We are runners, and runners run.
No matter what Momma N throws my way, I gotta keep moving and grooving.
What can I say? It's my best coping strategy. After all, sitting inside will not make the iffy weather pass any quicker.
It was another week of (mostly) undesirable weather. Some rain (though not as much as was in the forecast), unseasonably cool temps (again), and plenty of wind (I ask you, what's new?). But, it still was great to get outside and face each day head-on.
Well here we are again...or is it just me?
Another month, and a few more 'fessions to disclose.
Shall we get this 'fession party started?
Girl Power.
There's something about rallying together, over the course of 76ish miles, and getting it done. All kinds of grit. Lots of perseverance. A few tears along the way. An endless supply of support, encouragement, and laughter. And a finish line like none other.
I'm talking about the Market to Market Relay. And the sisterhood of six other runners and myself. And 12 hours (and nine minutes) of running. And a crowded van. And a nearly 18-hour day together...
This week was all about recovering and riding, which made for a perfect pair.
Fresh off the Market-to-Market Relay (and my 14-mile contribution), my body was ready for some down time. As I have said many times, if I've said it once, my body prefers recovery-in-motion. What better way to spend some quality time with Krystal (the new bike), getting to know one another?
My running muscles appreciated the TLC that the bike provides. My entire body benefited from the cardio fix. And my mind and soul soaked up all those feel-good vibes from being outdoors. Talk about your triple wins!
It's no secret that I love Summer.
And, I love summer running. I can say, in all honesty, Summer is my favorite season for running, as well as any form of fitness that I can take outside.
While many find the heat (and humidity) of the summer months too much to bear, I find it invigorating. After all, I'd rather be too hot than too cold. Call me crazy.
Well, suffice it to say it was a "mother" of a day.
It may have been Mother's Day, but it wasn't a typical Mother's Day for me. For 2022, Mother's Day came with the added bonus of a morning race...and it was a doozy!
We're talking all kinds of crazy (especially in terms of weather), blessing Iowa's capital city for the Des Moines Women's 10K on the morning of May 8th. It's a good thing I have a sense of humor, because Momma N certainly didn't want to play nice...
How about a sweet fast-forward right into Summer?
Momma N really had her game messed up this week! She kept forcing the wind on us (pretty much on the daily), but she also abruptly upped the temps by 40-ish degrees. As much as I embrace the heat of summer, I do appreciate a bit of an acclimation, thank you very much. I will gladly take it, though, and give winter a final kick to its backside.
Fresh off a challenging 10K race, my body was more than ready for some recovery time. The heat and humidity, in a sense were pretty well-timed in that I didn't have a lot of intense outdoor fitness stuff on tap for the week...so maybe Momma N did me a favor?
Every step counts.
All 3,336 of them. On a warm day. In the sunshine. At a baseball stadium.
The event: The Fight for Air Climb.
The objective: To climb for those who aren't able, to promote health and fitness, and to raise funds (on behalf of the American Lung Association) to aid those who suffer with lung disease.
The climber: me (and numerous others).
Is it ironic that the start of May also jump-started a spurt of activity?
I mean, there's been the usual weather-dancing (#wind and #rain and #morewind) and running gear confusion (#layers), but the month of May also adds in multiple events with race bibs. Sure, why not?
Go big or go home, right?
MAYbe it's May, but things are feeling kinda "unMay-like" this year.
The weather is 5-6 weeks behind where it should be, and it's been cold, damp and blustery more often than not. We have had plenty of sunshine, though, so that's a plus. Also, despite the cooler than normal weather, the trees are blossoming, the grass is a striking shade of green, and most of the spring bulbs are in bloom.
I am grateful to get outside on a daily basis, though (the #optoutside streak is showing no sign of stopping). A good thing about the cold weather is that it does make a warm beverage (post-workout, or otherwise) a pretty sweet treat.
Even better than a hot beverage, is gathering with friends, and having a chat session. What ya say? Shall we gather and chat for a bit?
If my medals could talk, they'd probably have some interesting stories to tell.
It's tough to pic a favorite, but the Marine Corps Marathon medal is at the top of my list of favorites.
Care to hear its story?
Read on...