Making do…

We’ve all had those weeks…

The energy is not at full capacity. The schedule is a bit busier than usual. The body feels a bit off.  Ugh. 

What’s a good coping strategy? For me, I prefer to forge through the challenges, while keeping a mindful eye on all necessary TLC that needs attention. Also, a willingness to enforce some flexibility with the schedule never hurt no one. 

Such was my week…

Before I delve into the deets of the week, 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 blog as well...please don't link-drop & dash ;-)

Anyways, here’s what went down this week of making do…

Sunday - Recovery:101

With the (hot & humid) Midnight Madness 5K a mere 12 hours behind me, I awoke to another muggy morning. For a fleeting minute I considered a short recovery run, but switched gears (see what I did there?) and saddled-up the bike instead. I rode the same route as I’d done the morning prior but tacked on a couple extra miles (17.5 total miles). The heat climbed a few degrees (as did the dew point) from the time I started out and hit the turnaround. It was sticky! The wind was a bit beastly as well, but (admittedly) it did feel refreshing. Back home, I did some Barre and took Max out for a 1-mile walk and called it a day shortly thereafter. Suffice it to say the ceiling fan above my couch felt therapeutic!

Another Never Miss a Monday (done and dusted)

The forecasted late-afternoon 95F heat index was a legit incentive to get the Monday run done early. Turns out we not only got the heat, but a good 30 minutes of severe weather as well (a tornado did touch-down in the Des Moines area). Afterwards, the sky cleared, rewarding us with an intense sunset for Max and I to witness on our evening walk.

Taking Things Easy on Tuesday

Tuesday morning saw a short walk with Max and some upper-body strength and core work. The temps had mellowed, following Monday’s storm, so we got out for a morning walk at work as well. 

 

After work, I was craving some outdoor time, so Krystal and I rode (again) the same route as we’d done on Saturday and Sunday. Have I mentioned how much I’m loving this trail? 

Not my typical Wednesday…

I was up and out the door (and in the car, en route) for the usual Wednesday morning 4:45 run. I had a 7:30 dental appointment, so there wasn’t time for the (usual) extra miles. I did make it to the clinic by 7:20, though, and that was with a stop for gas (and utilized my time at the pump with some post-run stretching). 

Triple-Threat Thursday

As per usual, I met-up (virtually) with Deb for our weekly hour of power. Holy Brrr, it was 55F at 4:30AM in my ‘hood! Sorry, friends, but that’s way too chilly for July, even in the wee hours. After the 4-mile walk, I did an upper-body workout (via Peloton) before hitting the shower & heading to the office. 

The temps were nice and the humidity was low, so my 2-mile lunch walk was perfection. After work, I met the Thursday night group for the weekly 3-mile run. The cooler temps must have upped everyone’s mojo, because that first mile was fast (8:42 pace; not exactly an easy "recreational” pace, LOL). My knees were feeling kind of stiff, so that fast pace felt even faster since my legs didn’t want to move. A couple of gals and myself did our own thing for the second and third miles (9:17 and 9:36 paces, respectively) because we were so wasted after Mile-1. I should mention this group is very inclusive…they pause at every mile mark and wait for everyone to catch-up, so no one is ever left behind. Sometimes, though, it’s impossible to not get caught up in the excitement of that first mile. 'Nuff said.

Friday? Active recovery for the win.

Holy ouch, a lot of things were feeling achy and grumpy come Friday morning. After a short walk with Max, I hit the mat for some Barre and core work. I also cued-up a quick arms/shoulders workout before heading to work. 

My evening plans crashed, so what's a gal to do? That's a no-brainer in my world... I saddle-up the bike and take advantage of the mild weather! I did have to dodge a few stray bugs (and an occasional chipmunk) on the trail, but the fresh air made for a great 14-mile post-workday wind-down.

A Simple Saturday...

Ugh, did I mention there had been some random aches and discomforts this week? Well, they were still rocking my world on Saturday morning. Besides, it had rained overnight, so the air was cold and damp. Any thoughts of going for a run were dismissed, and a bike ride on damp streets just invites a sloppy mess. After a lengthy "sniff and mark" walk around the block with Max (during a short break in the rain), I decided to head back out for a "real" walk on my own. Of course, by the time I grabbed my ear buds and phone, the rain had returned. It wasn't anything torrential, but enough to keep everyone else inside...so I had the trail all to myself for two refreshing miles. I got out for a bonus walk, late afternoon, in full sunshine (the Iowa weather really has a mind of its own).

…and what's happening for Sunday?

The forecast is looking warm and sunny, so it's a guarantee I'll be enjoying the great outdoors. There's talk of an afternoon bike ride, but I'll probably do some morning walking as well.  

So, as mentioned, this was a week of getting by amidst a few challenges (see below). The three runs felt alright as they were happening, but I was a stiff mess following Thursday evening's speedy 5K. Skipping Saturday's usual "long" run wasn't a big loss, and probably a good call. This week saw only eight miles in the running shoes (#OhWell #Onward). Walking wasn't anything ground-breaking with 17 miles, but that's all I had time for. Biking, though, held its own with 46 miles (with some substantial mileage on deck for this next week!).

In case you missed out, here’s what went down on the blog:

The HEAT is ON-POINT

Midnight Madness 5K - Digging Deep in the Heat

In other news:  

Friday Fashion Flair. It was a beautiful summer day, which called for a bright embrace-the-fun color scheme. This Aztec print high-low skirt has been around for a few years, but the raw-edged semi-cropped top is a pretty recent acquisition. It was my kind of summer day!

I'm not sure what's going on with my left hammy/glute/piriformis (?). It's not the least bit painful, but it certainly feels "off." I think it's lead to a phantom achiness in my left foot (adjusting my stride or foot-strike?). I'm more annoyed than worried by all of this, but am going to keep my eye on things. I don't have any upcoming races, so there's no harm in taking a short break from running (or at least keeping the mileage ultra low). I have numerous low-impact cardio options in my arsenal, so I won't be sitting idle. It's always something, right?

Anyways, that's another week in the wraps! BTW, how are we 2/3 of the way through July...already? This summer is flying by at record speed, and I'm not a fan of that. I am doing my best to enjoy every waking moment of daylight, and capturing as many sunrises and sunsets as possible.

How did your week play-out? Any ground-breaking workouts? Hot weather? Rainy weather? Random phantom aches or pains?

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