If we were talking busyness, this week was a doozy.
We're talking all kinds of work-related stuff, daily run streaking, and a host of pre-holiday to-do's that needed attention. Oh, and did I mention we have a college graduation happening soon (like next weekend!)?
I was especially thankful for each and every fitness fix (aka coping vice) that I had at my disposal this week....if you know what I mean.
There's a certain sweet satisfaction when (most of) your undesirable circumstances do a #180, am I right?
After the previous week's crazy cold "winter preview," this last week catapulted us back to more seasonal temps (that were actually borderline unseasonably warm, just saying). The healing hammy continued its upswing with more feeling-good vibes. And, the running saw a little more action.
So, yes, things were definitely much better in my little world (#HappySigh).
Such is my reality for the next several months, at least in regards to biking. I know, quite the first world problem.
Not only am I thankful to have an indoor bike a mere 2-minute walk from my bedroom (on a slow-moving day, LOL), but I am even more grateful that I LOVE riding it. Of course, I'd much rather be outside, in the fresh air...but certainly not this time of year (in the limited daylight), and certainly not in the midst of an Iowa winter.
Have you ever taken your cycling indoors? Here's a few things to consider if the opportunity presents itself...
Whatever it takes, I'm on board.
Especially when it comes to an injury-related rally-back situation, keeping the focus on the rehab (over the FOMO) is paramount. This has been the case for me, with my most recent healing hammy scenario.
The past week had me digging deep to stay on task with the rally-back action, and it kept me busy...
My current reality?
It's definitely not what I would have pictured or imagined a few weeks ago, but that's not a bad thing. Not in the least.
This past week saw very little running (umm, how does a single, solitary mile grab you? LOL). Instead, it entertained all kinds of other fun fitness things, which is always a good thing.
And, the weather? Well, it was a brief summer-rewind situation...and that was a GREAT thing.
All is fair in fitness and fun...until an injury rears its ugly head.
Yes, I said it.
INJURY. Not exactly a runner's (or any athlete's) favorite word that begins with I.
I had a feeling said "ugly word" had been flirting with me in recent weeks, and I was taking all the necessary precautions to keep it at bay. But, wouldn't you know? It still made its grand entrance...
...and just like that, it's time to enter the 'Fessional and bare the soles...
Let's just say there's been some stuff going down recently. It's always best to 'fess-it-out on the blog (you know, among friends and such). A runner cannot keep all this stuff unmentioned, am I right?
So, yeah. The weather, in Iowa, was anything but smooth this past week.
Extreme shifts in temps were the norm. We're talking mid-winter "feels" with the sub-freezing mornings and psychotic wind. There also was a much welcome 50-degree jump in temps, which catapulted us back to the heat of summer (minus the humidity).
Figuring out the clothing situation was a major guessing game. But, the good news? At least it wasn't snowing!
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Sometimes you just gotta go with your gut, have faith, and seize the moment.
And that's just what I did, almost on the daily, this past week.
The weather kept me guessing (what's new?), the hip felt great (yay!), and the glute/hammy saw significant signs of improvement (whew!). So, we acted on a few impulses...
Supposedly, no one likes a tease...
But when it comes to Spring weather, I beg to differ. After all, we know the warmer weather is on the way. It may not get here as quickly as we'd prefer, but getting a little preview of it sure feels good!
Such was the case in Iowa this week. Cold mornings. Warm afternoons. Plenty of wind. Singing birds. Sunshine, lots of sunshine. Temps warm enough to melt away the bulk of the snow. It was all good.
We all know what that means, right? The Ultimate Coffee Date is on the roster for many of us...a chance to gather, virtually, over a warm beverage of choice, and have some chatter. We can talk running and fitness, or whatever we so choose.
What's there to chat about this month?
I'm so glad you asked...
This week's theme would have to be "Out of the Darkness and Into the Light."
Let's just say I have really been embracing the increased daylight, the sunshine-filled days, and the excitement of easing closer to Spring (and, ultimately, Summer).
The sunrises are showing up (most days) while I'm still outside, before getting ready for my workday. The sunsets are coming later, well after I've gotten home from work. And, although the temps are still feeling very much winter-like, the wind (on occasion) is starting feel more balmy than frigid.
Seriously, what's not to love?
Turnabout is fair play, or so they say.
This has been a strange fall season. The warmer temps of summer held on a little longer than usual. Then, we had a couple of lightly snow-dusted mornings, followed by some intense ongoing wind. Oh, and then the temps did a major nosedive, and it seemed like the sub-freezing conditions were here to stay.
But, in case you haven't buckled your seat belts, the weather rollercoaster continued this week. With Thanksgiving's near sub-ZERO feels-like conditions barely in the rearview mirror, Momma N served up some unseasonably warm weather... to the tune of mid-50F's most of the week.
Huh. Sit down and figure that one out, LOL.
How would I best describe this week?
In a word, BRRR! If I could add a second word, it would be WINDY!
But I digress. As much as I detest the fall season, I desperately try to hang on (ever so tightly) to it. Why? Because I detest the winter season even more (at least in terms of the cold weather).
While we didn't have actual full-blown (I use that term loosely, LOL) winter weather, we did have winter temps. There was some sunshine, thank goodness, so the chill of the wind wasn't as bad as it could have been, but still BRRR (have I said that already?).
How is it that we're already a full week into October???
Thankfully, the weather felt like a continuation from the previous week's return-to-summer party. Granted, it wasn't quite as warm (until the weekend), but it definitely felt more like late-summer than early-fall. Add in all the pink colored stuff everywhere, and it was a pretty-in-pink kind of week.
I have often said, "I run, therefore I am."
But running is no longer my one and only when it comes to fitness. It took several years of ongoing injuries to learn that good runners run, but great runners do other things as well. Truth be told, I don't consider myself a great runner, but I'm definitely an experienced one.
As much as I love strength-training and HIIT workouts, I have to admit cardio (in general) is my fitness "drug" of choice. When my body needs a break from pounding the pavement, though, I'm thankful to have several options to choose from when I'm craving a cardio fix. The newest member of my fitness clan is our stationary bike, whom I've named Sebastian (but I call him Sebbe, for short).
