#Maintaining #NoComplaining

Back in maintenance mode, and things are feeling fine.

Admittedly, I love the excitement and anticipation of a big race dictating my summer running. That said, I gotta runfess, it's also nice not having to strategize (almost) every fitness endeavor I choose to do.  

Such was the case this week. I'm still embracing the low mileage gig (in terms of running), and I'm saddling-up the bike whenever the weather is favorable. And, I'm smiling as I do so. 

Before I get into 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 world of fitness and fun:

Long ride Sunday, with a little bit of walking

I got out for an early morning 2-mile walk, then we carpooled with our friends, Mike and Amy, to Ankeny (just over an hour-long drive). There was a local race in-process, ending at the trailhead, and Cy was there (he's the Iowa State Cyclones' mascot). We pedaled along the High Trestle Trail, grabbed lunch at the Whistlin' Donkey in Woodward (where the trail ends) and rode back. We ended with 50 miles for the day, tired legs (from the headwind on the return trip) and a touch of sunburn. After a short nap, I took another 2-mile walk, and called it good.

 

Another #NeverMissAMonday

Holy tired legs, Batman! And holy humidity! I was a glistening and glowing mess after my 2-mile run (sandwiched between a 1/2-mile warm-up walk and 1/2-mile cool-down). My app said the humidity was 99% at 5:30AM!. Later, we walked at work (one mile in the late morning, and another mid-afternoon), and by then the wind had picked up to 19mph. When I walked after work, the temps had climbed to 90F (with a 100F-feels like). Wow, can you say SUMMER?

Tuesday's upper-body 2-fers

Don't worry...even with the camo print, the bugs still found me. Oh well, I don't have the opportunity to take these workouts outdoors year-round, so I'll gladly deal with a few insects and whatnot. I did a couple of upper-body strength workouts (Peloton app) and a 1-mile walk before work. Also, another 1-mile walk (at work, in the heavy humidity) and then a full moon run in the evening (see below)

A weird and whacko Wednesday

Having just run a 6-miler eight hours prior (full moon run), I opted for a short bike ride before work (also six miles). Even with the dark clouds, my weather apps both showed there wasn't any rain happening for a couple hours...well, both of those apps lied, LOL. No pina coladas, but I did get caught in the rain (a couple times) mid-ride. The sprinkles were very light, and neither "downfall" lasted more than a few minutes, so the streets weren't a hazard. By late morning, all the rain clouds had passed, so my co-worker and I were able to get in a 1-mile walk. After work, I took another 2-mile walk (while chatting with a college friend, via my cell) and then tackled about two hours of intense weeding of the (waist-high) renegade grass from one of my garden plots. Ugh, my back did NOT appreciate all the bending, stooping, squatting and abrupt "power-yanking."

 

Triple threat Thursday

My right hamstring/glute had been feeling a little cranky, so I did a barre workout (Peloton app) rather than a focused lower-body strength class. Wow! It was intense, but in a non-invasive kind of way (if that makes sense?). I also took a 7-mile morning bike ride before my workday began. More walking at work (two total miles), followed by the weekly bike path ride. My weather app said it was "only" an 11mph wind, but it was straight out of the west, so it was a nasty headwind on the way out to the lake (in other words, no coasting on the downhills). Once we made the turn-around, we instantly felt hot (it was 86F) without that headwind, LOL. This ride is about 13 miles out and back, but I usually tack on a couple extra miles to end with 15. Well, today, I added five bonus miles...making this ride 18 miles, and ending the day with 25 total miles on the bike. Oh, and then I took another 2-mile walk after returning home...just because.

 

How about a 5K Friday?

Oh, did my back feel all sorts of grumpiness upon wake-up! I had also done more weeding Thursday evening, so my entire lower-body was feeling the after effects (gardening DOMS, anyone?). I know how much better my achy body feels after a run...so I laced up and headed out for a 5Kish run. Oh, that sunrise! It was an intense red when I left the house, but the colors had mellowed (a bit) to various shades of orange and yellow by the time I was in a suitable place for a pic. And, yet again, I returned home feeling much better than when I'd left my front porch. Movement is medicinal! As for walking...two miles at work and two miles in the evening.

A SUNday of a Saturday

Let's just say I'm always grateful to get outside, feel the sun on my face, and embrace all things fitness...even when those fitness things feel less-than-perfect. This run was a tough one. Barb and I got seven miles done, but my body felt fatigued and I struggled with finding that "groove." Thankfully, these character-building runs don't happen every time, nor do they happen very often (#GlassHalfFull). Afterwards, although my body was tired, there was a lot of weeding that still needed to be dealt with. I did a couple hours of work in the morning, and several more hours in the afternoon (with intermittent breaks). I could barely stand up properly when I was done (my back, glutes, and hammies were wasted), so I decided ((again)) to take a short bike ride to loosen up the lower-body. I made it six miles, and was about a mile from home when I heard what sounded like a gunshot. It turns out it was my rear tire blowing-out! I've never gotten a flat before, so it took a few minutes to realize the "gunshot" hadn't come from a gun. I walked poor Krystal back home (so I got in a "bonus" walk for the day).

 

What's on tap for Sunday?

I'm hoping to either get in a decent walk (3-4 miles) or a ride (10-12 miles), but the ride is contingent on how easily the bike tire is to remedy. I don't know if it's a matter of changing out the tube or if we'll need an entire new tire. 

Anyways, this was a week of easy-does-it (well, sort of, LOL). There was a lot of activity, but most of it was low-impact. Running saw 18 miles; walking had 24 miles; biking dominated with 86 miles (mainly due to Sunday's 50-miler). Strength-training was more conservative, with one barre workout and a couple of upper-body workouts, but I think all the gardening made up for that.

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

Keeping it Low-Key

Summer '22: What's To Do?

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. With the warm temps, I was feeling tropical. I'd gotten this dress several years ago, while in Hawaii, and Friday's perfect weather seemed like a perfect day to reminisce about all things Hawaiian.  

As mentioned, there was another full moon run! I met Barb and Allison at 9:00PM, thinking we'd run about 3-4 miles and easily see the moon by the time we'd finished. WRONG! We saw plenty of stars overhead, but the moon was playing a naughty game of Hide and Seek. We kept running, thinking it would emerge from the horizon (we thought there must have been some low-lying clouds), but after we'd reached the 6-mile mark, we gave up and parted ways. Ironically, upon returning home, I let Max out around 10:15, and by then the moon was shining quite vividly. Oh, and it was a crazy hot evening with a 99F feels-like! We were grateful for that wind! 

Weeds, weeds, and more weeds. Actually, this was more renegade grass than anything, but it was literally taking over all of my garden plots. As mentioned, the majority of the blades of grass were waist-high (and I'm a tall gal). I filled four over-flowing wheel barrows with the stuff, and dumped all of it into the bed of our Ranger to haul away. Keep in mind, many of those blades of grass had to be pulled individually, LOL. Yes, I did procrastinate this endeavor (so that's on me), but it honestly came in so quickly (from the recent rain and extreme temps). We have triple-digit feels-like temps headed our way for most of this next week, so I knew it was now or never to get this work done.

So, that's this week's story! It was hot and humid, but I'll take it. At least it wasn't snowing, right?

How did your week play out? Seasonal weather? Do you have any gardening that you let slide...only to have a major overhaul when you (finally) have time to tackle it? Any races on the summer calendar? 

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