A Fall-Like Blowout

 Can you say WIND?

If so, you'll have a solid grasp on how this week played out for me. We're talking chilly temps, intermittent rain, and all kinds of stuff blowing through the air and against my face. 

Yes, there's a reason (actually, several LOL) I don't particularly like the fall season, and this week's weather was at the top of the list. It is what it is, right? Besides, if we didn't have some cruddy weather, we probably wouldn't appreciate the truly beautiful days.

Trust me, I had that mantra on repeat this week...

How About a Few 'Fessions

 Here we go again...

Time to 'fess up and share a few (or maybe, five?) disclosures, bare the (running) soles, and move forward (mostly) unscathed. Sound good?

While things have been pretty uneventful (in a good way), I do have a few things to share that have me shaking my head. Don't worry, I'm also laughing as I do so...

10 Things About Those 20 Rides

One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves, as runners, is that of another sport.

A bonus gift is the willingness to take on new challenges. Not just simple challenges, but big scary ones that take you out of your comfort zone. After all, comfort zones are pretty overrated and not much good happens within their confines.

Alas, I took on the challenge of weekly cycling, on an especially hilly bike path. And, I did it for 20 weeks, accruing 300+ miles of hills in the process. 

In Search Of...

Ever have one of those weeks where things just seemed...slightly out of reach?

The weather turned on me (faster, and more severe, than forecast), the full moon did its best to avoid me, and my race weekend's recovery was uneventful (as it should be). The reality that Fall is here - in full swing -  always hits me hard, but it is what it is. Summer's going to end and Fall is going to happen... might as well make the best of it, right?

So, I did...

MercyOne 5-Mile Run - 2021 Recap

 

I think it's pretty sweet when the stars, moon, planets (and a plethora of other forces that be) all align on race morning.

It had been a four year sabbatical. This was a race that I'd run twice before and I'd had some decent success with my performance. Even though I had a somewhat big half marathon the next day, why not give it a go? Go big or go home, am I right?

So, I went big, and didn't stay home.

Back on Pace - 2021 IMT Des Moines Half Marathon

Disclaimer: I received a race registration for the IMT Des Moines Marathon weekend  as part of being a Bibrave Pro. Learn more about becoming a Bibrave Pro (ambassador), and check out Bibrave.com to review, find, and write race reviews.

Well, this race never disappoints!

When it comes to repeat racing, I'm guilty. The IMT Des Moines Marathon weekend has entertained me 14 different times (since 2008), and this year was especially significant.

It was significant because it had been two years since the last time I had run this race course (#Covid), but this year I also was seeking a bit of redemption for my less-than-ideal finish at the DAM to DSM 20K (back on August 28th)...oh, and did I mention I also was running the MercyOne 5-Mile Run the day prior?

So, how did that work for me?

A Topsy-Turvy Taper

With two races on the weekend's roster, this week was all about the taper.

The thing is, it didn't really feel like a taper. Since I was kind of in a holding & coasting pattern (since the cancellation of my September marathon), I haven't really been in a real training mode. I've done some long runs (10/11-miles) in the past couple of months, but no speed-training. The weekly mileage has averaged near the 20-mile mark. And there have been a few weeks with minimal mileage (and lots of biking) while I worked my way through some weird aches and (mild) pains.

Still, as we all know, a busy race weekend benefits from a not-too-strenuous week prior...