Rockin' the Heat

It was quite the week in Iowa.

The temps were warm. The humidity was high. The sunshine was strong.

And I loved (most) every minute of it.

I mean, it IS July. Even when the temps get uncomfortable, there's always plenty to love about the summer season.

Before I share the sizzlin' 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 world of fitness this week:

Sunday:  A well-earned day of recovery.

After Saturday's 5K race (recap HERE) and 50-mile bike ride, I opted for a low-key 2-mile sunrise walk Sunday morning. Later, mid-afternoon, the youngest daughter joined me for a 1-mile walk and I took Gustavas out for a 5-mile ride after dinner.

Never miss a Monday!

On deck: a tempo workout. The plan: program the workout into my new Garmin. 

And how did that go? I downloaded the Garmin Connect app to my phone and synced it to my watch, and programmed the workout into the app...only, come Monday morning, I couldn't figure out how to pull up the workout on my watch (#FacePalm). Fortunately, I remembered the workout (from having programmed it just seven hours prior), so I was able to use the timer on my phone while monitoring my pace on the watch. Not ideal, but it worked. I hit the paces some of the time, but I'm still a work-in-progress with the "watch OCD'ing" thing. The workout was supposed to be 45 minutes (including the cool-down), but I cheated and ran the extra .30 mile to finish with an even five miles for the morning. Later, there was a 1-mile walk at work, and a 5-mile bike ride after work.

Tuesday with Tunde

Tunde is one of my favorite instructors on the Peloton app, and I started her 4-week Arms With Tunde program this week. I also did a Barre workout, sort of as a warm-up, on the deck in our backyard. 

Double Workout Wednesday.

First up - A somewhat cool and breezy (though quite humid) early morning 5-mile run with Barb and Allison. Also, two 1-mile walks at work (morning and afternoon breaks).

Next up: The weekly hilly ride out to the lake on the bike path. Yowza. Can I whine for a split second about the crazy wind, again? We're talking 11mph wind when we started (around 5:15) and 14mph wind by the time we finished (just after 6:00). Yeah, there was ZERO down-hill coasting on the way out, but a generous tail wind on the way back (at one point my bike's computer showed we were going 33mph on one of the downhills). Barb joined Amy and I this week, and her and I rode a few bonus miles after we'd returned to town, ending the day with 18 biking miles.

A full-on feisty Thursday.

Another favorite Peloton instructor, Daniel, recently returned from an extended injury/recovery sabbatical. I stacked his intense 20-minute glutes/legs strength workout with a couple of Tunde's upper-body workouts. Ugh, all those lunges and squats on the damp (dew-laden) grass were tough! Afterwards, I did a quick 1-mile walk before work (to shake out the legs), another 1-mile walk at work, and also a 2-mile walk in the evening. I went to bed feeling pretty good....

Friday - The DOMS party.

Holy Hardcore DOMS, Batman! Although I could feel a hint of the DOMS late Thursday evening, I thought I had things under control. WRONG! I knew some movement would (probably) work some magic on the achy muscles, so I laced up and hit the street for a very easy-paced 2-mile run Friday morning. Afterwards, I also took a 1-mile walk (as a cool-down), and walked another 1-miler at work. Things felt better, but I was still rocking a substantial penguin walk most of the day.

 

Long Run Saturday...sort of

Believe it or not, the DOMS were still taking up residence in my glutes Saturday morning, but definitely had eased up. I was hoping for six miles of running, but I procrastinated in getting outside until almost 7:00 (#MyBad). The temps were approaching 80F and the humidity was thick, so even if I wouldn't have been dealing with the DOMS, I knew this run was going to be a challenge. I'd made it four miles, without much extra effort, but decided five miles would be sufficient (instead of the planned six). After a brief cool-down, I headed back out and logged 10 miles on the bike...and all evidence of the DOMS was gone by the time I returned back home. 

...and what's on tap for Sunday?

I'm not sure what Sunday has in store for me just yet. It's gonna be a repeat of Saturday weather-wise (temps in the mid/upper 90F's with extreme humidity as well), so whatever happens will be low-key . Most likely, there will be some walking and (hopefully) some easy biking. 

In summary, although the weather was sticky and stuffy this week, I simply refused to stay inside (sorry, not sorry). I think being outdoors does a body, mind, and soul good...so long as it's done with caution and respect to the heat. The week ended with 17 miles of running, 15 miles of walking, and 38 miles of biking. A couple of great upper-body sessions, and let's not forget Thursday's lower-body workout, had me feeling accomplished. As usual, the daily planks, push-ups and leg lifts are still going strong. This next week, there's a century ride on tap for Wednesday, so stay tuned!

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

Summer at its Sultry Best

Clive Running Festival 5K recap

 In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. As mentioned, it was a rather balmy week. I choose to embrace the heat with comfy clothing in fun colors and patterns. A decent pair of shades is a must, and some strappy sandals don't hurt. 

This was also Week-1 of Matty's Hot Five Core Challenge (on Peloton). Basically, he's chosen five different core workouts, for Monday-Friday, to be completed over the course of five weeks. I'm glad to already have the first week under my belt (yes, pun intended, LOL). 

Here's the latest gardening highlight...this special lily. It came with the house (we've been here 20 years). It bloomed every summer, for the first several years we were in Iowa. Then it went dormant for awhile, and I thought it had died. Following my knee surgery, in 2017, the lily was in full bloom when I returned home after my week-long stay in the hospital. The following year, it bloomed, but with two blossoms. It's bloomed every year since. It was late-blooming this year, but three (of the four) blossoms had opened by Saturday afternoon. 

So, that's another (hot and humid) week in the books. Summer seems to be flying by...hard to believe July is already winding down.

How was your week? Hot and humid weather as well? Any tough runs outdoors, or have you kept the fitness indoors with the heat? Any races or significant workouts that need mentioned?

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