Saturday, August 6, 2022

All. Is. Well.


Another week down, and another recovery session in the arsenal.

Funny how it seems like (almost) every-other week I'm recovering from one event or another. 

This week? It was all about the legs. Everything actually felt great following the previous week's high-mileage biking, but I knew to keep things low-key anyways. Call me crazy.

And all went well. 

Before I shed some light on the 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:

Easy (very easy!) like Sunday morning.
As mentioned, all things felt good. I was fresh off a hilly 65-mile biking trek, as part of Day-7 of RAGBRAI the day prior. The only aches I noticed were my triceps, and those aches were minimal. I did a short arm/upper-body workout (with Tunde, via Peloton), and then hit the street for a relaxing 2-mile walk amidst the sunrise. Later, I did a couple more miles of walking and a very easy 2-mile bike ride in the late afternoon (en route to shoot last week's Talk To me Tuesday reel for Instagram).


Never miss a Monday!
You know the drill...when it's a never-miss-a-Monday, you adjust that ponytail and go! As luck would have it, this week's scheduled training runs were all easy-paced. On the agenda was a 45-minute progressive run. While my pace was a tad bit slower than usual (that's an exaggeration BTW), I did manage progressive splits and finished with five total miles. No aches, pains, or DOMS, but the legs did feel like they were moving in slow-mo. I was totally fine with that. It's alright to shift your goals when your circumstances are compromised, after all. Later, I got in a couple of 1-mile walks at work, and a 2-mile walk in the evening.


Typical  (easy-peasy) Tuesday.
Keeping things low-key, I started the morning with a short barre workout on the rain-soaked deck. In case you're wondering, I found out (the hard way) that my yoga mat is porous (you're welcome for that little piece of info, LOL). It was a very humid day, so we only did one (1-mile) walk at work, but I did a 2-mile walk after work. I also got in another Tunde arm/upper-body workout) in the evening.


A not-for-the-weary Wednesday.
How do 81F temps sound, at 5:00 a.m.? What if I told you the humidity was crazy high as well? Yeah, suffice it to say my water bottle was running on empty by the time I returned home from the #5at5 with Barb and Allison. Truly, this is summer running at its toughest, but also its finest. Persevering through challenging weather conditions builds our grit...right? Besides, I'll gladly take this sweat fest over the freeze of winter. No contest.


Thankful Thursday.
My guy, Daniel, is back on Peloton after an injury-related sabbatical. Let's just say he was kicking a$$ and taking names. When your glutes are burning, not even halfway into the workout, it's a given the DOMS are gonna come back and bite them a second time (Spoiler: the DOMS accepted their invite for a Friday morning arrival, and I'm thankful that their appearance wasn't a surprise). I also got in a couple miles of walking and another arm workout with Tunde, later on.


After work, it was time for a return to the bike and the hilly path. Only, when I pulled my dear Krystal out of hiding (she'd been on vacation since Saturday's hilly 65-mile ride), her front tire was flat. Ugh. With no time to spare, I summoned Gustavas, and we headed out to meet-up with Amy. I love Gustavas, but being a mountain bike, he's a beast on those hills! It was a hot afternoon, thankfully with minimal wind, but we got it done. Fifteen miles, and Hilly Bike Path Ride #13 is in the books for the 2022 season.


...and an easy-does-it Friday
So, the DOMS? Yes, they were ready and waiting for me upon wake-up Friday morning. Not a big whoop. I kept things low-key (again) with a 1-mile early morning walk, a 1-mile walk mid-morning (at work), and two more walking miles after the workday ended. Also, I dorked out with my reference to the Destiny's Child song Say My Name. Sorry, it happens (if the shirt fits...).


Long Run Saturday
It had been a hot minute (and several weeks) since I last did a substantial long run. I envisioned 6-8 miles, and met up with Allison at 5:30 to start the morning. We ran three miles, then looped over towards Barb's house. She joined us and we continued on. I peeled off when I hit eight miles, and the two of them continued on a little further. Oh, was it a sweat fest! Temps were 75F when I finished, and the humidity was 93%, thank you very much. But, it was a decent run, my body felt good, the company was excellent, and the sunrise was simply magical. Oh, and the lipstick was still intact and I finished with a smile. Does it get any better?


And what's on tap for Sunday?
The plan is a longish bike ride with Mike and Amy, plus there may be a short recovery run (or a walk) at sunrise. The temps are forecasted to be warm but not quite as humid. Fingers crossed.

For a recovery week, I'm glad all went well. It was weird having such a low number on the biking miles (ahem, a mere 17!), but given the previous week's 180, there were no regrets. My running was back in the "normal" range, with 18 miles. Walking had 20 miles. I finished week-3 of Matty's  Hot Core Challenge and week-3 of Tunde's arms program. I'm enjoying the barre workouts, more as active recovery than anything else, and the lower-body workouts definitely did their job(s) this week as well. I'm still keeping the daily planks, leg lifts, and push-ups as part of my regimen, so I'm feeling good (like, really good) with how my fitness is going.

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

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. I'm all about funky color combos. When I saw the juxtaposition of the the coral, peach, white, grey and black on this fun summer top, I had to make it mine. I'm not opposed to floral prints, either.


I planted these morning glories many, many years ago. The package said they were annuals, so I planted more the following year. Well, These two plants have multiplied over the years and now resemble something from the movie Jumanji. I still love the vibrant blue and purple from the two "parent" plants even though they kind of take over my mailbox plot this time of year. If they truly are annuals, they are aggressive self-seeders, LOL.

      


Finally, I'm always sharing sunrise pics, but here's Saturday's sunset. I was out walking and the display of color totally had me spellbound. I'm glad I had the drive to head out for a couple miles of "me time," even in the 104F heat index weather.

So, there you have it. Another week of summer is done and dusted. The weather was hot and it was humid, but that's the reality of summer in Iowa. All is well with that, too.

How did your week play out? Are you managing to enjoy the summer season and all its nuances? Or are you (in)patiently awaiting the arrival of cooler weather? Any fitness highlights to share? Any races happening over the weekend? 

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30 comments:

  1. you were a busy one this week! For all the years that I cycled a lot, I never did learn how to change my own tire!

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    1. I honestly think I could figure it out (with YouTube's guidance, LOL). I just didn't have the time to deal with it since I was heading out to meet-up with Amy for our ride. Gustavas to my rescue!

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  2. I was grateful this week that I did not have mega miles to run because it was so SO hot and humid. Great, active week for you and your garden is beautiful!

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    1. Right? I love the heat, but the humidity has really been evil recently.

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  3. Wow, we didn't have 104 heat index here so good job getting out there!
    I LOVE summer and am so happy to be out there running even in our heat. Soaking up those last days!

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    1. I am soaking all the summer love as well. I am no hurry for the colder crap to move-in anytime soon.

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  4. Lucky you having a back-up bike in case of a flat tire! I was thinking about a bike ride this morning but it's raining. I thought morning glories were perennials?

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    1. Nope, morning glories are annuals, and very prolific ones at that. We actually had a few very, very light sprinkles on our ride (late morning/afternoon), and they felt good...we definitely need some rain, though.

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  5. The flowers are beautiful! And the sunrises :) Great week Kim! Way to give your body the recovery it needed while still getting out there (despite the heat, yowsa!)

    Thanks for hosting the link-up!

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    1. The heat, especially the psychotic humidity, has really been a bear in recent weeks. I'm not letting it keep me inside, but I've definitely been glistening and glowing on the daily ;-)

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  6. Wow, that is definitely quite the sunset! We have daisies courtesy of a neighbor . . . somewhere. They didn't appear last year but did okay this year. I guess they prefer it to be hotter & dryer!

    Great job getting it all done under tough conditions this week, Kim!

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    1. I have a lot of daisies, too, but mine seem to have bloomed really early this summer...and they didn't stay in bloom as long as usual. They have multiplied (a lot) over the years.

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  7. Your recovery weeks are more active than most weeks by other folks.

    You are in amazing shape.

    I only have one bike so I'd be SOL. But then again, it's been pretty ignored.

    No not looking forward to cooler weather Sorry. Love summer.

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    1. As you know, I love summer, too. All the crazy heat and humidity is just part of the package, though a slight break in the extreme weather would be much appreciated.

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  8. That's an epic sunset! And a low of 81 degrees is definitely #iowatough. Congrats on a great fitness week!

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    1. Thanks!! I need to get outside in the evening more to capture more of the sunsets. We had another dramatic one, last night, after some nasty storm clouds passed over.

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  9. Oh, riding Gustavas on the hilly bike path must have tired you out big time!

    To answer your question, I am embracing our current weather even though I can't stand the humidity. I also love fall, but don't love that cold weather follows, especially now that I get most of my cardio fitness through cycling and I get so cold on the bike.

    Have a great rest of your weekend, Kim!

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    1. Yes, Gustavas gave me a decent workout last week! I agree, cycling in cold weather (even "pleasantly cool weather)" is a different ball game on the bike.

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  10. Sounds like you had a great week! Glad you had a back-up bike for that ride. Yes, hot and humid here... I'm looking forward to "fall" but more because I want to get out the decorations and start cooking with pumpkin- it won't cool down here till... November? So yes, we just have to embrace the heat and humidity! I love that sunset photo.

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    1. I agree...I embrace all the heat and humidity because I totally hate its counterpart.

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  11. I don’t see a lot of recovery in your week, but I’m glad you’re feeling good after your century and all that riding! I am ready for a break in humidity. I miss my Scooby miles. ;-)

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    1. Our humidity has really been insane! It's all part of summer, but certainly is my least favorite thing about the warm weather.

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  12. Great week Kim! Such a pretty sunset!

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    1. Thank you, Michelle ;-) I need to catch more of the sunsets; they're every bit as mesmerizing as the sunrises.

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  13. You called this a recovery week but i see a lot of workouts, lol. I need to take a new class with Daniel now that he's back. He always cracks me up!

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    1. Oh, Daniel has been a favorite from the beginning! He is so funny, and he doesn't "dilly-dally" around, LOL

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  14. I am always amazed when someone shows up at our group rides on a mountain bike - and keeps up! That's challenging.

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    1. I like riding the mountain bike around town, but he's a total beast when it comes to riding the hills! It makes for a great workout, though.

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  15. Ew, soggy yoga mat! I found mine soaked up water when I nipped round to the gym in a rainstorm once without putting it in a waterproof bag! Good work all round, though!

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  16. Great week! I'm ready for cooler weather. That humidity just makes everything so awful. We are now entering our stormy season, and that doesn't help.

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