Thursday, December 28, 2017

Runfessing My Reality


Can you believe 2017 is coming to an end?

It's been an interesting year for me, given the unexpected surgery that nearly threw me into a tail-spin six months ago. Thankfully, I have been able to rally back, and can bid 2017 a fond farewell with no regrets. All things considered, all is well that is ending well.

That being said, there are a few last-minute Runfessions that need to be addressed and brought to light. You know how it is...full disclosure and all.


Here you go...my final Runfessions for 2017:

The Runner's World winter run streak. This is my fifth consecutive year doing the Streak. Every year, it starts on Thanksgiving  Day and concludes on New Year's Day. Each year, the daily count of streaking runs differs (due to the fact that Thanksgiving's date is ever-changing). This year, the Streak is 40 days in length...the longest streak ever (at least for me). Let me runfess to you all that this is the first year that the final week hasn't been a total mind game to persevere and finish. Usually, by the time I get to the final week, it drudges on forever to get to that final day.
Yay!!! It's been an easy streak!
Oh the weather! Momma N has really unleashed her wickedness in terms of this recent Artic blast. I swear... every morning, I have had the revelation that it was (indeed) the coldest morning ever. Then, the next morning, it would be even colder, followed by even more frigid temps the following day....Holy Chilly Buttcheeks, Batman! Although I'm a hot weather lover, I can handle the cold. But I gotta runfess I have just about had enough with Momma N and her antics. Alas, I will not let her not defeat me!
Holy Brrrrrr! Thursday was, indeed, the coldest morning so far...
And, this is what we have in store for the next several days...
The return of the dreaded DOMS. I love a good workout as much as the next fitness-minded person. Wednesday morning, I did a pretty intense circuit session involving 100 (total) flights of stairs, various strength moves for my arms, and 100 (total) push-ups. I even did the push-ups on the stairs so they would be easier than traditional "on-your-toes" push-ups. My thinking was that the angle of the stairs would allow for a better range of motion, which meant that I could do them nice and slow and get a good burn. That was all well and good until Thursday mid-morning when the DOMS showed up. It's been a long time since I've had any upper body DOMS. I gotta runfess, these DOMS were painful! It hurt to brush my teeth, wash my hair, and putting on (and taking off) my heavy winter jacket was torture. Humbled again.


The stairs...and the hand weights that brought me the DOMS
The beloved #5at5's. As mentioned, this week has been especially cold. As a result, I have done most of my runs in the afternoon or at least in the daylight (just after sunrise). I have still been getting in all of my streak runs and other "longer" runs as well. Although it has been a nice change of routine, I have to runfess, I still have an affection for the early morning #5at5's (thankfully, I got to get my #5at5 fix on Thursday morning).
one of my many #5at5's (prior to the cold weather of late)
Oops! Tuesday morning it was bitterly cold (but I knew it was gonna be a sunshiny afternoon), so I joyfully postponed my streak run until later. Instead, I opted to have an extra chai latte' while I dilly-dallied on the computer before heading in to work. It wasn't until I was seated at my work station that I realized I had inadvertently broken my streak (of nearly six months) of daily early morning "cardio something" right outta the sack. Every morning, I'd either go for a short run, a quick walk through the 'hood, or maybe 20-minutes of cardio on the stairway....SOMETHING. But on Tuesday morning, NOTHING happened (except for my daily 2:30-minute plank while I waited for my daily chai latte). Even though this "early-moring-cardio-streak" had been going strong for nearly half of the calendar year, let me runfess that I have not lost any sleep over this little hiccup. I resumed the early morning cardio thing the following day, and I am totally fine with that. End of story, moving on.
oops...that would be the extra chai latte'.....
So, that's it. I am now ready to officially usher in 2018 with a clear (running) conscience and am eager to see what adventures await me and my running shoes.

How about you? Do you have any remaining runfessions to share? Have you ever experienced any of the ones I shared above?

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I'm linking up with Marcia for the monthly Runfessions. 

I'm also linking this with Meranda and Lacey and Rachel for the Friday Five 2.0. 

47 comments:

  1. What's up with this cold snap? It's been cold here too! We have not experienced negative temps though, you win there!

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    1. When it finally decided to get cold, it meant business. The past 10 days or so have really been frigid...

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  2. OMG that is cold. Good for you for running in that weather, I would take things to the mill. I runfess that I am very happy with how my 2017 went, but start training for a new marathon next week. Yikes. What was I thinking ? Not sure I am ready to jump back into major training mode. Happy New Year !

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    1. After my streak winds down, I might do a little bit of 'mill running. Might (don't hold your breath). If it gets icy, I'll be inside because I can't take any risks on endangering my 6-inch scar on my knee by falling.

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  3. This cold weather lately has been unreal. I never remember it being this cold in December before! Glad the streak is still going well for you!

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    1. This is probably the coldest December we've had in awhile, too. I'm glad the streak is almost done!

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  4. Mother Nature finally got to me yesterday. I'm fighting a cold and I called it a day, staying bundled on the couch under a blanket. No run for me and I was ok with it.

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    1. I'd be totally ok with that, too. I'm thankful I have stayed healthy and have been able to do all of these runs outside.

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  5. Definitely no reason to beat yourself up over no morning something! I think it's pretty amazing that you get out there at 5. I'm almost always up then, but no thank you! I like a quiet morning.

    DOMs are just not fun! It seems wrong when you do something good for your body to be attacked like that, doesn't it?

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    1. These DOMS took me by surprise (but, then again, the DOMS always do). It's really strange having so much strained muscles in my arms/shoulders...UGH.

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  6. It's impressive that you have kept up the streak and actually truly enjoy it. Probably so much smarter to go a little bit later this time of year and in this cold. I always worry about unseen ice taking me out. Happy New Year!

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    1. Thankfully, ice has not been an issue...yet. Stay tuned....

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  7. I have so much great cold weather running gear, but I'm just not in the mood to be COLD for that first mile! I do love it once I'm warmed up .... Happy New Year!

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  8. Oh the weather this week has me seriously re-thinking why I wanted to run a spring marathon next year lol.

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    1. The closest I've come to a spring marathon was Grandma's (which is mid-June). I can't imagine doing long runs outside this time of year (and doing them inside would SO NOT be happening for me LOL).

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  9. I am impressed that anyone ever doing anything in the am. I like to relax and do my running, etc after work so I don't have to rush.

    But this cold streak is killing me. I get out because I hate the mill but I can't last long. So my runs are very short.

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    1. My longest runs have been 6 (or maybe 7?). I have nothing on tap distance-wise for awhile, so I honestly do not need to run very long right now.

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  10. The cold came roaring in last week. My grandfather mentioned it when we had lunch with him on Wednesday. It came barreling in, with no gradual cool down. I'm using my treadmill though. The area behind my house is still frozen since the sun doesn't get to it.

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    1. Our cold weather came with no warning as well...even though, this IS Iowa and it IS December LOL

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  11. I admire you getting out in the cold... I don't think I've seen an appearance of Milly. It's going to be down in the 20's here next week!

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    1. 'Milly is quietly hibernating at the moment. I do not plan on awaking her from her slumber unless there's a threat of ice (because I cannot risk falling on my healed suture scar). ;-)

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  12. That is definitely colder than what we had in Chicago! Kudos for running in that weather.

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    1. The cold temps have been crazy, but the wind is what is the deal-breaker. Today, it was 10-degrees, and no wind...felt like a heat wave!

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  13. Yes, I was a sweaty, exhausted mess when I finished the workout...but the DOMS took me by surprise. I'm still feeling sore LOL

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  14. Sounds like some serious DOMS - must have been one heck of a workout! We've been single digits here all week and next week looks like more of the same so the mill and I are getting reacquainted :)

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    1. I'm holding off on reacquainting with 'Milly until after the Streak ends...I'm determined to do every streak run outside. So far, there's been no danger of ice, so it's been alright. Just cold LOL

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  15. WOW your highs and lows are FRIGID!!! That's even worse than ours!!!

    You're such a trooper getting all bundled up for 5 am runs. Brrrrr!!!

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    1. Well, I know you'd bundle up and run with me if you lived closer...right? ;-)

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  16. I'm so impressed that you've been running in that weather! I'm moving to a cold climate and I know I'll have to really convince myself to run outside if it is snowing!

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    1. I'm in Iowa, and the cold weather is just my reality, but the recent Artic stuff is way colder than usual. The good thing? When our temps return to their "normal" range (and I am ever so confidant they will!), those 20's-30's will feel tropical ;-)

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  17. This year's streak has been particularly easy. When it started, I thought 40 days was going to be much tougher than the shorter ones, but like you, the last few runs haven't been the mental hurdles I expected.

    I'll be heading to MN at the end of January for my little brother's wedding. I'm hoping for a heat wave. :D

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    1. The only challenge for me has been the weather these past 10 days or so. Brrrrr!!!! But, Momma N will not defeat me!

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  18. Yeah, I feel really bad for you guys! Y'all are getting hit hard with that arctic blast!! Heck even our balmy temps of 30s and 40s down here are cold to me ..I just couldn't survive the temps you've been dealing with!

    Oh the DOMS ...they hurt so good! Happy New Year Kim!

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    1. ha ha...I beg to differ...this recent plague of DOMS has hurt so bad LOL

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  19. It has been bitterly cold!!! But you are still keeping all the style going! I admire that so much, when it gets this cold, my clothing is in all sorts of funky colors, anything to stay warm!

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    1. Well, I'm thankful I have learned how to layer the clothing! It's been colder than usual recently....I want my summer back!

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  20. Oh DOMS! They're so painful and sometimes come out of nowhere!

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    1. Yes, these DOMS totally took me by surprise. granted I knew I was doing a lot of upper body work, but dang!

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  21. You sound like you handle the cold better than me, lol. I'm ready for summer running again!

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    1. Well, I totally missed summer running this past year because of my surgery/recovery...so, yes, I want my summer back. PRONTO! ;-)

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  22. It has been brutally cold in Chicago this past week, and it's not even January! No runs for me...

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    1. When my Streak ends on NYD, I will definitely be staying inside a little more. This weather is crazy!

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  23. Sounds like I got outta Dodge just in time to miss those brutal temps. Now if I could just stay here in Florida....oh until April or so...

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    1. Your vacay pics have made me so envious!! It has been down right frigid in Iowa this past week #brrrrr

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  24. ummm its way too cold by you, kudos keeping up that run streak despite the cold.

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  25. A break due to the cold is understandable. I'd be such a baby if the weight room was outdoors. Good for you for pushing through and knowing when it's okay to take a break.

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