Enough with the Wind!

Well, it was quite a week!

I’d have to say the obvious constant was, hands down, the incessant wind.

I’m ever grateful for my persistence in keeping the #OptOutside streak alive. As of Saturday, March 22nd, the daily count is sitting at 1,578. If it weren’t for that streak, and my self-imposed obligation to maintain it, there could have been a few near misses this week.

Alas, all is well, and there were no unnecessary desperate measures needed…

Before I get to the nitty gritty deets from the week, welcome to the Weekly Run Down! 

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 in my little windy corner of the universe this week:

Sunday-back to the stairs

How does a 100-flight stair workout sound? In my world, it sounds great! This was a repeat from a few weeks ago:

**20 flights of double-steps

**10 flights of double-steps with weights (8-pound dumbbells for each hand)

**10 push-ups

****repeat two more times

**finish with 10 additional flights of double-steps

There also was some additional upper-body strength work, and afternoon walking (one mile with Max, and two miles on my own).

Monday-more tank & shorts action

The early morning saw five miles on the bike. The lunch hour featured two miles of walking in the warm sunshine,

Later, after work, I was in absolute total bliss with the 75F temps. Even though it was windy, the summer-like conditions were total perfection for my 2-mile run. 

Tuesday-I could have biked

In keeping with my usual “TLC Tuesday” routine, I opted for a long overdue Barre session. It had been a hot minute (actually several) since I’ve done any focused Bare moves and this workout felt good. I also did a short upper-body workout before heading to work. It was such a beautiful day, I walked over lunch and also after getting home. I was oh-so-tempted to get out the bike, but the wind wouldn’t have been very biking-friendly.

Wednesday-beating the rain but not the wind

The forecast was looking nasty! There was day-long rain and psychotic wind headed our way. It was still looking dry upon wake-up, so I thought that would be my best opportunity to get outside…and I was right (title pic, above). Fortunately the “possible snow” missed my area, but the western part of the state and the northwest region got dumped on with blizzard conditions. After work, I hit the elliptical (3-ish miles) and the bike (10 miles) to satisfy my cardio cravings.

Thursday-it was a namaste kind of morning

I kept the morning low-key with some yoga, and got out for a 2-mile walk during my lunch break.

Then it was back to the Thursday night 3-mile group run. I’ve said many times that these group runs tend to morph into a tempo-ish endeavor for me, which I really enjoy. I don’t know if it’s the time of day, the (usual) ideal temps, or the group dynamics, but the miles go quickly and the fast pace feels almost effortless. No complaints!

Friday-a low-key day with a new fitness toy

After hearing so many good things about weighted vests (I’m looking at you, Deborah), I decided to join the party. I had to wear it under my winter jacket (thanks, Momma N), but that wasn’t a problem for a short walk in the wee hours. 

Saturday-a little bit of everything

It was another chilly morning (27F) when I met Kelly, but the wind was MIA! She had a 14-miler on her plan, so I ran five of those miles with her. After a quick walk with Max, I climbed on the bike for 15 miles. By lunchtime, the temps had warmed up nicely and the sun was even brighter. I did a virtual 2-mile walk with a friend (via the phone) and slung-on the weighted vest again.

…and what’s on-deck for Sunday?

The morning is looking chilly, so the afternoon is probably a better option for outside activity. I’ll either hit-up the stairs (see what I did there, LOL) or the bike upon wake-up. Stay tuned!

So, overall a decent week despite all the windy conditions. I’m really really over the wind, but it’s my reality. Running was at the minimum, due to Wednesday’s weather (and no morning running group meet-up). Nonetheless, this week’s 10 miles all felt good. Walking definitely dominated, with 17 miles this week (some with the new weighted vest). Biking also was pretty minimal (30 miles), but not a big deal. I’m keeping the upper-body strength work consistent, and the daily core and leg lifts are still going strong.

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

SpRiNg is n the air

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. It’s no secret I’m a loyal Iowa Hawkeye. I also support our big inner state rivals, the Iowa State Cyclones (after all, my two daughters went to school there). The Cyclones played on Friday (and defeated Lipscomb), and are playing Ole’Miss on Sunday. I’m a huge NCAA basketball fan, so the March Madness is in full swing for myself!

After several months of less-than-ideal walking mileage, things are turning around. I’m grateful to have access to sidewalks, now, over my lunch breaks! Also, with the increasing daylight and warming temps, I’m hoping to get back to more consistent evening walks after dinner.

Finally, I’ll say a few words about this new weighted vest. I wasn’t sure if I should start with a 10-pound vest or just bite the bullet and go with the 15-pounder. Well, I decided the 15-pound option made the most sense. I’ve only used it twice (it just arrived Thursday, LOL), and it will take some getting used to. It’s crazy how heavy and awkward 15 extra pounds feel strapped to your shoulders and upper back. It feels a little bulky, too, but I suspect it will feel less “invasive” after I’ve used it more. I plan to do a product review in the near future, after I’ve logged a few more walks with it. I may even try it on the stationary bike or stairway as well. We shall see….

So, that’s the latest! It was an interesting week with all the crazy weather and whatnot. I’m ever hopeful the cold temps are winding down and there will be more seasonally warm temps on the horizon. Fingers crossed!

Enough about me…

How did your week play-out? Does it feel like spring, or is winter lingering? Any fitness highlights that need mention? Did you wear green for St. Paddy’s Day?