Rebounding!

Can you say Rebounding!

After a week of playing host to the virus, and isolating myself from most of the world, I was ready to be back in action. Thankfully, the virus hadn't kept me down (much) in the previous week, so resuming my fitness routine wasn't a big adjustment.

I can assure you, though, it felt awesome to be back on the "other side" of Covid.  

It Is What It Is

It is what it is, and this past week was its own breed of something.

Hey, if nothing else, we gain our most strength by overcoming obstacles and unforeseen struggles along the way. Life would be quite boring without a few challenges, am I right?

Such was the case in my little world. Nothing I couldn't face, and nothing to keep me down. But there definitely were some moments...

Feelin' Fine: Back in a Bib

 

The bibs are back, and I couldn't be happier!

Not everyone will share in the joy many runners are feeling. I get that. It's kind of a luxury we may have taken for granted prior to Covid. 

But, alas, races are (slowly) making a comeback, and I'm pretty jacked. 

Pandemic: Lessons Learned

My Pandemic: My Lessons Learned.

Well, obviously, this pandemic belongs to ALL of us. I would argue, though, that each of us has experienced it differently. We've all had fears, anxieties, frustrations...and we all have brought our own life experiences to the table. 

That said, my pandemic experience came with many lessons. Most weren't necessarily new "aha moments," or ground-breaking revelations...but all of them left me wiser, changed, and ever more grateful. 

Five Ways To Intensify Your Strength Workout

Are you a fan of strength workouts?

It's no secret that I am! 

It's been just over 10 years since I was introduced to the world of strength-training, and it's been a pretty fun ride. While I'm not a coach (Ha! As if! LOL), I have learned a lot about the sport of pumping iron.

I'm also a creature of habit. It's all too easy to get stuck in a routine and not venture very far from that which we feel the most comfortable. 

Fortunately, I'm also one who is always looking for new ways to do old things. Such is the case with my at-home workouts. I don't have much for fancy equipment, but I do have a few sets of dumbbells. They get a lot of use, usually weekly.

6 Weeks of 5K Time Trials...a Few Reflections

Well, this has been an interesting ride!

The 5K distance has always been a challenge to me. 

Early on, it was tough to find the endurance to run non-stop for 3.1 miles. Once I had the distance mastered, next came the task of running those 3.1 miles a little faster. Then, it was only a natural progression to run that distance even faster - but not too fast - to ensure a true "racing" experience. Fifteen years later, I still don't have it mastered.

Truthfully, it's a distance I've never really trained for. Well, I did have to train my body to run the distance, but any 5K-specific speed work  has never taken place. I have gotten somewhat faster over the course of my 15 years as a runner, but my finish times have never been consistent.

In the wake of all the COVID-19 race cancellations, a slew of virtual races and racing series emerged. I quickly jumped on the band wagon and signed up for the UN-Canceled Project  series. Affiliated with Run the Edge, the UN-Canceled races offered various race distances with different themes each week. There was a Facebook group and a user-friendly site to submit your "finish times" for each of your races.

Since all of my Spring 2020 races were either canceled or postponed (from mid-March and on), these virtual races gave me a new focus for my training. And, since the 5K has been such a nemesis for my running self, I thought this was the perfect time to face it head-on.   

#CovidCoffeeTalk

Shall we do our monthly gathering over coffee?

Only, we have to do it virtually (you know, #covid19 and all).

Not a problem, we can pretend we're all huddled around a table. If nothing else, this current stay-at-home routine has taught us to use our imaginations.

Besides, it's fun to embrace all things virtual right now. I've been running, racing, walking, and  ZOOM'ing with lots of people, all by means of virtual connections. A #CovidCoffeeTalk will be just as fun.

Up Close and Personal

Can we get up close and personal, for a minute?

Another week has come to a close, and we're all still soldiering on. That's something to be thankful for, right? This has been a tough time for everyone, much more difficult for some than others, but it has affected all of us.

Just as we all train differently, I can't help but notice we all are coping differently. I think that's the way it should be. We all have different life experiences, and different triggers. The best any of us can do is to keep moving forward. Whether you're anxious, calm, scared, pessimistic or hopeful...be rest assured, we are all in this together.

Anyways, it was another interesting week on the fitness front!

8 Mini Workday Fitness Fixes

Are you like me, and need a daily fitness fix?

But...do you have a tough time fitting it in? Or, are you currently working from home, and feeling a little out-of-sorts with your current situation? Need a few minutes away from your desk? Or, at the very least, want to be doing something other than sitting? 

Whether you're working onsite, or from the confines of your house, it's not good to spend the day sedentary. Not only can it get boring, but it's just not good for our bodies! Besides, taking a few (or several) mini breaks can make a long day seem not so ominous.

Virtually Quite Content

I have a feeling this will not be my last post on virtual racing, so bear with me.

I promise to vary the content and the details. After all, there will not be any race recaps in the foreseeable future. I guess highlighting some of the experiences from this temporary "normal" will have to do.

Anyways, we are barely one month into the COVID Cancellation Crisis, and I have already run five virtual races (and done one virtual stair climb event). YIKES. I think I have matched my previous "record" of virtual events, all in the matter of a few ((short?)) weeks. And, this has barely scratched the surface of what is yet to (virtually) come.

A Great Big Week of Hmmm...

Things that make you go "hmmm..."

Suffice it to say I was hmmm'ing all week long. Not necessarily in a bad way, but definitely in a state of "what's next?"

Questionable weather. Additional race statuses changing. And, some more virtual goings-on.

Coffee? Make Mine a Lemonade

When life (or COVID-19) gives you lemons...you know what to do, right?

If there ever was a time for a big batch of lemonade, it would be now.

Currently, this virus is front and center. It's on the news everyday and plastered all over social media. The world is in a state of panic. Many stores' inventories are running on empty. Schools are closed. Pretty much anything that had been scheduled for Spring 2020 (and some of Summer 2020 as well) has either been outright cancelled or postponed. And social distancing has become the latest buzzword.

No doubt, it's a crazy and scary time. None of us are exempt from it, but we ultimately have 100% control of how we react to the situation.

Shall we gather, and chat for a bit? You can have your coffee...but I'm going with lemonade. After all, there's been a surplus of lemons dumped on us lately. I've simply chosen to rally with #TeamLemonade and make the best of it..

Give Me 19 Minutes...

Got 19 minutes for (daily) fitness?

I'd bet the farm (if I had one) that you do.

It's not a big time commitment and it doesn't have to be intense. In fact, you'd be surprised at just how fast 19 minutes go by...the key is getting started and just doing it.

Need some ideas? I got that covered...

Gloomy Is As Gloomy Does

Gloom is a state of mind, and quite a subjective one at that.

No doubt, things continued to stay nutzo with the #covidcrazy pandemic. The weather, though not uncomfortable, certainly wasn't all sunshine and warmth either. And, although I felt humbled at times, my fitness endeavors kept the sweat flowing and my heart pumping. After all, I get to do fitness endeavors, no matter how tough or challenging. That's always a good thing!

Runfessions...because some things never change

A lot of things have changed recently.

Oddly, though, a lot of things have remained (relatively) the same. At least for the time being.

One thing's for certain...there's always a few runfessions to disclose.

My 2020 Spring (empty) Bucket List

There were all kinds of grandiose things on tap for my 2020 spring racing season.

Sorry, but I'm not sorry for being an early bird (both in my daily routine AND in registering for races). There is a gamble, though, in that the race(s) may not come to fruition and that start line (and subsequent finish line) will not happen. It could be all on the runner (ahem, injury or arisen schedule conflicts) or it could be on the race day circumstances (the weather).

Or, in my case, it was due to COVID-19 messing with things.

Spring Break: Broken

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Or, in my case, break it anyways by canceling all your Spring Break plans. I wish I could say "crisis averted," but plenty of COVID-19 drama still went down. At least I had the "luxury" of not worrying about air travel and dirty airports. That said, as of Saturday morning, there has now been one confirmed case in my area.

But, like most others, I chose to forge on. My current count of affected races is at six. Not a big deal...it is what it is, and I'm all about doing what's best for the general population. Most of my races are postponed (one did have a virtual option), and only one was outright cancelled.

Alas, it was another interesting week...

5 Coping Strategies for a COVID-19 Cancellation

COVID-19. How's that for a buzz word!

That's the current reality.

It's affected all of us in one capacity or another. Unfortunately, no one is exempt.

As runners, many of us have had road races cancelled or postponed, leaving us in limbo for the next couple months. A lot of time and energy have been spent, all in preparation for these events that now may (or may not) happen in the foreseeable future.

What's a runner to do?

Well, it's not the end of the world, and all is not lost. Actually, there are many options to consider in the wake of this turn of events...

March Madness and Mayhem

Wow. Has it been a week!

A lot of events have gone down (quite literally), a lot of stress has been elevated (unfortunately) and there's been all kinds of panic and fear laid out before us. Myself, I don't think I've let things (known and unkown) get to me (yet), but it's been a week like none other.

Let's just say I'm ever so grateful to have the likes of fitness, sweat and endorphins as my one constant.