I don’t really have a common thread for the things I wanted
to mention in this post so I decided a list was just easier:
--- Of course it was cold this week, so much in fact that I
skipped my Tuesday run and did a workout inside instead. To mix things up a bit – and to burn off the
crazy amounts of energy I had – I searched for workouts on YouTube and found this. It ended up just kicking my butt so I maybe
ended up doing half of what the total workout had you do. I saw this extra ab workout link on the side
and decided to try it. It was a lot more
manageable but I still did my
normal ab routine afterward to feel better about myself. Lastly I topped it off with a fun Wii Fit
session, burning off what it said was 100 calories. Now writing that out it sounds like a lot,
but it didn’t seem like it was that intense of a workout. No, that’s a lie. My inner thighs and abs were very tired and
sore the next day.
--- On Wednesday and Thursday I was back out on the road for
running. The wind chills were at 2F and
at -7F respectively for those two days.
That -7F ties last Sunday’s personal record cold run but it really didn’t
seem all that bad. I might be able to go
colder (just a little bit). I don’t
know. The forecast for this next week
was highs just barely above zero for Thursday and Friday so maybe I’ll test the
cold a bit. (Mom, if you’re reading this
I’ll be just fine.)
--- Related to winter running, I did buy some gear on Friday…
at Fleet Farm. That’s right I didn’t buy
running gear at a running store, REI, Dick’s Sporting Goods, or even Target. This was at Fleet Farm, the farm supply /
hardware store where most people buy guns, Carhartts, livestock dewormer, and
ATV tires. It’s similar to the Wisconsin
based Farm and Fleet or Theisen’s in Iowa’s eastern half. I was at Fleet Farm for two things. First I needed some mittens for running. I always like layering with two pairs of
gloves in colder temperatures, but the gloves I’ve been using just weren’t
cutting it for warmth. Instead of
spending double on some REI mittens, I just got some old fashioned lined
leather ones. They always worked on the
farm growing up so they should work for running. The second bit of running gear I purchased
was some bits of hardware, but that’s all I’m saying for now. I’ll reveal more in another post.
--- It may have not graced the front page of your local
newspaper, but last night the overnight towns (and thus general route) were announced for
Iowa’s RAGBRAI. Even though the
predictions were correct in that it is a southerly route, it was still big news
for Iowa. Really it’s actually a decently
big deal for cycling as it’s one of the world’s largest (if not THE largest)
non-racing cycling events.
--- Lastly, after I finished my 4 mile run this morning, I
quickly changed, grabbed a Thermos of tea, and headed back outside to go watch
a mountain bike race just down the road.
It’s worth mentioning that it was sleeting as I was finishing my run and
by the time I headed back out for the race it was now freezing rain. It was a bit slick walking the half mile or
so to the race but it was definitely worth the trouble. It was great seeing all the fat bikes racing
in the snow (and falling freezing rain), but there were normal mountain bikes
as well (some with studded tires), and even a few unicycles too. I often run on the paved trails of the park
that the race was held so it was interesting seeing it as a race setting in
winter. The beach that is normally
packed with people in the summer was even part of the course. The riders raced through the middle of the
now boarded up beach house, over the beach, and across the frozen lake. I really got a kick out of the irony of
including the beach area on such a wintery day.
I took a few pictures with my phone, but this post is long enough. I’ll throw them up later tonight or tomorrow.
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