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Missed Social Events
I just happened to be out of town both weekends that the Run With Santa 5K and Frosty 5K races were held. Also, we missed the two Christmas lights rides which were held on Thursday and Friday evenings of this past week. Our plans changed and we didn’t leave for the farm until Friday so we could have made the Thursday night ride, but with leaving super early Friday morning, I needed to do laundry and pack rather than socializing on my bike. Both evenings were quite warm for December, making me even sadder to miss the group rides.
Feeling FOMO from missing out on so many fun events with my friends, I signed up for a New Year’s Day 5K and organized a hot chocolate/coffee date afterward!
Overview of the Week
Before discussing each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from this past week. Scroll down for daily details…
Sunday
Cycling: 20 miles
• Average speed: 17.2 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 9:36 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 67°
• What I wore: bike shorts and jog bra
Despite riding a road half century the day before, I hopped on my spin bike (affiliate link) to pound out a few miles while watching church virtually and before getting started on a busy day of catch-up.
Monday
Strength training : 1 hour of total body
Running: 5K
• Average pace: 9:34
• Start time: 5:26 PM
• Location: neighborhood streets
• Weather: 46°
• What I wore: capris, l/s shirt, mittens, and ear warmer headband
Foam rolling: 10 minutes
Stretching: 10 minutes
I got my strength training session in at 5:30 AM so I’d have the day for my legs to rest before my planned early evening Christmas lights run (many lights are turned off during my 5 AM runs). What I hadn’t expected to do was spend 2.5 hours gardening and winterizing just before leaving for my run. I felt a little fatigued as I started out, but warmed up and fell into a decent grove. The lights were beautiful and I was happy to have gone out even though I really don’t normally like running later in the day.
Tuesday
Cycling: 32 miles
• Average speed: 16.5 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 7:40 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 65°
• What I wore: bike shorts and jog bra
Wednesday
Strength training : 1 hour of total body
Walking: 1 mile
• Average pace: didn’t track it
• Start time: 9:19 PM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 45°
• What I wore: capris, s/s shirt, velour jacket, and mittens
We picked up Pablo from his condo and brought him back to stay with us while his humans stayed behind for the movers to pick up their stuff the next day. By the time we got home and I took Pablo for a walk, it was late, but he had pent up energy. He did a combination of sniffing and running, him leading the way except for when my headlamp picked up two eyes watching us from the woods and then it was I who started sprinting! LOL
Thursday
Cycling: 26 miles
• Average speed: 16.3 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 6:25 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 65°
• What I wore: bike shorts and jog bra
Immediately after my spin, I took Pablo for a quarter-mile walk, but it was too short and too slow to really count as a workout. We saw a few Christmas ornaments and bows tied to trees along the trail which was really cool.
Friday
Travel day
Once again I left early for the six-hour trip to the farm, this time with my favorite sidekick driving.
Saturday
Running: 4 miles
• Average pace: 9:38
• Start time: 7:37 AM
• Location: country roads
• Weather: 49° and cloudy
• What I wore: capris, s/s shirt, mittens, and visor
Walking: 1 mile
• Average pace: 15:22
• Start time: 8:17 AM
• Location: country roads
• Weather: 51° and cloudy
• What I wore: capris, s/s shirt, mittens, and visor
Foam rolling: 10 minutes
Stretching: 10 minutes
I beat the rain by heading out for my run a little earlier than I would have had rain not been in the forecast. The day prior as Bill and I drove up the lane to the farm, we saw a rafter of about twenty turkeys in the field I’m running past in the picture. For the first time out in the wild, I saw a gobbler with his plumage all fluffed up. He was strutting his stuff before taking off in an incredibly fast run. Who knew turkeys could run so fast?
Last Week’s Blog Posts
In case you skipped checking in on my blog this past week, here’s what you missed…
- • Sunday – Weekly RunDown: December 5 – 11 / Unique Use for My Bike Garmin
- • Tuesday – 2021: My Year in Bling
- • Thursday – A Little Girl in Search of the Perfect Christmas Tree
Questions:
- • What was your favorite workout of the week?
- • Have you come across Christmas ornaments along any of your running/walking trails?
- • Did you run in a race this weekend?
And that’s my rundown… Have a great week!
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I’m linking up with Deborah at Confessions of a Mother Runner and Kim from Running on the Fly for their Weekly Run Down. Be sure to check out not only the hosts’ posts, but those of the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!
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I am also not a fan of running in the evening or late day. I also could never do strength sessions at 5:30 am the same day. Way to get it done. Hope you had a nice visit w your mom
Thanks, Deborah, we had a fun visit (our son, d-i-l, and the baby were there, too). We are on our way home now.
Looks like a beautiful week for you! Haha, I have seen Christmas ornaments on the trails but the last time was in July, lol. I think I shared a photo of it back then. Made me laugh. Nothing now.
Have a great week!
Christmas in July I guess!
Too bad that you missed your holiday races. But it was worth it to spend time with family.
I ran two races last weekend so none this weekend.
We saw two small decorated Christmas trees on our rail trail run yesterday.
Enjoy the holidays.
Yes, we had a really nice visit with my mom and I dressed in my Christmas capris for my country roads run so I had my own little holiday themed run.
How fun to see decorated trees along the trail while out on your run!
I’m sorry you had to miss the holiday fun — unfortunately I had to, too.
Why yes I did see ornaments on the run this week. But thankfully no wild critters watching me.
Bandit’s walks aren’t workouts but it is movement so I still count it! Exercise less, move more.
That’s very cool that you saw ornaments along your running trail! Those were probably bunny eyes staring at me, but I was envisioning them belonging to a mountain lion. LOL
Sorry you missed the holiday races. Unfortunately here the same happened before because of my flu and after because I don’t like the programmed 5km route: 10 laps on the cobblestone and only 2 age groups.
In this period I run around the city so I see decorations and ornaments everywhere.
Enjoy the holidays!
Ten laps on cobblestone with only two age group divisions doesn’t sound like my idea of a fun race either.
Happy holidays to you as well!
Great week, Deb! It’s a bummer when the temps are unusually warm (this time of year) and we’re not able to take advantage. We had far too much wind on our 79-degree Wednesday last week (#SadFace). People put up single ornaments on random trees, here in town. They’re always a nice surprise 🙂
Wow, 79° sounds nice, but not with those high winds you experienced.
I loved finding the random ornaments along the trail. You’ve mentioned seeing them before, too, correct?
Ooh! I love the Christmas lights run- I should schedule an early evening run this week. I like the idea of the new Year’s day 5k as well. Hmm, maybe I’ll copy you again and look for one around here.
Hope you have a great weeks!
Thanks, Jenny, and copy away!
Love your holiday running outfit/pic! Pablo gets spoiled by his grandparents, doesn’t he? It’s so awesome that you can watch him! We are watching my sister’s malti-poo Lola from Christmas to NYE so that will be fun. She’s super easy though compared to Ruth’s energy, ha!
Hope you had a nice visit with the family!
Enjoy your time with Lola! We have loved watching Pablo for the past 3.5 years and are going to be so sad when he and his humans move to Florida the day after Christmas.
I don’t think I’ve seen any night lights rides in our area. There is a Winter Warriors bike group in my area though. I haven’t been brave enough to join the yet. Not sure I even have the right equipment (bike or clothes!) for that, but I do see their updates in my FB feed. Maybe I’ll get brave one of these warmer days and join them.
Lisa @ TechChick Adventures recently posted…Weekly Workouts – happy days
You should try an evening ride if you have a headlamp for your bike (maybe on a warmer night). One of our missed rides was a road ride and the other was gravel.
Sorry that you missed some of the holiday events but it sounds like you have a great plan for New Year’s Day!
Thanks, Kim, I do!
Pablo!
What a fun week!
I love the idea of a Christmas lights run. On the flip side. I hate running at night. So there’s that.
Awesome workouts for you!
I decided that once a year the benefits outweigh the negatives. 😀