
The hubby, Barb and myself were on the road by 5:45 a.m., en route to Cedar Rapids (IA) for the Fifth Season Health Solutions 8K. This race, now in its 34th year, was a first-time endeavor for us and it did not disappoint! Barb and I ran the 8K and the hubby did the 5K. The route featured gentle, rolling hills and quite a bit of shade, which was perfect for the warm weather conditions (80F and humid). There will be a recap posted in a couple days, but suffice it to say things went very well...I came within 8 seconds of PR'ing my 8K time (from 10 years ago) and brought home the 3rd place AG medal as well as the finisher medal. Don't worry, given the heat and humidity, I was not "racing" or gutting it out for a PR...I had not run an 8K in several years, so I had no recollection of what my previous times were (until after I got home and researched it).

Friday - #anotherdayofrest
When the morning beckons, I answer the call...even on a rest day. I got out for a 2-mile walk and got to witness yet another beautiful sunrise. Since I'd had Thursday off, for the 4th of July holiday, I spent most of Friday morning at the office in another state of confusion...thinking it was Monday.

Saturday - #letthemseeyasweat
The temps were bearable (71F), but the foggy and humid conditions were another story. Barb and I met up with eight miles on the agenda. Right out of my driveway, things felt like a slog fest. My pace actually looked much better on the Garmin than it felt as I was running. Nothing hurt, and I didn't feel fatigued, but things just felt "slow-moving." I'm a huge fan of sunshine, but it was a blessing we had a thick cloud cover, or it would have really been challenging. We ran an out-and-back route for the first five miles, and stopped to use the restroom at a park. And, just like that, all things came together...we then ran a 3ish-mile loop, and I didn't feel like heading back home. I ran Barb part of the way back to her house, then continued on, circling the college campus and finished with 10 miles for the morning. I probably could have gone further, but there was no need to. I was a major sweaty mess when I got back home...I think my running clothes weighed a good five pounds judging by the loud smack they made as I threw them on the floor before my shower. Although I wish every tough run had a happy ending, like this 10-miler had, there would be nothing to learn about grit or integrity if running was easy. Every run is a gift!

Sunday - #doubleornothing
Most people know I'm an avid believer in shakeout runs the day following a long run or race. Sunday morning was no exception, so I got out for a couple of easy-paced miles before mounting the Mongoose. The hubby and I took on the 15-mile (round trip) bike trail out to the lake. This was our third time embarking on this Sunday morning ritual. I'm still not in love with cycling, but I am really appreciating the benefit of all those hilly miles of cross-training. After returning, we then took Max for a 2-mile walk. Let's just say my legs felt like jelly after two hours (and 19 miles) of non-stop action.

So, all in all, it turned out to be a great week with my fitness endeavors. Total running miles tallied at 24 and walking miles were 14 (more on tap for later, after this post goes live). I had hoped to make Thursday's race a pseudo speed workout, but given the temps, it was more of a modified (conservative) tempo effort (with a few walks through the water stations). I'm taking part in a daily push-ups/squats challenge for July, so those were done on the daily (just 25 of each), and there was a short (15-minute) upper-body workout Friday evening. MCM training will officially kick-off soon, so I've been gradually upping my long runs...so far, so good.

In case you missed out, here's what went down on the blog this week:
Suddenly Summer!
A journey of Gratitude
A Coffee Date...shall we?

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair...did you see it on Instagram? Don't summer and floral prints go hand-in-hand? I wear a lot of white and pink, but have developed a kiwi green fetish in recent years. I was really excited to find this skirt (while on a trip to Hawaii)...it has gotten lots of wear in the summer months. Do you rock the florals in the warmer months, too? As per usual, if you want to play along-->post a pic, grab the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair), and tag me (@runningonthefly).

The 4th of July has always been a favorite holiday of mine. I'm thankful for the country where I live, and all the freedoms we have that other people do not.

Did I mention that it has gotten hot in Iowa?

Lastly, on a personal note, I celebrated 25 years (25!!!) of being a mom on July 5th. Our oldest daughter turned 25, and her boyfriend was able to get her a Sponge Bob cake (something her parents never did LOL).

So, that's the latest in my little corner of the universe. How are things in your world? Warm temps? 4th of July fun? Any big races coming up?

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