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Saturday, July 29, 2023

Sticking with the Ride...literally


Was it a week!

Not only was it very hot, it was equal parts humid as well. In all honesty, it was quite a "sticky and icky" week in Iowa. And, when I referenced "sticking with the ride," I truly meant it in the literal sense because every piece of clothing was sticking to my perspiration-laden skin.

And, as you'll see, I pretty much "stuck" with my bike as my main form of fitness this week. That's not a bad thing, but it certainly was anything but typical. That being said, I have no regrets.

Anyways, before I dis on the sticky deets, 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 ;-)



Here's what went down in my little world of fitness-based fun this week:

Not necessarily an easy-like-Sunday-morning kind of Sunday...
Well, the morning started innocently enough, with a 2-mile sunrise walk...


And then, mid-morning, I was off on another biking adventure with my friends. We ventured to the nearby Chichaqua Valley Trail for 38.48 hot miles (because an even 40 would be boring, LOL) under the bright sun, amidst the humid air. 


Never Miss a Monday...
Up and out the door for a quick 5K run before the workday ...only I accidentally set my Garmin to "bike" mode, so none of those steps registered (#FacePalm). There also was a mid-morning 1-mile work, but it was too hot to walk after lunch.


...but, since I had plans to ride RAGBRAI both Wednesday and Thursday (and would be traveling to Ames Tuesday, immediately after work), Amy and I did our weekly hilly bike path ride a couple days early.  This was our 12th weekly ride of the season, and #oof, those 15 miles were quite warm! 

Kind of a Typical Tuesday...
The morning began with a 3-mile walk with my sister (at 05:00, thank you very much). Next, I cued-up a Peloton upper-body workout before heading to the office. There also was but only a single walk (1-mile) at work, again, due to the excessive heat.
 

A warm Wednesday ride...
Wednesday was Day-4 of RAGBRAI (but Day-1 for me, LOL), and the route went from Ames to Des Moines. I joined my friends, Barb and Chuck, and we rode the 52 miles together (with a few pit stops in the pass-through towns). Stay tuned...there's a full RAGBRAI recap coming to you in a few days!


A very Thankful Thursday...
Thursday was Day-5 of RAGBRAI (Day-2 for me), and the route went from Des Moines to Tama-Toledo. It was just too convenient that my hometown (Grinnell) was one of the designated pass-throughs this year. I had a friend drop me off in Altoona (on the eastern edge of the greater Des Moines area). Had I ridden the entire route, I would have logged well over 80 miles. This particular day's route was especially hilly, so I was thankful to not only have the ability to do hard things (hills, heat, humidity...just to name a few), but also grateful that I didn't "have" to go any further than my driveway once I reached town. Over the course of the (almost) 51 miles I had ridden, there were 2,648 feet of climbing (#yikes). Also, I was glad for the power of a good recovery walk (two miles after the ride, and two more miles in the evening).


A Friday free-for-all...
This was another day with a triple-digit heat index, and I was grateful to be in recovery mode. Two miles of walking before work, and another mile (mid-morning) at the office. 


A Spontaneous Saturday RAGBRAI Ride...
A neat thing about RAGBRAI is that it has a different route every year. The 2023 route encompassed a lot of mid-state roads...and the Saturday route started in Coralville (an hour east of my doorstep). Since I had a place to stay (we own a rental in Iowa City, right next to Coralville) and I could snag a ride back afterwards...I thought, why not? So, I got to ride Day-7 of RAGBRAI (which was Day-3 for me), this time going 71 miles on the route and logging three bonus miles making my way to the RV that would transport me (and my bike) back to Iowa City. Boom! Although I came home tired, I managed a 2-mile "shake-out-the-legs" walk in the evening.
  

...and what's happening on Sunday?
With all the biking this past week, I am doing my legs (as well as my mind, body and soul, LOL) a favor and taking things very easy. Probably just some walking, and (most likely) some napping!

So, yeah, it was most definitely a cycling-dominated week. I don't think I've ever had a week, EVER, with so much time in the saddle. Of course, that means there wasn't time for much else...and that's not a bad thing. Believe me, this week was very atypical for me, on so many levels. Running saw a measly three miles. Walking had 18 miles. There was only one strength session (but I am back to doing daily push-ups again). And, drumroll...biking showcased an epic tally of 232 miles. WHEW!

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

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. Although I'm all about bright colors, sometimes your basic white feels the most cool if you're spending any time in the sunshine. That said, what's not pictured is my bright hot pink cardi, on standby, for when I step back into the air conditioning.


Finally, with all of the cycling this week, Garmin was busy dropping badges, left and right, at my feet. My July biking mileage passed the 400K mark, I climbed over 10,000 feet in elevation, and I already passed the 675K mark for the third quarter. Totally good with all of that.

So, there you have it! A hot and sticky week, on numerous levels.

Tell me about your week in fitness...Any big achievements? Were you able to get outside for some activity, or did you get it done indoors? What's the most you have biked in a week? Would you do an extra day of cycling, if all the logistics fell into place?

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23 comments:

  1. What a fun week Kim! You embraced that heat :) It's your favorite, right? Ha! Much better than the winter, that's for sure. You're getting in Debbie sort of bike mileage these days! Impressive!

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    1. Yes, I do love the heat, but even I can get a little annoyed if the humidity is off the charts for so many consecutive days. Thankfully, I was on the bike most of the week, so it really was a mute point ;-)

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  2. What a fun week for you and a fantastic cycling accomplishment. You are making me miss my bike. Have no idea why I stopped riding outsdie

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    1. I'm so glad I started riding outside ;-) It's really become a great cardio option, as well as a recovery tool. And, RAGBRAI!

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  3. Wow! Congrats to you on all the saddle time and another RAGBRAI. That's a ton of miles! How fun they change the course every year.

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    1. It is nice they change the route every year...it keeps a lot of people guessing (they have a big "route "reveal" shindig in January, where they announce the seven overnight towns). And, by changing the route, so many little towns get their chance of getting some tourism and much-needed revenue!

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  4. Congrats and I can't wait to read your RAGBRAI recap! Two of my local friends rode the entire length and I can't wait to talk to them about it. To answer your question, you KNOW I'd do the extra day of riding given the chance. :-)

    And yes, it's been fun seeing all of the Garmin badges piling up this week!

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    1. I'm curious to hear what your friends have to say about RAGBRAI! This year's route was supposedly one of the more difficult ones in terms of distance and elevation.

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  5. Ooh! RAGBRAI sounds like so much fun- I can't wait to read the recap. Would you ever consider riding the full distance? Seems like you're getting closer every year! I guess the logistics would be complicated, and you'd have to get the full week off work.
    I hope you get in a VERY nice nap today!

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    1. Not sure about doing the full week of it. While it sounds intriguing, it is a huge commitment in terms of training, finances, and logistics...not to mention time off from work. But, SO many cyclists do it every year, and many of them are on specific RAGBRAI teams, and have their own support vehicles (usually RV's or converted school buses).

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  6. Wow on the 232 biking miles! You are truly a beast. I did not spend a lot of time outdoors this week because also hot & humid -- and I've become a mosquito feast, too. Although I still get out there every day.

    Nothing wrong with doing something different that you love!

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    1. The heat and humidity is (usually) a great time to be on the bike. Yes, it is still hot and humid, but it doesn't feel as ominous compared to running.

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  7. Ha ha no surprise at all that you jumped back in to RAGBRAI on Saturday. Congrats on the record bike miles!

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    1. Thanks! The route was so close to my house this year, I knew I would regret NOT doing that final day.

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  8. Sounds like a full but week! And phew warm week indeed. Cannot wait to read your recap!

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  9. Congrats!! Can't believe you got back into RAGBRAI but can't wait to read more about it. What a fun and busy week!

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    1. Riding the final day (SATURDAY) was a last-minute decision. I'm thankful I had a place to stay (and transportation back) or it wouldn't have happened.

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  10. It was a busy week, no doubt! Kind of ill-timed for all the cyclists doing the RAGBRAI ride, but at least they were on bikes and not running the route ;-)

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  11. Congrats on all the riding! One of my friends does Ragbrai every year. I heard it was a rough one this year with the heat. It doesn't sound like it bothered you at all! Maybe next year you'll do the whole thing!

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  12. running was tough this week... wish I could love biking.

    You are amazing and it's great that you can do what you enjoy.

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  13. That's so cool that you can "hop on and off" (so to speak) on RAGBRAI and do the stretches that you want.

    That's so dumb that the Garmin didn't record the steps, although it must have counted steps outside of the "bike mode" (regular daily step count?)

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  14. I'm not here for sticky or icky. I just want cooler temps. Please. Your RAGBRAI experience sounds really fun, weather not considered. Biking isn't my thing, but I love some of the biking events. Have a fabulous week!

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  15. AMAZING Job Kim! One of these years I see you doing the whole dang thing!!

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