February 2018 - Pass or Fail?

February 2018. It has been an interesting month.

Following my annual "off-season" (better known as January), February is the month when I transition back to a more consistent training mode. I make more of an effort to lace up and get outside and start rebuilding my running base. Granted, after almost 13 years of running, scaling back my running for one month doesn't set me back very far, especially since I continue with my cross-training. But it does feel good (mentally as well as physically) to be prepping for upcoming races and events.

How did February shake out? Did it make the grade? Let's assess what all went down....

Gloomy, Not Doomy

You've all heard the phrase, "Gloom and doom."

Talk about your gloom-ridden weeks. Cold temps, rain, sleet, ice.... mix and repeat. Gloomy weather kept me inside more than I'd prefer, but I did my best to keep the doom away. After all, I think there's a sun hidden up there in the atmosphere...somewhere...

Hmmm...Shall We Runfess?

Shall we runfess? It is that (blogging) time of the month, after all.

There has been a lot of stuff on my mind recently. We all know it's not good to keep things all bottled up inside. Running (and all things related) is no exception. Shall we get started?

The Change of Seasons

If I were to cherry pick one thing I like least about running, it would have to be the change of seasons.

Actually, allow me to elaborate...it's not so much the change of seasons, but the change in the weather during each season that tests my patience. 

Another Week Closer to Summer

Another week done, another week closer to summer.

You read that correctly...I'm already looking forward to summer! Spring is all fine and dandy, but summer is where it's at for me. We did get a taste of spring-like temps this week and that just lit my summer fire.

Anyways, I had a great week of workouts and banked some substantial sweat equity. Here's what went down in my little corner of the universe...

Shall We Train?

What do you say, shall we start our spring training?

Although we are still in the dead of winter, spring is really not that far away. If you have any spring events on your calendar, chances are really good that you've already started training for them.

My spring calendar is shaping up rather nicely...and (dare I say?), it's already pretty full.

Red Flannel Run 2018

As many of you know, I had a terrible (no exaggeration!) dilemma on my mind last Friday.

As with many difficult things, what does a runner do when they're faced with a potential crisis (again, no exaggeration!)? They seek out the advice, counsel, and support from fellow runners. And, as usual, the runner friends came through (full details are on last Friday's post, Should I Stay, or Should I Go?).

The 29th Red Flannel Run happened on Saturday, February 10th, and (thankfully!) I was there to take part in the festivities. I first ran this in 2011, then returned in 2012 and 2013, I had to take a pass in 2014 (due to a scheduling conflict), but returned in 2015, 2016, and 2017. I have always run the 5-mile race, but there is also 5K.

Can you say SNOW???

If I had to pick a theme for this past week, it would have to be SNOW, because we got  lots of it!

It's really too bad I totally jinxed myself on a recent post (Runfessions, Anyone?) where I proclaimed that I thought the worst of winter was in the rear window. HA! Apparently, Momma N was not about to go down without a fight.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Ok, so here's my dilemma...

I have a favorite race, the Red Flannel Run (a 5-miler) happening on Saturday (Des Moines, IA). And there's a lot of snow in the forecast for Friday and cold temps on deck for race day (and possibly more snow that morning as well).

But, I have run this race many times, and the cold never bothered me anyway (well, not much #iowatough). After all, this is Iowa, and it's February. Historically, it's always cold for this race, although there have been a couple years where we've had pleasant temps in the 30's and there's usually been ample sunshine.

I'm Content

The comparison game is a bunch of crock.

I think we've all played it to some extent (at least I know I have). We've played this stupid game as women, as moms, as friends, as community volunteers, as wives, and as athletes. And, quite frankly, I'm done with it.

 Enter the genre of running and it can get especially tricky. It's really quite ridiculous, after all, to compare one's running abilities, aspirations, or goals to those of others. After all, we have different genetic makeup, varying degrees of "free" time (for training), and we all are driven by different stimuli.

I have long contemplated the sport of running, and I have tried to be a "real" runner. It's only in recent years that I finally realized we all define "real runner" by our own individual goals and aspirations. And, finally, in recent years, I have achieved true contentment with MY running.

Back in the Training Mode

Ah, it feels good to be back!

My off-season officially came to a close this past week, and my Back in the Training Mode season became a reality. Here's what all went down:

What Have I Done For Me lately?

How often do you take stock of what you actually do for YOU?

Recently, I  realized that I'd been doing well in the self-service department. I have tried new workouts (Hello? Burpees galore!). I've let myself sleep-in a few times (with ZERO guilt). And I've been more mindful of my nutrition. Not bad, huh!

Would you like to hear the latest?