Yes, It Just Might Be Winter!

 Lest there be any doubt, I do believe Winter is officially here for awhile.

As much as I'd like to avoid it completely, it's my Iowa reality. At least now, after this week's crazy weather antics, I can just settle in for the season.

So far, it hasn't been too treacherous....


Before I get into the nitty gritty details, welcome to the Weekly Run Down!

I love hosting this link-up with Deborah (from Confessions of a Mother Runner)! If you write a fitness-based blog, you're invited to join the party. The link-up opens at 1:00 (EST) on Sundays and remains open through noon on Monday. We love reading about everyone's weekly fitness endeavors, training highlights (or low lights) and race recaps. We ask that you link back to both hosts, and we encourage you to read/comment on the other linked blogs as well...please don't link-drop & dash ;-)

Anyways, here's what went down this week in terms of fitness:

Monday - NMAM (#NeverMissAMonday)
As per usual, I started the week with a run. It had been awhile since I'd done a certain 2-mile route (that circled through the campus). The temps were cold (24F with a 15F feels-like), but the wind was minimal. The run felt good, and kind of flirted with a tempo-like pace. It would be great if all of those cold morning runs felt that effortless...but where's the fun in that?

Tuesday - ARRD (#ActiveRestRecoveryDay)
 I'm not sure how my Tuesdays morphed into a routine elliptical-themed day, but it's been working well. I usually stay out of the running shoes, but I still love a little (or a lot of) sweat to greet the morning. Twenty minutes with Ellie, and all was well.

Wednesday - DWD (#DoubleWorkoutDay)
The forecast was showing really cold temps (with wind) for the early morning, and even more wind for Thursday morning. Barb and I decided to make our weekly #5at5 be a #5at4, and do it on Wednesday after work in the sunshine. Since I woke up early anyways (force of habit LOL), I decided to do a little HIIT workout on the stairway.

3 sets:
**10 flights of single steps
**10 flights of double steps
**10 flights of triple steps
**10 burpees
**20 inclined push-ups

If you do the math, that's 90 total flights of stairs, 30 burpees and 60 push-ups. The triple steps are done in somewhat of a slow motion, kind of mimicking a step-up...but instead of stepping back down, you continue upwards (for three additional "step-ups") to the top of the stairway. Ironically, the 20 push-ups act as a bit of a recovery move between sets. The three sets took me about 35 minutes, and there was plenty of sweat equity at play.

Later...though the temps were chilly, and the wind pretty fierce, the sunshine was quite bright in the late afternoon. Somehow, that did make the frigid conditions a little less painful (except for the few segments when we did battle with the headwind). In my opinion, it still beats the treadmill.

Thursday - NDNP (#NoDOMSNoProb)
After Wednesday's stair workout (and the 5-mile run later in the day), I anticipated there would be some DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) greeting me at wake-up...but they were a no-show. I still wanted to keep things on the easy spectrum, so I did 20 minutes on the elliptical. And planking. The daily planking is still a part of my morning routine, rest day or not.

As the day wore on, the DOMS were still MIA, but the temps had climbed to the mid-50F's. I decided to lace up and head outside for a few miles, after work, to take advantage of the near-record high temps. Catching the full moon rising, just as I was finishing up, was a bonus!

Friday - RFR (#ReadyForRest)
Guess what was there to greet me upon wake-up? The DOMS! They weren't crazy painful, but they definitely were present and accounted for. I knew a walk would help ease the discomfort, so I did an early morning walk around the campus...and caught the full moon on the other side of the sky.

Saturday - LDT (#LetsDoThis)
Let me set the scene....(1) I'd let myself sleep-in (and I didn't wake before 7:30!), (2) the temps were bitterly cold and windy (and the streets were slick), and (3) I had my morning chai immediately after taking Max around the block (instead of doing my morning workout first). ALL the makings of a non-traditional morning for this chick. What's an out-of-sorts gal to do but an out-of-sorts expedition...on the treadmill. Mark the date (01/11/2020) as my first rendezvous with Milly for the decade. Five miles of running (with 1/2-mile walking for cool-down), check! I had to borrow the hubby's iPod and sneak in a couple of faster-paced intervals (miles 3 and 4), but I got it done. It wasn't beautiful, but it was bearable. I also had to commemorate the occasion with my own version of cryotherapy...because that's just what I do when I've served some time on the'mill. I don't have to embrace the cold to have a little fun with it, right?

Sunday - WII (#WinterInIowa)
Holy Brrr! The temps were still sub-freezing, but the air was pretty calm, so the hubby and I got out for a 2ish mile walk with Max before church. I don't have YakTrax (or spikes on my shoes), but this would have been one of the few times I would have benefited from them.  The streets (and sidewalks, everywhere) were still quite icy and slick. My legs got a great workout from the constant "stepping and gripping" required to keep oneself vertical. It did feel great to get back outside, though! After nearly 40 hours of being trapped indoors, that fresh air was euphoric!

So, it was another active week and I'm happy with all that went down. Total running came in at 15 miles. Walking was meh (6 miles). Two decent elliptical workouts (40 total minutes). And, a pretty intense HIIT on the stairway (that also served as a lower-body strength session). I kind of bailed on upper-body strength...maybe I'll work that in later today (after our family dinner with all the kids). Yeah, maybe. Onward!

In case you missed out, here's what else went down on the blog this week:
Back to my Regularly Scheduled Winter
Five Fun Features from my recent Run Streak
Five 4 Friday - Current Hashtags

In other news:
Friday Fashion Flair! As mentioned, the temps did a major plummet on Friday. By the afternoon, it was sleeting and the wind was crazy. All the area schools let out early and all evening activities came to a crashing halt. Thankfully, I have a nice stash of keep-me-warm hand-knit items at my disposal...and this chunky grey infinity scarf served me well for the day. As always, you're invited to join the fashion party - post a pic of  your outfit on Instagram, grab the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair) and tag me (@runningonthefly).

Did you know Wednesday was National Take the Stairs Day? I didn't realize what day it was until after my stair workout....I guess my subconscious was on-point!

Lastly, from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, I not only run streaked but also participated in the #HolidaySweat challenge (affiliated with Fit Approach). Participants were encouraged to be active on a daily basis, for at least 10 minutes. It was a lot of fun seeing all the various ways we all keep active, especially during what can be a stressful and crazy busy time of year. My goody box arrived this weekend, and there's a lot of new-to-me products I received as a finisher in the challenge. FUN!

So that's a wrap! How did the week play out for you? Did you get hit with crazy weather, too? Any great workouts? Training for anything or maintaining? Upcoming races? Did you participate in the #HolidaySweat challenge?

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