Back in the PINK of things

 How is it that we're already a full week into October???

Thankfully, the weather felt like a continuation from the previous week's return-to-summer party. Granted, it wasn't quite as warm (until the weekend), but it definitely felt more like late-summer than early-fall. Add in all the pink colored stuff everywhere, and it was a pretty-in-pink kind of week.

Before I share all the pink 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 in my little corner of the fitness universe this week:

Not my typical Sunday...

To pick up from where we left off last week, the hubby, myself, and our friend had spent a whirlwind weekend in the DC/Baltimore area. We'd witnessed a big Iowa Hawkeye victory over the Maryland Terrapins (late) Friday evening, I'd run a virtual 5K with Deb, we'd hung out with our son, and spent the greater part of Sunday in airports and airplanes. Going through TSA, in DC, this feathered traveler (below) had all of us smiling. I took it upon myself to pay-it-forward, while in line at the Starbucks...only to find out our incoming plane was late, causing our flight to be delayed...and then having to spend a good four hours in Detroit before another plane could fly us back to Des Moines. Oh well (#FirstWorldProbs). I estimated about three miles of airport walking, and then another short walk with Max after arriving home late Sunday afternoon.

Never miss a Monday!

Still feeling a bit groggy from the weekend's adventures, I knew the best remedy would be to just get outside and get moving. I may have slept a bit later than usual (like until actually 6:00AM), so I didn't make it outdoors until 6:20 (or thereabouts). Just a couple of easy miles, in the fresh air, had me rejuvenated and ready for a long day at the office. 

After work, I'd thought of going for a bike ride, but the wind was not playing nice. Then, I got the invite to join some gals for pickle ball. I rode over to the court (about a mile), and then spent 70-ish minutes chasing the ball and swinging and hitting with vigor. The game is kind of a combination of tennis, ping pong and badminton; and played on a court similar to a tennis court. I think I'll really like the game once I figure out the scoring system.

  

Easy-peasy Tuesday-Schmooze Day

My legs were feeling a bit tired after the rousing pickle ball match. Tuesdays are usually a low-maintenance day anyways, so I got in a 2-mile walk as the sun was starting to rise, with plans for an after-work bike ride.

Later, the wind (again) was having an attitude. The temps were chilly and there were a few sprinkles hitting the windshield on the drive home. Yuck. I decided it was time for a reunion with Sebbe. Remember him, my stationary bike? After 50ish minutes of somewhat high-speed pedaling, my legs felt both tired and refreshed at the same time. I like it when that happens! 

Another double workout Wednesday.

Nothing out of the ordinary for this week's #5at5...cloudy skies and damp air, but very comfortable temps. No complaints! 

After work it was time (again) for another adventure on the bike path with Amy and Barb. This was ride #18 (getting ever close to the big 20!). We (begrudgingly) fought the wind. We (somewhat) conquered the hills. And we (joyfully) beat the rain. 

Triple Threat Thursday (and then some).

Somehow, this day got away from me. It started innocently enough with some upper-body strength work and a 1.5-mile walk before heading to the office. Then there were a couple more miles walked at work, and a quick walk with Max over lunch. I'd planned on meeting a friend (Sandy) for pickle ball, so I did an 8-mile ride before hitting the court. We "pickleballed" for a good 80 minutes (this time singles). Back home, I decided to ride a few (or 12) more miles with Sebbe, then did a little more upper-body strength work. Then, I hit the sack.

A Friday fitness 'fession...

I may have overdone it a bit on Thursday. While I didn't feel overly exhausted Friday morning, I knew my body needed some downtime and TLC. I did some early-morning stretching and foam rolling, walked a mile on my morning break, and walked two miles after the work day had finished (it was 80F, and I just couldn't stay  inside). I did even more stretching and rolling in the evening...and nothing more.

A full-day Saturday

With the IMT Des Moines Marathon weekend looming (I'm running the 5-mile race next Saturday and the 13.1 on Sunday), I thought it best to get in one last "long" training run. After all, I hadn't done a long run since the 11-miler on September 18th. I left the house a little after 6:00, ran just short of four miles, and met up with Barb for six more miles. Thankfully, the temps were perfect, the miles felt good, and I finished the 10 miles with a 10:15 average pace. I'm good with that! Afterwards, there was a lot of stretching and rolling, and then several miles of "football game/tailgate" walking. (see below).

  

What's on tap for Sunday? I'm planning on an easy day of walking and some bike riding. There may be some serious salsa-making as well (#TooManyTomatoes).

The week played out well, though it did feel rather "active" with the addition of pickle ball squeezed into the mix. Running was borderline conservative with 17 miles, walking had 21 miles, and biking had 49 miles. The two strength sessions were fairly short (less than 20 minutes), but that's the way I like them. I'd rather do short (but intense) sessions than longer sessions (with a lot of "recovery" time in between the various exercises).

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

When Summer Stages an Encore

Kickoff to Kinnick 5K - a fun virtual endeavor

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair! In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I'm showcasing the color pink as much as possible. After all, there are so many varieties of it, the options are quite plentiful. I love the pop of color it gives to a cheetah print blouse...almost makes the blouse look like a "neutral" piece.

Saturday was a big day for football in the state of Iowa. The #3 rated Hawkeyes hosted the #4 rated Nittany Lions of Penn State. My gal, Kim (from KookyRunner), is a Penn State alumni so the two of us texted back and forth a few times while the game was happening.  

...but in real life, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, things were CrAzY! This game was intense from the opening kickoff. Penn State lead for most of the game until Iowa was able take the lead with about six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Iowa fans were decked out in their requisite black and gold (and even had the designated colors "assigned" to the various sections of seating), and they were louder than a rock band (and I have been to many a rock concert LOL). Penn State turned the ball over, in the final seconds, and the clock ran out...and the fans stormed the field.

Finally, RoadID has brought back their limited edition pink collection for October. For every Pink ID sold, $10 is donated to the American Cancer Society. These are available for you, your loved ones and your furry friends. Last year, $40K was raised towards finding a cure for breast cancer...wouldn't it be great to surpass that number this year?

So, there you have it! Another week all wrapped up and tied with a bow. I'll be keeping the running very conservative this week, since I have the two races next weekend. I'll be spending some time on the bikes (great recovery as well as low-impact cardio), and will need to give some thought to how much pickle ball I actually have time for vs. how much is too much. Stay tuned...

How did your week play out? Any races, in-person or virtual? Ever heard of, or played, pickle ball? Have you ever stormed the field after a big victory?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter