Sweat Equity:101

It's not the heat, it's the humidity.

Boy, oh boy, did we have our fair share of humidity this week in Iowa. We had pretty warm temps, too. Mind you, that is NOT a complaint. I love the heat (probably more than most people), but I spent the majority of the week "glowing" all over the place.


Here's a taste of what went down:

Never miss a Monday.
After a pretty pleasant weekend, the cooler temps were still there Monday morning. In an effort to "up my game" a bit, I opted for a 5K distance with pick-ups (about two city block's distance) before each mile mark. I also ran the route with what I'd call a modified tempo pace (faster than my usual run, but not a true tempo pace). And, I loved it! I think this Monday routine may be a keeper as I transition into marathon training in the next couple weeks.

and my little Max was waiting for me when I returned home

Tuesday Toughness

Although Tuesdays are typically a rest/recovery day (at least from running), I do stay pretty active. I headed out in the early hours for a 2-mile walk...

by the dawn's early light

...then, in the evening, I got busy with another "Kim-created" front porch HIIT workout. Dang. Maybe this is my new calling...I'm really liking the variety of cardio and strength-training all condensed into a relatively short, but intense, sweat session.

Here's what I came up with:

15 biceps curls/hammer curls (on second circuit)

15 push-ups

10 burpees

10 stair flights (inside the house)

15 triceps dips/extensions (on second circuit)

15 push-ups

10 burpees

10 stair flights (inside)

15 shoulder presses/upright rows (on second circuit)

15 push-ups

10 burpees

10 stair flights (inside)

I was hoping to do three complete circuits, but white-flagged it after the second one. It was really hot and I was feeling pretty worn out. Even the stair-running (inside my air-conditioned house) didn't offer much reprieve. All told, I finished with 90 push-ups, 60 burpees, 60 flights of stairs, and some good arm/shoulder work.  

this little HIIT endeavor really had the sweat flowing 

Wednesday's weekly #5at5

As usual, Barb and I met up for our weekly early morning 5-miler. Holy humidity, Batman! The temps felt moderately pleasant, but the humidity was off the charts (again). None the less, those early morning miles with my gal pal are one of the highlights of my week. 

not a bicep flex,  but a wringing-out of the saturated tank top

Thursday's thirst for speed

With another hot day in the forecast (triple-digit heat index), I elected to do my speedwork in the early hours. I live in a somewhat hilly neighborhood, so I am never without options when it comes to running on an incline. I did a 1/2-mile warm-up run to a nearby hill, and did a series of uphill sprints/downhill recovery runs for a total of  1.5 miles of hilly speedwork. Nothing grandiose, but enough to feel a good burn (and then some).

FYI...this pic does not do that hill justice. At all. Just saying.

Finally Friday
Ahhhh, finally a true day of rest. Well, my idea of rest still involves some walking (to the tune of 5 total miles for the day) as well as the daily planking and leg lifts. You know, that's my reality.

That sunrise...

A super sweaty Saturday

With my 15K on tap for the evening, I kept things pretty much on the down-low for the day. The hubby and I took Max for a 2-mile walk in the morning. Notice I didn't say "in the early morning?" For the first time in a long time, I slept in.  Granted, I still woke up around 4:30, but was able to fall back to sleep for a couple hours longer. Baby steps, right?

Isn't he the cutest little leader?

In the evening, I had the Midnight Madness 15K happening. This race had the potential for redemption all over it (SPOILER: it did not disappoint). Long story short, I finished the evening with a 5th place AG in the 5K, a 3rd place AG in the 10K, and a 2nd place AG for the combined 15K (merging the two finish times from the 5K & 10K). Stay tuned....there will be a recap coming with the nitty gritty details.

Redemption, anyone? And, no, there was ZERO rain happening in those hot temps (#weatherappFAIL).

Sunday's sweet solace
Having run almost 9.5 total miles in the (late) evening prior, I post-poned my usual recovery/shake-out run until later. Instead, the hubby and I took Max out for another 2-mile adventure and I spent some quality time with the foam roller.

doesn't everybody wear the previous evening's event shirt the next morning?

So, how did the mileage play out? Total miles running tallied at 19.5 (at time this goes to press, that is...there will hopefully be another 2-3 miles added if the recovery run happens later). Total walking miles kicked in at 20. Although I'm not daily documenting the planks, push-ups, and leg lifts, rest assured they are happening, too. Life is too short to sit (completely) idle, after all.

In case you missed out, here's my posts from last week:
Embracing all that's Tough
Two Races in Four Days...Why Not?
Pay it Forward on the Race Course

In other news:

#FridayFashionFlair. Did you catch it? on Instagram? Despite the extreme heat of summer, I still have to dress "warm" at work. The air conditioning makes me feel like my desk is located in a walk-in freezer. My solution...Always bring a cardi! What do you think of the cobalt and chocolate color combo? You all probably know I'm a cheetah print fan, so any opportunity to play with the cheetah print is a win-win for me. As always, you're welcome to join me on Fridays...post a pic of a featured outfit (it doesn't have to be what you're actually wearing on that day). Be sure to grab the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair) and give me a tag(@Runningonthefly).

Last of all...do you believe in the power of pennies? I seem to find random pennies (or...maybe they're finding me?) when I'm out on a walk or a run. Sunday morning, was no exception.

see a penny, pick it up...

So, that's the latest and greatest. How are things for you? Warm weather? Humid weather? Sweaty weather? How are you coping? Any highlights from the past week?

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!