Sunday, July 8, 2018

Embracing all that's Tough


This past week was an interesting one, to say the least.

It was a great week, but it also had some tough moments. Battles fought. Hills conquered. Heat endured. Victories won. Care to hear the nitty gritty?

Monday surprised me with temps in the mid-60's for my pre-dawn run. As much as I like the reprieve of cooler temps, it's always a challenge knowing how to dress for them (especially when it's been 30-degrees warmer for the majority of my runs lately). I was only going three miles, and I was not "racing" them. With the sun so low in the sky, the air felt pretty calm and cool...I opted for my trusty arm sleeves, and all felt perfect.
#nevermissaMonday
Tuesdays are usually a rest/recovery day from all things running, but I seldom ever sit idle. I designed a short HIIT workout and got busy for about 25 minutes on my front porch/patio.

I called it my 20's X 10 HIIT Circuit, and I did two complete circuits:
-20 squats
-20 push-ups
-20 burpees
-20 bicep curls
-20 sumo squats
-20 push-ups
-20 plank jacks
-20 triceps dips
-20 walking lunges (each leg)
-20 jumping jacks
done and satisfied with that little mini HIIT workout
The workout didn't seem that challenging until I got to the final set of walking lunges in the second set. I finished, and felt really good, but not all that "worked over." Spoiler: hold that thought...

Wednesday morning, upon rolling over and crawling out of bed, I almost screamed. I had felt a little achy when I went to bed the evening prior. Apparently, as I slept, the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) snuck in and invaded my glutes and hamstrings. And I had a 5K on tap for that morning.

I have run the Sully Freedom Fun Run several times, and each time I have placed 2nd in my age group...a nice honor, but second place does get a little old when it happens every year (I know, first world probs LOL). This year, I finally snagged a first place finish in my age group. My finish time (26:57) was nothing spectacular, in comparison to previous years, but I'm satisfied with it. The temps were very hot and very humid. Unfortunately, I ran the first mile too fast (8:03) without realizing it and my mojo quickly took a nose-dive during the second mile. I even white-flagged it (briefly in the final mile) and walked for a bit, before rallying to the finish line, because it was just so hot. Thankfully, the DOMS didn't affect my running, but they were very angry with me for the remainder of the day.
Finally, a first place AG!

My friend, Barb, also placed first in her AG, and the hubby got to race for the first time since his injury (four months ago)
Thursday morning, Barb and I met up for our weekly 5-miler. Though the DOMS were still messing with my ongoing comfort, they weren't much of an issue while running (thank goodness!). We did have warm and humid temps, though, even at 5:00 a.m.
yes, I'm all "aglow" following those early morning miles
When Friday rolled around, my body had simply had it. The DOMS were still wreaking havoc on my ability to stand up or sit down like a normal person. I don't remember the DOMS ever hanging around for that long before, and all from just 25-minutes of HIIT work three days prior. I did some early morning walking, and continued to stretch and foam roll...and that's all she wrote.
still riding the DOMS...
Ah, Saturday! When Barb and I had finished our race on Wednesday, we'd seen a flyer for another race, the Lake Red Rock Balloon Fest 5K/10K, happening on Saturday, so we decided, "why not?" We don't get the opportunity to run many 10K's, so this was a no-brainer. I'll share a bit more in a race recap later, but I'll just suffice it to say this race course had a lot going on. It was on a trail (combination of grass, asphalt, and cement). It had constant curves and nonstop hills, so it was anything but fast or flat. Although the DOMS had finally vacated my body, this course felt tough! But, we had hot air balloons overhead, beautiful woodland to run through, and a pancake breakfast immediately following.
I have never run with hot air balloons overhead before!
Upon returning home, I crashed for a couple hours. I hadn't been up super late on Friday, and the 5:30 a.m. wake-up (for our 6:15 departure) wasn't out of the ordinary...but I was flat-out exhausted. I spent the afternoon catching up on blog reading and did a good 90 minutes of garden squats (aka --> major weed-pulling) and fell asleep on the couch before 9:00 p.m. End of story.

Sunday blessed Iowa with still mild temps and very low/no humidity. I got out for a couple of early morning recovery miles, and (again) battled with what to wear. All I can say is whoever invented arm sleeves deserves huge accolades. I am totally in love with them. In addition to the run, Sunday also had me doing some extra walking in the afternoon and even more garden squatting. Don't be jealous.
Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, outdoor
Just me and the road all to myself
So, I mentioned earlier how tough this week seemed. The weather definitely was pretty hot and humid until Thursday evening, when we finally got a nice break with cooler temps and hardly any humidity. Word on the street is that the heat/humidity will be returning this next week. Alas, it is July after all. Bring it, Momma N! I'll gladly take some excessive heat over the excessive cold you dumped on us this past winter.

My two races were also tough. Granted, I usually can hold my own in the heat, but Wednesday's 5K was one of the hottest races I've ever done. Saturday's 10K had decent weather, but the nonstop hills were relentless. Again, I run hills frequently, but not usually for six continuous miles.

And, those DOMS! I wasn't surprised to experience them after that HIIT workout, but I certainly didn't think they'd linger for three days. Ugh. Thankfully, my running wasn't really affected by the aches and pains in my glutes and hammies, but I probably looked like an arthritic penguin every time I walked.

My mileage is starting to creep up as I approach the start of marathon training. My running mileage (Monday-Sunday) topped off at 21. At the time this post goes live, my walking mileage is currently at 13 miles, but there will easily be another 2-3 miles added before nightfall. As usual, there were daily planks, push-ups, leg lifts, wall sits and some occasional burpees as well. Onward!

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

In other news:
Did you catch my #FridayFashionFlair post on Instagram? Even with the cooler temps on Friday, our office's air conditioning system was still running at full capacity. Brrr! Thankfully, I have a lot of colorful cardigans to choose from, and my hot pink one is a favorite (especially when it just happens to match my manicure LOL). Do you have to grab a sweater to keep warm in the summer, due to over-zealous air conditioning, whenever you head inside? How do you cope? Anyways, you're invited to join me...post a pic of a featured outfit, use the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair) and give me a tag (@runningonthefly). Surely, you don't live in workout gear 24/7, right?

I have spent the past two weeks thinking about (and flashing back to) the Summer of 2017. It was a tough time, but I think I did alright dealing with the reality of being a runner sidelined (more details of my recovery are HERE). Sunday morning (July 8th), this pic popped up on Facebook and it caught my attention. I had only been home from the hospital for two days at that point. I was juggling the recovery thing for my knee, the IV infusions on my arm, and the prospect of not being able to run for a few months.
It's pretty amazing the things you can do when it's your only option
Lastly, July 5th was our oldest daughter's birthday. She's 24 years old! How the heck did that happen???
Image may contain: Kaylynn Hatting, smiling
the daughter with her baby, Lola
And, that's a wrap! How was the past week for you? Any 4th of July celebrating or racing? Have you have a break in the heat yet? Ever registered for a race that was happening only a few days later?

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!

49 comments:

  1. I don't know, Kim. You got an AG win out of your week and that would negate all the toughness for me.

    You're running well. Embrace it.

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    1. Oh, I am embracing everything about this summer...I just had a few days of longer than usual DOMS cramping my style LOL And, the two races were especially challenging, though I'm glad how they played out ;-)

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  2. The heat was tough this week. Congrats on winning your AG in that race! Sorry about the DOMS! I'm sure that was frustrating.

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  3. DOMS is real, and sneaky. I've had plenty of days where I've gotten out of bed and my muscles have protested. It's a good feeling though because I know I did something to challenge them.

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    1. I agree...the DOMS are there for a reason, but dang. They were here a long time LOL

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  4. I love that HIIT workout that you did. I'm gping to print it out and save it for next month when I have full mobility. So proud of you for your AG win in the 4th of July race!

    Happy Birthday to your daughter - she is stunning!

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    1. Thanks, Kim! You're too kind ;-) Just be forewarned....that HIIT totally kicked my booty for three (long) days following the workout

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  5. I don't think I've ever registered for a race that close to it (unless I was watching to see what the weather would do), but we don't have a lot of 10ks either and I do love me hot air balloons!

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    1. The hot air balloons were so neat! I bet there were at least 30 of them.

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  6. happy birthday to your daughter! It's crazy how time flies isn't it? Congrats on your AG win! That's a pretty spectacular comeback for you and in the heat none the less. Walking lunges always get me!

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    1. Yes, time goes WAY TOO FAST. I'm not really ready for the empty nest thing....

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  7. I love your WHY NOT way of looking at races. It's just another form of embracing life ;) And congrats on your 1st place AG win. That's awesome!!

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    1. Thanks!! We were excited to find another race that we hadn't done before ;-)

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  8. Congrats on the win! Sounds like a fun race. Happy 4th!

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    1. The race on the 4th has always been a fun race, which is why it was such a bummer to miss it last year (#hospital).

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  9. Congrats on your AG win! It must have felt good to finally take #1. Your HIIT workout sounds tough! We had a break in the weather this weekend, but the summer weather will be back soon.

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    1. Yes, it did feel good to finally get that 1st place AG win, especially in those hot conditions. ;-)

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  10. Is that Sully 5k in honor of the airline pilot who landed in the Hudson river? Congrats on placing 2nd. At least you are consistent!

    How fun to run as hot air balloons are over head!

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    1. The race takes place in a small town, called Sully. It's about 15 miles from my town. The first place AG was a nice surprise after all of those 2nd places from years past ;-)

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  11. The heat was horrible this week. And then I was so confused on Saturday when the morning temps was in the mid 40s. To drop 40-50 degrees in a couple of days is crazy!

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    1. I know...that kind of a sudden plummet is really confusing. It feels much colder than it actually is...at least for the first mile or so.

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  12. I'm sure you've had a lot of thoughts flashing back to this time last year. It was a really tough time for you. Look how you've bounced back, and won your age group at a race you couldn't run last year!

    I received arms sleeves for my Army 10-Miler registration last fall, but I've never worn them. I'm in a tank unless the temps get down into the mid-40's and then I wear short sleeves until it gets into the high-30's. I should try them this fall and see when they work for me (perhaps instead of my thin shell that I have to tie around my waist when I get too hot...

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    1. I totally LOVE my arm sleeves. I wear them when there's a chill in the air...just enough cover without a full extra layer or jacket. They're great in the winter, too, when you need just a little more warmth but don't want the bulk of an extra layer over your full bobdy.

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  13. Congrats on the age group win in such challenging conditions, and I love your second set of arm sleeves. I may have to look into those for fall.

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    1. The arm sleeves are a great little "hack" when it's too cold for just a tank, but not cold enough for a long-sleeved shirt.

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  14. Mad props to you for racing so well after that HIIT and DOMS. Hooray for finally nailing the AG win too! Awww your daughter and Lola are so pretty!

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  15. Congrats on that age group win even with the DOMS! The hot air balloons and pancake breakfast sound like a nice treat during the 10k :)

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    1. The 10K really was a neat venue...lots of stuff happening ;-)

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  16. Congratulations on your 1st Place AG win! That's awesome!

    I ran a Turtle Trot on Bald Head Island on July 3 this week, while we were traveling. It wasn't too themed for the 4th, but the Independence Day race in Myrtle Beach would have been too far away for me to comfortably make.

    Still no break in the heat, here. Even if it is cooler, we get ridiculous humidity. Ugh.

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    1. We had a nice break in the heat, but it was brief! It was in the triple digits this afternoon again...

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  17. Oh no! DOMS are the worst! So happy it didn't affect your race!

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  18. Congrats again on your AG! That is so awesome! They only way I'll ever get one is if I'm still running in my 90s...and even that's a bit iffy!

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    1. Thanks! This AG win was a great victory considering I wasn't able to run this race last year ;-)

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  19. Congrats on your AG!! You're running so well right now despite what Momma N throws at you :)

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    1. Momma N really has been dishing me all kinds of "fun" stuff LOL

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  20. Congratulations on placing in your AG! That HIIT workout circuit you did looks intense! I want to try it :)

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    1. The HIIT circuit didn't seem that challenging when I was doing...but, obviously, it came back to bit me LOL

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  21. Congrats on your win! Those always feel great! I remember when my oldest turned 30. All I could think was I was just barely over 30 myself! 😏😝

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    1. ha ha ha! I can totally relate...I don't feel "old" enough to have kids this old...

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  22. I have a love-hate relationship with delayed muscle soreness. It’s definiey tough to find a balance between pushing yourself hard enough during a workout but not wanting to push too much, especially when you have another workout planned for the next day. The soreness didn’t hold you back too much though...congrats on your AG award!

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    1. That balance is really tough...I didn't think I was overdoing it with the workout, but apparently there were a few "dormant" muscles that got some action LOL

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  23. Congrats on the win! And on the hilly 10K. Registering for races at the last minute seems to be my M.O. for the year.

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  24. Loved this weekly wrap! You are right - so much happening! I am going to steal your HIIT workout! I think I know how to do all except the sumo squats. Well done on your first place and happy birthday to your gorgeous daughter!

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  25. YEAH! You got the first place in your AG !!! Incredible that the DOMS didn't hold you back! It does sound like it was a tough week for you - I think we all have those weeks occasionally! Do you think maybe you went too deep in the squats or lunges? I had that a few weeks ago when I enthusiastically started back up at BodyPump. Paid for that for 4 days!! I have done spontaneous races, but I don't really "race" so I think there's a difference.

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  26. Well done on the AG win - fantastic work! Interesting that you don't get many chances to run 10k there - we have SO MANY of the things and of course it's my least favourite distance (I'm slow, so I get all the nice "you can do it" which is great, but I know I can; I just get going at 6 or 7 miles so it's frustrating). And those DOMS - oh noes! Worst ones I've ever had were having done an ill-advised track session the Wednesday before a Sunday half-marathon. Oops!

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  27. Oops -- I think I missed commenting last week. Congrats on your finish time. I'm super jealous. There is no way I can do that in our heat. You need to sprinkle some of that running-in-the-heat magic my way. LOL. Thanks for linking.

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