A Welcome Seasonal Shift

Hmmm, the Iowa weather just keeps us guessing.

After last Saturday’s record-setting 91F temps, the thermometer crashed and the wind returned. Go figure! Thankfully, things mellowed-out by mid-week and we saw more seasonal conditions. It still wasn’t summer-like, but at least the temps were moving in a better direction.

Before I dis on the deets from 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 in my little world of fitness, fun and whatnot this week:

Sunday - What happened to the Summer sneak peek?

After such a beautiful summer-like afternoon and evening in Iowa, Sunday morning showed a 40-degree plummet. I had plans for an afternoon run, so I kept the fitness on the stairway for a final session before the Fight for Air Climb. 

This week’s workout:

*10 flights of single-stepping

**10 flights of double-stepping

***repeat both sets two more times

*finish with 10 flights of triple-stepping

—>70 total flights (Spoiler: those triples were killer)

Later, after lunch, I headed over to Ankeny (just a few miles to the west) for the Iowa Brewery Running Series 2026 kick-off. The event was hosted at the Firetrucker Brewery. We had a 1-mile out-and-back run on the High Trestle Trail (two total miles), followed by a social time. Let me say, the wind was insane, but the temps didn’t feel too painful. That evening, the son and girlfriend joined me for a game watch, and we celebrated Iowa’s big upset of the 2025 defending champions, the Florida Gators. Hello, the Hawks punched their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen (and busted a lot of brackets in doing so!

Never miss a Monday

Brrr, it was still crazy chilly in the wee hours! What’s a gal to do, with a bike in her basement, but hop on for a pre-workday 10-miler?  I also logged a couple of lunchtime miles of walking in the skywalk (it was cold in there as well).

After work, I suited-up and hit the local trail for a couple of miles in the running shoes. It wasn’t outrageously cold, but it definitely was windy (again). I guess that’s typical “seasonal” weather for March, LOL 

Another typical low-impact Tuesday

Nothing ground-breaking to announce, until I noticed my weighed vest on the floor, mere seconds after starting my elliptical workout. A sudden #LightBulbMoment had me pausing both the Garmin and the elliptical and grabbing the vest (I know… duh, right?). Twenty minutes later (approximately 3-ish miles), I summoned the weights and found an upper-body Peloton workout. There also was noontime sky-walking (with a fun catch-up chat with Deborah!), a post-day walk with Max, and then more walking on my own  (five total miles in the walking shoes for the day).

Woot Woot Wednesday

Up and at it for the 4:45 running group! The temps were still cold, but the wind was pretty mild (such a game-changer!). Back home, I had ample time, so I found a lower-body workout (because it had been awhile since I’d done any such focused strength work). As per usual, there was walking over lunch and with Max after work. 

Thankful Thursday

The forecast was showing a damp and dreary afternoon and evening, so I thought the early hours would be my best option for outdoor fitness (besides, there was another Iowa basketball game happening in the early evening hours). Deb and I joined forces, both of us walking for the start (two miles for me), then I hit the bike for 10 miles in the saddle. 

After parting (virtual) ways, I did some upper-body strength work, which was heavily shoulder-focused (ouch!). I was able to log two more walking miles, over lunch, and a quick walk with Max after work. I slept like a rock that night after the endorphins from Iowa’s victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers wore off. Yes, the Elite Eight #TicketPunched!!!

Feelin’ fine on Friday

There was a 40K Garmin badge up for grabs. I had a long run on-deck for Saturday, and the Fight for Air Climb happening Sunday morning, so it was Friday morning or not at all. Although I’d already had two early-early mornings (Wednesday and Thursday), I still woke up before my 4:30 alarm on Friday. The plan was to get on the bike by 4:45, which would have me finishing the 40K distance (25-ish miles) before 6:30. Mission accomplished! Also, there was another 2-mile skywalk adventure over lunch, and a quick lap around the block, with Max and Zeus (my sister’s dog, who had been staying with us all week), after getting home from work.

Long run (and windy) Saturday…

Friday night was a late night, full of distraught sadness as the MSU Spartans and ISU Cyclones were both eliminated from the NCAA tournament. Saturday morning had my mind feeling like mush (from fatigue and disbelief), and my eagerness to lace-up (and layer-up) was running on empty. The temps were (again) feeling winter-like, and the wind was pure evil. Thankfully, there was full sun! I finally rallied the mojo and headed out around 9:00, with eight miles on the agenda. I won’t go into a lot of detail, but suffice it to say this run was tough. My body felt fine, but the wind was a major buzzkill, and the excess layers felt very cumbersome. Alas, I persevered and made it to the 8-mile finish line. Truth is, I may very well have similar weather conditions for the Drake Road Races Half Marathon (April 18th), so this was actually a good test of my endurance and grit. Glass half full.

…and what’s happening on Sunday?

Since you asked, LOL, I’ll be downtown Des Moines in the morning, climbing 77 flights of stairs for the Fight for Air Climb! Hence, I will be a little late in reading/commenting on the blogs for the WRD Linkup. The morning temps are looking chilly (again), so I’m glad I will be in the warm stairwells of the four buildings as I climb. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get outside, in the afternoon, to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine. Stay tuned!

So, another somewhat busy week! The running miles hit the 15-mile mark. Walking saw 17 miles. Biking ended the week with 45 miles. Last Sunday’s stair workout will probably be the final “weekly” such workout, but I will still be sneaking in some intermittent stair work (you know, just for fun). I also was able to get in three strength sessions this week.  

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

Rebounding with the Weather

‘Fessing amidst the Madness

In other news:

Friday Fashion Flair. March Madness had me feeling good and oh-so-fine all week. The Hawks won Sunday and Thursday evenings, but Friday was all about the Spartans with my attire. Yes, I’m guilty of having divided loyalties during basketball season, and I’m alright with that. 

Garmin threw a few badges my way this week. 

Finally, the Hawkeye’s March Madness party ended Saturday evening. As much of a buzzkill it was, it was exciting to see them get to the Elite Eight, especially since it’s their first season with a new coach! They were the 9th seed (South Division), so the fact that they knocked-out three other better teams says a lot. Onward to next year!

So, enough about me. How did YOUR week play-out? Any races this weekend, or on the horizon? Did your weather get a little sketchy (cold and windy) this weekend as well?

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