Warm Weather...So, what's there to Runfess?

We've had some amazing weather in Iowa recently. February certainly was the polar opposite to January in terms of outdoor temps and sunshine. I have been outside everyday in some capacity, and it's been wonderful!

So, what's there to runfess? Well, although the recent weather has been fantastic, there are a few things I do not like about it...


1 - I must runfess that outdoor stairway workout was tough! Although I was SOOO excited to discover an outdoor stairway near my house, Holy High-Stepping, Batman! That stairway workout was tough! Let me explain....this stairway has 18 steps and they are  "elongated." The steps are deep, wide, and not in the least bit steep. So, what's so bad about that? Well, single-stepping these steps was the equivalent of taking my regular stairs (on my 12-step indoor stairway) by two's. And taking these elongated steps by two's was about equal effort to taking the regular steps by quadruples. My long legs were extended at their maximum and I had to rely on the railings (thankfully, there were railings on BOTH sides of the steps) to keep in motion. Bottom line, don't be fooled by a stairway that appears less challenging just because the elevation isn't quite as steep as you're accustomed to climbing.  #humbled #again

70 flights up (and down) ...

2 - I must runfess that all this warm weather has endangered the well-being of our magnolia tree. Usually, we don't see buds appear until mid-March (when the temps are consistently a tad bit warmer). And, typically, as soon as the buds begin blooming, we get a crazy thunder storm or a surprise late-season frost.....and all the beautiful blooms abruptly turn brown and hit the ground. This past week, with the unseasonably warm temps (mid-70's, none the less), all of these buds started appearing....and as I type this, the (February) temps have returned to their "normal" borderline-freezing status. We're forecasted to get snow, which could be a small disaster. The good news is this cold spell is supposed to be short-lived. Hopefully all of these magnolia buds can make it through the weekend if Momma N chooses to play nice...#fingerscrossed

I'm crossing all of my fingers and toes that our magnolia tree can make it through the weekend

3 - I must runfess that I hate mud. It's been warm, and with the exception to a damp Monday (almost two weeks ago) and Thursday's afternoon rain, there has been ZERO precipitation lately. But, for some mysterious reason, the ground is still a muddy mess. The microscopic amount of snow we've had  this winter has long since  left the premises...so I don't know why all of this mud is still hanging around. #mudfest

Look closely...can you see the mud?

4 - I must runfess that I have forgotten how to dress for the weather (again). Seriously! It's one thing to have a gradual warming trend as the daylight increases, but when it literally happens overnight, it gets a little tricky. Of course, the temps are still chilly in the early morning and don't reach their peak until mid-afternoon. I find myself either under-dressing (thinking it will be warmer than it actually is) or over-dressing for the exact opposite reason. As always, the wind (or lack thereof) and the sunshine (or absence thereof) are major deal breakers. #guessinggame

To fleece or not to fleece?

5 - I must runfess, it's been awhile since I've done any early morning miles. Remember when I rocked those 4:15AM wake-ups and was dressed, laced-up, and out the door by 4:55? Well, my Route 66 training runs came to a crashing halt after I crossed the Route 66 finish line (back in November). I've had several morning runs since then, but none of them required rising before the sun. Thursday's early morning run felt awesome, physically and emotionally. It reaffirmed that my mind, body, and soul are ready to get back to a training routine. Grandma's Marathon, I'm coming for you!#gmas17

Yes! back outside in the pre-dawn hours

***I usually do a #bonus Runfession, so here it is:

I was interested in knowing what my cumulative distance would be from my stair workout. Remember, this outdoor stairway was a different scenario from the traditional stairway inside my house. The outdoor stairway has 18 steps (my indoor stairway has 12), and these steps were much bigger steps requiring long "strides." Also, due to the reduced incline, I ran them faster than usual (because the elevation gain wasn't as steep). However, I didn't go too fast going down the steps (that would be a face-plant just waiting to happen). I did (2) intervals of 20 flights of single steps / 10 flights of doubles and ended with an extra 10 flights of singles (70 total flights). My total distance was just over a mile, and it took me less than 30 minutes. I felt like a total beast when I finished, and my entire body (from the glutes-down) had been thoroughly worked. But, I gotta runfess I was beyond disappointed to see my Garmin only acknowledging  87 calories burned for all of that effort. #sayWHAT

Wow. 

SO, talk to me...do you have any recent runfessions that need to be aired? Have you had unseasonably warm weather? Have you ever tackled a challenging stairway workout?

I'm linking up with Marcia for the monthly Runfessions 

and with Meranda and Lacey and Rachel for the Friday Five 2.0.