Another Winter, Another Streak

Oops, I'm streaking again!

But, rest assured, this oops is intentional.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, so that means it's time for my annual "Get Me Through The Solstice" end-of-year ritual.

This can be a difficult time of year. The racing season has come to a close for many of us. The daylight is on a downward spiral. The weather is a bit dismal. A little incentive to stay active through the holiday season never hurt anyone, myself included.

Enter: the Runner's World Winter Run Streak.

Outside is Alright

Yes, it was another cold week.

But the fresh air? The breathtaking sunsets and sunrises? The company of friends? A house full of family?  All made for a worthwhile week of fitness and fun, and the frigid temps were bearable.

Yes, you read that correctly. The cold of the pre-winter season wasn't too bad...

'Fession Time, Feelin' Fine

Here we 'fess again...time to bare (our running soles) and share (a few things).

Funny how each month I wonder if there will be anything that needs 'fessing, and somehow I never have any trouble finding it. Or, maybe these 'fess-worthy things find me?

None the less, here's what's going down at the Runfessional this month... 

Thankful.Grateful.Blessed.

Thankful. Grateful. Blessed. These three things are paramount, year-round, but especially this time of year.

This has been quite a year, for us all. So many changes, and still so many unknowns. Yet, so much to be thankful for.

I've written previous Thankful posts (in 2020, 2019, in 2018, in 2017, in 2016, in 2015 and in 2014), and I honestly don't know if I could say it any better. Bear with me, I'm going to go with (mainly) what's been said before, but tweak some of it to make it more current.

Feeling Fall's Big Chill

How would I best describe this week? 

In a word, BRRR! If I could add a second word, it would be WINDY!

But I digress. As much as I detest the fall season, I desperately try to hang on (ever so tightly) to it. Why? Because I detest the winter season even more (at least in terms of the cold weather). 

While we didn't have actual full-blown (I use that term loosely, LOL) winter weather, we did have winter temps. There was some sunshine, thank goodness, so the chill of the wind wasn't as bad as it could have been, but still BRRR (have I said that already?). 

Tough Races Make For Tough Runners

 

That which doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.

Have you ever been caught in an especially tough race, training run or competitive/endurance event? Were you able to dig deep and persevere to the finish line? Did you have enough grit to keep that proverbial white flag from flying?

I have had races where everything fell into place... the weather was optimal, my energy was on-point, the race course wasn't especially hilly or difficult. And, there have been many other races that took more work than usual to stay on course (no pun intended). These were challenging races that forced me to tap into my "grit reserve." 

Thankfully, these tough races have made me a much tougher runner...and stronger for the fight.

Here are some of them...

with a little help from My Friends

Friends. Honestly, can we ever have too many?

I think not!

This week had all sorts of action, and the majority of it involved the company of friends while it happened. Lucky me! 

There was also plenty of chilly weather. Oh well, it can't all be sunshine and warmth. Truth be told, we are entering the season of darkness and cold...

Knockin' Around in my Knockarounds

Disclaimer: I received two pairs of Knockaround sunglasses (to try out and review) as part of being a Bibrave Pro. Learn more about becoming a Bibrave Pro (ambassador), and check out Bibrave.com to review, find, and write race reviews.

The fall season's been so bright, I simply had to wear shades.

After all, we need to protect our eyes from the sun and wind. Besides, a little wrinkle prevention never hurt anyone. And, we might as well look stylish as we do so, am I right?

With my dry skin, and sensitive eyes, I've always been an advocate for sunglasses. Whether I'm outdoors, logging some miles in the running shoes, or within the confines of my car, I gotta wear shades. 

But not just any shades....

Chicago Hot Chocolate 15K race recap

 Yes, I'll gladly run for chocolate!

...and if I can do it with a friend? All the better!

The city was Chicago, the date was this past Sunday (November 7th), and the race was the Hot Chocolate 15K, a national series that has venues in various cities across the United States. Oh, and did I mention there was hot chocolate at the finish line?

BRRRing It!

This week? Brrr, things got cold!

There was frost on the ground every morning (which does look quite magical and sparkly in the o'dark thirty hours) and the wind kept us humble. Thankfully, Momma N sprinkled in plenty of sunshine and kept the rain (and snow, LOL) away.

Alas, all those cold temps rewarded us with all kinds of beautiful color, courtesy of the trees. So it wasn't all bad. 

How About a Chai Chat

Here we are again!

It's that time of year when I'm downing the hot chai lattes several times on the daily. It's also that time of the month for gathering and chatting (virtually) over chai, coffee or any beverage of one's choosing. 

If you have your mug in hand, let's get this chatter party started...

Taming the Treadmill Trepidation

The treadmill has been my nemesis for quite some time.

I'm not afraid of it. I'm not intimidated by it. I'm certainly not in a battle with it. But I avoid running on it at (almost) all cost.

A bigger-than-BIG goal of mine, each winter, is to have a much more open mind and a welcoming heart when it comes to indoor running. Heck, if I can make it through the 2019 Polar Vortex (and endure upwards of 20 Milly runs, all in one season), I can probably survive most any (near) catastrophic experience.

That's not an exaggeration.