Outrunning The Cold, Literally

Back outside never felt so fine!

After nearly three weeks, the extreme cold weather broke and Iowa returned to its regularly scheduled winter. Some days even saw temps well above the seasonal norm! Of course, that gave way to melting (LOTS of melting) as the 30ish inches of ground snow slowly shrank...but who am I to complain?

A Few 'fessions for February

February has been a month, and not necessarily in a good way. 

Well, I digress. It hasn't been all bad, but it has had it's moments. Maybe a few 'fessions will help clear the air and ease my mind. 

Shall I? Shall we?

I Made it Through the Freeze

Yeah, this past week was rather frigid.

We're talking sub-ZERO temps, most days, in Iowa. The snow continued to fall, the wind kept blowing  and the streets remained a near-hazard. Thankfully, as we neared the weekend, things were finally (after two solid weeks of polar vortex conditions) on the upswing.

Stuck Inside - No Need to Hide

Have you ever been stuck inside and needing a fitness fix?

Hey, it happens. Sometimes, the outdoor conditions just aren't in our favor. It may be too hot, too cold, too icy, or just too dangerous (I'm looking at you, lightening). We cannot control the weather, but that doesn't mean we have to be victims of it. 

If you're looking for some ideas on at-home entertainment, via working-out, maybe I can help you out. Here are a few blog posts from the archives...

A Few Pet Peeves with Milly

Milly. She's my treadmill. Suffice it to say that our relationship is marginal, at best.

While I am most grateful to have an indoor option for running and walking (especially these past two weeks), that doesn't mean it's all roses and rainbows. Once in awhile, I'll be pleasantly surprised with a run that doesn't leave me questioning my sanity or grit. More often than not, though, my runs are dread-the-tread excursions.

I accept that this is all on me (well, most of it). A lot of runners enjoy their runs on the 'mills, and don't have the issues I do. Honestly, I'm quite envious. 

Freeze Frame

Holy Frigid Freeze, Batman!

While we able to avoid extreme weather in January, that has not been the case in February. We've had near-record snow fall and have not seen above-freezing temps in awhile. Truth be told, this past week saw only one day without any new snow and our town is running out of places to stash it. 

But, it's not all bad! We still have had some glorious sunshine, and I've been able to stay just as active by opting indoors. My glass (coffee mug?) has remained more than half full...

Winter Running... It has its rewards

Winter running....

Although I much prefer the heat (and humidity) of  Summer, I admit I would miss not having the change of seasons right outside my door. Granted, I may loathe the cold, but there is a bit of a magical essence to Winter, especially in terms of running. Even I cannot deny that.

Actually, there are several things I like about running during the winter season.  

Care to hear a few? Read on...

5 Words; 5 Hashtags

Could you choose five words to describe yourself?

How about five hashtags?

Somehow, the hashtags are easier, but they still don't tell the full story. That's alright, limiting oneself to five words is just that: limiting. But, why not give it a try? Besides, I'm always up for a challenge.

Smiling Through the Snow

Yowza! Can you say "SNOW!"

We had an abundance of the white stuff this past week in Iowa. Let's be honest...it IS the winter season. Even though January treated us to some unseasonably (dare I say) warm temps and weather conditions, it was only a matter of time before the real winter arrived.

All is well, though. While I don't love the cold of winter, I can deal with it. On occasion, I can smile about it, too. 

COFFEE TALK!

It would appear that Winter 2021 has finally made its grand entrance.

After all, this Midwest gal knows what a real Midwest winter feels like. Even though January treated us to a (mostly) mild winter interlude, the real winter weather was bound to show up. 

With the arrival of said real winter, I've been craving hot beverages 'round the clock. I also enjoy hanging with my running and fitness cohorts. What say we gather (virtually, of course), and have some (virtual) chatter. Shall we? 

Allstate Hot Chocolate Virtual 5K

Disclaimer: I received a registration to the Allstate Hot Chocolate Virtual 5K - Houston as part of being a Bibrave Pro. Learn more about becoming a Bibrave Pro (ambassador), check out Bibrave.com to review, find, and write race reviews.

When you cannot make it to the race, the race comes to you. Or something like that.

We've all toed the virtual start line of a virtual race, right? For many of us, a virtual race is a last resort, at least in terms of "racing." I've been guilty, many times, of treating a virtual race more like a training run than an actual race itself. 

Sometimes, though, a virtual race can have all the feels (or most of them) as an in-person event. Like, for example, when a runner rallies back from her first-ever stress fracture...