Holy Sweltering Sweatfest, Batman!

It's been said, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

Well, I say, "Go ahead and face the heat, and smile as you do so."

Yes, I completely acknowledge and accept that I'm in my own party with that notion, LOL. That being said, this past week was a hot one in Iowa! We had triple-digit feels-like temps, daily, that started Saturday (of last weekend), and the heat didn't break until Friday (overnight) of this week. Yes, I did get outside everyday, and I had the daily laundry to show for it...but at least it wasn't snowing. 

Before I dis on the heated deets, 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 blog as well...please don't link-drop & dash ;-)

Anyways, here's what went down in my little corner of the universe, in terms of fitness and fun...

A sunny Sunday...

There was lots of glistening and glowing to be had. It may have looked like a jungle out there, but it felt more like a tropical rain forest on my early morning 2-mile walk. The temps were sitting in the high 70F's, with the humidity flirting with 95%. It was steamy!

A short while later, I met up with a friend for some Sunday morning biking. We finished around noon, and by then the temps had risen to the 103F feels-like range! It may have been #HotHotHot, but not impossible...lots of water (with electrolytes), a somewhat easy pace, and a few stops along the way made for a nice 40-mile ride. Later, I got out for a 2-mile walk with the sis, after the sun had set.

A Never-Miss-a-Monday like none other!

This wasn't just any Monday, but Day-1,000 of my #OptOutside streak. It started with a tempo-ish 3-mile run in the wee hours (73F, 90% humidity) and a post-workday 18-mile ride with Barb (91F, feels-like of 103F). Full disclosure...I later realized this was actually Day-999, LOL.

Typical (though hot and humid) Tuesday

Nothing grandiose...a 2-mile pre-sunrise walk, then some upper-body strength and core work. Also, a mid-morning 1-mile walk at work, and we took a pass on any afternoon stuff due to the heat.

Double Workout Wednesday

Oh, was this a major "water works" ordeal! I met Allison and Barb for a #5at5, and this had to have been one of my hottest runs, ever. I was a major "glistening and glowing" mess when I arrived back at my driveway. The day was so hot (and off-the-charts humid) that we only did the mid-morning walk (one mile) and white-flagged it for the afternoon.

By the afternoon, the temps were even crazier. We decided to avoid the hills on the bike path (which would have been a nightmare coupled with the 111F feels-like temps and the 13mph wind). Amy opted out, but Barb and I braved the late afternoon weather and kept the ride in town (and on fairly flat terrain), for 18 miles. As I have said many times, biking is a great option in the heat...you still will sweat plenty, but you also get a bit of a breeze as you pedal along.

Another Thankful Thursday

It was a balmy 78F for my weekly 4-mile walk & talk with Deb. Although the humidity was still heavy, it was showing signs of easing (in comparison to the previous five days). 

After getting back to the house, I hit the cool basement for some intense lower-body work and a short arms/shoulder workout. It was another day with just a mid-morning walk at work (one mile) and another pass on any afternoon walking.

Friday free-for-all...

Oops, I did it again...another accidental sleep-in, that is. As per usual, when these sleep-ins do happen, they're probably warranted. No harm, no foul. I was able to squeeze in a quick 2-mile walk before heading to the office. The 78F temps still felt a bit balmy, but the 11mph wind was refreshing. We got in our 1-mile mid-morning walk at work, and that's all she wrote.  

An action-packed Saturday!

It's no surprise I love jumpstarting the weekend with plenty of action. The morning began with a 6:00 meet-up with Barb, for eight miles on foot. The 67F temps were a bit of a shock to the system, but the humidity made up for it. Afterwards, I had time to do some stretching and (pancakes!), then I met Amy at the hilly bike path around 9:00. We'd postponed our mid-week ride, due to the heat, so it was now or never. The temps felt great, but the wind (13mph, out of the north) was viscous. You'd think a crosswind would be manageable, but WRONG! It was a struggle staying vertical. After we parted ways, I continued riding and ended with 25 miles of pedaling action. Garmin was ever so kind, and rewarded me for both my running and biking efforts, LOL. I also added some arm/shoulder and core work in the evening.

   

...and what's on tap for Sunday?

Gosh, the forecast is showing temps in the low 60F's for the morning hours! I might need a jacket, but I do plan on getting outside for either an early walk or possibly a shakeout run (I need to bring those back to the fitness regimen, with a half marathon (officially!) on the roster. There might also be some afternoon biking, just because.

All in all, this week was a success. It wound up being a little heavy on the cycling (umm, 101 miles!), but the running was moderate (16 miles) and walking was a bit conservative (18 miles). Funny how it always manages to balance out. The strength training was adequate, but I am looking to increase those workouts a bit, to keep things in check, as I prepare for the IMT DSM 13.1 (mid-October).

 

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

Where Did My Summer Go?

1,000 Days of Opting Outside

'Fessing & Sweating (not necessarily in that order)

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. Not everyone is a fan of the brown and black color combo, but I like it. Why? It's unexpected! Have you ever known me to keep things "traditional" (aka, #boring)? 

It was rather ironic, but this Facebook story popped up in my memories on Friday. Apparently, these split squat holds were the lower-body strength workout, a year ago, on  August 24th. Things that make you go Hmmm...

And, last but definitely not least, Saturday was National Dog Day. Technically, we celebrate this on the daily, but I don't shy away from showing a pic of my little prince, Max.

So, there you have it! Another week all done and dusted...and how is it that we're almost to September??? Where is my summer disappearing to, and why so quickly?

Enough about me...

How was YOUR week? Did you have crazy heat and humidity as well? If so, did it keep you indoors, or were you able to proceed with caution outside? Any big races coming up?

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