Feelin’ the Freezeout

Talk about your polar vortex posers. 

Wow, Momna N did not want to play nice this week in terms of temps & wind! She did grant us a bit of grace with a plenitude of sunshine, so there’s that. 

In keeping with my #OptOutside streak, I got outside everyday, but I may have questioned my sanity in doing so. It’s a good thing I’m #IowaTough…

Before I dis on the chilly 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, with my fitness & fun, during this crazy cold week:

It was a chilly, but sunny, Sunday

The forecast was looking especially cold and windy, so there was an early morning 25-mile biking session (with Max as my witness) awaiting me upon wake-up. I eventually drug myself outside, mid-afternoon, for a 2-mile walk. Let’s just say the sunshine made the bitter cold somewhat bearable, but BRRR!

Another never-miss-a-Monday

Yes, it was another extremely cold morning. I kept it inside, on the stairs (50 flights of double-stepping),in the early hours. My post-workday 2-mile run was my coldest run of the season, and may have been in the top three all-time coldest runs ever. Again, the late afternoon sunshine, though dwindling, was much appreciated!

Let’s keep things easy on Tuesday

Again, the great (cold & windy) outdoors weren’t beckoning me with any success in the wee hours of morning. Instead, I did some upper-body strength work.  My after-work walk, albeit only a single mile, was almost painful in the extreme cold. I’d considered a 2-mile route, but called it good after one mile. 

Another missed early morning Wednesday run

Just like last week, our group decided (12 hours prior) to pass on our weekly meet-up. Instead, I hit the bike for six miles and saved my outdoor adventure (2-mile walk) for after work, which actually featured the warmest temps of the day, 

A triple-deluxe workout for Thankful Thursday 

With a day of errands on my plate, I started with some time on the bike (12 miles). Afterwards, I added a triceps-focused strength session (with a sprinkling of shoulders and biceps mixed in). Then, I layered-up (and grabbed the sunglasses) for an exhilarating 2-mile run (title pic, above). What can I say? It was still cold, but that single digit wind made for nearly tropical (?) conditions. The afternoon included a consultation  session, tax appointment, a badly-needed haircut & color fix for myself and a routine vet check-up for Max. Oh, and dinner with my sis and mother. 

We made it to Friday

You know someone is legit tired when they either (1) don’t set their alarm, (2) fall back to sleep, or (3) they stay up too late and fall asleep on the couch (then cannot fall asleep once they make it to their actual bed). Yikes! Suffice it to say there wasn’t a lot of time to spare Friday morning…so I got out for a quick walk, amidst the bright waning moon, and called it good.

Long run SaturdayThe plan was to meet Kelly for some Saturday miles in the early morning sunshine. She had 10 miles on her training plan, and I (very randomly, LOL) thought I was good for eight. It was just over one mile in distance to our meet-up, and things were feeling good when we set out on the trail. The feels-like temps were sitting at 1-degree; the wind was cold but very minimal. After our out-and-back route, I was just over the 6-mile mark when we parted ways. I paused to adjust my gloves (losing the base layer), and from there-on my energy tanked. Those last two miles were wrought with a lot of focused persevering and digging deep. Although I’d had some pre-run fuel (oatmeal), I felt depleted. I surmised it was probably a combination of being over-dressed, dehydration and distance (this was, after all, my longest run since my October half marathon). Alas, I made it back home without issue, though my pace had drastically slowed. Once back home, I did some stretching and hopped on the bike for a 5-mile cooldown, and all was well. 

…and what’s on deck for Sunday?

The forecast is looking sunny and warm (temps in the 40F’s!!!) by late morning. I’ll probably start the morning on the bike, then head out, later, for a walk (or two) in the sunshine.

In summary, this week was frigidly cold! I’m always grateful for the many indoor options I have available, but I do crave the great outdoors. My treadmill is still in hibernation mode, so any walking or running have to happen outside (I know, #FirstWorldProbs). That said, Saturday’s long run was what saved my running mileage this week (12 miles). Walking was almost nonexistent with six miles (oh well). Biking showed 48 miles, though. The weekly stair-training is going well, as is the daily core work. 

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

It’s All About Perspective

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. We all know I’m a fan of puffer vests, bright colors, and the classic black/white combo. The cold (but not as cold, yay!) temps still warranted some warm layers. Why not combine all of the above? 

Will you take a look at the forecast for next week! A lot of the snow melted Saturday, but most of it will  be history by Sunday afternoon! Also, with all those 50F temps, I have numerous visions of shorts and single layers dancing in my head. 

Finally, the  Fight for Air Climb is happening March 30th, and this will be my 12th year participating in the Iowa venue (downtown Des Moines). There are four buildings to climb (88 total floors) and a whole lot of sweat, cardio, and muscle burning in doing so. All proceeds raised, via the American Lung Association, support those afflicted with lung disease as well as research efforts. For those who are interested, the link to my fundraising page is here (thank you!!!). 

Whew! It’s hard to believe just how cold it was last week, but it’s awesome to have those bitter temps behind us. I’m very hopeful the worst of the cold is done for the next 10 months (or thereabouts).

How was your week? Did you get blasted with extreme Polar Vortex-like temps and weather conditions as well?