Ready for Takeoff...

Can we just talk about the busyness of the season?

Well, truth be told, it's not just the festivities that had me busy this week. There was plenty of fitness action, household organizing, holiday prepping and some pre-adventure tasks to get secured.

Yes, there was plenty of busyness...good thing we have our fitness vices to keep us grounded, am I right?

Before I fill you in on all 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 8:00AM (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 went down in my little corner of the fitness world this week:

Sunday: Rising and Riding

Up and in the saddle! With a full moon run on deck for the evening, I opted for some quality time on the stationary bike. Peloton recently dropped several workouts with the awesome music of ABBA, so Sebbe and  I took advantage. We knocked out 22 miles and afterwards did Day-7 of the 12 Days of Fitness Challenge (7 Tri dips, 6 curtsy lunges {each side}, 5 burpees, 4 plank jacks, 3 bicycle crunches {each side}, 2 jumping jacks and one push-up). 

  

As promised, a few of us met up for a few miles under the bright full moon. We kept the route fairly short (three miles) and headed down to our town's central park to pay homage to the lighted decorations.

Never miss a Monday!

I found two more ABBA rides to do, giving me 15 miles in the early hours. Afterwards, I added eight standing side crunches (each side) to the 12 Days of Fitmas workout. Since I was working from home, I had the luxury of dressing in workout attire, allowing a little more time for a 2-mile #runch over my lunch break (title pic, above). And, since it also was pickle ball night, the hubs and I spent 90 minutes hitting and chasing said pickle balls after work.

 

Tuesday: Celebrating the Winter Solstice.

Amy and I met for our weekly 3-mile run (with 1/2-mile walking for warm-up and cool-down). The temps were cold (low teens), but the single digit mph wind made for a fairly calm morning on the city streets. I'll take it! Even though I'm a die-hard summer gal, I embrace the Winter Solstice. Although the increased daylight isn't obvious immediately, it feels like a major milestone just getting past the Solstice. Brighter days ahead! Also, Day-9 of the Challenge, so nine jump squats were added to the mix.

Double Workout Wednesday

Icky temps (and windy conditions), so Barb and I postponed our #5at5 to Thursday (that seems to be a recurring pattern, LOL). Instead, I opted for a few more cycling workouts (via Peloton) with Sebbe. Twelve total miles of pedaling, and the Day-10 installment of the 12 Days (adding 10 single leg dead lifts, each side) and all was well in my world.

After work, I got out for a quick "chase-the-sunset" run and did some strength and core work. 

Thankful Thursday!

As I've mentioned before, I believe there's plenty to be thankful for on a daily basis. Somehow, these  #5at5 runs, usually with Barb, always reinforce that theory. Of course, it really helps when the skies are clear, the traffic is light, and there's plenty of conversation to help the miles go quickly. Afterwards, I added 11 biceps curls to the 12 Days of Fitmas set. And, the weather was so nice, I did a solo 2-mile power walk after work (in celebration of my final "work day" of 2021).

Friday Fitness: on FIRE!

Holy Tabata, Batman! I did my first-ever Tabata ride, and let's just say it got a little stuffy in the basement (that's code for the red shirt and Santa hat both had to take a hike for the ride). Also, it was the final day of the 12 Days of Fitmas, so I celebrated with 12 sets of walking lunges added to the rest of the moves. It was kind of another icky morning (with fog), so I waited until mid-morning to do my 1-mile streak run (featured below, in the Friday Fashion Flair).

Saturday: Sunny Christmas Day Run!

Barb and I waited until 7:30, when we'd have full daylight, and were rewarded with full sunshine and decent temps. I'd thought of running 7.6 miles (the equivalent of 12.25 kilometers, you know...Christmas numbers, LOL), but finished with a full eight miles instead. Then, there was a full day of family, food, and fun...so I ended the evening with a short 5-mile ride, a core workout and the Great Christmas Takedown (see below).

What's on tap for Sunday?

A short streak run, some early-morning cycling, and massive packing/prepping for the great escape (see below)...

So, it was quite an action-packed week, and not just in  terms of fitness or holiday fun (again, see below, LOL). Running was pretty solid with 23 miles. Walking was meager (about four miles). Biking was substantial with 68 miles. Pickle ball served as my mobility/cardio training. A few strength and core workouts kept things in balance. Yadda yadda yadda. 

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

Tis the Windy Season

2021 Highlights: The Year in Pics

12 Days of Fitmas 2021

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair! With the day off from work, but a full day of last-minute Christmas prep underway, I kept things very fitness-based. The good news? I finally had an opportune time to wear my "holiday lights" shirt for my streak run. It's the little things, folks. 

Many fitness friends donned their festive fitness attire and logged some miles over the weekend! Another thing to be thankful for, on the daily, is the gift of fitness friends. 'Nuff said.

Finally, the hubs and I are off on a new adventure ...we're doing a month-long stint as snowbirds. This past week was CrAzY getting all the details finalized and household stuff ready (including a major take-down of the Christmas decs Saturday night #WhompWhomp), but we're excited! We'll have some major car time in getting there, and there's also a couple of football games to tend to this week - the Iowa State Cyclones are playing the Clemson Tigers in the Cheez-It Bowl (Dec. 29th) and our Iowa Hawkeyes take on the Kentucky Wildcats in the Citrus Bowl on New Years Day. It's rare to have both Iowa and Iowa State playing Bowl games in the same stadium, only days apart. So, why not support both teams? Stay tuned...

So, that's a wrap! 

I hope your holiday season has been full of laughter and good cheer, as well as valuable time with friends and family. Can you believe 2021 is almost outta here?

How did your week play out? Any holiday running? Traveling? Are you ready for the new year?

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