Back outside...it never felt so good!

Here we go again! I can't help but wonder if Momma N is finally showing me some love (though I am probably jinxing my fate by saying that out loud). Are you ready for it?

I did every run this past week OUTSIDE!

Monday started with stellar temps, it got as high as 51-degrees. Yes, In Iowa. In February. Whodda thunk? I probably could have dressed in shorts and a tank (because it really did feel ever-so-tropical in comparison to the cold weather funk we've had), but I opted to hold off and save the "summer attire" for the real heat. 

Tuesday, though, the temps were a bit chillier. My routine, as of late, has involved doing moderate runs (4-6 miles in distance) on Saturdays and Sundays, followed by my #nevermissaMonday ritual (and those runs are usually only a mile, but have been slightly longer recently due to ideal temps). Thus, Tuesdays are ZERO-mileage days....in other words, cross-training days instead. I opted for some stair work, and totally got my sweat on & my heart pumping. 

I did 20 sets of doubles (up & down the steps 20 times, taking the steps by two's), then 10 sets of triples...repeating that sequence two more times, then finishing with 10 sets of doubles. Total flights of stairs climbed was 100, and everything from the glutes-down felt it. Thankfully, no DOMS to deal with the next day, so things were great.

Wednesday, the temps plummeted...down to the sub-20's. We awoke to some fresh snow on the ground. The air was calm, though, with minimal wind so it was actually quite nice for my evening walk under that beautiful waxing gibbous moon.

Thursday, our temps remained chilly. It was a mere 19-degrees when I went for my 5-miler after work. But, the bonus? I didn't get laced up and out the door until around 5:30...and the sun was still shining! I had daylight for most of those five miles! Yay for longer days!

Yes, the late afternoon/early evening sunshine makes me a bit giddy

Fridays are typically a day of active rest and/or recovery. I ran the five miles pretty swiftly on Thursday evening, so my hamstrings were a bit achy. Nothing that some foam-rolling and late-night power walking couldn't cure. Also, the temps, again, had shifted upwards...and returned to the 50's. I know, what's up with that? We never have 50-degree temps in February in Iowa. 

Most of the snow had disappeared by the afternoon...so I took my #Fridayfashion post outside, sans jacket. By the way...are you following me on Instagram or Pinterest? C'mon, play along! post your #Fridayfashion outfit and tag me! (I'm HERE on Instagram and HERE on Pinterest).

Yes, the snow is melting!

Saturday had me rising and shining (literally!) for the Red Flannel Run in Des Moines. The temps were forecasted to be in the 40's by race time, with cloudy skies and a chance of rain. WRONG! We awoke to sunshine, and the temps had climbed to the low 50's by race time. In keeping with the red flannel theme, I wore my red flannel plaid shorts for the first time (EVER) without tights underneath and nailed the proper layers of clothing on top. I may have even managed an average 8:30 pace and landed a 4th place AG finish. Stay tuned...the full recap is coming. 

Can you say, "shorts in February!"

The race course, though, was slightly shorter than the 5-mile route was supposed to be...my Garmin showed 4.29 (what the WHAT?). So what's a runner to do when they want a little more distance? They run a little further. When Barb and I returned back to town, we decided to run a couple additional miles....so we headed out and finished with a total of seven miles for the day. Problem solved.

Another excursion with Barb

A short while later, the husband persuaded me to go to the local college basketball game with him. Our college, Grinnell College, has a pretty strong basketball program for being a Division 3 school. They were hosting St. Norbert, the #9 team (Div. 3) in the nation, so it was a game not to be missed. Long story short, they pulled off a last-minute victory, final score 91-87! So, let's just say the much-needed post-run shower was postponed a bit longer.

Going incognito to hide the icky post-7-mile hair

SUNday (that's not a typo, by the way), was almost a total 180 from Saturday. Although the sunshine was bright and beautiful, the temps had plummeted (again) to the low 30's and the wind had returned. I headed out, hoping to run four easy miles before church, but after the first mile, decided three miles would suffice. The legs were not moving with the same ease and finesse as they had done a day prior. Such is life.

Barely able to crank out a sub-10 pace in that wind with tired legs #reality

Overall, the week was a great one for me, though. My miles (Monday-Sunday) came in at 17, and I also had some daily cardio (on the non-running days), including that intense stair workout on Tuesday. Daily planking and push-ups are still going strong. Yadda Yadda Yadda.

In case you missed them, here's last week's posts:

Wind is a 4-letter word

On the run ... with AC/DC

Cross-Training...What's not to LOVE?

And, in case you want an image to save with the stair workout, here you go...

So, your turn! How was your week? Weather? Mileage? Inside or outside workouts?

As usual, I'm linking up with some wonderful gals (and their wonderful blogs):

***Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap linkup

***Ilka and Angela for the Sunday Fitness and Food linkup