Thursday, July 28, 2022

July's 'Fession Festival


Well, here we are, already, returning to the monthly stop at the Runfessional.

Seriously, it's a good thing we have this little 'fessional fix each month. There's been a lot of #ish going down, and it's beneficial to have a place to rant and rave about it. Besides, it's good for the souls AND soles of us runners.

Shall we get this 'fession festival underway? 

I'll start off with a big 'fession, one I certainly didn't see coming. Most of you all know I got a new Garmin recently, and I'm still caught in the middle of a (somewhat) challenging learning curve. That said, I wore it for my hilly bike path ride this week, and WOWZA! There were all kinds of stats at my fingertips to peruse. I Garmin-fess that I can certainly see the allure of wearing my new wrist candy all the time, just so there's "record" of my every fitness-related move I do. Maybe I'd be a little more adept at mastering all the bells and whistles if I did so, LOL.


Speaking of the Garmin, it sort of failed me (in all honesty, it was user error). On Wednesday, a small group of us rallied and did our first century ride! I brought the Garmin along, you know, so I could have all kinds of exciting stats to "ooh and ahh" over afterwards. I couldn't remember how to find the bike setting. After a good 10 minutes of button-pushing, I surrendered, saddled-up, and started pedaling without it. I gotta stress-fess, NOT having the Garmin was one less thing to worry about because I would have been constantly comparing its mileage to my bike computer, and what if I paused it and then forgot to hit the resume button? Could you imagine the turmoil??? Stashing it in my backpack was quite liberating (and it was one less awkward tan line to deal with, LOL). Crisis averted.

with Barb, Mike and Amy...almost 78 miles done!

Speaking of bikes and Garmins, it's only fitting I bikefess that I'm doing another RAGBRAI-for-a-day on Saturday! RAGBRAI 2022 (acronym for Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) started this past Sunday and ends on Saturday. Last year was my first-ever RAGBRAI experience (I rode on Day-1...recap HERE). The 2022 route is pretty far north this year, so the logistics of getting there (and back) for just one day wasn't too appealing (and I had no interest in riding the entire week with the hubs). But...I decided I could swing driving up Friday after work, staying with the hubs and our friend (who has an RV) and riding Saturday morning! Saturday's route is 65ish miles...it ought to feel easy-peasy after Wednesday's 100, right? The hubs got me a 2022 jersey (the purple one, on the left), and I plan to wear that on Saturday (because, unlike runners, cyclists don't have any qualms about wearing the event gear for the actual event itself). 

2022 RAGBRAI jersey (on left) and my 2021 jersey (on the right)

I have been taking part in some speed-training in recent weeks. Somehow, the fitness gods (and any other forces that be) all aligned, and this week was a recovery week. In other words, easy-paced runs and no track running! Even though the track workouts haven't been terrible, I trackfess that I did NOT miss all that "running-in-circles" one bit. Besides, with all the biking miles on deck this week, my legs certainly didn't need any excess wear and tear.

no big loss, LOL

Finally, it's hard for me to face the fact that we are now an entire month past the summer solstice. After all, summer is MY season to shine (and not just in terms of all the glistening and glowing "residue" from running in the heat and humidity). I'm still getting out, every morning, in one capacity or another, to pay homage to the sunrise. Maybe I'm hopelessly in denial, but I summerfess that I haven't really noticed the daylight decreasing. I'll probably have a different story to tell this time next month. For now, though, I refuse to surrender to the doom of shorter days, and I plan to enjoy every minute of daylight as much as possible. 


So, there you go. Another 'fession session done, and I feel all better. Onward!

Your thoughts? Any 'fessions that need disclosed? Are you enjoying summer, or are you ready for the temps to cool off? Have you noticed an obvious change in the daylight?  

I'm  linking this with Marcia for the monthly Runfessions link-up


I'm also linking this with MichelleReneeDarleneJenn and Zenaida for the Fit Five Friday Link-up.




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26 comments:

  1. Looks like perfect weather for your bike ride on Sunday. Enjoy! I have started to notice the early sunsets...sigh

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    1. The ride was actually yesterday (Saturday), but we had perfect weather ;-)

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  2. Look at you becoming quite the cyclist this summer! Have fun this weekend. Let me know if you need any help w those Garmin workout set ups!

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    1. I may take you up on that Garmin offer. The cycling was total perfection this past week...lots of work, but lots of fun!

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  3. I garminfess I'm still trying to figure my garmin out sometimes and I've had it for a while now! But I love all the stats you get! I've noticed our days have become a bit longer now so seasons are definitely changing...slowly!

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    1. I had a light bulb moment, yesterday before the RAGBRAI ride, on getting the bike rides to show up. I felt like such a genius!

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  4. I runfess that I've started to notice the later sunrise this week. Sigh.

    The biggest reason that I wear my Garmin all of the time is so that I can get text and email notifications without having to be within earshot of my phone. Beyond that yes it's nice to know when I get a ton of steps in a day but I don't do too much with the data.

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    1. I've never been much of a data gal, but I can see that changing...

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  5. I want to hear all about the century ride! Are you doing a recap? And, is your husband doing the entire RAGBRAI? I can't wait to hear about that as well.
    I'm really lame, Garmin-wise. I look at my distance and pace (sometimes just distance) and that's pretty much it. My husband is always studying all his data... it's not my thing (right now, at least.)
    I also can't say I've noticed the shorter days yet. When I was up in Illinois visiting my sister I was astonished at how early the sun rose! Here in Florida our days never get as short or as long as yours up north.

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    1. I like looking the data over after-the-fact. I'm not one to constantly be glancing at my wrist (unless it's for a specific workout)...that may change with this new Garmin.

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  6. Oh, I've definitely noticed the sunlight decreasing, but it's not something you can change so it doesn't bother me. Yet. Talk to me again in the middle of Winter . . .

    Sometimes recovery weeks come right at the time we really need them!

    I like having the Garmin stats, as you know, but it takes years to learn the darn thing.

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    1. Yes, we cannot change the diminishing sunlight, so we have to embrace every minute we have of it. I'm figuring out a few new things with the Garmin every time I use it. Someday, I'll be an expert...right?

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  7. I don't care about Garmin stats obviously.

    And yes I am sad about the daylight issue.

    Congrats on your century ride.

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    1. I like perusing the stats after the fact, especially with the biking. With ALL those hills, it's fun being validated for my efforts, LOL.

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  8. I enjoy the Garmin! I have a 235 which I'm sure is pretty dated at this point, but it works for me!

    I honestly haven't noticed the change in daylight...I've been dealing with E's bedtime resistance so I don't even realize when the sun goes down lol.

    Sounds like an awesome event and I love the jersey! I bought a bike last year I think? And I have just barely gotten any miles on it. I do wish I made more of an effort to get out there!

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    1. My Garmin is a Forerunner 255...probably too advanced for what I need it for, but I was in a desperate state when I bought it and didn't have time to shop around. I'm so glad I found the love of biking! It's been such a great cross-training supplement for my running.

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  9. I love all of the riding you've been getting in!

    Sadly I have started to notice the later sunrises.

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    1. I'm up so early, the sunrises haven't been obvious to me yet...it seems like it happens overnight, though.

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  10. Enjoy RAGBRAI today! I have noticed the later sunrises. I was cracking up about the Garmin. I also like mine but will not do a run without it. I mainly look at distance, time, pace, and heart rate. Pretty simple for me.

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    1. I'm more interested in the stats after I finish, as compared to the ongoing wrist-monitoring. I should pay more attention to heart rate...maybe this will give me a better opportunity to see what's happening with that.

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  11. I've noticed the growing darkness in the mornings but so far not the earlier sunsets. Noooo! Hope your ride was so much fun!

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    1. Thanks, Marcia! The ride was fun...crazy hilly, but fun ;-)

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  12. I can’t believe how much cycling you are doing! So fun! Congrats on RAGBRAI too! LOL on the different views on wearing the race jersey.

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    1. The cycling jerseys do crack me up. I couldn't believe yesterday (and also last year) the number of people wearing the "current" jersey...and none of us (myself included) had officially "finished" the ride at that point.

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  13. As per usual always entertaining to read your runfessions! Trust me, when you forget to turn the garmin back on after a pause is basically the workout done. hahaha! so annoying! which garmin did you get? I have been a garmin girl since... I want to say 2011 or 12? I love all the geeky stats!

    love this years RAGBRAI top!

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  14. I am so ready for summer to be over. I love the longer days, but it's actually just unsafe to be outside now. Our band camp kids are actual beasts.

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