I’m working on upping my cross training game
I took it mostly easy this week with running because despite my 5k, it was a low mileage week and I didn’t want to bump it up too quickly when I’m not really training for anything yet.
I’m wrapping it up with the Weekly Wrap from Holly @ Hohoruns and Tricia @ Misssipppiddlin. Feel free to wrap up with us and let us know how your week went! You never know who you’ll inspire.
Workouts update
- Monday: Dogwalk, 3 mile tempo run
- Tuesday: Dogwalk, YFPR Hips & Knees, Bike WU (10 min), Sun’s Out Guns From Summer Sweat
- Wednesday: Dogwalk x 2, YTU Hips, Knees, Upper Back, Shoulders, Daisy Duke from Summer Sweat, Bike WU (5 min), Plyo, 25 miunutes swimming
- Thursday: Dogwalk, 10 Minute Solution Yoga Abs & Flexibility, 2 miles easy
- Friday: Dogwalk, Total body Burn from Summer Sweat
- Saturday: 4 miles easy, Yoga for Athletes at Athleta, Mallwalking
- Sunday: Dogwalk & rest
Mileage: 9 (+1.9)
TIU = Tone it Up
TM = Treadmill
YFR = Yoga for Runners*
WU = warmup
YFPR = Yoga for Pain Relief
YTU = Yoga Tune Up Lower Body*
*Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate links; I will make a small amount of money if you buy through these links
Running update
I met up with Darlene Monday evening for a short run. She did her usual “I’ll be slower than you” — but no, it’s an easy run for her, a tempo run for me. The only time I’ve ever run faster than her was when she was pacing some friends at a race.
Thursday was just 2 miles (yup, you read that right) in my neighborhood in the 60s in insane wind! What happened to summer? Yes, I love to complain about the weather. This back and forth weather is driving me insane.
Ended the week with 4 miles easy with my USAFit Albany group. Summer disappeared and fall reappeared, but it’s just temporary — there’s a heatwave headed our way. This run felt very easy, mostly, yet the pace was good for me.

Favorites of the week
It was another quiet week, but I did get back into exercise more and just felt my normal tired instead of really tired.. And I got back to the pool for the first time in months. I don’t like to swim when it’s cold, because my hair takes forever to dry and there’s really no good place to blow dry my hair where I swim, and anyway even after being blown dry it’s not dry.

I won a hat! We have giveaways at our Saturday group runs most weeks. I needed to cut out a little early to get to my yoga class. But I was the first number called! Sweet! And since I actually do wear Newtons (and the other choice was a size M tee), I went with the trucker hat, as seen above with one of my Newton shoes. Same company that makes the Skirtsports trucker hats.

I am also enjoying the Summer Sweat Series from Fit Foodie Finds and Ambitious Kitchen. I’m not sticking to it exactly as written — not even close! — but that Daisy Duke workout really kicked my butt — quite literally, my butt was sore. And loved the smashed chickpea avocado sandwich, although again, I didn’t follow the recipe exactly and kind of did my own thing. So easy and quick and healthy!

First yoga class in years. The class (at Athleta) was good, not great, but hey, it was free! You really can’t beat that. Although the description says it’s suitable for beginners, and none of the poses were difficult, there wasn’t a lot of direction about poses. Some, but not a lot. Good thing I’ve been doing yoga for years. Maybe she just judged the experience level of the class? And there was no correction to anyone in the class (usually teachers will walk around and make suggestions about your poses).
Thank you, New Fitness Gadgets, for including my blog in your 130 Best Running Blogs post. Again I don’t feel I belong in the company of many of these blogs — if you’re looking for more information on the gadgets we all love (or love to hate) or for new running blogs to follow, take a look!
And that’s a wrap!
I love to hear from you! Answer me one of the questions below in the comments, or just comment! Let me know what you think or what’s on your mind.
Have you ever tried free classes at a fitness clothing store?
Do you have a blog you can recommend with great workouts/recipes?
Team hat, visor, or headband (or all of the above like me)?
I have never tried a free fitness class. Its not a big thing here.
A running store here does do (free) group runs a couple times a month and follows up with some munchies and giveaways. I went a couple times but didn’t really like it that much.
I think I should probably go with a friend…
We had one nice week of weather, then poof ! At 4 p.m. today is started pouring again and is going to rain all week. Ugh.
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We’re going to have a fairly nice week and then a heatwave, apparently.
There are quite a few different group runs around here, but it’s always difficult for me to find people who run my pace.
One of my friends is quite a bit slower than me so it’s REALLY difficult for her.
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Don’t like trucker hats (at all) or visor or headbands. Just boring baseball hats – and always.
Nope. I pay for my classes (when I do go). I like the personal attention. You get what you pay for.
I ran 8 miles today so I may be slower than you tomorrow.
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Yeah, pull the other one (on being slower). You know you don’t have to meet us.
Today would be a nice day to run (minus the wind). But as I said to my friend Lisa D, I’ll take wind over heat any day.
A little sun would be nice . . . I got caught in that downpour coming out of the mall yesterday!
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I want to run. I just had to change my Tuesday run to Wed so I wouldn’t be running 3 days in a row. The wind was tough today but the temp was perfect.
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You’ll still be faster but that gets me my tempo run.
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Glad to help 🙂
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Solid week!! I’m a hat girl….so I don’t have to put sunscreen in my part. I’ve never tried a fitness class at a store or even been to one at the gym.
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Wow, never belonged to a gym? I’ve belonged to 3, although not currently going to one. I do like working out at home, but I work out harder in a class environment.
I like visors in the summer (and usually remember to put sunscreen in my part, too!).
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I’ve belonged to gyms…I currently have a 24 hour fitness membership (it’s $20/ year) so I keep it. I’ve never taken a class there, though. Perhaps I’ll try a visor.
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$20/yr is amazing! Especially in your area.
Everyone is different — when it’s hot, I just find a visor easier. Plus I can have a high ponytail instead of a low one — and less flyaways.
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The 24 hour fitness was $1000 for the first 3 years and then $20 for the 4th year and has been $20 ever since. I can’t quit now 😉
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A fitness class at a store sounds like fun-I sometimes do a group run with the local run store but we don’t have any shops in the area that offer yoga or anything. I’m team hat for the most part but have been getting into visors lately as well. I think the website Carrots n Cake has good (but challenging) workouts and her recipes are super easy.
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I did a 5k this week too and sadly my longest run was only 2 miles because it has just been too hot here!
I prefer visors over hats because they fit my head better!
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What I wear on my head really just depends on the weather.
We continue to have the weirdest weather up here!
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I’ve never done a workout out a clothing store, although maybe that’s mostly because the closest one (Lululemon) is 35 minutes away so it’s not worth it.
I prefer visors! I like the new SS hat, but I’m not sure I’d wear it to actually workout in!
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I ran in the SS hat Sat (it was cold!) and it worked for me, but we’re all different. And I do have a very small head.
The mall isn’t that far from me, but I only go occasionally — the timing just worked out perfectly for me (and I was already about halfway there with where my running group meets).
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I’ll wear a hat only if it’s raining and I’ve never tried a visor. I do love my headbands. I haven’t taken a class in years…make that decades. Not that I’m opposed, they just never seemed to work with my schedule. Good job in getting back in the pool. I’ve started swimming (instead of floating) and I’m actually enjoying it. It’s great cardio. My technique stinks, but as long as my HR is up I guess that’s what counts. Thanks for your continued support of the WW, Judy!
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I try to be pretty protective of my face, I’m fair and I burn easily, so I like something with a visor. What that something is just changes with the weather.
My swimming is more like recovery runs, except in the pool. I don’t push myself (and I don’t have a HR either). I just love to swim and I can tell you I absolutely don’t have great technique — in fact, I do a breast variation where I don’t put my head under as much as you’re supposed to.
Just keep swimming . . .
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I’m not a hat person, but I always wear a headband, Are beanies considered hats? I wear those when it’s very cold. With all your cross training, it looks like your training for a triathlon.
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No, no tri. I’m just riding a stationary bike, not a road bike, and I have no interest in road bikes.
I do consider beanies hats. In the winter (when I wear them).
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Head gear is so tricky. I have a small head and look silly in most things. So summer I just go hatless and wear sunglasses. Winter I sometimes wear a beanie type thing that I can roll up and put in my pocket when I get hot, or a buff. If it’s winter it’s probably raining, so I just pull up the hood on my waterproof. Just as well I live in a mild place!
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Winter here often means snow & bitter cold, so yes, I wear beanies in the winter!
I have to have a visor. I am religious about trying to protect the skin on my face!
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I wear a daily SPF 30 moisturiser, which in the UK should protect my face, but maybe a visor would be better. I wonder if the men think about these things?
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I know my husband doesn’t. He was a baseball cap because he’s mostly bald on top.
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I’ve never tried a free class at a store, but I probably would if one was available. Yoga instructors always go around to correct poses so that seems unusual. As far as hats or visors or headbands, I usually choose visors for running, and a hat for all other outdoor activities. However, I used to wear headbands all the time.
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I like to protect my face. I don’t wear headbands as much as I used to — that was just to keep the hair out of my face and often under a hat/visor!
Now i just braid it and that mostly seems to work.
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I have taken a free class at Athleta before, but never yoga. I can’t imagine taking a yoga class where there isn’t much assistance, but like you said, at least it was free! Nice job winning the hat, it’s always fun winning a raffle!
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It is fun winning stuff. 🙂
I do yoga at home, so I’m used to no assistance. It wasn’t even a very large class. It’s nice to take an actual class once in a while, though!
There’s a yoga studio close to home, I really ought to do a class there once in a while. I tried it out a few yrs back & liked it.
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There are free yoga classes at stores, but the LRS that has yoga is all the way into Dallas, and not even close. Bummer, because I think those would be great since we’re all runners.
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This particular class was called Yoga for Athletes, which is why I took it. There was another one that day via one of my running groups, but in the end that one was canceled because they didn’t get enough people to sign up.
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Suns out guns out…YES!!!
Team Visor over here! My head is too small for a hat especially a trucker hat!
Yeah swimming!
I have never been to a free yoga class at a shop, I have always wanted to though.
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Congrats on the blog award! So cool!!
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I’ll try almost anything for free. 🙂
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I hear ya!!
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Our local Fleet Feet sometimes offers free classes, but I’ve never been. It’s a 30 minute drive from here and the classes are usually in the evenings after work. I prefer to wear SweatyBands headbands on runs, but if it’s rainy or cold I’ll wear a hat. Congrats on your blog award! Well deserved! I came across that list earlier today.
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Apparently our local FF offers classes, too, which I was unaware of — I’m gonna have to check it out, because it’s not that far from me.
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I’m truly jealous of all the free classes and great running stores you have near you. We are tickled pink because we are getting a Dicks Sporting goods store soon. Our only option withing 90 miles is Walmart pretty much for sporting goods. There may be a small chain store here or there but nothing much. I would love to help support a store.
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When we moved here, there wasn’t a whole lot here. Fleet Feet, yes, and Dick’s, and Sports Authority — and yes, I’m sure that seems like a lot to you.
The Sports Authority near me has sadly closed.
But Athleta & Lululemon are pretty recent additions.
I assume UPS delivers to you? The truth is much of my shopping is online!
And sometimes NOT having the temptation is a good thing, too.
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Oh yes I keep my UPS busy with all I buy online.
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I’ve never tried a free workout class, but I would like to. I think it would be fun to mix it up! As for me, headbands all the way. That’s how I roll 🙂
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