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...

Before I share all the frosty 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 in my world this week:

Never miss a (cold) Monday.

When do sub-ZERO temps feel invigorating? Immediately after a hot 3-mile treadmill run, that's when. Gotta keep that glass half full, right? Running inside is a choice...I could have chosen to run outside (on the dangerous streets), or not at all. As much as I curse the treadmill, I never take for granted that I have one. 'Nuff said. Oh, and 10 bonus biking miles (also inside) after work.

 

Another "chill" Tuesday.

Easy-peasy day...five miles on the elliptical, and a bone-chilling 1-mile walk after work.

Not-so-wonderful Wednesday.

Already, this was my fourth consecutive Milly run, and (already) things were feeling strained with our relationship. No one said it would be easy, right? Treadmill runs and Iowa winters are not for the faint of heart. Thankfully, by the time we got to the fourth mile, I'd found my groove and the run ended on a good note. There also was (another) frigid walk after work, followed by (another) indoor 10-mile bike ride. I was totally cool with that.

Thursday on the down-low.

Not much happening, but I did sneak in some upper-body strength work disguised as a core workout (in the wee hours). You know it's a good workout when the DOMS show up before bedtime. Another freeze-your-face 1-mile post-workday walk also happened. At least, with the increasing daylight, all of my after-work walks have a glimmer of sunlight.

Frigid and frosty Friday.

Though the temps be cold (-8F, with -29F feels-like) and the winds be foul....Blah Blah Blah. I came up with an inverted pyramid interval endeavor (say that three times):

**20 flights of stairs (double-stepped)

**1 moderate mile on the 'mill (9:30 pace for me)

**10 more flights of stairs (also double-stepped)

**another moderate mile on the 'mill (also at 9:30 pace)

**20 final flights of stairs (double-stepped as well)

Total time was 33 minutes. The cardio was more than sufficient, the legs were worked over, and the sweat equity was intense. The outdoor selfie felt incredible afterwards.

Stuck-inside Saturday.

Barb and I had considered venturing to the lake, and running laps. After all, each lap, around the lake, is a mile in length, and we'd have some shelter from the wind. With all the snow we'd gotten, though, and the insanely cold weather, it was doubtful the path would be cleared. So, I summoned Milly (again) for five sweaty miles. These miles didn't feel fabulous, but they definitely felt much better than Wednesday's did. I'm calling that a win. Afterwards, I pedaled and chatted with Renee, Debbie, Kim, Michelle, and Coco for 10 miles. I'm calling that a win as well!

Sunny (on the inside) Sunday.

Yikes! The temps were showing -11F (with a crazy -32F feel-like). I'm usually saying "Go bright or go home," but I opted for "Go pink and stay home." After all, it was Valentine's Day, and pink is a variation of red. Five miles of elliptical (and a couple walking miles with Milly), and that was that. Not sure if the daily outside (1-mile) walk streak will sustain this day...stay tuned.

 So, there definitely was more happening indoors than outdoors this week. It is what it is, and I have complete confidence this crazy cold spell will not last forever (word has it that we may reach the 20F's on Wednesday!). Although not mentioned, the daily planks and push-ups are still going strong. Also, I'm incorporating 10 flights of stair runs as part of my warm-up routine for my runs.

Here's the stats:

*running: 14 miles

*walking: 8 miles

*biking: 30 miles

*elliptical: 10 miles

*stairs: 80 flights (includes pre-run warm-ups and Thursday's interval workout)

*strength: (1) upper-body and (1) lower-body

 

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

Smiling Through The Snow

5 Words; 5 Hashtags

Winter Running - It has its rewards

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair! As mentioned, Friday was a very chilly day in Iowa, but I wasn't "blue" about it (more of a "teal" state of mind). What you can't see is the base layer under the t-neck sweater (under the hand-crafted poncho). So, yes, we're talking triple layers here (and I was still cold all day, even with the wrist warmers). At least we had the sun intermittently poking through the clouds. You do what you gotta do. Care to join me? Post a pic of your Friday outfit on Instagram, grab the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair) and be sure to tag me (@runningonthefly).

Remember that favorite race of mine, DAM to DSM? Registration opened at 10:00 on Thursday, and within the first hour, over 1,250 spots were filled. I was able to secure my registration within the first five minutes (#whew). Hopefully, by the August 28th race date, things will be somewhat stable and the race will hold...but they are giving us the option to defer, run virtual, or get a refund should there be any "Covid-related complications." 

And finally, Winter. It's been a doozy, just in the past couple of weeks. I've lost count on how much snow Momma N has dumped on Iowa since February arrived. The streets have been plowed, but they're still pretty unsafe for running (says the gal who usually doesn't hesitate to head outside). The temps have been in the low single digits at best, and the wind has been wicked...so, even if the streets weren't such a hazard, the conditions just aren't safe. That said, I have been able to at least get outside for my daily walks. Alas, with each cold week, we are one week closer to Spring (and Summer!).

How are things in your world? Are you entertaining polar vortex-type of weather? Have you been able to get outside, or have you been confined to the great indoors?

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