Sunshine at its Best

Can you say Sunshine?

This past week was full of it! You know I was all about that, and I have some goofy tan lines (already) to show for it.

With weather like this, keeping my #OptOutside steak alive was an effortless no-brainer (BTW, as this post goes to press, my streak at 1,634 days). I’m all about that too. 

Before I dis on all the sunshiny 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 blog as well...please don't link-drop & dash ;-)

Anyways, here’s what went down this week, in terms of fitness and fun, amidst all the sunshine:

Sunday - A day of catch-up and active recovery

Since my miles were cut short at Saturday’s M2M Relay, I simply “needed” a couple miles of catching-up (we’ve all been there, right?). The solution: I got out for a 2-mile run in the early hours before church. The funny thing is, even though I hadn’t run exceptionally far on Saturday (just under six miles), my body was still feeling pretty fatigued from the 14-ish hours of non-stop busyness with my relay team. Sunday's 2-miler was just enough to work-out the residual kinks. Max and I also did some walking.

Then, mid-afternoon, a 25-mile bike ride (in the heat and wind) finished the active recovery process. Afterwards, I met the son and his girlfriend for a nice Mother’s Day dinner.

Never miss a Monday

The active recovery gig continued with a couple of different 2-mile walks (both with the weighted vest), and a couple of short walks with Max. It worked out well saving my Monday run for the evening since there was a full moon to admire (see below).

Tuesday - A full day of low-impact sunshine “fun”

The day began innocently with more walking (around the block with Max, and then two miles with the weighted vest). Afterwards, I tackled an upper-body strength session (Peloton app) and some core work. Since I was working at home, I also started Phase-1 of Landscaping:101 with two tough hours of sod-digging (see below).

Wednesday - Back in the running shoes (and back in the backyard)

We had perfect temps for the weekly 4:45AM run! Bill and Hannah took off after the 3-mile route, but Kelly stuck around for a fourth mile, then I ran a bonus fifth mile. I think this is my favorite time of year with the warm temps and the nearly full daylight before 5:30AM. There was more walking throughout the day, and another couple hours yard work. A new thing I’m undertaking is doing more chest/shoulders-focused strength work, so I squeezed-in a short strength session after my run…because why not?

Thankful Thursday (sort of)

This was a very atypical Thursday, in my world, this week. It started with a snooze-in (I know, right? What’s up with that!). I got out for a windy 2-mile walk, then hit the basement for a glutes/legs strength session, followed by some light upper-body strength and core work.

The Thursday night group run had me feeling great! The temps were warm (and also windy, LOL), and my 3-miler was showing some decent negative splits. Then I went down, with .1 mile left to run. OUCH, but everyone assured me I did a fantastic roll and was back on my feel in record time, LOL. I guess if you’re going to take a tumble, might as well do it with style and have something to show for it. Bonus points if you have a captive audience!

FriYAY - A little bit of everything

With a possible long run happening Saturday, and a little stiffness from the previous night’s tumble, I opted to keep Friday’s fitness pretty lowkey. I got out for an early morning walk ( 1/2-mile with Max, then another three miles on my own). Afterwards, I did a short chest/shoulders strength workout (Peloton)…and that’s all she wrote. The temps would have been perfect for a bike ride, but the 24mph wind…not so much.

Saturday - I fought the wind…

To say my mojo was “running” on empty would be an understatement. The temps had dropped a good 20+ degrees overnight and the wind was being a brat. My procrastination game was totally on-point, but I finally got myself out the door shortly after 8:00. My plan was to do at least six miles, and hopefully make it a 10-miler. Well, the temps were sitting at 48F (with 14mph wind) when I left the house, so the 6-mile minimum was looking like my best option. I headed out on the trail, with a slight headwind (I was running due west and the wind was out of the northwest). Things didn’t feel too bad when I got to the 3-mile turn-around so I decided to get back to my house and then continue on for another two miles through the neighborhood. The thing is, by the time I got to the 6.25 mile mark, the wind had picked up to 19mph and it was blatantly in my face. I swear, it felt like I was running in place. I did make it to the final turn-around, and had a tailwind for most of the way back to my house. I finished with eight miles, and had ZERO remorse in calling it good. It felt like I’d run an entire marathon from all the wind resistance I’d battled. But, I felt more defiant than defeated upon stopping my Garmin, so this run was a win! 

…and what’s on deck for Sunday?

The weather is looking more pleasant (and the wind not as fierce), so I’m hoping for a longish bike ride in  the afternoon. The morning will probably have some pre-church walking amidst the sunrise. Stay tuned!

This week played-out nicely with the warm temps! The wind did get a little crazy towards the end of the week, which kept me off the bike (bummer!), but there was plenty of other fitness options to keep me busy. Running logged 20 miles, which felt great (even with Thursday’s tumble). Walking saw 17 miles (six of those with the weighted vest). Biking, ugh. Sunday’s 25-miler was great, but that’s where it ended. The crazy wind just wasn’t biking-friendly (and I’m really burnt out on the indoor riding). Strength-training was great, with significant upper-body sessions, lower-body work, and a couple of new focused chest/shoulders sessions. 

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

Chillin’ in the Spring Heat

(not our typical) Market-to-Market Relay

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. The outdoor temps were pleasant, but the indoor air-conditioning was a bit chilly. Thankfully, this black and white cheetah print cardi fits the bill on such a day. It goes with every color and has 3/4-length sleeves so it’s not too warm.  

Landscaping: Phase-1. Other than a few random bushes, my backyard is pretty much a clean slate. I spent several hours digging-up sod, and put in a few perennials. I plan to add more flowers to it as the season progresses. There are a few other plots that I’m hoping to tackle, as well, as seasonal items go on sale. Baby steps! 

Full moon run. Monday’s full moon run was a bit of a Hide & Seek game, due to the intermittent cloud cover. The moon was completely visible when I first hit the streets, but quickly disappeared by the time I got to a vantage point void of houses and trees.Just as I was finishing my second mile, though, the moon was high enough that the “house line” wasn’t an issue and the clouds had briefly cleared. Whew!   

Garmin kudos. These random badges are fun! Garmin gave my walking a positive nod, after Monday’s walking efforts, with the 30-mile May Walking badge. After Saturday’s windy 8-mile endeavor, the May Weekend 10K badge popped up. Onward!  

So, that’ll have to do for now. This week kept me smiling with all the sunshine (even with the wind). I think this time of year is so special with the increasing daylight and the rising temps. All the spring blooms and blossoms are so beautiful and fragrant! I’m grateful for every moment I can be outdoors.

How did your week go? How’s your weather…is it warming up? Is the wind still a factor? Any big fitness brags that need mention?

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