Tuesday Topics- After the Holidays
Welcome to the Tuesday Topics linkup, which I host with Jenn from Runs With Pugs. Today’s topic- How do you reset your routine after the holidays? Well, the best way I know how to do this- or not get off your routine in the first place- is to schedule a big, scary race a couple months after the holidays are over. That way, you can’t afford to slack off! Here’s what’s going on in my world… I have a big race on my birthday, March 21st. I’ll be turning 60, and plan to celebrate by running 60 miles. I had a few bumps in the road in December, but kept up my long runs for the most part. I felt fairly confident I was on track until, just over a week ago, my calf started to hurt. At this point, I can’t afford an injury, and I also can’t afford prolonged time off. My strategy is to keep moving as much as possible in ways that don’t strain that calf. Movement=bloodflow=healing. I call this the “Scott Jurek approach”. His book, North, is the story of his FKT (fastest known time) attempt on the Appalachian Trail. Early on in the attempt he strained his quad and couldn’t run at all. He kept moving forward, walking as fast as he could for several days, until he could eventually run again. And he did get that FKT, beating the old record by a matter of mere hours. Then there’s Sally McRae, an incredible ultra runner who just came back from a major knee injury. In this video, she shares a run/walk training session in her buildup to a 100 mile race coming up very soon. Logically, too soon in her comeback- but she needs a qualifying 100 mile race to get into her goal race later in the year, Badwater 135. She explains that she is going to get out there and do her best, taking it slow and steady and see what she can do. The point is, a buildup to a race doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s looking like mine won’t be… but I’m still planning on that race. Now, what was the topic again??? Oh yes- resetting routines after the holidays. I really had no choice but to hit the ground running- or, elliptical-ing- in January. Do you have trouble getting back to a routine in January? Join us next week —> What helps you stay motivated through the winter’s blah months? Link Up With Tuesday Topics Welcome back to Tuesday Topics, as Jenny, from Runners Fly joins Jenn at Runs With Pugs to co-host this link-up! Please join us every week for a new topic! Write on our weekly prompt or choose your own topic! Make sure to add your post to the link up, link back to your hosts, and comment on the other shared posts! You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter Top photo by Chetan Kumar on Unsplash
Monday Energy
I don’t usually post on Mondays, but this week I’m inspired. Who knows- maybe it will become a new thing? This was a fun weekend- it’s a great time to be a football fan! It seems like every game comes down to the last play in the final seconds. The Bears game was especially fun and exciting; that is, I guess if you call having a heart attack in the last two minutes “fun.” We made a Chicago-themed dinner for the occasion- Chicago-style hot dogs (ours were vegan of course!) The toppings are very specific- yellow mustard, sweet relish, raw onions, tomato, “sport” peppers, dill pickle spear, and a sprinkle of celery salt. They were good! Somehow all those flavors worked together. Since I’ve never seen a poppy seed bun in my life (apparently a requirement) I made my own. I told my husband if the Bears make it to the Super Bowl, I’ll make deep dish pizza. He’s lobbying for us to make it for the game next weekend though. If the Bears play on Sunday rather than Saturday, we’ll probably do it (why is the day important? More on that coming up). The next night I made this split pea soup from Nora Cooks, with tofu “bacon” crumbled on top. If you look close you make be thinking “What is that “fa la la” quilt doing there? I thought you put away the Christmas stuff!” Well… I have a problem: Foxy LOVES this quilt, and I can’t bear to take it away from him. On the other hand, I don’t want it out all year, so I’m going to have to find a substitute. I’m in an extra good mood because this week is our annual trip to Tampa! My daughter will be playing in the All State band, my husband will be doing professional development, and I’ll be there as my daughter’s chaperone, but she doesn’t need me for much. Really, I’ll have a three day vacation. I’ll have lots of time to myself, we’ll get together with friends (a family we’ve known since our sons were in preschool together), and I’ll meet up with Stephany! We have a fun book-ish adventure planned. We’ll return late Saturday or early Sunday (depending on how my husband feels about driving late Saturday night). If the Bears play on Saturday we’ll miss the game- hopefully they’ll play Sunday instead. Are you watching the football playoffs? Do you have anything fun or exciting this week? Top photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Weekly Rundown- New Adventures in Cardio
Oh, hi there! Let’s see… when we left off last Sunday I was finishing a great week that was derailed at the last minute by pain in my calf. My goal for this week was to a) heal up that calf, b) do lots of cardio, and c) follow Sally McRae’s advice to do something to make myself stronger every day. Let’s just see how that played out! Thanks as always to Kim and Deborah for hosting this Weekly Rundown. Monday My calf was still feeling sketchy, so I went to the gym and spent 40 grueling minutes on the bike. I was a little cranky, and failed to take a photo. Later in the day I did an upper body strength workout. Tuesday New day, new calf! I had a great 2 mile walk with no pain. Later in the day I did my hip stability exercises. Wednesday One hour of cardio, which broke down like this: 30 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the treadmill, including two pain-free miles of running. Now that I’ve banned the Stairmaster, the elliptical is my machine of choice. Later in the day… Caroline Girvan deadbug workout. Thursday Another 2 mile walk… and a lower body strength workout. At night I watched the Miami/Ole Miss playoff game and GAH!!! I needed to turn it off and go to bed, but there was no way to turn that one off!!! Did anyone else watch it? (I know Jenn did!) Not only did I stay up until 11:30 to see the end, but then I couldn’t sleep because I was so hyped up. Friday Ouch. This morning’s alarm was painful. I got out for a one mile walk, one mile run, and then went to the gym for 30 minutes on the elliptical. Later in the day I did a short upper body strength workout. Saturday This has been a pretty great week! I haven’t felt the calf since Monday, and I went out for a planned 5 mile run… but not even a mile in I felt that calf pain again, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I was able to continue running, but after 3 miles decided it would be smart to call it quits. There may have been some cursing. Later in the day I did a Caroline Girvan abs workout, and some wall sits- I’m trying to improve the strength in my quads since they get so sore after my long runs. This was a discouraging way to end the week. I originally had a long run planned for today, decided to push it back to Wednesday, and now instead of a trail run it will be a 4 hour bike/elliptical/treadmill extravaganza (yep- send thoughts and prayers my way). Onward!!! Get with the program, calf. How was your week? Are you watching football playoffs?— GAH!!! THAT BEARS GAME!!! Anyone else dealing with niggles right now? Top photo by Andrew Valdivia on Unsplash
13 for 26???
Remember how I was going to “celebrate” the 12 Days of Christmas? Hahahaha. It started off great! I did NOT get depressed on the 26th (as I usually do) and sailed right into New Year’s feeling pretty good. Is there any way to get through the whole 12 days feeling celebratory? If so, I haven’t found it. I ended the last few days fighting the usual post-Christmas blues. I’m in the process of Grinch-ing the house- all the big stuff is done, but it’s a huge job since I decorate very “thoroughly”. There are Christmas towels, pillows, shower curtains, pajamas, shirts, socks… lots of laundry to be done before everything is put away. One thing I do enjoy is post-Christmas shopping. I got wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and a new wreath for the front door. The old wreath was so shabby, I felt like it was an insult to the community. Everything was 60-80% off! And, I finally found the time to sit down with my new planner and get some New Year energy going. I started a “26 for 26” list but only got to #13: Read 75 books Complete a 60 mile run (planned for 60th birthday, but if that doesn’t happen for any reason, will be done at some other point during the year). Put a serious focus on strength training April-August (assuming 60 mile run is completed in March). Read “Why We Sleep.” I really need to sleep more, and I’m hoping this book will scare me into making the necessary changes. Send all of Engie’s postcards- as part of my Secret SANta present, Engie included blank postcards with the instructions to mail them all! Have one “adventure” per month. Watch Season 2 of Severance. Teach Angie to meal prep. Once a month date with husband (can be double date). Get nightstands/lamps for bedroom. Get a new dining room table. Mail Christmas cards in November. Ahem. Bake (and freeze) Christmas cookies in November. Now I’m stuck. I can think of other things, but they’re all things I know are going to happen anyway. Like “buy dress for Paul’s wedding.” This is going to be a project, but it’s something I HAVE TO DO, so it seems like cheating to put it on a goals list. I can also think of some goals that are much too vague, like “eat better.” What does that even mean? Is it pressing enough to make it a goal? I don’t know. Reading 75 books will be a stretch, since in 2025 I read 63. But having it on my list is helping already- I need 6.25 books per month, so that’s gone onto my monthly goals list, and I can also think about it on a weekly basis. I’m starting to see how SHU’s “nested goals” system works! Do you have a list of goals for 2026? Does anyone else feel like the world is suddenly blah and un-sparkly, or is it just me?