Thursday, February 22, 2018

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...

Day 1 of Gloom was waiting for me on Monday morning. The temps were just above freezing. The air was damp, rainy, and windy. There was an incredibly thick blanket of fog. Triple whammy, right? I decided to postpone my #nevermissaMonday run until after work, in hopes that the fog would lift or the icky weather would improve. Spoiler - no such luck. I fired up 'Milly and we did a couple of relatively easy miles together, followed by a series of 30 burpees and 80 supermans. No harm, no foul. Onward.
'Milly showed me ZERO kindness 
Tuesday was a rest/recovery day, thankfully. All of the Monday's rain and above-freezing temps had given way to an abundance of melted snow everywhere...which had turned to ice overnight. I did my 80 squats over my lunch break and called it good.
Max will vouch that I did all 80 (even though he appears to be sleeping)
Wednesday greeted us with continued below-freezing temps, meaning all of the ice still remained everywhere. I didn't think a run on the dark (icy) streets at 5:00 a.m. was in my best interest, so I opted inside instead. Let's just say my usual easy #5at5 run morphed into a difficult #4at5 exercise in frustration . A lot of that was due to the anticipated dread of it, no doubt. Mind you, my PR distance on the 'mill is five miles (possibly six? ), so I knew attempting five miles at such an early hour was gonna be tough. By the 2.5-mile point, my mind, body, and soul had checked out. I decided to try to make it as far as four miles....and that's all she wrote (or ran). Huge props to those of you who love your treadmill runs, but I will not be seeking membership in your exclusive club. Just not my gig.
It's a good thing treadmill miles count double...
In keeping with my Fight for Air Climb training, Thursday was a designated stair circuit day. This week, I decided to add some slow-mo push-ups to the mix, not only for the strength component but also for the brief "rest period" they allowed between the HIIT work.

This week's workout:
*5 slow-mo push-ups
*10 burpees
*15 flights of double steps
*20 supermans

Four sets netted me 20 push-ups, 40 burpees, 60 flights of stairs, and 80 supermans (plus an additional 10 supermans to meet the 90 on tap for the Challenge). How's that for a heart-pumping start to the day?
another early morning sweat session courtesy of the staircase
Nothing major on tap for Friday, since it's usually a rest/recovery day. I had 90 squats on the roster for the Challenge, and that's all that happened.

I've been playing with filters lately...easy way to add some interest to an otherwise boring pic
More gloomy weather on Saturday, only this time we also had intermittent sleet pelting us in the face and a strong and steady East wind to keep us humble. Thankfully, the streets were pretty clear (most of the ice had melted and the majority of snow was gone). Barb and I rallied around 7:00 and got our nine miles done without any issues, other than the micro-dermabrasion treatment on our faces from the sleet. That which doesn't kill us, right? Actually, although the weather conditions were not ideal, we could very well face similar weather for our half marathon on March 17th. This is Iowa, after all, and everything is possible weather-wise this time of year.
pay no attention to the sleet pellets everywhere
Guess what greeted us Sunday morning? That beautiful golden orb in the sky...I think it's called the sun? I decided to wait until after church to do a routine easy-paced recovery run. By then, most of the remaining ice (from the prior evening) had melted. Also, the hubby joined me again, so how could it get any better?
Image may contain: 3 people, people standing
ahhhh...finally some spring-like temps!
All in all, it was a decent week in terms of fitness despite the constant gloomy weather. My mileage (Monday - Sunday) tallied up at 17, and there was almost nonstop daily action. I have a 10K happening in two weeks (March 10th) and the half marathon a week later (on the 17th). I'm feeling ready for both, and am eager for spring to make its arrival. Anyone else?

In case you missed them, here's my posts from last week:
Another Week Closer to Summer
The Change of Seasons
Hmmm...Shall We Runfess?

In other news:
**My #FridayFashionFlair post (on Instagram) reflected all things sunshine. Sometimes you gotta create your own sunshine, after all, even it it's by way of bright colors. And, if by chance, the actual sun shines as well then it's a double bonus. Most people know I'm all about puffer vests, and I don't wear them only for my winter running adventures. I'm also all about cheetah print. And white skinny jeans (even in the dead of winter). And boots. You're invited to play along...post a pic of your Friday outfit on Instagram, use the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair) and tag me (@runningonthefly)...it's fun to see what everyone's wearing!
lime green and hot pink to brighten my day
**As mentioned, I've been doing the Superman, Squats, and Twists Challenge this month, and we're approaching the finish line this next week. This past week's roster:

Monday - 80 supermans
Tuesday - 80 squats
Wednesday - 80 Russian twists
Thursday - 90 supermans
Friday - 90 squats
Saturday - 90 Russian twists
Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, sitting and shoes
Russian twisting
 **Despite the gloomy (and icy) weather this week, there was quite a bit of beauty to witness...
aren't the icicles pretty? 
**And, finally, I have to keep my sense of humor regarding all things most unpleasant...like my time with 'Milly. Although I am grateful to have a treadmill, it is always my last resort.

So, enough about me. Tell me about your week...any races coming up? Icy weather? Treadmill...yay or no way? Favorite indoor exercise option?

I'm linking up with Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap. This weekly check-in is such a great place to connect with fellow fitness-minded peeps. Please join us! 

By the way...are you following me on social media? You can find me at these various platforms:
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35 comments:

  1. I have a hard time making it to 3 on the treadmill. No can do.

    Our weather has been gloomy. Esp today. But I got in a long run yesterday so all is good with the world.

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    1. I can usually get to 2-3 miles on the 'mill...usually. Wednesday morning, though, it was a struggle from the start.

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  2. We had spring like temps on Tuesday and Wednesday but now they seem like a distant memory. Its been cool and rainy since Thursday. While I don't mind the colder weather I do miss seeing the sun!

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    1. We didn't have much for sunshine except for Friday afternoon and now today (Sunday). It seems like it's been constant ice...it warms up just enough for everything to melt, only to re-freeze overnight.

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  3. it is so great that your hubs got out again with you this week. Way to navigate the weather and get your long run in. We did ours in the rain today

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    1. We had a potentially bad ice/sleet/snow storm forecasted for late morning and most of the afternoon yesterday, so we were glad to get our nine miles done when we did. Of course, although it remained cold all day, nothing really happened until the evening (snow)...but that's all melted by now. #rollercoaster

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  4. It was nice to see the sun today! Too bad the wind was so strong. Altho it looks like we've got some nice days ahead.

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    1. I think we had a nice week coming up as well...all temps above freezing and more sunshine ;-)

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  5. The most I've run on the mill is 7 miles and that's plenty for me. I would so much rather be outside. I do not even understand how people can do double digit runs on a treadmill. Plus, I stay up to the front and frequently bang my hands on it. That doesn't happen outside!!!

    Total beast mode for running in sleet. I would have stayed home. haha (or I might have gone to the Y and seen how far I could go on the mill before I lost my mind. lol) Fingers crossed for good weather for the 10k and the half!

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    1. I don't usually bang my hands, but I feel like I'm always stubbing my toes due to my long strides (#longlegsbigfeet). I totally do NOT get how people can have the mental strength to do double digit runs on treadmills either. Like I said above, just not my gig. A lot of people probably don't get how I do all of my stair workouts LOL

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  6. Great job in keeping up with the challenge and your cross training. It's great you were rewarded with a pleasant, sunny day to end the week. That's something I haven't seen much of lately and I need my solar powered energy. I haven't been on the TM in years after giving mine away. I think my record was maybe 7 miles? Thanks for linking!

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    1. Ugh, the treadmill is just such a tough mental thing for me, but also physically, my body always feels "off" after I finish. I think it's just too repetitious and that causes a lot of over-use of certain muscles for me. Is that a valid excuse? ;-)

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  7. I don't envy your weather! We've had 50-70 degrees and rainy conditions most of this past week. Kudos to you for getting it done no matter what the weather is! My favorite indoor exercises are group classes. I like the extra challenge that you get from working out with other people. It always pushes me hard that I would push myself!

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    1. Our weather this past week was tough. As much as I love seeing all the snow disappear, it's a buzz kill when the temps are still too cold (and/or icy) to properly enjoy being outside. Hoping we have some decent spring-like weather coming soon!

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  8. I'd prefer to only do short runs on the treadmill. The longest I did last year was 5 miles, but that was on a snowy day and I didn't have a choice. I had to do 5 miles to stay on schedule.

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    1. I think 2-3 miles in my comfort zone maximum for the treadmill. I can go further, but I almost always really have to battle through those extra miles.

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  9. So sorry that you had to deal with super gloomy weather this week :( But as always you were a rockstar and got in some great workouts!

    Our weather was all over the place last week winter, then spring, then summer, then back to winter, lol

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    1. It sounds like we all had nutzo weather this past week. Momma N needs a hobby.

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  10. Yikes! So sorry about your gloomy weather lately! Hopefully you will be blessed with a wonderful spring!

    I have been so bad with the Fashion Friday posts on IG. I had a goal this year to at least post one per month but I am so bad at taking the fashion selfies and that holds me back. Perhaps I need to get a full length mirror...haha. Have a great week Kim!

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    1. I feel like I'm always in search of a better way to pose for the fashion selfies....I want my pics to showcase the outfit (and not so much the gal--me--who is wearing it), which is why I seldom have my full face in the pic. That makes for a challenge in finding a place with a "neutral" background or a place I can actually prop my phone instead of always holding it in the same position LOL First world probs, right? ;-)

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  11. I'm with you on treadmills - I think 4 miles is my distance PR. I just signed up for an April race, so I have about 6 weeks to be ready to run 7+ miles of trails...

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    1. Good luck with your training! April is far enough away that you should be able to be ready for that kind of distance on the trails. Have fun ;-)

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  12. We've had crappy weather too. However with all of our snow gone, the trails are pretty sweet to run on! Awesome job with your challenge!

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    1. I'd like to venture out to our lake, which has a 1-mile perimeter and about 2/3 of that is actual trail. I'm just not sure how muddy it would be...

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  13. While the treadmill isn't my first choice, I don't mind it as much as some people. And especially in winter -- I get so chilled after runs in winter. And especially when I'm feeling run down, it's often the better choice for me rather than getting so chilled.

    We're all different. I once did 8 miles on mine (it was a very tough winter & I was actually training for a half), and last year I did a lot of 6 mile tempo runs. I loathe tempo runs in general & they're super hard on the mill!

    Thankfully all the snow is gone. For now. :)

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    1. I don't mind the chill from winter running because I always have a hot chai latte' as my reward ;-) It's the little things, right?

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  14. I can't imagine running in sleet, ugh! It was windy here yesterday which was bad enough. Kudos to you for getting out there.

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    1. Thankfully the sleet was "dry" (if that makes sense) because the temps were below freezing. If it would have been any warmer, though, the sleet would have been a more freezing-rain consistency, and that would have been a game-changer. UGH.

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  15. Oh man, I totally understand what you mean with the sun thing. It makes ALLLLL the difference when it's out! We were beyond gloomy all last week but I'm excited the sun is making its comeback this week!! Woo hoo!!!

    Way to kill those workouts last week girlfriend! You're awesome!!

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  16. Russian twists! UGH - burn so good. How much weight were you using? I usually use 15 and my abs BURN baby BURN!! Love the tights too!

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    1. I have a 15-pound kettlebell, but sometimes I use (2) 8-pound dumbells because I like the grip better.

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  17. I can't believe how much "winter" you are still getting! I am thinking we will see one more freeze, or get one more bout of low temps, but we are about in summertime mode over there. The community pool is open and people are swimming. It's that time of year again.

    Great training again! I love your stair circuits!

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  18. I can handle cold, but cloudy and gray is the killer for me. Way to stick to your workout plan and crush it!

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  19. I wish my husband would run with me! Haha, never gonna happen!

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