Runfessing The Latest

April has been a most peculiar month.

There's been all kinds of extremes with the weather. I've had some interesting spur-of-the-moment Aha moments. I have learned some new things (hip hop dancing, none the less!). And, just recently, I have taken a few steps out of my comfort zone.

Here's a taste of what went down in April...

I've had to wave the white flag a few times. I am not a quitter, but the past couple weeks have been totally topsy-turvy in my little corner of the universe. I had been dutifully committed to the daily exercises in the 2018 challenges Rachel has been hosting. In fact, I had a near-perfect record...up until recently. With all of my busy work with Prom last week, and all the extra rehearsals and running around this week (in my running shoes and otherwise), I gotta runfess to skipping some of the daily exercises. I have not completely quit the Triceps, Push-ups, Squats Challenge, but I have not been 100% committed in the past 10 days. Oh well, I have not been sitting idle, eating donuts, so there's that.

Tricep dipping....

Believe it or not, I ran 13.1 miles on barely any sleep (90 minutes)...and felt like a rock star at the finish line. Granted, my finish for the Drake Relays Half Marathon was far from a PR, but this was one of the fastest 13.1's I have run in recent years (and my finish time even included a good 2-minutes of porta-potty hibernation). Did I mention the race course was rather hilly? I runfess that there were times when I wished I had a sign on my back that said "Forgive me, but I just pulled an all-nighter!" But there were even more times when I surprised myself by how I could keep on running without needing any walk breaks (except through a few of the water stations), almost like my body was operating in auto-pilot mode.

13.1 miles of hills...with 90 minutes of sleep

I raced my first-ever 1-miler, and came away triumphant. Two days after that half marathon, I returned to Des Moines for part two of the Bulldog Double. All runners who run either the 5K, 10K, or 13.1 on Sunday AND also run the Grand Blue Mile on Tuesday qualify for the Bulldog Double, and get a bonus medal (and shirt) for doing so. Having never done a 1-mile race, nor having any natural born "speed" skills, I had no idea how to pace myself. I figured I'd just treat it kind of like a (short) tempo run. Low and behold, I finished in 7:53...and earned 3rd place honors (from a field of 74 gals in my age group). For a middle-of-the-pack runner, I runfess that this felt like winning the Olympics.

My fastest mile EVER!

I think I actually can dance!  In preparation for our daughter's senior recital, I'm doing a Mom/Daughter dance with her (and several other moms and daughters). It's a hip-hop number, and it's been a fun endeavor trying something completely out of my comfort zone. I gotta runfess, I think I actually can do it! I made it through dress rehearsal without any flubs...let's hope the actual performance follows suit this weekend. Stay tuned...

So, you think you can dance?

And, finally, Spring seems to have officially arrived. Truthfully, this has been the l.o.n.g.e.s.t. winter, ever. As eager as I am to just fast-forward to summer, let me runfess that I do LOVE seeing all the spring flowers emerging from their long winter slumber. I returned home Thursday, from my 5-mile early morning adventure, and noticed the first daffodil of 2018 waiting for me.

Can you see it? The first daffodil of 2018!

So, yes, April has been a little nutzo, especially the past two weeks of it! Fortunately, I'll get a little breather after dance recital, but will have a graduation party to finalize next month. And a 76-mile relay. And another race in early June...

What's April been like for you? Anything(s) to runfess? Was your weather crazy, too? Any races that left you feeling victorious (even if your finish time wasn't as good as you'd hoped)? Ever done a 1-mile race? 

I'm linking up with Marcia for the ever awesome monthly Runfessions. Please join us!

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