Thursday, March 5, 2020

Coffee, Anyone? Lets Chat...


Anyone else (still) craving a hot beverage, though the temps are (slowly) rising?

Even though Spring is in the air, that air is still feeling a bit cold. Thankfully, the snow is mostly gone and the bulk of the residual mud has dried up. We've even had quite a bit of sunshine! But, those 30mph wind gusts Thursday afternoon? A big "No Thank You" to those.

What say we gather, warm beverages in hand, and chat for a bit?

Let me start...

If we were having coffee, I'd share my March goals. Believe me, they're nothing grand or far-reaching, but they're there to keep me accountable and consistent. My March objectives are similar to those from February, but a bit fine-tuned. The 20/20's (20 stair flights/20 push-ups) will be continuing, but mostly on alternate days. The 20 stair flights (on-the-daily), though, will continue. The Fight for Air Climb isn't until March 29th, but I need to maintain my stair-training endurance until Climb day. Also, I've been neglecting focused ab work lately, so I'm committed to doing a few minutes (at the minimum) of that each night before lights-out. So far, so good.


If we were having coffee, I'd express my frustration and impatience with the weather. Yes, it still (technically) is Winter for a few more weeks, but why is it so cold? There have been a few unseasonably warm days - and I have been over-joyed with those - but I'm just ready to move on to much warmer days. Isn't it crazy how (all of a sudden?) the mid-upper 30F's temps feel cold? Granted, those temps ARE cold, but just a couple weeks ago they felt much more comfortable than they do now. Or is that just me?


If we were having coffee, I'd tell you about my first 2020 speed workout. With Spring racing about to commence, I thought it a smart move to bring back some speed-training. Thursday morning, around 6:00, was my first official speed session since the marathon (MCM, late October). I have a favorite expanse of sidewalk, on the college campus, that I have used many times. It's about a 1/2-mile from my house, so that gives me a great warm-up/cool-down distance. The sidewalk is 2-city blocks in length, so roughly 1/5 of a mile. Intervals, back and forth, for a total of 10 (repeats) will net me two cumulative miles. All went well at this first session, but yeah. Speed-training ain't easy; if it were, everyone would be doing it, right?

If we were having coffee, I'd tell you about Gustavas. Remember him? My bike? We became BBF's (Best Biking Friends) last summer, but he's been in hibernation (also since MCM). We had warm temps last weekend (well, for Iowa, upper-40F's, in early March, is warm), so I thought that would be a perfect time to go for a ride. We only went five miles, and I had a fleece headband under my helmet (and thick fleece gloves on my hands), but the ride felt great! I had forgotten how good those rides felt on my post-long-run legs. I'm already looking forward to more time with Gustavas as the spring running ramps up. It's a given we'll be spending a lot time together this summer when my Air Force Marathon training gets underway (in July).


If we were having coffee, I'd be shaking my head at what Momma N has in store for me next week.
In my Tuesday/Wednesday post (Marching and Racing into the Spring), I shared a few details of my Pi Week Challenge. Well, it is already looking like it will be more challenging than I'd have bargained for, and it hasn't even started yet. The daily running isn't such a big deal (I'll be doing 3.14 miles every day for the seven days leading up to my Pi Day birthday), but the impending weather is looking a bit on the bleak side. Dear old Momma N (currently) is forecast to share some rain with me for three of those seven days. Nice of her, don't you think?

And, finally, if we were having coffee, I'd tell you about the first robin I spotted this week! He (she?) is kind of hard to notice among all the branches, but it always feels more like Spring when the robins are out and about.

Anyways, that's it for me. 

How about you? Would you be joining us for coffee? Would you be drinking something warm? What's something you'd share?

Since it's the first weekend of the month, I'm linking this with Deborah and Coco for the Ultimate Coffee Date.
The Ultimate Coffee Date

I'm also linking this with Meranda and Lacey for the Friday with Fairytales and Fitness link-up. 

 

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34 comments:

  1. Great job on the speed work! it looks like you have a great route to do it. I hate speedwork and don't do it enough. But it's the only way of becoming faster.
    I hope the rain will not be too heavy for your Pi-challenge! Good luck!

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    1. I think Monday will be the worst day, but I can fire up the treadmill if need be....

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  2. It has to be quite a bit warmer than it is now for me to give up my hot coffee. Just saying. Good on you for bringing out your bike so early in the season. I runfess I put mine away last fall complete with a flat tire. My bad. That is a male robin.

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    1. I love my hot chai, even in the heat of summer...so I won't be giving that up either LOL I assumed the robin was a male, due to the vibrant coloring; thanks for the confirmation ;-)

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  3. I saw my first robin too (no photo, it was too far away). I can see yours clearly, though!

    Hopefully your weather will change for the good. It's always changing!

    I just feel grateful that we weren't walloped with snow like Western NY was last week!

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  4. I drink hot coffee all year long. I love how it kick starts my day! No robin sightings for me yet!

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    1. Your coffee is my chai latte. I love it hot, even in the heat of summer.

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  5. I cannot wait to get my bike out. Although it has really been warmer, I am not a fan of the winds we have this time of the year. My first tri race is quickly approaching so I need to get on it. Thanks for linking up!

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    1. It's pretty windy here, too...which is why Gustavas has not seen any action since last weekend LOL

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  6. Can you do your runs on the treadmill? At least it's not snow in the forecast! Goodluck getting them all in.

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    1. I may have to run with Milly on Monday...now the forecast is showing 100% chance of rain. Not ideal, but doable.

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  7. Our weather is back and forth. I will never complain that it is too warm.

    Rain is forecast for next weekend. My half in nyc. Hope they are wrong.

    Speed? What’s that? I’ve ignored it since I’ve been in pain and racing 13 miles. I sure do a few drills I know.

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    1. I can handle the rain, but I'm not a fan of it in the spring, too windy and usually too cold.

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  8. I acquired a cough and subsequent laryngitis over the last 2 days so I’m definitely all about the warm fluids right now, haha. The weather where I’ve been has been pretty warm but I’m actually headed to the east coast for the weekend to visit friends so...back to the cold (just temporarily, thankfully)!

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    1. I don't think I've ever had laryngitis, but have my share of sore throats. Yes, I'd be slamming all the hot drinks, too!

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  9. Yikes, that 7 day forecast does look tough. Good luck! I spotted a robin the other day too but he was too fast for me to get a photo :) I agree that it feels like a good sign that Spring is on the way.

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    1. I'm not too excited for the rain in the forecast...but at least the temps are (somewhat) warming up...

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  10. Nice job on the speed work. I have been going to the track too. You are right - it's not easy but the results can't be beat! We have robins here all winter long. It didn't used to be that way but this winter was decidedly wimpy in SE PA (which is fine by me). the most snow we got was about 3 inches in a freak pre-Thanksgiving storm. Come on, spring!

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    1. The college track is close by as well, but it's in kind of a secluded place. I'm not too eager to head over there super early in the morning (when I have the most time for my runs), but I like that stretch of sidewalk ;-)

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  11. Aw, look at that pretty robin! Spring (or summer) was almost here, but the temps are dropping back into lows of 40s this weekend, so who knows?

    I drink iced coffee even when it's cold. It's really rare that I get a hot coffee or hot drink at all. They're just not my favorite.

    I'm excited for your climb at the end of March. This is, by far, one of my favorite events you do!

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    1. The Climb is always a lot of fun, in a hot & sweaty kind of way. They are swapping in a different building for one of the usual ones this year, so that adds a twist to the excitement.

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  12. Woot on your first speed workout of 2020 and the many more to come! If we were having coffee, I'd tell you that while I've been getting my weight workouts in, I've slacked on pushups and I need to fix that ASAP. And I was able to get outside for two of my weekday runs this week and it was heaven!

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    1. I'm glad I made it through all the push-ups in February, but I'm content to do them on alternate days for now :-)

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  13. Spring is sort of in the air here, too. We had quite the warm-up a couple of weeks ago, but then it turned cold again. In fact, we had a chance of snow today, but got rain and wind instead. We saw about twenty robins in our back yard last week and something spooked them and they all flew up into the trees. It was pretty cool to see them! The best sight, though, has been Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird moving back into their house!

    Have a great weekend!

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    1. It got really cold and windy here yesterday...the wind gusts were insane! The grocery store automatic door wouldn't open on its own LOL

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  14. Lots of Robins here, but our winter has been milder than yours. Love seeing Gustavas out!

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    1. Now that I've seen that first robin, it seems the entire flock has descended. Poor Gustavas will probably not see any action this weekend...more wind is in the forecast...

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  15. I hope that the weather changes for next week. I'm seeing way too many rain clouds.

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    1. Well, so far the forecast HAS changed...now it's looking like 100% rain on Monday ;-)

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  16. It started raining here again after it being nice the last couple of days. Hope the weather gets better for you. Good luck on your Pi week challenge!

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  17. Our weather forecast looks about the same here in Chicago. I haven't seen any robins yet, but we've had tons of birds outside of our family room window all winter long as we keep them very well fed!

    I never did bring my bike in for it's annual fall checkup and tuneup. With the weather starting to warm up, I need to get it done so it will be in tip-top shape for my first ride!

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  18. I think the unsettled weather is worse than straight warm or cold. Hard to adjust, or dress. While I love iced coffee year round, I've loved the hot this winter as a hand warmer.

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  19. Mama N has truly been all over the place. I'm so ready for spring...I saw my first robin too so I'm holding out hope it will be here sooner rather than later. Hope the weather cooperates for your Pi challenge so you don't have to spend too much quality time with Milly ;)

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