walkers walk… but runners fly

Weekly Rundown- Tampa Mini-Break

Hello!  Welcome to the Weekly Rundown, hosted as always by Kim and Deborah.  This was an extra-fun week, with a short trip to Tampa.  I’ll have more (much more!) about Tampa on Tuesday, but for now, here’s how the week of fitness played out.

Sunday

Leg day at the gym!  I pushed and pulled the sled…

…and did squats, deadlifts, the Knees Over Toes exercises, and a little bit of abs.

Monday

Uneventful 4 mile run.

Tuesday

Off!  I did my mobility routine in the morning, thought I would have time later on for some core work, but had a lot of prep for our trip (getting food ready, meeting with the pet sitter) and the day got away from me.

Wednesday

Long run!  It was what I now consider to be a “short” long run- 20 miles.  Of course, the notion that it was short was more psychological than physical.  My back was hurting, AND I got stung by a bee!  I didn’t actually see the perpetrator- I just felt something on the top of my head, heard a buzzing sound, reached up and felt an insect, and then felt the pain.  I assume it was a bee sting because of how much it hurt- wow, I forgot how much bee stings hurt!

i feel like I’ve gone past the “normal” long run woes- fatigue, heat, thirst- and have moved on to new and different problems, like hurting my arm (?) and getting stung by a bee on top of my head.  But, overall it was fine and I finished strong.

In the afternoon we left for Tampa!

Thursday

Guess what doesn’t feel great?  Running 20 miles and then sitting in the car for four hours.  My low back and right hip were so sore this morning.  I went to the hotel gym, got on the treadmill, and did the workout Elisabeth and Birchwood Pie have been talking about- 3 mph, 12% incline, for 30 minutes.  This felt GREAT for my sore areas. and I finished up with some core.

This was my view from the treadmill- not bad!

Friday

It came to my attention that our hotel was right on the river, and there’s a riverwalk path!  I got out for a 3 mile run…

A pretty, but cloudy day.

…and then hit the hotel gym for a brief strength session.  I did my Knees Over Toes exercises, squats, some light chest presses (this was the first time doing upper body since I hurt my arm) and then finished with core.

Finally! A decent hotel gym.

Saturday

Time for the annual FMEA 3K race!  It’s an odd little event (3K?) but my husband and I had fun doing it last year.  Unfortunately he couldn’t run it this year because of an ankle injury, so I did it by myself.

It started at 6 am and was extremely informal- no official start or finish line.  We all just started running, turned at the turnaround (marked by a cone) and then when we got back where we started there was someone standing there saying “Great job!” I enjoyed it, and we ran on Bayshore Boulevard, which I just learned is the longest continuous sidewalk in the world. I’m kind of bummed that I didn’t plan a longer run on Bayshore- but I’ll do it next year.

Post-run selfie.

I walked a mile and then ran a mile before the “race”, and then afterwards I hit up the hotel gym for some core and stretching.  The truth is, my family was still sleeping and I wanted to give them a little more time before barging back into the hotel room.

My daughter’s concert was in the afternoon, and then we headed home… and got back in time to see the Dolphins lose.  Noooo!

Sunday

On tap for the day:  SLEEPING IN.  Brunch.  Laundry.  Football!  My team may be out of it, but there’s still lots of good football to watch.  It’s the last day of my son’s vacation before heading back to school, so we’ll be making the most of it.

How was your week?

Have you ever been to Tampa?  Ever been stung by a bee (during a run???)

Header photo by Chalo Garcia on Unsplash

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49 Responses

  1. I haven’t been stung by a bee in years. Don’t need a reminder though.
    Congrats on your fitness routine. It does sound very extensive to me.
    Never been to Tampa. But then never been to Florida (if you don’t count the inside of Miami airport).

    1. No, I don’t count the inside of Miami airport! Come to Florida! It’s usually very warm and sunny in the winter and you would like it.

  2. That’s funny. The 15k I just ran there was all along Bayshore. It was a great place to run.

    Now like your hubby I’m skipping today’s fun race.

    Hope we both heal.

    1. Yes, I hope you guys both heal ASAP! And, what a great place for a 15k- it’s nine miles round trip from one end of Bayshore to the other. I want to run it just for fun (not necessarily in a race) next time I’m in Tampa.

  3. We had ground bees last summer in our back yard and Phil got stung like 4 times! One day he got stung by 3 bees at the same time while he was mowing. It was awful!! We had to do something about the bees as it wasn’t safe for the boys to play in the backyard and we couldn’t trust that they wouldn’t run on the part of the yard with the vicious bees! I haven’t been stung by a bee in a long time!

    Your time away sounded great!! I have been to Tampa several times. Years ago I stopped and met Stephany at a Starbucks – I think that was 2015! And then our family vacationed just south of Tampa in Feb 2020 – and I managed to meet up with Stephany for lunch one day during that trip.

    I had another good week of workouts. All CG workouts. I’m in the final stretch of her epic heat program. I kind of hate the HIIT workouts but love all the strength stuff. I think if I had access to a treadmill or could run outside I would probably skip her HIIT workouts. They are just so hard and brutal. But it’s good to be pushed to do like 5 types of burpees in a workout I guess.

    Sorry about Miami losing! I was pulling for them. We were so annoyed that the game was only on peacock in our area of the country. That was one playoff game that Phil really wanted to watch.

    1. I think the game was only on Peacock everywhere. We paid $5.99 to watch the second half when we got home, and then they lost. All other playoff games are on regular TV!
      OUCH- three bee stings at the same time? That would be TERRIBLE.
      And, yes- I have no desire whatsoever to do the CG HIIT workouts- but I’m sure they’re very effective.

  4. I’ve never heard of a three kilometre race but hey, that explains why you raced and got back and everyone was sleeping. A nice quick little race is kind of fun!
    I’m looking forward to hearing more about Tampa! I think it was a music thing for your daughter? I can’t remember! Anyway I will enjoy hearing all about it on Tuesday *waits patiently*
    Oh Jenny, I can’t believe you got stung by a bee! What even!
    Long car rides are awful for the body. I always feel like I’m 100 years old afterward. My husband packs his Theragun for long drives and between that and yoga, plus sometimes work with the yoga balls, I can usually pull myself back together. This past year, with the long drives to and from Calgary, and then to my parents’ house which is even farther, we learned a lot about post-car-ride work! Lol.

    1. I always have to laugh at myself when I get out of the car at a rest stop- I’m seriously hobbling like I’m 100 years old. I imagine myself calling out to anyone watching me, ‘No, really- I’m a runner!” I sure don’t look like one.
      I have fun stuff to report on Tuesday about Tampa, including the blogger meetup!

  5. I will never think a 20 mile run is short, but I’m glad you can trick yourself into thinking that way. 😉

    That sounds like a true low key race — LOL that you did it all before your family got up!

    I’ve gotten stung while riding my book a few times. That’s really hard because I can’t stop right away. I just yell and curse until the sting subsides. 😉

    1. I don’t think there’s really much else you can do besides yell and curse- it’s not like you can stop and put ice on it.

  6. It’s been a long time since I got stung but from what I remember YEEEEEEEEOOOOOOCH!!!! I haven’t been stung on the top of my head specifically but I’ve got to imagine that it’s worse than being stung in the leg. Add to that the pain of sitting still the day after a long run and this was a tough week.

    Well of course I want to hear about every single minute in Tampa, but the fitness part alone is to die for. A 3k race!!! Riverwalk!!! Decent hotel gym!!! And you got a chance to do the the Cool Girl’s Workout (by Cool Girl of course I mean Elisabeth because that’s where I got the idea from).

    I’ve only been to Tampa for the purposes of flying in to go to Siesta Key but you have my attention!

    1. Yes, I really feel like I packed a lot into those three days. It was really fun, and the Cool Girl’s Workout was great. Details coming up!

  7. I love Tampa! Bayshore is quite scenic, and such a beautiful place to run 😉 Ouch on the bee sting, especially on your head! I have to laugh at your “short” 20-mile run comment. You’re doing great with all your training!

    1. Thanks Kim! Like I said, it turned out that was more psychological than anything else. My body told me it was pretty long.

  8. I know several people who’ve been stung on runs, so far I have not. That’s a streak I can embrace! Sorry it happened to you — yes, it hurts like the dickens!

    I’ve been to Tampa a few times, and enjoyed my time there.

    “Normal 20 mile run”. I’m definitely LMAO over here!

    1. Tampa is really beautiful! Such a great city. I hope you can keep up your streak of never being stung by a bee on the run.

  9. Oh gosh on the bee sting! A few years ago I got stung on my bike when one got into my shirt. Weird indeed! Nice work keeping up your workouts while traveling. Have a great week ahead

  10. Oh, I got stung by a bee maybe 10 years ago, on my finger, and I clearly remember how agonizing it was! The top of the head has to be awful. As a kid I was stung on the nose and that too was terrible. Come on, bees, live in peace!

  11. Ouch. Did you get stung in the head?!! I’ve only been stung by wasps, but it hurts like h***.
    How nice to find such a good hotel gym!
    It must feel good to have “moved on” past the normal long run issues? You’re advanced now! Well done. And your race is coming up soon-ish, isn’t it?
    I had a good week! Dull in many ways, but fitness-wise it was great!

  12. Ouch to the bee sting!! I hate them–they are so mean and just sting out of spite, I swear!

    I have been to Tampa, many times. Most memorable is when my oldest and I were there to pick up my youngest. We had some time to kill so we went to Cigar City Brewing for a tasting. It was the week after their Hunahpu Day, the day they release their Imperial Stout as well as a few other stouts. We were pretty excited about this!

  13. I love that you’re now thinking of a 20-mile run as a “short” long run! Sorry about the bee sting – I’ve never been stung but I imagine it hurts a lot!

  14. That was a tough game for the Dolphins. 🙁

    I love the Riverwalk. Tampa is such a pretty city for running.

    We have a 3K here, although it is a formal event. I’ll be running it in March, so I’ll share more then. It is a funky distance, though.

    And look at that gym! Perfect!

  15. How cool about the sidewalk. Good way to pair race, event. Hope the concert was fun. Sorry about the Dolphins
    Never on a run, but stung while riding a bike as a kid.. Yuck. But taught me not to blow bubbles on the go!

  16. I have never been to Tampa. I’ve been to Jacksonville and Orlando and that’s about it for Florida. I’m glad you were able to get away for a little bit and enjoy it!

    I *knock on wood* have never had a bad reaction to a bee sting. It’s not worse than a mosquito bite, which means it itches and swells up, but that’s about it. A few summers ago I got stung by a wasp, though, and I thought that the answer was going to be to have to chop off my arm. I was VERY dramatic about it.

  17. I’ve never been to Tampa, but I did go to Orlando when I was a kid on a family trip to Disney World. Your trip sounds fun though!

    Yikes on the bee sting! I haven’t been stung in a long long time but I got stung twice, both times in my left hand. I’m definitely nervous around bees though because there are some trails near me that have had dangerous bee swarms!

    I would love for 20 miles to feel like a short long run! It still feels like an intimidating distance to me as I’ve only gone that far in training once (and only three other times since in races) and I know it takes me a looooooong time to complete 20 miles, partly because of terrain/elevation gain but I’m also just very pace-challenged haha. It sounds like your training is going very well though!

    1. Oh, it takes me a long time too! I have a 25 mile run coming up, and I’m trying to wrap my mind around how long I’m going to be out there… long.

  18. Well I guess the good news is that your injuries aren’t interfering with your running?

    I last got stung by a bee while dropping one of my kids off at kinder. It was on my neck so I could feel the bit of swelling in my throat but luckily I’m not allergic.

  19. Oh my goodness – a bee! Ouch. Also, what are the odds. I’m glad you got to try the 3-12-30 (I have to do 10 because that’s the highest my treadmill will go).

    How is the arm feeling now?

    I can’t remember the last time I was stung, but I feel like it has been years? I have one child who is TERRIFIED of getting stung, but the rest of us are Meh. Obviously, we don’t enjoy it, but I don’t live in fear of bees/hornets. My mother goes into an ABSOLUTE PANIC. She is terrified of bees and dogs, about equally.

    1. My arm is feeling better! And, I’m not usually afraid of bees. Because they usually leave me alone! I can’t figure out why this one decided to sting me.

  20. I’ve never been to Tampa so I’m excited to hear more Tampa details! Also I feel like we are training opposites – my runs are generally in this middling 7-9 mi range and yours are all 3 or 20!!!!! 20 is long to me!

    1. I know- my usually weekday runs are 4 miles, but then I’ll do a super long one. It’s just what’s working best for me right now.

  21. Ooh, I love the view from treadmill! A pool! How fun. I usually look at the back of someone’s head on an elliptical in the row ahead of me, if I’m at the gym. Haha. And the riverwalk! So fun. Sorry about the bee sting… ouch. It’s been a while for me too but I’ve definitely had my fair share over the years. Sorry about the Dolphins…. but how about them Packers?!?! 😉

  22. Yay for the Packers! That was a great game.
    Yes, I was thrilled when I saw the treadmill setup in that gym- usually I’m looking at a wall, or like you said, the back of someone’s head. This was treadmill luxury!

  23. I have not been stung by a bee while running. Pretty sure, I’d wrap up my run right then and there if that happened. We have flights to Tampa in March. I think we are gonna stay in Sarasota, but bought the flights before we planned out trip. I have a childhood friend that just relocated to Tampa, so we plan to visit them while we are in Florida. I’m glad you liked the hotel gym. Those are so hit or miss – mostly miss. 😉

  24. Oh no, sorry about the bee! The last time I was stung by a wasp was in 2004! I remember it well because I’d just emptied my flat to sell it and was going up the hill from the shop to the flat with some cleaning materials. So I didn’t have vinegar or alkali or whatever you’re meant to put on which sting and had to wait, I think, till I got back to my boyfriend’s flat! I love that 20 miles is a short run now – you’re so strong!

  25. How fun you got to explore Tampa on a run and that you got to run the race. I don’t think I have heard of a 3k before, but I’d run it in a heartbeat 🙂

  26. What a lovely road trip – and a fun race distance! What a not-fun experience with the bee sting – on your HEAD. What the WHAT? I got one on my leg last summer and it hurt like the dickens – I cannot imagine it on my head!

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