Sunday, May 17, 2020

Spring? Is that you?


I'm just gonna go ahead and say this out loud....I believe Spring is officially here to stay!

What's more, this next week is forecast to have summer-like temps. Thank you, Momma N!

A lot of our blossoming trees have shed their colorful petals. Many of the summer perennials are filling in. And, just a couple days ago, I could smell the sweet scent of lilacs in the air.

Yes, as the weather took a solid turn for the warmer, I was able to #optoutside everyday. There was all kinds of daily walking, legit cross-training, and the running felt pretty sweet as well.   

Before I share the down and dirty 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 ;-)

Okay, so here's what went down in my little fitness world this week:

Never miss a (5K time trial) Monday
In keeping with my current (COVID) Monday routine, I did a 2-mile walk in the early hours, before work. I also did a 1.5-mile walk at lunch. Then, after work, I headed back to the "5K time trial course," on the college campus, a half-mile away. I did an easy warm-up run there, set the Garmin, and took off. The temps were comfortably cool, and the wind was "only" 13mph, which was a substantial improvement from the previous weeks. My goal all along, with these weekly time trials, has not been to PR, but to run them strong with the hope of improving my finish time each week. Finally, mission accomplished! This week showed the biggest improvement in finish times and, overall, the run felt strong and steady (splits were 8:48/8:38/8:15). I was beginning to doubt myself, but this week gave me the mojo to continue on for the five remaining weeks of the Un-Canceled Project-2.

now that's more like it!

Recovery day Tuesday
Monday evening's 5K definitely left me tired, so I kept things low-key on Tuesday. A 2-mile walk before work, a 1-miler at lunch, and a 2-mile walk with the hubby and Max after dinner. And that's all she wrote.


Whirlwind weather Wednesday
The sky was clear and the air was calm when Barb and I met for our #5at5 on Wednesday morning. I mentioned this on Insta/FB, but it's crazy how all of a sudden, in the past few weeks, these early-morning runs now have more daylight than darkness. There's a hint of sunrise when I leave the house at 5:00, and before we reach the halfway mark, it's almost full daylight. Yes, summer is coming!!! That said, the sky turned rainy by noon. I attempted to go for a walk after work, and my theory about the umbrella making the rain halt was proved wrong.


HIIT'ing it hard Thursday
Since I had taken a hard pass on doing a HIIT workout last week, it was game-on this week. Here's how my Thursday morning started:

***Little Bit of Everything HIIT***
*5 stair flights (double-stepped)
*10 burpees
*10 push-ups (inclined)
*20 sets of mountain climbers
*20 plank jacks
*10 jump squats
*50 rope jumps
*1-minute wall sit

I did four sets, which took me just under 29 minutes. Suffice it to say I was well awake and alert when finished. Later, I had a fast-paced Walk & Talk, over lunch, with Deborah


Take-it-easy Friday
Friday had all the makings of a beautiful day, complete with sunshine and warm temps!  I kept the fitness on the down-low with an early-morning 2-mile walk (with the hubby and Max), and another 2-mile walk after work.


Long run Saturday
Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day! Temps were in the mid-50's when Barb and I met up for our run. The forecast had called for partly-sunny skies, but Momma N granted us full sun (no complaints). We'd planned on 8-10 miles (depending on how the first seven went LOL), but we were able to crank out all 10.  Afterwards, I did a good 30 minutes (or more?) of garden squats, hoping to get the last of the flowers potted before the impending afternoon rain (which, BTW, never materialized). Later, the hubs and Max took me for a 2-mile walk, and I spent the remainder of the evening on the couch, with my feet up.

the matchy-matchy yellow was not planned, just saying

Recovery day Sunday
The good thing about sleeping in (ahem...over-sleeping, if I'm being totally real) is that the "overnight-into-morning" rain was done. The air was still quite damp and the sky was most dreary, so the solution? Bright colors! Just a couple of miles of running, followed by a 2-mile walk with the hubby and Max, before online church and a birthday ZOOM call for the SIL. Ugh, my lower back has really been cranky recently. I blame Netflix (and the comfy couch I keep snoozing on), so getting outside and running (easily) or walking really loosens things up. 


So, a decent week in terms of both fitness and weather. Total running miles came in at 21 and walking saw 22 miles. Monday's 5K served as speedwork. Thursday's HIIT was fast and furious. No upper-body strength work this week (and I'm alright with that). As per my May goals, the daily walking and push-ups are going well, as are the Tuesday/Thursday ab/core sessions.

In case you missed out, here's what went down on the blog this week:

And, in other news...
Did you catch my Friday Fashion Flair? Friday's pleasant spring-like temps had me excited to be back in summer-like clothing. We're talking open-weave sweaters and bare legs, my friends! Anyways, this pink Bunko-inspired sweater is one of my own creations (notice the dice?). What can I say, I'm an #artgeek and a #knitwitAs always, you're welcome to join me on Fridays...post a pic on Instagram, grab the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair) and be sure to tag me (@runningonthefly).



...finally, although a lot of the spring blossoms are done, some of the late spring/early summer flowers are coming to life. The bleeding hearts and iris bloomed this week, along with the few remaining tulips.



So, that's a wrap on what felt like the first real week of spring. How are things in your world? Sunshine? Rain? Training or maintaining? Any virtual races?

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53 comments:

  1. It was cold in the beginning of the week,but this weekend we finally got some warm weather. Made for some great runs! I sort of did a virtual 10K this weekend in honor of the Cleveland Marathon, but nothing else planned for the summer so far.

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    1. My summer is pretty wide open...I'll have no conflicts with my Air Force Marathon training LOL

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  2. Ha ha we went from winter to full on summer this week! And I'm OK with that although I'll need time to adjust to the heat. Congrats on your 5k series, remember that you're not just running a 5k every week, it's an #iowastrong 5k. Gotta love it when the first 7 miles = getting the full 10.

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    1. It will feel like full-on summer this next week. Bring it!!!!! (and I had to laugh at the #iowastrong 5K LOL)

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  3. I love that you did a little bit of everything this week - great job! We had some wacky weather here this week but I agree with you that Spring is here to stay, at least that's what my allergies are telling me, lol.

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    1. I'm thankful all of my years of allergy tests were worth the commitment ...I'd be a red-eyed, stuff-nosed miserable gal otherwise.

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  4. We are a little behind you on the blooms I think. Our flowering trees aren't quite open all the way yet and our lilac buds are still tightly closed. That said, I will agree that we've turned a most welcome corner into SPRING!

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  5. We had both rain and sunshine this week. At least it is getting warmer which I am happy about. Great job on your 5k on Monday! I love how the work you've been putting is finally paying off.

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    1. We've had a little rain, but not as much as we need (yes, I did just type that LOL). The 5K's have really been an interesting project. I've had to fight so much wind, I don't think any of my earlier times accurately reflect my efforts or abilities, so it will be interesting to see what unfolds now (if I get a few more weeks with mild wind, or not any).

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  6. Congrats on those negative splits! Nice job, Kim!

    I'm lucky I can cherry pick (mostly) when I run. We've had some rain, but both my runs this week were in nice weather & that makes me happy. :)

    I do have a virtual "race" coming up. Just to support that particular race.

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    1. I have been pretty fortunate on my runs...the rain has skipped over most of my "run" days.

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  7. Max is so cute. Good to see you/hear him yesterday. Also had a lie in this morning. It was necessary and wonderful, although the early startyesterday was too. Need to get back into my commute alarm during the week vs my "still have time to walk for coffee" one.

    Love your Friday sweater

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    1. Thank you, Cari ;-) I didn't wake up until 7:00 this morning...that's a good 90 minutes "late" for me (even without an alarm). I guess I was really tired after yesterday!

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    2. I was all excited to get up and out with the alarm tomorrow, but I can't drop off my laundry that way. Hmm. Might see if I can get out early, come back, drop it off and get "to work" on time. We'll see which of those or a case of the Mondays happens

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  8. It's officially Spring here - the last frost has hit I think. I'm sure enough that I'm planning my garden and buying flowers. Then next week it will be full-on summer. LOL! Looks like some rainy days ahead, but soon it will be wonderfully warm. Good job on the 5K improvement, and commitment!

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    1. We have a dry and warm week on tap (high in the mid-80's!). But, currently rain is forecast for the weekend...hoping that gets pushed back a bit (you know, all I'm asking for is about 90 minutes of "dryness"on Saturday morning LOL)

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  9. You had another great week of workouts, Kim! High fives!

    Our temps climbed from a daytime high of the mid-50's on Monday to a high of 86° and humid on Friday. Today it's breezy and in the mid-60's. Momma N can't make up her mind here on the east coast.

    As always, thanks for the linkup! Have a great week!

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    1. It's crazy how much the temps can change in a few days!

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  10. Finally a great 5k!!! It was worth all the effort you put in over these previous Mondays. I love how you always manage to find the right colours for the Uncanceled Project. Nice!!

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    1. I honestly believe all that wind I've been fighting has made me stronger, even if the finish times didn't always reflect it (in those earlier weeks). Of course I match the colors LOL It's my job ;-)

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  11. Great job on the 5k time trial! Love those negative splits, very smart pacing!

    thanks for hosting the link-up!

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    1. Thanks, Jessie ;-) It's great to see what one can do when the weather (finally) plays nice.

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  12. We had a pretty decent week, weather wise but Friday, Saturday, and today have all been stellar! Although, yesterday was a touch warm (mid-80s) but I didn't care. I was soaking in all the sunshine and warmth!!

    I love spring. Every time I go out, I get great big whiffs of all the honeysuckle and all the other flowering bushes. In fact, this one stretch of neighborhood street smells a little like a perfumery! Normally I would hate that (I'm not a fan of overwhelming perfume. I'm a subtle smell kind of girl) but I was definitely loving it this weekend. Sunshine and pretty smells make me happy!

    Nice work on that 5k! Your dedication to those is pretty impressive!

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    1. I'm all about the sunshine and warmth, too! I was happy with this last 5K...now, the true test will be to see if I can meet (or beat?) that in the next few weeks....#Catch22

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  13. We've had so much rain and cold here that things still haven't bloomed. Lucky you, missing out on the 4+ inches of rain we've gotten the last couple of days. My backyard is currently a lake and I'm considering getting the kayak out.

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    1. We had rain in the forecast, and somehow we managed to miss most of it. I'm not complaining, but I know the farmers are....

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  14. I love bright colors on a gloomy day, but don't you always wear colorful gear? ;-) We had a taste of summer yesterday with temperatures in the 80s!

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    1. True in the colors LOL They just have an even stronger mojo impact on gloomy days ;-) WE have 80's in the forecast later this week ;-)

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  15. I've always been amused at how different our reactions are to spring- you look forward to it, I'm always like "noooooo!" Haha! Love your weekly time trials, great job on pacing! I've never been any good at consistent pacing in 5ks.

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    1. Well, I'm a summer-lovin' kind of gal ;-) Bring on the heat! 5K's are so much tougher than I ever could have imagined....that first mile is crucial, and I still don't have it figured out LOL

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  16. Sounds like your weekly 5K speed work is really paying off for you! Always feels good to see improvement. Enjoy your warmer temps!

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    1. Thanks, Deborah! I'm thankful to finally see some significant improvement. I guess all that wind wasn't such a bad thing after all...

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  17. Great job on that 5K! I hope spring is finally here! We planted our garden this week in hopes that we would not have another frost.

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    1. I am ready for summer LOL This spring has kind of been a bust with the weird weather, as well as all the other stuff.

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  18. Another great week Kim! Congrats on your 5K - your hard work is really paying off!

    Spring has finally shown up here though many things are just starting to bloom. I hope we can enjoy this for a little bit before it gets too hot!

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    1. Thank you, Michelle ;-) The bad thing about hitting a good finish time, though, is what happens next...it'll be that much harder to keep on bettering my time LOL

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  19. This week it finally felt like spring here too. I had to pull out the tights on Thursday morning but by the afternoon it was a gorgeous day. Totally spring! Congrats on the 5k improvement!

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    1. I think I wore my winter jacket one day earlier in the week (?), and think it's finally time to pack that away.

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  20. It finally felt like Spring here as well. Looking forward to those Summer temps later in the week.

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  21. Nice to see you and Barb together again. I'm still running solo. Hopefully my fiends will come out soon.

    We had such a nice weekend.Rain tomorrow or so they say.

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    1. Truth be told, Barb and I have been running together through most of this, just keeping distanced. I just haven't been getting many pics of us since we usually split off and go our separate ways before the runs end. We finally got some rain late this afternoon...it's been avoiding us.

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  22. You know I was loving the warmer weather too! Although yesterday it cooled off again, and it looks like this week will be cooler again. I'm really ready for consistently warm weather now!

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    1. We're supposed to have high in the 80's this week, though it's kind of damp and chilly right now (my lunch hour). I hope it warms up a little before my 5K later!

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  23. Yay spring! It's light really early here, too - I'm sort of missing my sunrises!

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    1. I love waking up with the sun just on the verge of rising. It's so majestic seeing it come up while in motion ;-)

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  24. I'm glad you're finally getting good weather! It's been a long cold and windy early spring. Now you'll probably jump right into summer which I know makes you happy.

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    1. It's almost like you know me ;-) YES!!! I'm ready for summer and heat and humidity and sweat and plenty of sunshine ;-)

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  25. Your weather gives me whiplash LOL! That being said, I LOVE your pink sweater! So cute and cozy.

    I am rebuilding and it is going as well as can be expected, I think. Not looking forward to all the humidity but trying to manage expectations a bit.

    Great week for you! Once again, you've got a fabulous mix of everything.

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  26. You are a MACHINE! That HIIT workout sounds super tough! Kudos to you for keeping with your 5k plan, girlfriend!

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  27. Great job on your 5K! You had a nice balanced week and a solid 10 miler - well done! I never heard of "knitwits" LOL - very cool! I've always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet!

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  28. I haven't stopped by here in a while, I'm glad to see you're still at it. Maybe some nice inspiration for me. Since I'm a skater and the rinks have been closed for quite a while, I've been off my game. Doing some weight training in my garage though, thank goodness my husband bought some good equipment a few years ago. That plus walks in my neighborhood and some Zoom dance classes is keeping me going. I'm glad you had some lilacs to smell this week. My husband and I encountered a lilac shrub at a garden we visited last weekend.

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