Sunday, July 25, 2021

Summer Smiling While the Sun is Shining


There's been a lot of smiling happening.

Believe it or not, we had an entire week of sunshine! 

We also had an entire week of summer temps and humidity, but it's a package deal and one I'm quite content with. I was able to see the sunrise most mornings, and that always ensures an awesome start to each new day.

Before I share all the sunshiny 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 8:00AM (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 this week:

Sunday sunshiny Sunday
For the first time, in a very long time, I took a pass on a post-long-run recovery run. I did, however, get out for a vigorous 2-mile "recovery" walk, amidst the rising sun. A short while later, the hubs and I loaded-up the bikes and met Mike and Amy for a 45-mile ride along the Chichaqua Valley Trail. We've ridden this trail a lot, last summer/fall as well as this season...it's a rail trail, and has a decent amount of shade cover. Later, we learned it was National Day of Ice Cream, so we let Max lead us on a 3-mile walk to the local hangout after dinner.



Another Never Miss A Monday (for the #DoubleWorkout win)
After Saturday's 14-mile extravaganza and Sunday's 45-mile ride, my legs were still feeling a bit fatigued. I ran a different route for my early morning 3-miler, and skipped the usual 1/4-mile surges and strides. There also were a couple miles walked (at work, and after dinner) and Gustavas took me for an 8.5-mile ride after work. 


Easy-Peasy-Walk-With-Me Tuesday
The beautiful morning afforded me a 2-mile walk before work, and another 1-miler mid-morning. I also snagged a 2-mile walk as the sun was setting. A good (recovery) day to have a great (walking) day.

Double-the-fun Workout Wednesday
It was another balmy morning for the weekly early-morning 5-miler with Barb. Oh well, a little sweat never hurt no one.

Later, after work, the hubs and I met Mike and Amy at the bike path. The temps were definitely hot, but the humidity was moderate. The wind was barely an issue this week, which made for a much easier adventure on all those hills. Fifteen total miles for the day, 12 of which were on the hills. BTW, don't ever dare me to lift my bike over my head...


Thankful Thursday
Another recovery day for the legs...just some upper-body strength work and walking (4 total miles). I'm thankful for these non-running/biking days, and so are my legs LOL.


Flirting-with-the-sunrise Friday
I haven't done much early morning riding this summer. If I'm not running, I'm usually walking in the early morning hours (then sometimes biking after work). Friday morning, I decided to change that...just six miles to keep things low-key (in prepping for the big weekend), but that sunrise was a show-stopper (and so was the moon...see below).


Long Run Saturday
How do you say you're an Iowa runner without saying you're an Iowa runner? You pause, at mile 6.5 of your 10-miler, and strike a pose in front of some cornstalks. All kidding aside, these 10 miles were challenging...the temps were warm (79F, 81% humidity) and my body just wasn't feeling like moving faster than a slug on its own struggle bus. No aches or pains (thankfully!), and I did have water with me, but this run was more about distance than it was speed LOL (and that's alright).



Gearing up for a big Sunday!
The hubs brainwashed me into riding the first day of Ragbrai with him on Sunday...so we'll be on the road, pedaling our bikes 84ish miles for Day-1 of this annual ride across the state of Iowa. Stay tuned...I'll be delayed with all things blogging until Sunday evening, but I will try to drop a few pics/stories on Instagram via my bike. 

Although the temps (and humidity) were nice and high this week, I was able to stay pretty active outdoors. Honestly, our summers are too short in Iowa, so I'm trying to take full advantage of every sunshine-filled moment, no matter the heat. So, in anticipation of the Ragbrai ride, the running got scaled back a bit - 21 miles in the running shoes. Walking had 17 miles. Biking had just under 75 miles. And, 40 flights of stairs (running warm-ups) and one upper-body strength workout. Yadda yadda yadda.

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

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair! I'm all about the basic black and white, but a little bit of turquoise can't hurt. Just don't forget your lipstick.


My favorite lily. This beautiful lily came with the house, and for  many years it only had one bloom. There were a few summers, though, when it didn't bloom and I'd feared we'd never see it again. Then, in 2017, I'd just gotten home from a week's stay in the hospital, and the bloom had reappeared. The following year, it had three blooms and every year since it's had four blooms. This year, it's blooming a couple weeks later than usual, but the blooms are looking bigger than before and they smell so sweet.  


And, finally, did anyone else catch the full moon? It was just the moon, myself and me Friday evening. It was another warm run - three miles in similar temps to Saturday's run, but the evening was so  peaceful and tranquil! The moon had a beautiful reddish-orange glow, but it looks white in the pic (it's right below my pinky finger). I'm really loving these full moon runs...this is my third one in a row, and I hope to keep up this monthly ritual for awhile.


Anyways, that's another week done and dusted. Summer really seems to be going fast this year; hard to believe the solstice was a month ago already! I haven't really noticed much of a difference with the daylight yet (or maybe I'm just in denial)...have you?

How are things in your fitness world? Any races happening, or are you training for a big race on the Fall calendar? Has it been unusually humid in your area this summer?


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39 comments:

  1. We've lost about 50 minutes of daylight in the morning alone. I find it very noticeable. Let's not even talk about the evening. Sigh. Have so much fun riding today!

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    1. I'm probably not noticing the diminishing daylight (yet) because I'm outside every morning regardless. If I was only doing the #5at5's, I'd see a noticeable difference....so for me, denial is my strong suit LOL

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  2. wow you had another really active week! It was too cloudy here to see the moon the other night. Hope you have a really fun time today on your bike

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    1. I was glad to see the moon! A month ago, we had cloud cover (which eventually parted as we were finishing our run).

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  3. Sadly yes I am starting to notice a bit less daylight in the morning...oh well. We finally had some cooler weather this week which makes me very excited for fall racing.

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    1. We have a continued heat wave until Thursday...then it will "drop" to the mid-80F's ;-)

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  4. I'm so excited that you're riding Ragbrai with Pat! Can't wait to hear all about it! Perhaps next year we'll be joining you?

    Thanks for the linkup and have a great week!

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    1. It would be great to have some fit chicks (and their roosters) to join us!

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  5. Have fun this weekend -- I know you will!

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    1. The ride was a big undertaking! It had some tough moments, but I'm glad I ventured out of the comfort zone ;-)

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  6. Wow and woah on Ragbrai! I know you are in shape for it and hope you really enjoy it! I haven’t been getting up early enough to miss the daylight until this week I finally stopped hitting snooze and it was barely light when I took Scooby out! ~sigh!

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    1. For me, I typically don't notice the change in daylight (because I'm outside, early, daily). But then, all of a sudden, it hits me that it's not as bright as it had been...

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  7. Holy cow, I thought 45 miles was a lot but 84...Wowza! Can't wait to hear all about this. I haven't been on my bike at all this summer ( because I have no way to transport it to the trail. I really should get an SUV...haha).

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    1. And it wound up being just over 88 miles LOL I'm glad I was in shape for it becauae there were some tough "mental" moments in the heat amongst the hills...

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  8. Your posts remind me of summers growing up- I lived just outside of Chicago, suffered through the bitterly cold winters, and then loved every single second of summer. I loved the heat and even the humidity! (Loved it so much that I moved to Florida, and now I'm not AS crazy about it... but I remember those days.)
    Your bike adventure sounds awesome! Can't wait to hear all about it. And, way to embrace your Iowa-ness- love the cornstalks picture!

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    1. Right? Although the summer heat can feel oppressive at times, to me it feels so much better than the frigid chill of winter.

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  9. Enjoy Ragbrai! I have had several friends ride it in past years. Isn't it over several days? I have to admit I am surprised that you can ride so many miles in sandals!

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    1. Yes, Ragbrai goes for an entire week. The hubby usually does the full week, and has been begging me for years to join him...I finally caved and did Day-1 this year.

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  10. Have loved following your lillies. Enjoy Ragbrai!
    My eyelids enjoy the later sunrises, but I'm going to miss the after work runs too

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    1. Thank you! I think all flowers have their own unique beauty, but lilies are just in a league of their won.

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  11. We've had a heatwave this past week - over 80 every day and our houses are just not built for it. I only ran once, having walked to and from our inaugural running club practice run on Tues night and come home dripping, but fortunately it's cooled down now enough to get some miles in yesterday and today. Hope the big cycle ride is going well!

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    1. The big ride went well...though it was a long day. It wound up being just over 88 total miles...in the midst of a substantial heat wave of our own ;-)

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  12. Have a great time at Ragbrai! All the sunshine is wonderful isn't it? Great week Kim! Love the lily.

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  13. We had a few days of nice weather this week before the heat returned. As long as we get breaks once in awhile I feel like I can handle it! And like you said, the summer seems to go by too quickly!

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    1. We usually have breaks with the extreme heat (or at least the humidity), but this year has really done its own thing LOL That said, I still prefer sweating it out in the heat as opposed to the cold (under multiple layers).

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  14. Fantastic week for you! Have so much fun at Ragbrai! Looking forward to hearing all about it.

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    1. Thanks, Michelle ;-) Ragbrai was definitely a new thing for me...out of my comfort zone, but all went well and, ironically, I never felt "out of my element."

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  15. wow that is along ride. Enjoy,

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    1. Yes, it wound up being just over 88 total miles #YIKES

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  16. How exciting about Ragbrai! Will you be doing "just" one day? I will confess that I missed the full moon. However, I did noticed the sunset on Thursday. It was orange/reddish and beautiful.

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    1. Oh yes, 'just" one day for me LOL The hubby usually does the entire week, though. I just don't want to take off of work for an entire week of riding (I wouldn't do that for running either).

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  17. I was thankful that we had a few good days or 'normal' summer weather this week - the crazy humidity was killing me!

    I can't wait to hear all about how the bike ride went today!

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    1. The humidity seems to have been pretty extreme everywhere this summer...

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  18. Glad you succeed in doing long runs (and not only) also in full summer!!!! You are a real runner.
    I can't wait to read about the Ragbrai.
    We are planning our first moon run too.

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    1. OOOh, enjoy the moon run! It's kind of a quirky, very non-traditional thing...which is what makes it so fun!

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  19. nice week Kim! and super impressed with your biking and running these days!

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  20. The moon was insane this week! It also meant the kids and pets were insane, but such is life lol!

    Love that photo with your bike over your head! This was a big weekend for you and I can't wait to read more about it!

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