SpRiNg is in the air

 

Well well well, it appears Momma N isn’t all that bad.

At least she played nice this week. The 7-day forecast had showed unseasonably warm (and sunny) weather, and it was pretty much on-point. 

With my Week of Pi antics on the schedule, I had high hopes of pleasant (if not warm) conditions, and was envisioning several (if not all) of my Pi runs in shorts. Mission accomplished! Can I just say, “Thank you, Momma N!”  

Before I disclose all the deets from the warm week, 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 world of fitness, fun, and whatnot this week:

Sun and Fun for Sunday

The early morning temps were a bit chilly, but there was promise of warmer things to come by the afternoon. Max and I started the day with a brisk 1-mile walk, then I headed off to church.

After watching the Iowa Hawkeye men’s basketball team beat Nebraska, I got out for the Day-2 installment of Pi runs. The 61F temps were warm, albeit a bit windy, but this run felt great. Later, Max took me for a bonus walk, before dinner.

Week of Pi: Day-2

Never miss a Monday

I knew I’d be running after work, so I opted for a short upper-body strength session before heading to the office. The temps were feeling sweet (mid-70F’s), so I got out for a joyous 2-mile lunch walk.

By the time I’d gotten home, the temps had risen to 80F! I took Max for a quick 1-mile walk, then headed out for a summer-feels Pi run. Ahhh, pure bliss!

Week of Pi: Day-3

Taking things easy for Tuesday

The morning started with “just” 40 flights of stairs-training. Given the fact I usually do a minimum of 50-60 flights, often times with weights, doing 40 felt less intense (sort of, LOL).

It was  another beautiful day. It wasn’t as warm as the previous day, but still shorts-worthy for Day-4 of Pi running.

Week of Pi: Day-4

Mid-week Wednesday fun

To say I was excited to see not only the full moon but also the lunar eclipse would be an understatement. That said, the mid-week forecast was looking cloudy (#WhompWhomp). Wednesday morning, though, was clear, and the (almost) full moon was shining over Kelly, Hannah and myself for our weekly 3-mile run. The temps were in the mid-30F’s, but the wind was almost nonexistent, so I braved the near-freezing morning temps in my shorts (because, why not? I’ve never had the opportunity to do my entire Pi Week in shorts before). Kelly and Hannah even appeased me and ran the extra .14… Day-5: done!

  

Week of Pi: Day-5

Another Thankful Thursday

With Wednesday’s early run and Thursday's evening run, there would be almost 38 hours of recovery time between lacing-up sessions. After five continuous days of Pi running, I thought that would be a good thing! Thus, Thursday morning saw an enthusiastic upper-body workout (after a slight sleep-in) instead of the usual long(ish) bike ride.

It was another warm, sunny, and beautiful day, which allowed for another 2-mile lunch walk (for the fourth day in a row!). After work, Max and I took a 1-mile walk through the ‘hood, relishing the 75F temps, before I headed to the evenings’ group run. There may have been a full moon spotting as we were finishing those 3.14 miles for Day-6. BTW, those extra recovery hours definitely worked their magic, allowing for another tempo-paced run with the group.   

Week of Pi: Day-6

A Grand Finale for Friday

I’d been playing the weather-stalking game almost nonstop, hoping for the cloudy forecast to turn-around, and it did! Seeing the lunar eclipse became a reality at 2:15AM (see below), and the forecasted rain had gotten pushed-back to late afternoon...how’s that for a birthday present! I had been granted PTO for the afternoon, so I opted for five biking miles upon wake-up, and saved the final Pi run for after lunch. The Grand Finale run was a tough one, though. The 79F temps were nice, but the 21mph wind was a beast! Somehow I managed a 9:27 pace, but I was completely worn-out when I finished. I definitely needed a short nap before commencing the birthday shenanigans.

 

Week of Pi: Day-7

A simple Saturday

Another sleeping-in Saturday morning situation, I had ZERO plans on running (since the Pi Week stuff had ended), but I did want to get in some biking. The temps had dropped a lot…we’re talking mid-40’s and crazy wind (again). Max and I walked a mile, and we were both glad to get back inside. I finally got on the bike, late morning, for 15 miles. We got out for another 1-mile walk, early evening, and the temps were even colder and the wind was still crazy. At least it wasn’t snowing, LOL.

…and what’s happening on Sunday?

The morning temps are looking cold and windy (I know, #shocker), so I’m probably gonna stay inside until the late morning or afternoon. Maybe the bike will beckon me, or the stairs. Stay tuned!

All in all, this week was a success! The Pi running went well; I’m always amazed how quickly the daily 3.14-mile runs go and the week seems to end almost as fast as it begins. The running miles came in at 18.84. Walking logged 16 miles (gotta love those daily lunch walks!). Biking was on the lower-end with 20 miles, but with the daily running it was best to keep it low-maintenance. I’m still doing the daily planking, and the daily core/leg work is going strong as well. 

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

Can You Say Roller Coaster?

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. Sometimes it’s fun to mix things up a bit and pair a couple of unlikely colors together. Black is a staple for most people, but brown can be tricky because there are some shades that are more cool-toned and some are more warm-toned. Myself, I prefer more of a “chocolate” brown over a “rusty” variation. These capri’s are an exception.  Hey, what can I say? I like the contrast, and I have the shoes that coordinate, LOL!

As mentioned, the lunar eclipse totally had me captivated! I was quite thankful the clouds disappeared and the Blood Moon was visible in my area. Max was a willing companion, at 2:15AM, and I think he enjoyed the walk almost as much as me. I did have some difficulty falling back asleep afterwards, though…

Trust me, the moon looked much bigger in person

Finally, Garmin was on-the-spot handing out badges this week, including a birthday greeting on Friday morning.  

Whew, that was a lot! This week seemed to be overflowing with gratefulness. The weather was beautiful, allowing for stress-free planning for all those daily Pi runs. The runs, themselves, all went well with no complications or over-use issues. The full moon was visible multiple times. And the eclipse was simply amazing (even at 2:15 in the morning).  

That’s my run down…

How did your week play-out? Any exciting fitness stories to share? How was your weather? Did you see the lunar eclipse?

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