Sunday, December 8, 2019

Change in the Weather


Change is good.

There is nothing more crippling than to be caught in a stagnant state of existence. Same rituals, nothing new, zero challenges, no ventures outside of that comfort zone...none of these encourage growth or adventure.

Thankfully, that was not the case this past week. Not only was the weather in a flux of disarray, but so was my routine. And, it was all good.

Before we hash out the details, welcome to the Weekly Run Down!

I love hosting 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. We love reading about everyone's 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...please don't link-drop & dash ;-)
Here's what went down this past week:

Monday - Change of Venue
I enjoy my hilly 'hood, especially for short runs. Honestly, there's no shortage of possibilities in terms of hills, so even a short 1-2 mile jaunt is a substantial workout. That said, sometimes I just gotta break away...so, I drove the half-mile to the central campus of the college and ran two laps around the 1-mile perimeter. I had sidewalks (and lamp posts every 20 feet), and it was a nice change of venue. Two miles over and done for #nevermissaMonday, check!
Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, shoes and indoor

Tuesday -  Change in Routine
As per usual, I try to keep Tuesdays low-key. No heavy strength-training, zero grandiose miles. That doesn't mean I can't sweat a little, though. I started the day with 30 minutes on the elliptical for breakfast. Since the forecast promised a beautiful day (and I had a big holiday luncheon over the noon hour), I saved my 1-mile streak run for after work. Smartest move ever... that impending sunset was total perfection!

Image may contain: 1 person           Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, tree, outdoor and nature

Wednesday - Change in Layers
Even though I tend to whine about the cold weather, it is rather pleasant for running (on occasion). What's scary (in a good way) is that I think I've already acclimated to the sub-freezing temps. I took a chance and wore two fleece-lined layers (with arm warmers in between), and didn't feel the least bit chilled (except for my face when the headwind was a factor). Five miles for #5at5 with Barb, in the o'dark thirty hours, and my day was complete before it had even started.
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Thursday - Change of Plans
I'm a pretty spontaneous person, but I write up my HIIT workouts before lights-out the evening prior (instead of just winging them). When I woke up on Thursday morning, though, my body said, "Nope, I don't think so." I didn't feel sick or overly tired, but I just wasn't feeling like HIIT'ing it hard. Well, when the body speaks, I try to listen. I spent a good 20 minutes doing some deep stretching and yoga instead. It's alright to stray from the plan if your body (and/or mind) needs a little downtime. Besides, the forecast was showing a glorious day on tap...so I had already planned on doing my streak run over lunch. The sunshine was so amazing, I kind of ran an extra mile than what I'd intended. Two miles, with all kinds of smiles, then back to the office I went.

Image may contain: one or more people, shoes and indoor Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, outdoor

Friday - A Change in Perspective
Since I'd skipped the HIIT on Thursday, I decided to do it on Friday morning instead. And, since I'd run farther on Thursday's streak run than I'd originally planned, I thought it best to keep Friday's run short. I usually do a brief warm-up before my runs, but decided to incorporate the HIIT workout as my warm-up, then do the 1-mile streak run afterwards (you know, kind of cryotherapy of sorts in the cold early morning temps).

***Two sets of this core-focused HIIT workout***
*5 flights of stairs (double-stepped)
*25 jumping jacks
*20 arm reps (15-lb. weights)
*1-minute side arm plank (on elbow)
*10 burpees (with added plank jack)
*10 push-ups
*20 arm reps (15-lb. weights)
*1-minute side arm plank (other elbow)

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Saturday - Change in the Forecast
About 10 days ago, I noticed a nearby 5K race, the Jingle for a Cure (in Newton, IA; about a 20-minute drive). With no other holiday-themed races on my radar, I decided to do onsite registration if the weather was nice. The forecast had been showing temps in the mid-40F's (all week) with sunshine, so I decided to go for it. By Friday evening, though, the sunshine was still showing in the forecast, but the morning temps were looking a little colder. I added an extra fleece-lined layer (instead of just one) as well as full tights (instead of going bare-legged). The hubby came along, dropped me off at the race site, then headed to a nearby coffee shop. I did a brief half-mile warm-up (and some dynamic stretches), ran a strong 5K (26:10), and then, afterwards, ran the approximate half-mile to the coffee shop as a cool-down. Oh, and I finished first overall female! Even though the field wasn't too competitive, nor was it a very large event, my finish time was one of my faster 5K's, so I'm very happy with how the morning played out.

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Sunday - Change is Good
Saturday evening, while watching the exciting Big 10 Championship football game, I felt so exhausted, and my back was feeling cranky. I even slept-in on Sunday (not waking up until after 7:00, which is really late for this early-riser). But, Oh My Aching Back!!! I'm not sure what's up with my (lower) back, but #ouch. Instead of my usual 2-mile recovery run routine, I ran just one mile before church, and felt SO much better. I was tempted to keep going, but thought it best to head home. I took Max for a short walk, and felt even better after that. My hamstrings are feeling a bit tight, probably a result of Saturday's race...maybe I ran that race harder than I realized (duh!). A friend suggested the hamstrings may be pulling on my back...so it all makes sense. It's nothing chronic, but definitely a sign to take things easy today. Onward!
Image may contain: 1 person, sunglasses, shoes and outdoor

So, it was an interesting week, and a pretty decently active one. All told, the Run Streak is going well...16 miles in the running shoes this week. There was some walking (5ish miles, kind of pathetic!). The 30 minutes of elliptical was legit, and that short HIIT workout was tougher than it looked on paper LOL. All is well, and I'm feeling great.

In case you missed out, here's what went down on the blog:
Feelin' Seasonal
The Streak is ON!
Coffee & Convo

In other news:
Friday Fashion Flair! I've said it many times before...as much as I love color, I've always been drawn to the classic color combo of black and white. Seriously, it goes with every color! I found these cute houndstooth leggings on Black Friday at Old Navy, and they are so comfy. The burgundy high/low sweater works well with them because it covers everything it needs to, and it's a great seasonal color. As always, you're invited to join the party...post a pic on Instagram, grab the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair) and be sure to tag me (@runningonthefly). It's fun seeing our fitness friends in "real" clothing, right?


Finally, most of my Black Friday and Cyber Monday fitness finds have arrived! I got the black retro-striped capris at Old Navy. Notice there's two pairs of running shoes? The Brooks Adrenalines GTS 19's (dark teal, on the left) and the Mizuno Wave Inspire 15's (light turquoise with black) have both  been christened, and both are keepers. SmartWool socks are my absolute favorites, hands down. I also found a hat with a built-in LED light that will get used a lot on my early-morning adventures. I'm eager to try the Koala Clip (for carrying my phone) because I detest wearing a belt, especially for just my shorter runs.

So, that's the latest! It was a nice, mild week in terms of weather, but it's looking like we'll be reverting back to our regularly scheduled winter weather this week. Oh well, this IS Iowa and it's supposed to be cold.

How was your week? Any Black Friday/Cyber Monday finds that you've already been enjoying? Do you have any of the goods pictured above? Any holiday races on tap?

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49 comments:

  1. Nice job on the 5K! I'm sometimes sore after those as well -- andlately my lower back has been hurting too. I'm thinking it's from carrying around my kids too much (18 month and 3 year old)and I just need to stretch more. Hoping it goes away soon. Hope your weather stays mild!

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    1. Fortunately, the back pain disappeared after a few hours...but it was cranky for awhile when I first got up. I ran the 5K strong, but honestly didn't think I was running it that hard...oh well!

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  2. What great Black Friday shopping finds! I was really wanting to love my Koala clip, but my phone case is so large, it makes the case look really lumpy. Which makes a large lump under my shirt. Not the hugest deal, but also my bra straps aren't conducive to wearing it and I always need assistance putting it in place. But, I'm keeping it in hopes the situation will change at some point and it will be perfect. It's a great idea! I forgot to mention on a previous post of yours that I replaced my dead iPod Shuffle with a Sandisk Clip. It was the closest thing I could find. I do like it, but since I use a Mac I haven't been able to figure out how to load up multiple playlists. But the bluetooth connectivity is great with my headphones!

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    1. I'm wondering that about the Koala Clip, too. I thought about using it yesterday, but couldn't get it UNDER all my layers, and it felt odd clipped to the back of my neckline. I'll need some time to play with it. The Sandisk was one of the Mp3's I've looked at! Great to know it's a nice option :-)

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  3. Congrats, Kim, on your amazing race! That's so cool and you should be very proud of yourself. I love your Christmas lights shirt. It's super cute and festive!

    Thanks for the linkup!

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    1. Thanks, Debbie :-) I'm really happy with my finish time, the fact that I was the first female was a matter of who showed up (or, who didn't LOL). None the less, I'll probably never get another race win like that, so I'm enjoying the experience :-)

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  4. Great runs and great buys! I didn't buy anything in the sales as I still have two pairs of Sauconys I haven't even busted out of the box yet that I got pretty cheap online a month or so ago. And well done on your 5k!

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    1. Well, one of these pairs of shoes will get put in storage for several months, and the other will get slowly rotated in for "long" runs. I didn't really need two new pairs, but the prices were too good to let go.

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  5. WoHoo! Congrats on the race! How totally fun to WIN IT! You must've been colder last week than we were. We stayed fairly mild. This week will be another story. Ugh. Most of my Black Friday purchases have not arrived. Either that or our naughty mail carrier threw them somewhere.

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    1. We actually had pretty mild temps, but they got progressively colder later in the week. Tomorrow morning still looks decent, but it's all downhill by the afternoon :-(

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  6. Wow first female!!! What an awesome high note to end the week on.

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    1. Thanks :-) I'll probably never get another win like that, so I'm gonna enjoy this little victory for awhile :-)

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  7. Yay on sticking to your streak and double YAY for winning that 5k! Well done!!!
    A minute side plank? Sounds cool, I have to check whether I can do that. I am still working on my normal plank (I'm at 2:10... getting there slowly). Thanks for all the inspiration!

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    1. A 2:10 plank is great! Keep up the great work! I really like the side planks (I usually do them on my elbows), you can really feel the burn!

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  8. Oh, how lovely that you had a heat wave- 49 degrees in December. Amazing!

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    1. I was totally excited to have such warm temps for December! Bummer they're not gonna last...

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  9. Congrats on that win! Curious why you mention that it's scary that you've acclimated to the cold. Isn't that a good thing?

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    1. Well, I did say it was scary in a good way...for me to acclimate that quickly to the cold was very unexpected. I do prefer the heat/humidity, don't forget :-)

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  10. wow look at you winning the 5k! Congrats Kim . I still think winter running is your thing after all :)

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    1. Ha Ha...sorry, I still prefer the heat of summer, but the cold weather is bearable now and then. I'd have a much better attitude if it wasn't so extreme here, but it is what it is.

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  11. We are expecting the heat wave this week. I'm NOT happy about it. We've got some great snow right now and it's going to melt. SAD!! BUT congrats on the win. That is awesome!

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    1. Thanks :-) I can't believe how much snow you guys got up there! I know we'll eventually have it, too, but I'm not in any hurry for it.

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  12. First female?!?! That's awesome. Congrats!!! Your workouts have been going so well this year and your race times are reflecting it. I broke down and ordered some books for myself on Cyber Monday (along with gifts for just about everyone in my family) I had to do it to get to the free shipping requirement on Amazon! :)

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    1. Thank you, Laurie :-) The first place thing didn't register until the awards ceremony, even though I didn't see any other gals ahead of me (except for a short jaunt when a gal passed me, but I was able to get back around her).

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  13. Great job on your run streak and congrats on your 5K win!!

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    1. Thanks, Michelle :-) The streak is going well so far; it really helps when the weather cooperates LOL

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  14. Last night was my only holiday race (probably). Depends on the weather next weekend, but at the moment our weather looks pretty bad for the foreseeable future. :(

    Congrats on first female! That's quite an accomplishment.

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    1. Our weather is going to be getting cold this week...UGH. Even though I knew it would happen eventually, it's gonna be a rude awakening when it hits.

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  15. Great job, as usual!

    I LOVE that top with the holiday lights and you had a great haul from the shopping weekend.

    We did some shopping for cyber monday (little man wanted a bunch of electronics), and I may have bought myself a few things to make myself feel better about my sad state of being LOL.

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    1. This may have been my first-ever Cyber Monday purchase (?). I really don't get into much online purchasing, except for running shoes and race registrations.

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  16. Congrats again on winning the 5K! Winning!!! Now I know why we are friends, I got the same Mizunos and also picked up some Smart Wool socks on Black Friday! I had to order my size in the Mizunos but I just got a call that they are in now. :-)

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    1. Oh and I LOVE that holiday lights top!

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    2. I used to wear the Wave Inspires for a few years, then went to Brooks after my PF issues (in 2015). I thought I'd give them a try after seeing the sale price (plus, I had a $50 Amazon gift card).

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  17. I'm really sorry to hear about your lower back pain. I had my yearly physical with my doctor this week and was telling her about my lower back pain and she suggested strength training and doing more core exercises. She's also a runner so I always try to talk to her about aches and pains lol.

    Also, you know I just love the shirt your wore today - so festive!

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    1. My back has been a little wonky off and on recently. I honestly can't help wonder if I'm sleeping weird...I do have a little dog wedged into the crook of my knees on occasion LOL

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  18. I admire your routine. I wish I could get into a strength training routine. I just really dislike strength training haha.

    Oh and don't get me started on the Big 10 Championship game. Wisconsin blew it. :-(

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    1. I never had any interest in strength training until 10 years ago, when I did P90X. I don't do a lot of specific lower body stuff, other than body weight resistance work (squats,lunges, etc.). I do LOVE upper body work, though! At least Wisconsin gets to go to the Rose Bowl...that's a significant game!

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  19. Great job on the 5k!! I want that hat with the LED light. Where did you get it? I hope you like the Koala Clip. I use it on all of my runs. I have a few pairs of Smartwool socks that I used a few times and can send to you if you want.

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    1. I got the hat from Gone For a Run, they have all kinds of fun running gear and gadgets. If you don't want the SmartWool socks, I'll gladly take them off your hands (or feet LOL). They've been my favorite since I first tried them, several years ago.

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    2. OK, I will contact you for your address so I can send them to you.

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  20. What a mixed-up week! I agree with you: Sometimes you just need a change of scenery for a little pick-me up.

    I love all of your festive holiday gear!

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    1. Thanks!! Yes, the weather was a little "off"...but I'm glad we had those few warm days :-)

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  21. Congrats on that 5k! Glad to hear your back felt better after some activity on Sunday :) That makes sense about the calves affecting the back.

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    1. Thankfully, my back felt about 99% better by noon...just getting some movement works wonders

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  22. nice week Kim! Congrats on your 5K!! WOW!! you really rocked it! I'm sorry to hear your back has been bothering you though. I sure hope it's better now and was just a little glitch!

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    1. Thanks, Renee!! I think I'm sleeping weird...I do have a cute little furry dude snuggled up in the bend of my knees on occasion :-)

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  23. Wow...congrats n that awesome win. I was once second female but it was a small race lol.

    Smartwool socks are my faves too.

    Love that hat...I need one.

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    1. Well, this was a small race, too LOL I'm just glad I had a good (for me) finish time or it wouldn't feel "legit"

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  24. 1st place! Congratulations! And I adore all of your festive workout apparel!

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