Oh, hello there! Welcome to the Weekly Rundown, hosted as always by Kim and Deborah (thanks, ladies!) I started off the week cautious about my sore shin… but as the week wore on, I had no pain and it looks like everything is back to normal. I also had a revelation about running in the heat… read on for details!
Monday
Leg day at the gym!! First up, sled pushes and pulls:
Ben Patrick (Knees Over Toes Guy) says you can do the sled six days a week- even though it’s weighted, it involves concentric as opposed to eccentric movements, so it’s okay to do every day. I’m not going to the gym six days a week! But I’ll do the sled as often as I can.
After the sled I did squats, deadlifts, hamstring curls, tibialis raises, and abs. Last week I said that squats scare me, and Wendy had some great advice. She said if I get down low with a heavy weight and really can’t get back up, I can just let the bar slide off my back and drop it. GREAT point! I didn’t end up dropping the bar this week, but it did make me a little less scared.
Tuesday
I started off the morning at home with my pull up bar, and did assisted pull ups and negatives. Then back to the gym for upper body, but first the sled, of course!
If I’m doing the sled before leg day, I do about ten minutes. On this day I did 20 minutes of pushing and pulling, and it gave me a little cardio workout. Then bench press, overhead shoulder press with dumbbells, and abs.
Wednesday
Today was the big day- our tile guy came to tile the backsplash!!! Ahem, he came at 8 am. This meant I had to get my run in very early, before taking my daughter to school. 4 miles mostly in the dark- the sun was coming up just as I finished.
Guess what? It’s WAY easier to run in the dark! That is, if you live in South Florida and it’s September. It was sooooo much cooler! I used to run in the dark all the time, but have gotten away from it in recent years. I might have to rethink that.
Oh, and here’s the finished backsplash:
Thursday
Leg Day #2! I started at home with tibialis raises and and goblet squats, then to the gym for- you guessed it- the sled. Then squats, calf raises and Bulgarian split squats.
Friday
Well, I didn’t HAVE to run super early today, but I just happened to wake up at 5 am so I got out for another dark 4 miler. Once again- so much easier.
Then, in the evening I attended our first home football game! It was my daughter’s first game in the marching band, and they were looking good! Funny thing- we were playing the school where my husband teaches- it was an intra-family rivalry! Tragically, our team lost in overtime. Sadness! (My husband was secretly smug, grr.)
Saturday
Off! I was able to sleep in a little before going to work. After work I rushed home to see the second half of the Baylor game, and THEY lost! Now I’m suffering from football depression.
Sunday
On tap for today- 10 mile long run. Big decision- I want to start this run in the dark, but that means it won’t be a trail run (for reasons which I expect are obvious.) Cooler run… or trail? I think a cooler run will win out.
In the afternoon- the first Dolphins game! Let’s see if they can get me out of my sad football rut.
How was your week? Are you getting some cooler weather?
High school, college, or pro football? – I like them all, but it’s been a while since I attended a live game! Where’s the instant replay? I want a better camera angle on that play! Ha ha… it was a different experience.
43 Responses
It has been such a hot, humid week where we live! It feels like everyone is feeling the heat.
Honestly? It has been such a tough week. You know about the neighbourhood drama and the loss of my blog…but then a dear friend passed away suddenly. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor last Saturday, had surgery on Wednesday, and passed away Friday night/Saturday morning. He was 49. It’s just…shocking. They live a few houses away from us and I think of his two sons like my own kids. He was just at our house a few weeks ago, and he and his wife were the sweetest most genuine couple you could ever meet. I’m in shock and not quite sure how to process this – hoping to jump into action by organizing a meal train in the coming weeks and just being available to do whatever is needed – grocery runs, shuttling kids around, being a listening ear. So sad and such a shocking reminder of how precious life (and time with our families) really is.
But then, along with all the hard, life goes on. Which seems both beautiful and tragic. This means, in the same comment, I have to say how beautiful your kitchen looks and KUDOS for all the great gym workouts!!! And I’m so glad you made it out to the football game! <3
Oh no!!! That is TERRIBLE. His poor wife and kids. A meal train sounds like a great idea- I know in times of trouble, making dinner can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. I agree- things like that are shocking.
Love the backsplash!
Around here, it can be more humid before dawn, so a dark o’clock run isn’t always the best choice weather-wise, but it’s all I can do before work.
I only watched HS football during the one season my son played. I watch college and professional, although I’m not a huge fan of any particular team, we do root for Clemson since that’s where he went.
It’s true- it’s more humid before dawn. But I can deal with the humidity and no sun, better than heat and bright sunlight. And it’s still humid after sunrise anyway!
An escape plan makes everything a little less scary… :p I will have to take my own advice soon as SJ is gearing up for a powerlifting cycle this fall!
Your kitchen looks great! You must feel so happy every time you walk in there.
Yes, I do! It’s SOOOO much better than the old kitchen!
Congrats on a lot of fitness going down this week. Sigh, the dilemma of getting up crazy early for cooler weather or getting up at “normal people time”…the struggle is real.
Yes, it seems like I can never win! Getting more sleep… having a cooler run… but it’s more humid before sunrise…. but the sun makes it so hot… whatever.
Your backsplash looks great! Sounds like you had a strong week of running and fitness. It is often more humid early morning but less hot here-gotta pick your poison! College football is so emotional!
Well, I know I get very emotional over college football! And thanks- we’re loving the backsplash.
Yay for no shin pain this week! Nice job on rediscovering suer early dark runs! I love them not only because they’re cooler, but because I love the peacefulness of the pre-dawn hour.
I’m definitely a bigger college football fan than pro, but I am excited about the possibilities of the Commanders with new ownership. My Hokies lost yesterday (after a 6-hour rain delay) so I feel your pain. I was a HUGE Dolphins fan in high school (during the Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick era). In fact, I just finished reading Larry Csonka’s Head On: A Memoir and loved it.
It’s funny because I didn’t like football at all when I was younger! Now I love it. The Dolphins had a great game yesterday!
Nice work doing the sled so often! I used to work with a sled when I had a personal trainer in the months leading up to my wedding. It was hard!! I don’t have access to a gym anymore so no sled workouts for me!
Last week was a weird week for me. I got back from the lake Monday and then was in the office tues/wed and WFH Thursday to take Paul to his first day of K. So no workout for me on those days. Paul took the bus on Friday so I fit a quick CG upper body workout in before taking him to the bus stop in front of our house at 7:40. I ran sat and sun.
Our weather has really cooled off thank goodness. We had unseasonably hot and humid weather last weekend. I was glad we were close to the water/at the lake. It’s nice now with highs in the 70s although I see we will be back in the 90s next week. I am ready for crisp, cool fall weather.
Ooh, Paul can take a bus? That should make your mornings easier! And what is this- you’ll be back in the 90s next week??? That won’t feel good, this late in September.
Yes he can take the bus although he only takes it on Fridays as my days can start early on Mondays with meetings and such and then tues-thur we need to be at work by 7:45. 🙁 So he does before and after care. I so wish he could just ride the bus but it doesn’t work with our work schedules.
Luckily the forecast has shifted and we don’t have 90s in the forecast now. Phew! 80s is plenty warm! But we will mostly be in the 70s which is just right!
Your kitchen looks so light and bright! It’s really pretty, Jenny!
Thanks Nicole! Next week I’m going to post a before and after photo- the old kitchen was so dark.
Love your new kitchen… backsplash is perfect.
I don’t run in the dark which means it’s hard to get a run in before work.
Lots of rain lately but yes, it is cooler.
Thanks Darlene! There are things I don’t like about running in the dark, which is why I stopped doing it. But it’s so much more comfortable in the summer.
Yes to the cooler runs! It does make a HUGE difference!
20 minutes pushing a sled? You are ironwoman! It sounds kind of boring to me, gotta admit.
Ha, it’s a little boring. But not more boring than pool running or the stair climber, and I do plenty of those. Plus I always listen to a podcast at the gym.
Nice splashback! I’m also impressed you have that sled thing on the grassy surface to do at your gym – very fancy!
I like running in the morning dark but not the evening dark. I have a chest light that really helps, as it’s more stable than a head one.
It’s been really hot and humid here, very unseasonable, so only two runs for me this week. Hope the weather will break soon.
It’s funny because our gym is not fancy- it doesn’t have a pool or sauna or anything like that, and it’s not expensive. But they really do have some nice equipment!
I have a light that clips onto my belt- I don’t like a headlamp either.
Your kitchen looks beautiful! We have definitely cooled down here and I am loving it. The pumpkin decor is out in force! Haha! I became a college football fan when Maddie started at Georgia Tech. It was great to see them win big this weekend. I can’t wait to see where Thing 2 will end up going to school. The energy of college game day is amazing.
FSU has a good team… just sayin. 😉
College football, baby, ALL THE WAY!!! I know, that’s probably a BIG surprise, LOL 😉 Nice job getting out there for those early pre-sunrise runs! Welcome to my world…though, I’m not avoiding the heat by doing so. HA ha!
I know- some people have no choice. I wouldn’t like it so much in the cold!
What a beautiful photo! I always run before sunrise this time of year sadly – it’s just theonly time i have time to get in a workout. I miss the light mornings though and have to alter my route these days to run where it’s well lit. What a nice kitchen!!! I’m jealous – when we moved into our house 5 years ago we said we would update the kitchen first … and it’s been 5 years.
Yes, I do have to alter my route- I’m not crazy about that part.
We’ve lived with the same kitchen since we moved into this house 20 years ago, and things were literally falling apart. It was time!
I’m only a fan of soccer but I’m trying to learn to enjoy rugby because that’s HUGE here.
That’s good tip from Wendy about squats! Good work in the gym with all those squats and deadlifts and sled push/pulls. I’m glad to hear your shin is better.
We’ve had a nice heatwave this week but with a crazy humidity and weird fog coming on very quickly. Today was insane but I love the warm weather. It’scsupposed to cool down from tomorrow.
Thanks Susanne! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rugby game, but if I lived in Ireland I guess I would have to get into it! I’ve discovered that I can like most sports if I give them a chance.
The backsplash looks so great, Jenny. I am glad you went with something with an interesting pattern! 😉
Do you feel safe running in the dark? Besides the fact that I’d have to invest in some reflective gear, I don’t know if I am comfortable running in the dark but I have started to notice that the sunrise is getting later and later… so I have to rethink my early morning routine a bit.
I’m not 100% comfortable. I change my route so it’s a little more busy and well-lit, and I also have a light that clips to my waist belt. So, it’snot ideal but I feel safe enough.
Yes, I’m also glad we went with an interesting pattern!
Very exciting about the backsplash! It looks great. Doing the sled looks pretty badass, so good you can do it so often 😎
I think I would do sunrise runs often if I lived in Florida. The sun is my running nemesis!
Yes, the sun makes it really difficult down here. Overcast days (not that they happen often) are like heaven.
That sled looks like it would be a fabulous workout. But, yeah, maybe a little boring? Do you have earbuds in? Are you listening to music or anything?
My husband and I broke with the NFL a few years ago (maybe four or five?) and it has been so nice, although as the years go by and there are new players who I don’t know, I feel less and less connected with water cooler topics. There are reasons why we no longer watch the NFL, but I recently listened to an episode on the podcast Code Switch about how black players are treated in the NFL and it just sort of cemented my opinion that the only way to stop the NFL is for people to stop supporting the NFL. (That being said, I still own a lot of Lions gear and wear it proudly, knowing that the Packers fans who surround me will get very upset.)
Oh yes- I always listen to a podcast at the gym.
Really? Black players are mistreated in the NFL? I guess that really shouldn’t surprise me, but it’s disturbing. I should listen to that podcast, but I’m afraid to.
I really prefer running in the time before sunrise. However, it doesn’t always work out.
Sleds look fun. We are joining an actual gym (the Y), so I doubt they have sleds, but I’m a big fan of stuff like that (also tires, and sledgehammers)
Our HS team lost this week in the final seconds (but the band was phenomenal). Miami Hurricanes won, Miami Dolphins won (barely) and the Jacksonville Jaguars also won (also barely). I wasn’t watching but the tv was on so I caught glimpses throughout the weekend.
Love the backsplash. It looks fabulous.
The Dolphins game was GREAT!!! That cheered me up.
You will love the Y!
Nice work on the early runs! I can see definite perks to that, though I’m not sure I would ever feel totally comfortable running in the dark after a scary experience once some years back. I would in a group, but that would be complicated too!
I’ve never actually tried the sled at the gym! It has never been scheduled on my “workout plan” though I can see it definitely being a good combo leg/ full body/ cardio exercise.
I know- I don’t run my usual route when it’s dark because it doesn’t seem safe. I run up and down a busier road, which isn’t the most fun. So it’s a tradeoff!
The sled is exactly how you describe it- leg, full body, cardio. I’m liking it.
OK, just saw your reply to Kae – I was worried about your safety, too. And your visibility – do you wear any lights/reflectors? If not, please do! I find it very hard to see runners in the dark and it scares the bejeezus when they’re on the shoulder or in the bike lane and I didn’t see them before I was practically next to them. (I used to run/walk in the dark, but always on the path far off the road and always with my phone so there was light.)
The backsplash is great! The need to be home for repairmen/tradespeople is not. Sorry your schedule got so disrupted on Weds.
I struggle with football – so many medical and ethical challenges related to playing the game and the ownership structure. That said, I still follow it (but don’t watch – that’s the whole no TV thing…). It’s hard.
I do run with a clip-on light, and I don’t run in the street or bike lane. My route has wide, asphalt sidewalks that are separated from the street by about, oh, 12 feet or so of grass? There aren’t a lot of streets I have to cross, but when I do I’m VERY careful about looking both ways numerous times. I’m not so worried about that aspect of it- for the other fears, I try to stay on streets that have a decent amount of traffic, even at that hour.