The Waiting Game....

The waiting game.....

Ever played it? You know, on those rare occasions when you've been...oh, I don't know...maybe side-lined from running for almost three months? Well, this is a game I've become quite familiar with, and I believe it's almost about to end. Stay tuned...I'll have my answer in a few days (insert a big smiley face and a {virtual} leap in the air).

Anyways, another week is in the wraps. Care to hear what went down in my little corner of the universe?

As I have mentioned several times, our weather has not been seasonal. Our August felt more like October (at least in the early morning hours when I was out and about rocking the walking thing). The first week of September followed August's lead and felt much the same.  These temps would be SO perfect if I was able to run in the crisp air...but for walking? A bit brrrrr-like.

Monday actually gave us some not-so-cold temps. I allowed myself a third day (in a row) of sleeping in, and the hubby and I headed out around 8:30 for a 3.5ish mile adventure. Gosh, it felt SO great to be back in my "normal" workout clothes...a tank and shorts! You know, #nevermissaMonday! 

It's been awhile since  I've done a front walkway post-run selfie

The Hubby joined me again on Tuesday, and we brought Max along with us. This time, though, the temps were back to their "fall-like" feel...and I finally gave in and pulled on the capri's. Ugh. It was bound to happen eventually, right? 

Back in the capri's

Wednesday, oh Momma N was so cruel....temps in the mid-40's! Seriously??? I reluctantly dug a little deeper in my cold weather stash and pulled out not only a fleece jacket, but also a headband and gloves! Thankfully, after the first half-mile, I no longer needed the gloves. I probably would have been alright with a lighter jacket, but that first cold morning threw me for a loop. Walking doesn't heat up the body as much as running does and it's an even trickier game trying to figure out the correct layers.

Yes, this is September....

The temps were an itsy bit warmer on Thursday when I headed out around 5:00. The (almost) full moon was beautiful and the stars were quite the sight. A brisk #5Kat5 and all as good.

By the light of the moon

On Friday, it was a similar routine....capri's and gloves (yadda yadda yadda). I alternated three laps around the "small" block across the street with two laps around the block I live on...two total miles and numerous hills. Side note---Did I ever tell you about the hilly neighborhood I live in (details HERE)? Every walk (or run) begins or ends on a hill (speed work in disguise, right?).

How about a Warrior 3 amidst the rising sun?

Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day! I slept in until around 6:30 (do you see a pattern here with my recent weekends?). The hubby and I took Max with us, but they turned and headed back home after a mile or so, and I continued on to my favorite lake. I have been avoiding this lake all summer (not the greatest part of town, and there had been sightings of a suspicious {potentially armed & dangerous} guy), but I thought it was time to introduce Voldemort (my suture scar) to the scenery.

It's about a 2-mile walk to the lake, and the lake has about a 1-mile path around the perimeter...so, doing the math, it's about a 5-mile round trip excursion. All I can say is it was a total peace-and-tranquility kind of adventure. I kept a fast pace, and returned home sooner than expected and had an enormous "walker's high" wash over me. My legs had that tired but energized feeling of a job well done (or a race well run), and I couldn't have been happier.

I have really missed the lake!

As seems to be my new normal, I slept in (again) on Sunday. The hubby and I headed out around 7:45 with Max and did a couple fast-paced miles in the beautiful sunshine. Honestly, as much as I love my early mornings, I am trying to embrace the "sleeping in" thing. Since I'm not walking super far on Sunday mornings, I still have time to get in a couple miles and not be rushed getting ready for church after we return home. I'd call that a win-win.

Waking up to a sunshine-filled sky is a definite perk

So, that's my week in review. My mileage (Monday-Sunday) was around 23, an even greater scale back from the previous week. As my return to running quickly approaches, I'm trying to ease up on the miles and shift gears to physical therapy/strength-training to prepare my body for the upcoming change in routine. How's that for a plan of action?

In case you missed them, here's my posts from last week:
It's Almost Go Time!
Change Is In The Air
To Walk or To Run?

My Road to Recovery update:

Mobility is great! Walking is a no-brainer, and it feels like I'm speed walking as fast as I was before all of this stuff happened. I did try to ride my bike on Saturday, and it was pretty much a near-fail. I could do it, but my knee felt uncomfortable during that split-second it was bent during the "upwards pedaling" (is there a cycling term for that?). Anyways, I guess I won't be cycling for awhile yet.

Cycling got the big thumbs-down from myself and Voldemort

Range of Motion has really improved. Although the bike-riding won't be happening for awhile, I can tell my knee is bending more easily almost every day. I can cross my legs like a lady again (ha!) and I can scale the stairway (both up AND down) pretty quickly (but there will not be any stair-climbing events -or training- on my calendar).

The suture site seems to be feeling better each week as well. It still feels tight at times, but I think a lot of that is more of a joint-stiffness thing (from the limited knee bending) over the past almost three months. I have done a few mini-50-meter jog tests, and all feels well. I see my surgeon on Thursday this week, and I don't want to do any real running without his approval.

In other news:
My #FridayFashionFlair post was one of the biggest yet (on my Instagram page)! I have really loved doing this little "extra" thing on Fridays....I do have a life outside of my running shoes, after all, why not show the world that I'm not always in workout gear with a messy bun or sloppy pony tail?   Anyways, this week I featured my love of grey and lime green. Grey has become my "new black" in recent years, and I love the softness of it but also the versatility. I think it also is a little more interesting to look at because it has more depth and can be paired with pretty much any other color. Go ahead, join the party! Post a pic of your Friday outfit (or a favorite outfit from the week), use the hashtag #FridayFashionFlair, and tag me (@runningonthefly)...I'd LOVE to see what YOU are wearing!

Grey is the new black

I finally came up with some September goals. Obviously, I'm hoping to be out on the street in my running shoes, but I know I'll need to do some PT work to make that transition go smoothly. These are a few exercise moves I'm doing almost daily. Now that I can finally bend my recovering knee, I decided to try these (gentle) squats. These are not deep squats, but they are just deep enough to feel a good burn. The leg "lowers" (for lack of a better term) are like leg lifts, but these start with each leg up and are then slowly lowered to the floor. It's amazing how much harder it is to slowly lower the legs than to raise them!  And the abs? Ugh. Even with all of my planking, my abs still are kind of "soft." Aren't we always a work-in-progress?

And that's a wrap! How was your first week of September? Has your weather changed, or are you still experiencing summer temps? Have you set any monthly goals for September?

I'm linking up with Sara (on behalf of Holly and Tricia) for the Weekly Wrap. Please join us!