We have had the craziest weather, like the rest of the country I guess, but break-up (when the snow starts to melt and turns to a brown, messy slush), in Alaska, in February is unheard of. I thought that we would have a couple of days of warm and windy weather that would lead to thaw and freeze which is not unusual. However, that was not exactly the case. It has been close to 40°F or warmer this entire week! And the first part of the week was soooo windy.
Still, I was able to get outside to get my running and some cross-training done. With all of that wind, some days were not so easy. And the warmer temperatures made fat tire biking not exactly ideal. Unless the weather changes (gets colder) this will be our last time down the river. We didn’t even go very far because we ran into a lot of overflow and open areas. Plus, the slushy conditions were hard to ride through. Letting some of the air out of my tires did help to get through the softer snow. It was still fun though. We really enjoyed getting out.
And I struggled running up the hills on Tuesday with the high winds but I was determined to get my run in. With the running ratio at 4:1, it seemed like I was having to run every single hill on the route. Great for building strength!
Even though it was still windy on Friday, we took our chances and went snow-shoeing up the mountain. It was only a mile but it was pretty much straight up. Surprisingly enough, we didn’t have much wind up in those hills. The views were amazing but of course, they don’t look as awesome from my iPhone.
The full week’s runs and cross-training:
- Sunday Run 3.8 miles 7 x 3 min run/1 min walk 2 x 4 min run/1min walk
- Monday Rest. Still working on mobility and stability exercises.
- Tuesday Run 3.5 miles 5 x 4 min run/1min walk 1 x 5 min run/1 min walk (oops, it was suppose to be 4)
- Wednesday Fat Tire Biking 3.6 miles
- Thursday Run 3.0 miles (didn’t include my warm-up or cool down walks) 7 x 4 min run/1 min walk
- Friday Snowshoeing Approximately 1 mile (my phone died)
- Saturday Run 3.34 miles 8 x 4 min run/1 min walk
I continue to work on stability and mobility exercises. I will follow that with strengthening eventually. To some degree, I am gaining a little strength through these exercises. I also stretch most every night.
I had hoped to move to a 5:1 run/walk ratio this week, but I didn’t feel quite ready. My next run will be on Tuesday so I will give it a try then. And hopefully, I can start advancing a little quicker especially since I have started working on some strengthening. We will see how next week goes.
Speaking of strengthening exercises, this is what happens every time I put my exercise mat down on the floor.
Fun Stuff
I love following other runners on Instagram or reading their blogs not just for their interesting content or the fact that they talk all about running, but some will offer discount codes for some pretty cool products. Shopping online has never been so easy…too easy really. They provide the link, the discount, and all the info that you need. Just have your credit card handy, right? Since shopping at the malls has become almost obsolete it feels like, it is fun getting packages in the mail even if I am the one ordering them.
I love this Run To The Finish hoodie. The color is just perfect for me and after I bought it the first time, I really wished I had ordered more than one. They sold out fast. So, several months later when Amanda from RTTF offered it again, I jumped right on it.
The Runners Plate also has many different offers, but the one I took advantage of was Liquid IV Hydration. Actually, I first heard of this product from my daughter. She had given me a few packets to try. This electrolyte mixture just makes getting my water down a little easier. I don’t typically like electrolyte drinks (or water for that matter) but these are pretty good. Plus it replaces those electrolytes that are lost through physical activity, in my case, running. I especially like the tangerine. I also ordered the Liquid IV Energy Multiplier which has an energy blend of matcha (Japanese green tea), guayusa (another type of caffeinated brewed tea), and ginger. All of them contain pure cane sugar. (I sound like an advertisement haha! I am not promoting any products, just excited to try new things)
Finally, the MOBO balance board is to help with balance and proprioception of the feet. I haven’t started using it since I just received it, but I am looking forward to it. Stability and mobility of the feet are part of the balance exercises I am currently working on. And, I have heard that feet problems can lead to knee issues so just maybe it can help a little with existing knee problems?? We will see.
Well, that is it on this last day of February! Hard to believe that two months have already slipped by us. Good things coming in March!! More running! More Strengthening! More daylight! Warmer temperatures! And most importantly more good times with family!
Happy Running!
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