Cruising into the Solstice

...and just like that, the solstice arrived.

I gotta admit, I have mixed feelings about the summer solstice. I'm all about the heat of summer, the extended daylight, and all things green, flowering, and beautiful. But once the solstice hits, we start that downhill jaunt to winter. Even though the days will stay long and bright for awhile, they will be (ever-so-slightly) getting shorter. UGH.

All the more reason to get outside, everyday, and enjoy these summer days to the fullest. And I did just that this week, taking all of my workouts to the great outdoors.

Before I disclose all the details, let me extend a big summertime 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 ;-)

Here's what went down in my little world of fitness this week:

Monday - the UN-Canceled Grand Finale!

Woot!!!!! After 12 weeks of 5K time trials, I finished off the UN-Canceled Project. The temps were moderate (upper 60F's) with a slight wind (of course LOL). Halfway into the first mile, I realized I'd forgotten my music, and I had to alter my usual route slightly due to some road repair. But, this run truly felt great and (dare I say) almost effortless. Ironically, the 27:00 finish time couldn't have been more appropriate for the occasion, since that's my "usual" 5K benchmark if I'm not all-out racing. Coincidence?

Tuesday - Recovery Day for the win

We've had some cool mornings (which feel more like Fall to me), but the days have warmed up perfectly by mid-morning. Such was the case with Tuesday. The hubs and I took Max for an early morning walk (and there may have been some push-ups happening, mid-walk in the middle of the street). There also may have been a few miles on the bike in the evening.

Wednesday - another perfect #DoubleWorkoutDay

Gosh, I just gotta say these #5at5 sunrise runs totally make my day. We have (mostly) full daylight while running, and the sunrise is there to greet us as we finish. Anyways, another early-morning 5-miler with Barb on a beautiful summer morning. Total perfection in my book

After work, the hubs and I returned to the outdoor stairway. We'd done 30 flights the week prior. Since these steps have a steep "rise" and are wider (deeper) than usual steps, they require a little more oomph. And, let's not forget there are 18 steps, not just 10 or 12. Thirty flights are probably equivalent to 45 (or so) flights of an indoor stairway. That said, he wanted to do 50 flights...at 5:00 p.m, on a rather hot afternoon. I was planning on 30 myself. The fine art of compromise saw us doing 40 flights and we were both happy.  

Thursday - early morning recovery ride

The weather forecast was looking wet for Friday morning, so I swapped out Thursday's (usual) strength workout for a ride instead. It was another somewhat cool morning (63F), making it difficult to figure out what to wear on the bike (arm sleeves to the rescue!). Ten biking miles for breakfast, and a 2.5-mile post-work walk made for a perfect low-impact flush-out-the-legs recovery day.

Friday - upper-body strength work and a Juneteenth tribute ride

The forecast rain had come and gone (but was due to return later), so I moved the workout to the outdoor patio (that glass door makes a great mirror, just saying). I'd thought of incorporating a HIIT workout with the strength work, but my body felt pretty spent at wake-up. I decided to take a pass on the HIIT and just focus on upper-body strength...but did sneak in a 1-minute wall sit with a static curl hold.

In all honesty, I had not heard much about Juneteenth, until after I'd gotten to work. I saw a lot of people were paying tribute with 6.19-mile runs and various fitness routines. Well, this pulled at my heart...so over lunch, I saddled up Gustavas for a quick 6.19-mile ride. It wasn't much, but it felt like something I had to do to honor this day in history. And, my tired legs appreciated the extra love from the ride, so it was a win-win.

Saturday - a new adventure in running!

With all the race cancellations of late, there has been ZERO traveling for running. Let's just say, the streets of my town have gotten a little...stale. Barb and I decided to venture to Des Moines (an hour away) to checkout a group run with a running club. There was heavy rain (and thunderstorms, go figure) in the forecast, but the rain had cleared by the time we arrived on the scene. That said, the air was extremely humid (how does 94% humidity grab you?) but the temps weren't too warm (69F). But we got to meet some new friends and enjoyed eight decently-paced miles (9:41) on a mostly shaded trail. The odds are ever in our favor that we may return for more of these outings. Later, I did some garden squats, took a 2-mile walk, and Gustavas and I spent five miles together just before sundown. 

Sunday - more early-morning fitness

With a busy day on tap (ahem...Father's Day and hosting all the family for dinner), I got out for three easy recovery miles before 6:00. The temps felt the same as Saturday (upper-60's with 95% humidity), oh joy! The hubs and Max took me for a 2-mile walk as well (with probably more walking on deck for later).

So, a nice week of summer fitness, with a little bit of everything. Running totaled out at 20 miles. Walking had 17 miles. Biking has become a regular recovery vice, and had 30 miles (with more to come in future weeks). One intense stair workout (which provides not just cardio, but a good dose of lower-body strength) and a brief upper-body session. As for the Great Run Across Iowa, my current mileage is 111 (of the 315 cumulative miles I'm working towards). I'm totally good with everything.

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

Outside is Alright

12 Weeks of 5K's Virtually UN-Canceled

So...Now WHAT?

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair! How about a burst of red? With Friday's muggy temps, I opted for something "breezy" to keep me somewhat cool and comfortable.You can't really tell from the pic, but the Aztec-print skirt actually has a high-low hemline...lots of versatility with that! As 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).

If you missed my Friday post, I shared my 2020 summer plan of fitness action. It's nothing grandiose or ground-breaking, but merely a guide to keep me active and occupied:

Monday: easy run, 3-4 miles

Tuesday: rest/recovery...walk/biking (or elliptical if it's raining), abs/core/balance

Wednesday: #5at5 and outdoor stairs (after work) if the weather is nice

Thursday: intensity day (HIIT/speed work/strength), abs/core/balance

Friday: active recovery (biking/elliptical)

Saturday: long run

Sunday: optional recovery run (2-3 miles, easy) or biking

**daily:1-2 mile walk (outdoors), push-ups (10-20), leg lifts

***Some days may get rotated or swapped, depending on the weather

****long run distance will vary (usually around 10 miles, with a scale-back every few weeks)

Finally, I'm sharing a big OOPS. Hey, if we can't laugh at ourselves, we may have more serious probs than just a faulty sense of humor. I made this meme quickly (obviously LOL) and shared it to Insta and my FB page, very early on Saturday morning. It garnered a mass of likes and comments, so I was quite pleased. It wasn't until nine hours later (maybe longer?) that I realized I'd misspelled the word "going." Seriously! Well, maybe no one else noticed (whew!) Or maybe everyone was just being kind (if so, thank you). So, yeah...let it be known, I am human and my fingers don't always hit the correct letter key ("b" and "n" are side-by-side, just saying). I took the pic down, and I have corrected it...for future use. Crisis averted! 

So, there you go. We're officially into summer and all its glory. It feels like such a short season (at least in Iowa), so I plan to take advantage and be outside as much as possible. How about you?

How was your week? Are you feeling the summer heat (and humidity) as well? Any exciting fitness accomplishments this week? Virtual races? Have you ever committed a blatant spelling error that went unnoticed until several hours later?

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