It was unseasonably warm here in Virginia this past week. So warm, in fact, that I wore shorts and a short sleeved shirt on all of my runs. A late night Redskins Monday night football game kept my friend Tracy and me up too late to meet our 5:30 AM running friends, so we met at 8:30. I forgot to take the GoPro along so after our run I headed back out for a few strides across the bridge behind our house.
Wednesday morning was quite foggy, but by the time I headed out for my solo three-mile run the fog was starting to burn off. I stayed close to home and ran along one of the many trails that runs through our community. We’re fortunate to have 28-miles of trails that meander through the common area, most in wooded areas. I know these trails like the back of my hand, and find them to be a cooler alternative to running in the sun on the W&OD Trail – especially when I need to run in the middle of the day during the summer.
Bill and I were thinking of volunteering at Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday so I wanted to get my long run in earlier in the week, and my friends were willing to accompany me onThursday. BTW, volunteering didn’t happen when we learned that abut 50,000 other people were expected to show up and we’d be lucky to get two wreaths to lay. We had purchased wreaths in late November, so I feel good that we were able to help out in some way.
Thursday morning’s early run was extremely foggy as well. Our friend Angela set up a new course for us through her neighborhood so we could admire the Christmas lights. After returning some of our friends to the parking lot at the end of the first five miles, Dora, Mary, Angela and I ran five more miles.
We tried to take a few pictures in the fog with the flash and here’s what we got – highlighted water droplets!
I turned the flash off and Dora was able to get this picture of me just a few seconds later. This pic is edited in Camera+; however, the difference between the flash and no flash was huge.
Thursday evening Bill and I decided to have Chipotle carryout for dinner. I stopped in at 6:10 PM when the line would usually be wrapped back and forth around those line dividers and then on into the eating area. I suppose Bill and I are greater chance takers than some other people after the two recent scares – one on each coast.
Friday I put the finishing touches on our outdoor decorations with this wreath. Oh wait, this is our only outdoor decoration this year – and it’s on the deck on the back of our house.
Saturday morning I was pretty stoked to meet up with the Cruisers for our first organized group run in forever. At our Christmas party last Sunday, one of the Cruisers asked if we could start a “lazy Cruisers” Saturday morning running group. They don’t like starting at 6:30 AM like I do, so no one had been showing up for my planned runs. Cruisers Kim, Amanda, Beth and I have been running regularly with our MRTT friends, and for us it was usually the earlier the better. With nobody interested in meeting me, I’d quit sending weekly invites. I could always count on the Cruisers for special events like our National Running Day evening run, our annul Bunny Hop, our Thanksgiving morning post-race brunch, and of course our Christmas party.
While out, we met Cruiser Kim on her way back from her run. She would have loved to run with the Cruisers, but we were meeting too late. 😉 Kim is running with Danielle who seems extremely happy to us!
We were cheered on by some more of my MRTT friends, and as we ran by I told them that I was two-timing on them with the Cruisers.
I had a list a mile long of things Bill and I needed to get done after my run, and bagging leaves in the back yard was on the list. We checked almost everything everything off our list, including bagging this long line of leaves. Bill got a new back-pack leaf blower in the spring, and man, did it make a huge difference!
After a dinner of yogurt and blueberries (we’d each had a foot-long sub for a late lunch), I wrapped Christmas presents and watched Rudolph before falling into bed around 11 PM. It was one of those nights were I was actually too tired to fall asleep…
This morning I woke up feeling great with zero back pain even though I spent much of yesterday bending over filling bag with leaves and carrying them up the hill and to the curb. Those core and lower back exercises are really paying off! Yippee!
Weekly Recap:
- Weights: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Runs: Tuesday – 6.2 miles, Wednesday – 3.1 Thursday – 10 miles, Saturday – 4 miles (Total: 23.3 miles)
- Stretching: Daily
- Average Steps Per Day: 12,756
- Average Hours Sleep Per Night: 6:19
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I’m linking up with Holly at HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap. Be sure to check out not only the hosts, but the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!
Have a great week!
- Questions:
- Would you eat at Chipotle despite the recent news?
- Have you had snow yet?
- Did you race this weekend?
I rode my bike in the freakiest fog ever on Thursday morning and forgot all about it until I read your post. I didn’t really know how bad it was until the sun tried to peek through. Yard work, especially raking, is such a strenuous workout to me! I think it should be on a list of acceptable cross training somewhere! It’s funny how people have different ideas about what is too early or late for running. Thanks for linking, Deb!
HoHo Runs recently posted…Back To The Doc (WW # 19)
Biking in thick fog sounds pretty dangerous. Be careful out there!
I’ve been running in the fog lately, and while it makes for some cool shots, it’s pretty gloomy!
I feel really badly about Chipotle. I would think that it would the safest place to eat, but stuff keeps happening. So weird.
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Underground Polar Express Run
One of my friends was having Chipotle cater a party for her on Saturday night. She didn’t know about the recent episode in Boston until I told her. We agreed that at this point, after two outbreaks, the owners would be so careful that it would have to be the safest place to eat. So far so good for Bill and me!
I would LOVE to have 28 miles of trails to meander through. There has been a lot of fog in Iowa this past week, over the weekend. Crazy weather! I’m not missing the usual snow (much), but this muddy spring-like stuff is not very pretty.
Kim Hatting recently posted…Santa Hats and Jingle Bells!
The trails are fabulous and one runs right past our property so we just have to step out of our yard and onto the trail, and yes, I realize I’m very spoiled to have them! As much as I love snow, I’ve been loving our fabulous weather this past week. I’m good with the snow waiting until January to start falling!
Wow, sounds like a great week. It has been warm here too, but much cooler at 7:30, so gloves & a neck warmer it is for before work runs. I am so looking forward to the days getting longer. It is still dark at 8:30. Boo.
You are lucky to have so many trails and people to run with !
Have a great week.
Karen – Fit in France recently posted…Weekly wrap #19 : Mid December randomness
Thanks! Just this morning I remembered that we’re only one week away from the winter solstice, and then it will start getting lighter earlier every morning! 🙂
I was thinking of volunteering at a race this weekend, and it was perfect weather for it, too (although chilly 50s, not 70, but that’s still warm for here this time of year), but in the end I decided to hang at home to spend more time with Chester (and the husband, of course).
I really enjoy heading out later in the mornings in the cooler weather. I’m always up early, but it’s nice to relax a bit in the morning.
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…Random Christmas Acts of Kindness: 12/7-13 Weekly Wrap
It’s important that you spend time with Chester right now. How is he doing?
If I were running alone I’d definitely choose to run later in the morning when the temps got a little warmer, but if it’s a choice of running alone or running with friends when it’s a little cooler, I’ll choose the friends. 🙂
We don’t have a Chipotle nearby, but I probably would still eat there if we did. Definitely no snow yet here in Alabama! Haha. It actually is supposed to get down into the 30s this weekend though. No races this weekend. I missed our local Holiday Half, which I was bummed about, but my husband and I went on a nice little weekend getaway so it was worth it!
It’s always worth missing a race for a getaway with the hubs!
I’m glad your core work has been helping your back feel better! My ribs have been bothering me more, as of late, but I think it’s from all of the cookie decorating and gift wrapping I’ve been doing.
We had some pretty crazy fog the past few weeks, too, along with those unseasonably warm temp’s. It feels so strange to head out on a December long run in shorts and a tshirt!
Meagan recently posted…Weekly Workout Recap – Dec. 14 – 20
My back was feeling so much better, so I’m perplexed as to why the sciatic nerve in my leg hurt so badly on Thursday. 🙁
Good call on the cookie decorating and gift wrapping causing your rib pain to flare up. Hopefully, once that’s all done it will go away again.