All is well

 I can honestly say, "All is well."

It wasn't necessarily a stellar week in terms of high mileage or specific training goals met, but it definitely was pretty solid in terms of fitness and feeling good. Here's what all went down...


On Monday, I got outside for a couple of early morning #nevermissaMonday miles. If you recall, I had had a rather tough 8-mile run two days prior. Typically, I do a short (1-2 mile) shakeout run the day after a long run or race, but elected to take a pass last Sunday. I was anticipating a slow and sluggish run on Monday morning, but  was rewarded with two rather fast and effortless miles instead. Apparently that low-key Sunday was just what my body needed. After an extended hot spell, we also had cooler temps, so that was a double bonus!

Even in the cool temps, I managed to get my sweat on..

Tuesdays are usually active recovery days, so there were no miles run. There were several miles walked, though, and some moderate strength work (arms/shoulder strength-training and a couple of catch-up sessions for the Arms and Abs Challenge).

Is there anything better than having the entire road to yourself in the early morning hours?

Wednesday brought us a return to the summer-like temps. I was out the door by 5:00 a.m. for the weekly #5at5 with my friend, Barb. And I was glowing all over the place when I returned (sweat equity, anyone?).

Another five miles at 05:00

Thursday, how about we return to some speedwork? With Dam to Dam over and done (June 2nd), and the previous week's focus on recovery, it had been a couple weeks since I'd done any speed training. We had heavy rain (and lightning) in the morning, so I postponed my run until after work. I did a 1-mile warm-up run, then ran five sets of Fartleks (back and forth along a sidewalk, approximately the length of two city blocks). I'm not sure how crazy I may have looked to any onlookers, sprinting (sort of) in one direction, then turning and (slowly) jogging back. What always amazes me about doing speed drills, though, is that each subsequent "sprint" seems to get faster without much extra effort. Doing the five sets (plus the 1-mile warm-up) netted me three total miles. I walked the half mile back home, feeling pretty accomplished.

Two miles of Fartleks along an unsuspecting sidewalk

Friday was another day of active rest/recovery. My legs felt pretty trashed, not just from the previous day's speed session but also from the series of burpees and plank jacks I did first thing in the morning. Let's just say that Max took ME for the morning walk that day, but there is a certain kind of satisfaction in feeling every muscle in your legs flex with each step.

Morning walk with Max

Saturday morning was the Grinnell Games 5K. This is a local event our town hosts every summer, and we always seem to nail it with extremely hot (and usually humid) weather. I have always run the half marathon (except for the one year they substituted a 10K in place of it), but this year I decided to test the waters of the 5K. I knew the temps were gonna be warm...

My town, Grinnell would be the lower right "corner" of the Des Moines, Ames, Marshalltown "square"

....so I headed out early for a 3-mile warm-up (electing to do the extra miles before the race rather than after). I seldom, if ever, complain about warm weather, but Saturday morning was flirting with brutal conditions. I took a throwaway water bottle with me, and sipped on that for the "warm-up" run. When I got to the race site, I had about 20 minutes until the start time, and I was a major sweaty mess. I did a little stretching, and tossed the water bottle (I knew there would be water on the race course).

All things considered, the race went well, but it was hot! The air felt really heavy with humidity, too. As usual, I ran the first mile much faster than I realized. My watch showed 8:13, which is faster than I prefer on such a hot morning, especially for mile-1. My right hip and hamstring have both been a little wonky ever since the Drake Relays weekend (almost two months ago), and even with the 3-mile warm-up, they still felt tight and grumpy, so that fast mile was a surprise. Of course, I paid for it in miles 2 and 3, with much slower splits. I also walked briefly through the two water stations, so that added a few extra seconds (15 total?) to my finish time. Oh well, I wasn't gunning for a PR or a first place victory anyways. I'm just happy to be able to enjoy the gift of running, and supporting a local race is always a priority.

Yes, that was a sweaty endeavor!

Sunday was a low key day of active recovery. I got out for a morning walk, and did some garden squats (and more walking) in the afternoon. I also did plenty more sweating in the mid-90's temps.

up and out the door....

So, the running mileage (Monday through Sunday) came in at 16, and with all the daily walking I've been doing, I'm feeling good. I have been doing a lot more walking recently, and doing daily leg lifts and wall sits as well. Just this week, I noticed a substantial change in the shape of my legs...they're looking a lot more toned and I can see more muscle definition, especially in my thighs. A true lesson in patience and perseverance... the results do not happen overnight, but the results will come if you put in the work.

In case you missed out, here's my blog posts from last week:
True Colors Shining Through
Never Have I Ever...

What about speedwork?

In other news:

Did you catch my #FridayFashionFlair post on Instagram (@Runningonthefly)? I don't buy a lot of new clothes each season, but I do get bored with what's in my closet (who doesn't?). My solution is to mix and match what's there, and pair up contrasting color combos. What do you think about orange and teal? Orange is not my most flattering color, but when it's paired with an equally bright color, there's less focus on it. Of course, I always add some funky jewelry and the (required) lipstick (#priorities). You're welcome to play along...post a pic of your Friday outfit and tag me!

Orange and teal....

The Dam to Dam pics were posted this past week, and there were some good ones of the daughter and myself. Running her into the finish line was such a proud mom moment...I had to play around with some fun filters on one of the pics and make it my own.

There's nothing greater than witnessing the accomplishments of others

And, finally, are you a Rock'n'Roll Marathon fan? They host events all over the world, and as a member of the Rock'n'Blog team, I have a discount code to share with you. I'm headed to Chicago (July 21-22), and there's already a slew of fun running pals headed there as well. I'm also considering Philly (Sept. 15-16) and Savannah (Nov. 3-4). Will I see you at any of them?

So, that's my week, tell me a little about yours....hotter than Hades weather? Any recent races? Do you try to support local races, even if the weather is uncomfortable? Ever Fartlek'd?

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!