Sunday, May 30, 2021

Can We Just Pick A Lane?


Well, well, well. Momma N seems to have been going through a state of confusion.

Warm and humid one day, windy the next. Followed by pleasant temps, without any wind! Oh, and just for good measure, let's drop the temps (by 30+ degrees) and threaten a late-season frost advisory!

Bless her dear erratic heart, at least she didn't throw any snow in my direction. 

Before I share all the 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 little world of fitness this week:

Never miss a Monday, and let's make it a double!
Nice temps and a bright sunrise had me heading out for a pre-workday 5K. After work, Gustavas and I spent 10 miles together. After the previous eight days of rain, the sunshine and dry road conditions were most welcome.
 

Typical easy-peasy Tuesday.
No running on the schedule, but a 2-mile walk is definitely allowed. After work, I managed a windy 8-mile ride while the mani dried, but had to head home (a few miles early) when the sprinkles started falling. Of course, the rain stopped shortly after I got back home.
  

A double-double win-win Wednesday.
With one final 1-mile time trial on deck, Wednesday morning was the most optimal time to get it done (besides, the weekly #5at5 was being substituted for something different...see below). I was both looking forward to this last 1-miler (because I was ready to be done LOL), but dreading it as well (Ugh, SO much self-imposed pressure to to beat the previous PR of 7:13). Well, the weather could not have been more perfect (low humidity and pleasant temps) and my legs just did their thing on the wet track (overnight rain). Gotta say, this 1-miler felt the "easiest" of all of them...though I missed the PR by one second. Oh well, that was an easy thing to shrug off because the 7:14 finish still was my second fastest 1-mile, ever, and I truly was glad to have this final time trial done. Onward!


Then, Wednesday evening, there was the first-ever Full Moon Run! I put out an invite, on our local running/fitness page, and several runners showed up at 9:00PM. We ran a simple 5-mile out-and-back route, and witnessed the most beautiful orange-hued full moon rising as we made our way back to town. The temps were a comfortable 70F, the humidity was only at 49%, and the wind was a no-show. Total perfection! Eight total miles for the day (1-mile warm-up and 1-mile time trial, then the 5-mile moon run, and 1/2-mile commute to the meet-up and back).


Recovery Day Thursday.
After Wednesday's speedy 1-miler and late-night run, my lower-body had earned a day off...but upper-body strength work was ON. Don't be fooled by the tank top and shorts...the wind and rain arrived almost immediately afterwards for my 1-mile walk before I headed to the office. The temps continued to drop throughout the day, and the rain continued to fall intermittently. I was able to get in another walk after work, but the wind was so crazy cold that I called it good after only one mile. 


Friday fitness...mostly indoors.
As mentioned, the temps got cold...we're talking record-setting cold temps for this day in history. There also was rain coming down, so I white-flagged any outdoor morning activity and hit the indoor bike. The bike was giving me fits and attitude, though...every time I adjusted the resistance, the mileage reset. So, I think I did approximately five miles of intervals (but the world will never know for certain LOL). The rain had tapered off by afternoon, so the hubby and Max and I took a quick 1-mile walk before dinner...but the temps were still winter-like.


A somber, but sunny, long run Saturday.
Early Friday afternoon, the verdict was read for the murder trial of Mollie Tibbetts. For those who are unaware, Mollie was a 20-year old runner (who lived 20 miles from us) who went for a run and never came back (July 2018). While I did not personally know her, our younger daughter did. After nearly three years, her assailant was found GUILTY of 1st degree murder. My 8-miler, on Saturday, was for Mollie. The temps were cold (42F, with a 37F feels-like), the wind was strong, but the sun was shining bright. This run felt tough, but it wasn't about me.  I hope Mollie can rest easy, now that justice has been served, and I sincerely hope that her friends, family, and community can find some semblance of closure from this horrific tragedy.
 

An action-packed Sunny Sunday.
I awoke (before my alarm, LOL) to a beautiful sunny morning. With our first long bike ride of the season on the the day's roster, why not go for a short run? I'm not one to pass up a sunrise, after all. Just a couple easy-paced miles, and some sunrise mojo, made for a perfect start to the day. (I'll be on the road, literally, until late afternoon, so I won't have a chance to read/comment on the linked blogs until later...thanks for your patience!).
 

So, despite the crazy roller coaster-like weather, I'm happy with how everything played out. The running miles were strong (21), and the walking miles, again, were a bit meh (10). No specific lower-body strength work, but a good upper-body workout. Plenty of stair-work (50 flights, as part of my pre-running warm-up). And biking! As this post goes live, there's 23 miles in the biking bank, but there's an additional 44 (approximately) on tap for Sunday's ride. 

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

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair! Even with the colder-than-cold temps, I was determined to still dress like it was Spring (says the gal who wore her winter jacket to work LOL). After all, bright colors certainly can brighten one's day. Too bad my toes were freezing cold all day long. 


This week's flower feature is all about the peonies (and those Siberian Iris that were on the verge of blooming a week ago). I have several varieties of peonies; some are done blooming, some are just budding, and some are showcasing all their glorious beauty. Sigh...

And, lest we forget, Memorial Day is on Monday. This day is not about thanking the (living) vets or those currently in uniform, but about honoring those who gave their lives for the freedoms we get to enjoy daily. If you're looking for ideas on how to pay tribute, via your running shoes, here are a few suggestions from a previous post, Fitness Options for Honoring Memorial Day (HERE).

How did your week play out? Did your temps take a serious nosedive as well? Any fun running conquests or achievements to share? Any plans for honoring Memorial Day?


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41 comments:

  1. I love your idea of doing a Full Moon Run with local runner friends! How fun!

    Momma N is nuts back home. Yesterday's high was 59° and rainy dropping to the low 50's and I just checked and right now it's 49° and rainy. Not to worry, we're in sunny Florida!

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    1. Florida sounds lovely, especially in comparison to all the other weather most of us have been experiencing.

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  2. Nice job on those time trials! Do you have a challenge for June? I love to see you doing group runs too.

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    1. I need to come up with a challenge for June! I also have to get my 26.2 training in order because I'll need to start ramping up my long runs. Ugh...I'm excited for the marathon (mid-September), but not eager to dive into training for it LOL

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  3. My husband turned the A/C on “early” last week because it was so hot (in the 90s) but today he had to turn the heat back in (in the 50s). I think it’s supposed to be in the 70s tomorrow. I’m glad I don’t have young kids clambering to go to the pool this weekend.

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    1. Even with the warmer weather (and humidity) the previous week, we never got above the low-80F's. This weekend was chilly! It was tough figuring out an ideal bike outfit for yesterday's ride...

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  4. Great week of workouts for you despite the crazy weather. Love the idea of a full moon run. So tranquil!

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    1. The full moon run was a lot of fun! We all gasped, when we turned around, and saw the moon rising as we made our way back to town.

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  5. Momma N is definitely confused and needs to get it together! It's been raining on and off here since Friday, and it's been pretty cold too. It's the perfect weekend to stay under the covers.

    I was so happy to hear that there was justice for Molly and her family. I can't imagine how hard the past few years have been for her friends and family.

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    1. Frankly, I was shocked the creep actually was handed a GUILTY verdict. As much as I wanted him to be charged, I was afraid the jury would hand over a lesser charge. It took me a good 45 minutes to get my composure, after hearing the verdict...I was an emotional mess because I was so relieved.

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  6. The weather was up and down here as well. The forecast for next week hits 98 degrees! Goodness.

    Great job on the 1- mile! The full moon run sounds really neat too.

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    1. I haven't even looked much at this week's forecast, I just know it's going to be much warmer ;-) The 1-mile time trials were a fun challenge, but I'm glad they're done...I'm ready for some other speedwork options LOL

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  7. We had roller coaster weather here too. It was 90 and humid early this week, now its in the 40s and raining. Ugh. That night run sounds like fun but theres no way I could run that late in the day!

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    1. The full moon run was fun! I wouldn't want to do it every night, but it was a nice change of routine.

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  8. Congrats on a strong finish to your 1 mile challenge! You did great.

    Yes, our weather was also crazy, except it's been raining for almost the entire weekend. Boo hiss. Although I managed to run dry, so there's a win!

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    1. Thank you, Judy ;-) The 1-mile challenge was a big comfort zone violation, which is why I did it. That said, I'm ready to move on to something else LOL

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  9. Crazy weather you guys are having!!! Sounds like you had a fulfilling week though. I love the double on Wednesday of the time trial (yay for 7:14!) and the full moon run. Hope you're out now having an incredible bike ride- I want to hear all about it!

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    1. Yes, the weather has been all over the place LOL The bike ride went well, but UGH...I woke up this morning feeling pretty exhausted. The hubs, who has not been on a bike since late last fall, has a pretty angry tush at the moment LOL

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  10. Great job with your time trials! And I love the idea of your full moon run :)

    The weather was a roller coaster here this week as well and now I'm wondering if I need to build an ark LOL

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    1. Prior to this past week, we had eight days of non-stop rain so I know what you mean about the ark. Thankfully, the rain wasn't real heavy, but it was DAILY.

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  11. Same weather as you. Glad it will warm up now. Great job on your 1 mile!!

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    1. This weekend was oddly cold for Memorial Day. Not a deal-breaker, but definitely colder than what we usually have. It's no secret I'm looking forward to some consistent warm weather!

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  12. The weather sure has been all over the place! It sure was hard to return to the cold, especially after being in the heat of the south. I'm glad to see that it's going to warm back up again.

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    1. Yes, bring on the heat of summer! I've been waiting for this since last Fall!

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  13. Congrats on a successful one mile time!

    FOMO on your full moon run!

    Our weekend is pretty soggy. 10 miles in the cold rain was not fun but better than no race.

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    1. Your 10-miler looked miserable! A cold rain is not a fun way to knock out 10 miles (or any distance, for that matter).

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  14. The Fool Moon Run is such a fun idea. I saw the full moon accidentally,from a grocery store parking lot. It was so pretty! I can only imagine how an entire run, looking at that moon, would be like!

    The highlights of my week have been a trip to South Haven, MI and also a hike, a few days ago.

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    1. Technically, we weren't able to see the full moon the entire run since we still had some daylight when we started...but that just made it even more special to watch it rising as we ran the final miles. A bunch of us want to make this a monthly ritual ;-)

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  15. Well done on your 1-mile time trials! That was a great training idea.

    That's tragic about Mollie. Did her murderer know her or was it a random attack? So nice of you to dedicate your run to her.

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    1. Thanks for all the kind words on the 1-milers. They were a fun challenge, but I'm glad to have them over and done (for now). I think Mollie's assailant did know her; the town they lived in was really small, so there's not much anonymity. He was caught on video tape driving back and forth several times, while she was running...so he definitely was stalking her on that one unfortunate evening.

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  16. Our temps have been all over the place this past week too ( 90 one day and 56 then next)!
    I am so glad to hear that Mollie has not been forgotten and that justice has been served. Still such a horrible incident that was SO unfair! Ugg, makes me angry just thinking about it!

    Your night time full moon run sounds perfect! I'm looking forward to some night running this summer! -M

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    1. I don't do a lot of night running, because it just works out to run in the early hours better for me, but it is quite a tranquil experience!

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  17. Wow I'm so glad he was found guilty! I remember when that happened that's so sad. It's horrible that we as women have to worry about this kind of stuff when we are just trying to be fit and enjoy ourselves. There was a woman killed on the riverwalk where I run a lot in Tampa just last week wearing exercise clothes. :-(

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    1. I was so relieved he was found guilty as well. I mean, he lead the police to the body, so he obviously had something to do with it. It's so unfair that we have to always be on guard when we go out...

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  18. good to know that mother nature was drunk where you are as well... we are in solidarity with each other!

    I'm glad that justice has finally been served for Mollie. But still what a tragedy. So young.

    Love the idea of your full moon run. How fun!

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    1. Momma N definitely has been under the influence of something LOL Mollie's tragedy is so heart-breaking. I'm glad this creep will no longer be a threat to anyone.

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  19. My running achievement is hitting 400 days in my running streak! That was my recent goal and I'm happy to have made it, and know that I can come close to stopping now :) Also, I LOVE your Friday fashion outfit!

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    1. That's amazing to make it to 400 days! Huge congrats to you ;-)

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  20. I am so glad that justice was served for Mollie. Now the healing can really begin.

    We are in summer mode. The mornings and evenings are pleasant, but otherwise, it's just hot and humid all the time. Ugh.

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  21. Great idea to do a full moon run, and it sounded perfect!

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  22. That night run sounds fun - and 70 degrees? That's a nice warm summer night temp! We're in the process of trying to get our pool cleaned out. It's going to be warm this weekend so we need to get it ready! How often do you paint your nails? I actually painted mine last week and I was bummed the mani only lasted a few days :(

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