Just A Jugglin'

It was an interesting week, in  more ways than one.

There were plenty of switcheroos happening, changes of routine, and juggling of workouts. Most everything got done, but there were a few instances of unplanned rest as well. Oh, and there was a new venue to an old favorite event. 

Best of all?  I'm still standing, and I'm smiling as I do so.

Before I share the topsy-turvy 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 ;-)

Anyways, here's what down this week, in my little corner of the world:

Another #NeverMissAMonday

Up and out the door, not any too bright but plenty early, for a quick 2-miler before work. Temps were brisk (in the upper 40F's). Since I was only planning for a couple miles, I risked leaving the gloves at home. After work, the temps had warmed up some, but the wind had picked up rather dramatically. I took Gustavas out for a ride, but called it at five miles due to the wind. I tried taking Max for a walk, but we only made it a mile. Ugh, I swear, the wind has just been psychotic this Spring...more so than usual!

Kind of a #TypicalTuesday

Holy Near-Freeze Fest, Batman! Look closely, I'm back in a puffer vest and headband LOL At least we had plenty of bright sunshine for our 2-mile walk in the early hours of morning.

It had warmed up (a bit), so I decided to head out for 15 miles of biking after work. Only...the wind was still not playing nice. With the steady wind and the frequent wind gusts, as well as the bright sun, the "feels-like" temps flipped from one extreme to the other depending on which direction I was going. The arm warmers were needed with the headwind, but I was a sweaty mess with a tail wind. I decided to cut this ride short as well, at 10 miles. I did get in another 1-mile walk afterwards, so there's that. 

#OutOfWhackWednesday

Instead of my usual #5at5 with Barb, I was in a car with the hubby, en route to the hospital in Iowa City. Just a minor out-patient procedure for him, but I needed to act as his personal chauffeur. We were on the road by 4:50 AM...so it was my "usual" Wednesday morning wake-up LOL. We didn't get back to town until 12:45, and I had to buzz through the COVID drive-through vaccination clinic (it had already been four weeks since my first shot). I got my shot, waited the allotted 20 minutes, and made it back home around 2:00. Remember those weekly 1-mile time trials? I knew the COVID vax would (probably) be hitting me by the next morning, so I suited-up and did my 1-mile warm-up run and then walked onto the track. It was warm and sunny, but those are my ideal conditions. I'd been up for almost 10 hours at that point, so I didn't have any grandiose goals of beating last week's time (7:21). I started the Garmin and proceeded to make my way around the track. The first lap showed 1:53 on the watch, the second showed an elapsed time of 3:55. My brain was tired, so the numbers didn't mean much, other than indicating I was keeping a sub-8 pace. I just tried to keep running strong, but didn't have the energy to "push" for anything harder. I can't remember what the third lap showed, but it felt like I was slowing down. As I was finishing the last lap, I noticed the hubby and Max, outside the track just as my watch beeped. At first glance, the numbers didn't register. Then, I remembered the 7:21 from last week...and realized the 7:13, showing on the watch, was an 8-second faster finish! Well, okay then!

Whoa! #VaxHangover on Thursday!

As predicted, I woke up in a state of semi "brain fog" with some fatigue. My energy felt compromised, but manageable, so I went ahead and met-up with Barb for our postponed #5at5.  We actually ran a decent pace (9:30ish), but it didn't feel like I was pushing myself. A couple hours later, though, the vaccine hangover hit me, and it hit me hard. I crashed on the couch, and was out for about 35 minutes while home for lunch (says the gal who never, ever takes naps). Later, I hit the couch, again, for 15-20 minutes of Zzz's after dinner. Needless to say, I slept quite soundly that night.

  

#FreakyFriday

Still feeling like I'd been hit by a bus, I surrendered to a walk with the hubby and Max instead of a run or strength workout (as if, LOL). Thankfully, most of the body aches had subsided, but I was still feeling groggy. Oh well...I knew it wouldn't last forever (and it didn't...by mid-afternoon, about 48 hours post-shot, I felt about 90% like myself again). Whew! 

A #SunnySaturdaySurprise

All forecasts (including the news and both of my apps) were showing rain for Saturday morning, but **SuRpRiSe** the rain was a no-show. I had the Fight for Air Climb happening at 10:30 (See below), so there was time for a semi-long run before hitting the road at 9:00 for the drive to Des Moines. My body was feeling pretty much recovered, but I still had some major sinus gunk going on. Barb and I met up at 7:00 and ran our eight miles. The air felt damp, and there was some wind (no surprises there), but I was able to shed the arm warmers after the sun made an appearance. There was time for a quick rinse-off in the shower, and I made it to check-in by 10:20. 

#NoSunSunday

With the overnight rain, the temps were feeling chilly and quite damp. The nasal gunk was still taking up residence, so labored breathing and non-stop nose blowing were still a reality. The idea of running got the thumbs-down, so I went for a 5-mile ride instead. Only, the joke was on me because after my ride, the hubby and Max and I went for a 2-mile walk...and the sun played hide-and-seek with us and the temps shot up. So, if the forecast rain stays away (like it's been doing), there may be an afternoon run happening. Or maybe just a longer walk. Or a nap (it's really anybody's guess LOL).

Like I said, it was an interesting week! The COVID vaccine hit me much harder this time than it did a month ago, and I had been warned that it might. I'm just glad I had the forethought to get the 1-mile time trial and the 5-miler done before things really got nasty.  As for this week's numbers, things are a little skewed due to the vax hangover: 17 miles running, 12 miles walked, 20 miles biked. No strength-training, but some stair-running and lots of garden squats. And so it goes. 

In case you missed out, here's what else went down on the blog this week:

Welcome to my Battlefield

Reunited with the Road

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair! Who doesn't love a soft denim shirt? Kind of a wardrobe staple, if you ask me. It's definitely more casual than dressy, but can be glitzed up with a few accessories. Paired with white skinny jeans and strappy sandals, it's a perfect warm weather piece. Just don't forget your lipstick! I've been doing these #FridayFashionFlair posts, on Instagram, for over four years...they not only give me a showcase of inspiration when I'm needing to go shopping in my closet, and they show the world that I don't just wear workout gear LOL.

Here's a quick peek at some of the current in-bloom flowers. The Lilies of the Valley have long been a favorite, the Bleeding Hearts are just about done for the season, and the Irises are all ablaze!

Speaking of flowers and all things gardening...I spent a couple hours Saturday afternoon (post Climb) squatting and pulling A LOT of wayward grass and weeds put of our mailbox plot. This pic does not do the grandiose pile of cast-offs justice.

 And, finally, the Fight for Air Climb. This has been a favorite event since I first participated in 2013. I had to miss the Climb in 2019 (I was in DC for the Cherry Blossom 10-mile), and last year the event had to go virtual (so I climbed 100 flights without leaving my house). This year, they moved the venue to Principal Park, a baseball stadium. All went well, and I'll have a recap for you this next week, so stay tuned. 

So, that's another week down, and we're another week closer to Summer. 

How were things in your world this past week? Any training highlights? Any races? Any crazy juggling of runs, workouts, or (unexpected) nap time?

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