Hello from cloudy Florida! Wait… what? We have had the gloomiest month here, and you should hear people complain! It’s pretty funny (do you people know what’s going on in the rest of the country???). But, lots of people (like me) moved here to escape SAD. I thought we lived in the Sunshine State! Did I move to Seattle without realizing it? Well, we will live through this hardship. Meanwhile, thanks as always to Kim and Deborah for hosting the Weekly Rundown. Here’s how the week played out.
Monday
Ugh. My son went back to school today. It’s always so hard to say goodbye, AND he had to leave for the airport at 4:30 am. My husband drove him, but I got up to see them off. Then I went back to bed and slept until 7:30- which meant I had to run after work.
Note to self- I don’t like that schedule. I’d much rather just get up early and run first thing!
Tuesday
Strength day at home- runners touch, squats, Knees Over Toes exercises, and dead bugs.
Wednesday
After I dropped my daughter at school, I ran 5 miles on a grassy trail in the park. Still trying to get in as many miles on the grass as possible.
Thursday
Leg day at the gym! I pushed and pulled the sled, then did squats, dead bugs, Knees Over Toes exercises, abs, and low back. My low back has been cranky lately!
Friday
4 mile run, early. It was still dark, and made even darker by the fact that it was, once again, overcast all day.
Post-run core work- plank and dead bugs.
Saturday
What is this strange light coming from the sky? Oh yes- it’s the SUN! It was a beautiful January Florida day… 70 degrees and sunny.
It was a day off from exercise. I worked in the morning, my daughter had a concert in the afternoon, and we got together with friends for dinner. AND, I got all ready for the next day’s adventure, which is…
Sunday
On tap for the day- 26 mile long run. Then, waffles and lots of football! The forecast is showing 47 degrees in the morning and… once again, cloudy. Brr! I’ll have to pull out my “cold weather gear” (aka hat, gloves, and arm warmers. To go with my shorts and tank top.) It’s the penultimate long run before my race- how exciting!
Are you watching football today? Who are you rooting for? – KC and Detroit… but I was also rooting for Green Bay and Houston, soooo….
49 Responses
Well even if Florida is pretending to be Seattle, at least it’s not pretending to be the Great White North. The kids got two days off school this week. So much cold, so much snow, so much ice.
Enjoy your 26! Especially since it’s OMG YOUR SECOND TO LAST LONG RUN…EEEEEEEEEE…THE RACE IS GETTING CLOSE!!!!!!!!!!
GULP. Yes, the race is getting close! And yes… Seattle really isn’t so bad in the big scheme of things.
26 miles training run! wooo!!! hope it goes well! So exciting for your race.
THanks Coco! I’m excited (and scared) for my rce as well.
I know it feels cold, but 46 degrees sounds perfect for a 26 mile run. I hope it goes well! I’m heading out in sub-zero temps for what I hope is a 10-ish mile run. We’ll see how it goes, lol
I hope your weather improves! Ours is supposed to in the upcoming week.
Yes, I would rather have it cold! It started out in the upper 40s, which felt nippy- but got warmer as the morning went on. Hope your run went well!
It sounds like great weather for a training run that is basically a marathon — will you go that extra 0,2? 😉
You will need all the waffles and time on the sofa later.
We were 50/50 on our teams yesterday, with the Raven’s win.
Ha ha, I’m counting that I went the extra .2 because at one point I stopped my watch and forgot to start it again. So let’s just say I ran a marathon : )
Looks like you got some great strength workouts there! I used to have a lot of lower back pain before I started training, and also last year in the beginning of my foot injury when I had to sit so much. But while I couldn’t do any squats and deadlifts, my trainer gave me a lot of back extensions, swimmers and the likes, and since July-ish I’ve never had any issues with my lower back. Now of course we keep up the good work with squats and deadlifts too (I still do those mat exercises now and then).
How exciting about your upcoming race!! And it looks so lovely to run on grass! As for the weather – I totally get you. I almost feel offended when we get subzero temperatures in Ireland – like WTF, I moved here partly for the mild winters. I think this is the first time I’ve seen rain on your blog!
Yeah, it looks so weird to have all those photos with overcast skies! And, yes, I need to do more back extensions. My low back gets so achy.
“Penultimate run” sounds so exciting! Best wishes for that and some more sunshine down there! “We” watch football in that he watches and I read, haha. (And LM draws until she runs away to hang in her room!) We’ll see who moves on to next week…
I often do other things while I’m watching football. The games today were both so good though! I’m excited about next week.
Hope your run today goes well! That is great running weather (IMHO).
Welcome to my world, where it seems like the sun only shines when it’s bitterly cold (but always then, even). Trust me we could definitely give Seattle a run for its money — plus they don’t get a lot of snow!
Yes, you live in a difficult area for winter weather! And, I do love running in the “cold” (40s-50s) weather. It’s much easier than 90!
Glad you weathered the Florida winter this week! I am sure you are out there crushing your long run right now. Enjoy your sunshine!
Thank you Deborah! It was actually pretty sunny for my run, and I actually wished for clouds as the morning went on. But it was still a lovely Florida January day.
That sounds like great weather for a long run! I hope it goes well for you! Your race is coming fast!!
We have had awful weather here the last 2 weeks of so. It’s been epically cold and miserable. The sun doesn’t help but it is nice to see the sun I guess? But it will be in the 30s next week which is going to feel Tropical!!!!
I had a good week of workouts – more CG epic heat workouts. I will do #42 this morning. But I go back to the office this week so the string of 5-6 workouts/week will come to an end. But hopefully I can keep up with 4/week and maybe even 5 if I can leave work early one day each week for a 3/12/30 workouts.
Ah, the famous 3/12/30! I’m glad I did that so I know what everyone is talking about.
I always imagine you having pretty miserable winters up there… i’m sure 30s is balmy for you!
I hope your long run is going well this morning! Sounds like perfect weather for it, too.
With the exception of Monday’s and Friday’s rides (a full week ago), I was cold the whole time we were in Florida. I’d brought fall cycling gear, not winter and the wind just cut right through me. AND we seemed to have a lot of head wind most days. On the plus side, I didn’t get eaten by an alligator!
Boo that your son’s winter break is over…
Yes, I feel REALLY bad for the people who have been visiting! I’m sure this isn’t the weather they expected.
Somehow I didn’t notice the clouds!! Maybe they stayed up in PB County and didn’t make it all the way to Broward. I’m just happy any week it isn’t blazing hot. I’m annoyed my rest day is today (the coolest day of the week!) but know better than to skip giving my legs a break!!!!
Maybe you were busy and doing a lot of indoor activities. I honestly wouldn’t have become so focused on the cloudy skies if people weren’t complaining so much.
26 mile long run, how exciting! I hope it goes well for you, and pretty soon you’ll be getting ready to race!
I always find it kinda funny that Florida is the Sunshine State! Obviously you guys get a lot of sunshine there but Arizona is apparently the actual sunniest state in the country, and Florida ranks #10! But I can totally relate to feeling kinda down when we have more than one cloudy day in a row, it’s actually supposed to rain here the next few days so I’m sure everyone will be itching for the sun to return!
Oh really, Florida is #10? So “The Sunshine State” is false advertising! I’ve heard that Colorado is sunnier than us as well.
I’ve been careful not to complain to friends up north, and at most describe our weather as “Florida chilly” but wow am I missing the sun! This has been the gloomiest month. I hope today’s weather is good for your run.
Yes, we can’t complain to our northern friends! I’m not sure where you are in Florida- I know northern Florida got really COLD this week!
THE SUN IS HERE!! It moved here. I mean, sure it was -12 when I walked the dog this morning, but the sun is shining bright. Wisconsin is now the Sunshine State. (Note: This is not true.)
Egads! Your race is coming up so soon! What is the date again? How are you feeling in terms of preparation?
Hahahaha. I know full well Wisconsin is not the Sunshine State, because remember I grew up in the midwest! I’ glad you got to see the sun today though.
My race is February 17th… gulp.
I would love to see 20 degrees and it is sooo windy which makes the cold temps feel even worse.
You are doing amazingly well with your training.
Thank you Darlene! I know… your weather is freezing cold and I’m complaining about a few clouds. It’s ridiculous!
Great consistency Jenny! You are killing it.
Running after work is hard- especially if you’re switching between the two. I really struggle with it!
Yes, you do it more regularly than I do. i’m going to avoid it as much as possible from now on!
Although I am not a seasoned Floridian (ha! the furthest thing from that, LOL), I know January weather can be testy there. When I was there (January 2022), we had maybe 10 days of what I thought was “Florida weather,” and then it was cold (by Florida standards). There even was frost a few times! BUT, it still was much warmer than the Iowa January I’d escaped from, and I didn’t have to do any shoveling. So, I managed. I hope your long run went well!
We don’t get frost down here- I know you were up more in Central Florida? I remember the weather was pretty bad for your visit! I felt bad for you. I always feel like I have to apologize to people when they come to visit and the weather is crummy.
Wow. That’s a long Sunday run. Hope it goes well and the crisp air propels you extra fast <3
It has been SO overcast here this January and I am over it. Ugh. I hate snow, but I think I mind the cold, grey weather even more. Give me sun and snow, apparently, over bare grass and GREY.
Enough complaints. We haven't had much snow and that has made it about 100x easier to get around this winter.
Elisabeth, I KNOW. My biggest complaint about living in the midwest wasn’t the cold, wind or snow (although I hated all of those) but the incessant gray skies. Shudder.
OMG 70 and sunny sounds amazing! Heck 35 sounds warm to me. It is full-on winter here and I am here for it. Wait no actually I’m over it. I did love that Thing 2 had a 5 day mini break from school due to extreme cold. I actually had a snow day from work too. Who doesn’t love some time off? Your race is coming up fast!
Yes, the only unexpected days off we get here are for hurricanes, and that is NOT fun! A snow day or two would be fun.
I hope your long run went well today! I agree with Marcia – 70 degrees and sunny sounds amazing right about now – we were a balmy 19 for a high today. I’m so ready for spring!
19? Brrrr. I know- 70 and sunny is beautiful by anyone’s standards.
The gloom has been the worst! I am looking forward to a few warmer days this week, and then back down again. When does your son come visit again?
My husband has the games on, but I don’t really care who wins at this point. Yay, sportsball!
Ha ha… I hope your husband’s teams won.
my son will be home again for Easter… sigh.
We have had tons of sun this week but it has been bitter bitter cold!! I haven’t walked outside all week- it’s way too cold for my small dog! And I have no real desire to bundle up that much to walk in below zero temps anyway. I actually don’t even like the sun when it’s like this- it literally hurts my eyes glaring off the snow. Haha.
And holy cow 26 miles training run? How??!!? I can’t imagine. I’ve been running some lately but it still doesn’t feel super easy or like I want to just keep going and going… I suppose I need more time to build up than just a couple weeks. Ha.
Yes, you’ll build up your distance (if that’s what you want to do.) I can remember when 10 miles felt really long… so our bodies definitely adjust.
Sorry about the Packers! I was rooting for them.
Boooooo clouds, but YAY for your impending race and use of penultimate 🙂
Ha ha… I like to use the word “penultimate” as much as possible : )
Awwww I’m sorry your son had to go back to school. It sounds like you had such a great time together. I love how much you enjoy him and how close your relationship is — that’s really special!
My lower back has been cranky lately TOO. So annoying! I have been babying it after I tweaked it last week and finally picked up some weights (less heavy than usual) and still could only get halfway through my strength routine before I had to quit. At least I stopped before it really freaked out on me this time. Ugh. Why, backs, why?!?!
I have to say that even though you had some gloomy days, something about palm trees makes it seem so much nicer! I’m glad the blue skies finally came through and I hope you had a great long run!
I hope you enjoyed your long run. 26 miles… wow. I
I am sure you enjoyed a little bit of rain for as long as it lasted, no?