Running on Empty

It's almost like all the stars, moons, and planets (and quite possibly the sun itself) all aligned with perfection in recent weeks. And then they all scurried off, in their own directions, immediately afterwards.

I'm talking adrenaline here, and how it all ran out (quite literally) on me this past week.

Apparently, my body has a knack for drawing on the last miniscule reservoir of  the stuff when it's a do-or-die situation (or, in my case, a crazy 2+ weeks of nonstop activity). When all the crazy said activity came to a halt, so did my energy source.


Here's how I coped (without crashing and burning)...

Monday
Fresh off from my weekend of dance recital and late night hours, Monday rolled in with mucho wind but pleasant temps. A short walk in the early morning before work, and then a nice 2-miler in the afternoon with the warmest temps (thus far) for 2018! Yes, I had been waiting a long time for a run like that in those kinds of temps! I also did some arm/shoulder work and ab/core work in the evening.

How's that for a #nevermissaMonday! Even the first tulips of the season were in bloom!

Tuesday

Even with a fairly light Monday, my body felt pretty fatigued on Tuesday morning. It was a regular rest/recovery day, but I barely had the energy to even do my daily planks and May Goals exercises. A little bit of extra ab/core stuff in the evening, and that's all she wrote.

Side planking with my favorite furry coach

Wednesday

Barb and I had been hoping to rise and shine early Wednesday for our weekly #5at5 (five miles at 05:00), but the weather app showed rain/storms all through Tuesday night, as well as continuing on in the early morning. We elected to postpone. Since I was needing some extra shuteye, I set my alarm for a little later wake-up.....only to awake to clear skies, dry streets and an impending sunrise. What the WHAT???

How do you like those 'thunderstorms?'

I took Max out for a walk, and just shook my head at the reality of the situation. Weather is one of the great uncontrollable factors when it comes to running.  Later, though, I was able to get out for three miles at lunchtime. Those three miles were fairly slow and somewhat uncomfortable. Ever since the half marathon and 1-mile race (both of which were in the previous week), my right hip/piriformis has felt a little wonky. It doesn't hurt (thank goodness), but it does feel tighter than usual, especially when I'm running on an incline.

A delayed #5at5 which turned into a #3atlunch

Thursday

With more rain in the forecast, and another rest day calling my name, I kept things pretty light for Thursday. I also took a short 20-minute nap in the afternoon, which goes to show just how fatigued my body was still feeling. It had been muggy and cloudy all day, but I decided to take a 2-mile walk...only to get caught in a major downfall about a 1/4 from finishing. Even with that nap, I was able to fall asleep faster than usual that night. Trust me, I never nap because if I do, I'm almost guaranteed to NOT fall asleep later. Maybe getting caught in the rain had something to do with it?

Friday

Well, Momma N messed with our postponed #5at5 plans again. We had rain through most of Thursday evening and overnight (there were even tornado warnings in the surrounding area), but the rain was forecasted to stop by 04:00. Barb and I (again) were hoping to get that #5at5 done...but when I got up around 4:30, it was still raining...and the weather app showed it continuing until after 6:00. SO not good; another #5at5 not happening. Eventually, I made it out around 6:15 for three miles in the humid post-rain air, dodging hundreds of night crawlers along my route. And, the hip/piriformis still felt cranky and tight. But, I was able to get a few easy-paced miles done, so glass half full, right?

#3at6 instead of #5at5...I'll take what I can get

Saturday

For the first time in forever, I slept in. I didn't wake up until after 7:00 (which is a good 90 minutes later than usual). All week, my hamstrings had been kind of achy, as well as my lower back, and Saturday morning was no exception. I took Max around the block, then headed out for an exhilarating 2-1/2 mile power walk. It had been a long time (like, since late last summer) since I've had such a vigorous walking adventure first thing in the morning. The air was warm, the sunrise was beautiful, and I could feel every muscle in my legs flexing with each step. It's the simple things, right?

Ahhh, that felt good!

Sunday
No alarm set, but I was awake before 06:00. I had been tempted (for a fleeting moment) to tag along with Barb to a half marathon in Iowa City...but in light of my achy body (and impending graduation preparations), I opted to stay home. Instead, I hit the streets for an easy two mile run...and was pleasantly surprised that the tightness in my hip (which I had been battling all week) felt better! I kept the pace easy and didn't want to push it and go any further (what would that prove anyways?). And, a bonus? I was able to dress in summer running gear!

Back in a tank and shorts for an early morning run!

So, how's that for a scaled back week? It's almost like I'm in taper mode without a race on tap. My mileage (Monday-Sunday) was a mere 10 miles, but I am quite content with that. It was obvious I needed some rest, and I felt ZERO guilt in honoring that. Besides, I do have a team relay happening this next weekend (on Saturday). The total distance of the route is 76 miles, and I will be running approximately 12.4 miles (over the course of three legs of the relay). Onward!

In case you missed  them, here's the posts from last week:
Moving and Grooving
Every Picture Tells a Story
Can we talk?

In other news:
#FridayFashionFlair on Instagram.
I can't help but wonder how long camo print with be in vogue (for non-military peeps). I have to admit, it has grown on me. These jeggings are dark enough that the print is pretty subtle, but since they have double seams along the legs and pockets on the back, they are a tad bit more stylish than ordinary leggings. And, they are so comfy! I paired them with a basic black cami and cardigan, but I may try to play with something brighter next time (red? teal? white?). Your thoughts? As always, feel free to join me on Fridays...post a pic of a featured outfit, use the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair), and drop me a tag (@runningonthefly).

camo and black, yay or nay?

Change in the weather.

You all know I'm a hot weather worshiper, right? Yes, I much prefer the heat (even if it brings humidity) over the freezing cold (which we had for far too long this year). Even I appreciate a bit of an acclimation period, but I don't think that's happening in 2018. Spring quickly morphed into full-on summer, but I am alright with that. I'm just thankful to have consistent temps above freezing. Again, it's the simple things.

Yep! This happened in Iowa!

Flowers and color everywhere!

With the jump in temps and the rainfall Wednesday and Thursday, my flower gardens have suddenly come to life. This bleeding heart bush was barely above ground a week ago, and now it's full of blooms.

Isn't it pretty?

May goals.

In an attempt to maintain my endurance, but also give my body some TLC, I have a few daily goals I'm working on this month. I brought back the daily leg lifts (like I did last summer when I couldn't run). I'm doing some extra ab work and planking because my abs are feeling kind of soft. And, I'm doing some clam shells to help the hips feel better. So far, so good. These daily exercises don't take more than 10-15 minutes to do, so it's not much of a time commitment but a great investment in myself.

So, that's a wrap. Although I felt a little beat up going into this past week, I'm feeling so much better as this new week begins.My energy is back, and the aches and pains have eased up considerably. Crazy how that happens when we step back and listen to our bodies.

How was your week? Are you training for any big events? Napping...yes or no? Are spring flowers making an appearance in your area yet? Any monthly goals you're working on?

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!