Almost Blown Away

It's been windy in Iowa.

Actually, it's been windy everywhere recently. It just feels especially windy in my little corner of the universe. Our temps have been doing the "flirting with spring/reuniting with winter" thing all week. As much as I love the impending warmer season on tap, I get frustrated in figuring out how to dress for the daily roller coaster flux in temps.

Alas, it keeps my (running) life interesting.
Monday
There was rain happening when my 5:20 a.m. alarm sounded. I can handle rain, but when the temps are anywhere below 80-degrees, I'll take a pass (and Monday's temps were barely above freezing #thanksbutnothanks). All I had on the agenda was an easy #nevermissaMonday run...so I stayed inside. I also did some arm/shoulder strength work in the evening.

two early morning miles with Milly, and some some supermans and push-ups to start my day

Tuesday
A rest/recovery day, 30 burpees and a very freezing cold and windy 1.5 mile walk in the afternoon.

Can you see the sleet? It's nearly horizontal from the wind!

Wednesday
There was a mild wind blowing (again), but with the cold temps, the wind was bordering on bitter when Barb and I met up for our weekly #5at5. It was a strange W/NW wind that nearly took our breath away and (at times) made us feel like we were running in place. None the less, we persisted. We're Iowans, after all, and with our upcoming half marathon (on the 17th), we could very well have such conditions on race day. Also, there was a 2-mile walk in the afternoon and more supermans and push-ups (30 each).

Another five miles in the wee hours

Thursday
Stair circuit day!

*10 burpees
*10 flights of double stseps
*10 push-ups
*10 jump squats
*5 flights of single steps

Four sets of this circuit netted me-->40 burpees, 40 push-ups, 40 jump squats and 60 total flights of stairs, all in about 30 minutes of (mostly) non-stop action. Plus, another 2-mile afternoon walk.

Friday
Another rest/recovery day. 40 superman/push-ups over lunch and a 2-mile afternoon walk.

Ever done push-ups (or supermans) in cheetah-print flats?

Saturday
At long last, the day arrived for the Leprechaun Chase 10K! In keeping with the theme of the week, there was wind, but we did have a little bit of intermittent sunshine. The hubby and I rode up with Barb, and we met a few friends there (the race was in Des Moines, an hour away). My finish time was no where close to a PR (again, the accidental too-fast first mile did not work in my favor). I did, however, manage (yet) another 4th place age group finish. Stay tuned, the recap will be posted soon.

With Barb, Chuck, and the hubby

Things took a turn for the scary immediately following the race, though. The hubby had been dealing with some knee issues in recent weeks (we think it was from a kickboxing class). He decided to walk the 10K course to keep things easy. Shortly after he finished, his knee began to swell and give him grief (he could barely walk or put any weight on his foot). One of the on-site physical therapists recommended he get to a hospital and get an x-ray or MRI.  We were planning to pick up our son from college that afternoon (he's on spring break this next week), so we took a detour to the ER of the VA hospital en route.

yes, that's a wheel chair and a very swollen knee

Thankfully, it was nothing chronic, but we all know how men can be when it comes to pain, right? He was given some prescription pain meds, and they extracted a bunch of fluid from the site of the swelling. All looked good (via ultra sound), but they recommended he stay off his feet.They sent us home with a brace to keep his knee stabilized. And I'll get the honors of playing nurse for the next few days.

Sunday
After the previous long day (and afternoon/evening), not to mention the time change, I was a slow-motion riser come Sunday morning. I got out for a couple of easy-paced recovery miles, did 50 burpees, and donned my nurse's cap upon returning home.

The sun popped out just as I as finishing my run

So, that's my week of fitness. Despite the nonstop wind, I was able to get outside almost every day. I'm bringing back the daily walks...not only have I missed that routine, my body seems to crave the extra time outdoors. Total running mileage (Monday-Sunday) capped out at just over 15 miles. It was a bit of a scale-back week in terms of mileage, but I am in a bit of a taper mode for my upcoming half marathon this next weekend. I'm probably going to go easy on the mileage this week as well.

In case you missed them, here's my posts from last week:

Spring is Coming...I think

My Journey with Milly

Victory - Take 2

In other news:

I tried a new (green) food this week! Drum roll....we made roasted brussels sprouts, and they were so tasty! We brushed them with olive oil (and maybe a little bit of bacon grease). They smelled horrible when they were in the oven, but they were delicious with a bit of a crispy coating from the oil. Baby steps, right?

thankfully, they tasted much better than they smelled

My #FridayFashionFlair post featured an outfit from a couple days prior. The weather has been cold and windy (have I already mentioned that?), so I layered up in a buffalo plaid flannel shirt and a trusty puffer vest. I think it was the white skinny jeans that really gave it the punch of brightness, though. How do you feel about white jeans? They have been all the rage in recent years, and I actually wear them year-round (not just in the spring or summer). White is a color, too, after all. As always, you're invited to join me on Friday on Instagram (@runningonthefly) and share a favorite outfit!

Do I look like a lumber jack?

On one of our sunny days, I spotted several robins in a tree. Of course, as soon as I grabbed the phone to capture the moment, all but one of them scattered and flew to another tree. Seeing so many robins this week, though, confirmed that spring is almost here!

I spy with my little eye...a robin!

And, last but not least, I received a heart-warming letter in the mail this week. I had not kept track of the total funds I'd raised for the American Lung Association, so it was nice to see that they were paying attention. With the funds I've raised for this year's Fight for Air Climb (currently $190), I am now over the $1,000 mark! The Climb is on April 8th (in Des Moines), and there's still time to donate to the cause (my fundraising page is HERE).

I'm excited for my 6th Climb in Des Moines!

So, that's a wrap! How are things in your little corner of the universe? Sunshine? Windy weather? Any races coming up? 

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! 

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