Mother Nature Won’t Let Up: 4/2 – 8 Weekly Wrap

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

I try not to complain about weather too much. Let’s face it, no matter where you live, weather is a challenge. Our first week of April went like this: Snow, rain, rain, very cold and windy, snow changing to rain changing back to snow, very cold and windy, snow showers & cold. Did I mention if was also gray most of the week? Motivation wasn’t easy to come by this week.

I’m joining up with the Weekly Wrap from Holly @ Hohoruns and Wendy @ Taking the Long Way Home to share how I was active despite what Mother Nature threw at us.

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Workouts update

  • Monday: Dogwalk, Volunteering with FTC, 5 miles easy
  • Tuesday: Dogwalk, 4 miles easy
  • Wednesday: PB Total Body, Dogwalk, Element PM Yoga
  • Thursday:  3 treadmill miles, YFR Foundation
  • Friday:  Dogwalk, PB Core
  • Saturday: 1 mile WU with FTC, 5.5 miles easy, YFR Foundation & Lower Back
  • Sunday: Vin & Yin Yoga, Dogwalk

Mileage: 17 (+4.5)

JY = Jasyoga
TM = Treadmill
YFR = Yoga for Runners*
WU = warmup
CD = cooldown
SB = Stationary Bike
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 Updates

I thought I would do a trail race this weekend, so I ran briefly on an unpaved path. And then I nixed the trail race due to weather.

Monday
It snowed . . . all morning. But by the time the training group met, it was all melted. Running Buddy J is back from FL and we got thrown into the lion’s den — with only one coach, I started out leading the beginner’s group — and we don’t get any instructions! Then I dropped back to make sure no woman was left behind, leaving poor Running Buddy J — her first time even there — to lead the group.

I ran another 4 miles afterwards — it had turned into a great day for running — again below a 12 mm pace. Somehow warming up very slowly makes me want to run fast.

These trees usually entice me to fartlek, but it was a true recovery run

Tuesday
More rain on the way, but I got out there before the wet stuff started to fall. It’s so nice to be able to run in different directions again because the snow is gone (even if it snowed a bit with the rain and snowed yesterday). A slower run but rolling hills.

Back on the mill allows me to run in a skirt — something the weather isn’t allowing right now!

 

Thursday
It was wicked cold and windy, as they say in Boston. I chose the treadmill and some “Reign” watching.

Don’t let the blue skies fool you — damn cold!


Saturday
A trail race was on the plan. But MN didn’t get the memo. It snowed on Friday, changed to rain, and I woke up to a little snow on the ground and temps in the 30s with lots of wind.

I am fair weather runner when it comes to trails — despite my muddy half. So I mentored the training group and then went on to run 5.5 miles while my other running friends went out to brunch. I ran out of gas the last mile and a half or so, but that’s because breakfast had been 5 hours ago and even my snack of a banana had been 3 hours ago.

It was worth it

Favorites of the week
After my sister talked about making matzo pizza, I found this at the store. Sure, you can just use regular matzo but seriously, how cute is that? And it contains the pizza sauce. Just add cheese and toppings.

Mexican Matzo Pizza

I “ran” into one of the training group mentors, another Skirt Sports Ambassador, as I was stretching after my run Saturday and struck up a conversation with her (she also happens to be friends with on of the runners in our group and ran with Running Buddy J after the training group, in a weird twist of fate, but I didn’t know any of that at the time).

We hope to meet up after the group for a long run at some point. Next weekend I am racing on Sunday — first race of the year! — and I will probably go to the group, but obviously don’t plan a long run afterwards.

She is training for an Ironman, so obviously I will just join her for part of her run — had I known she was running approximately the same mileage as me by herself I would have joined her this week!

I’m wrapping it up with a few favorite blogs from this week:

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This week I am also linking up with the Sunday Fitness & Food Linkup brought to you by Ilka @ Ilka’s Blog and Angela @ Marathons & Motivation.

Let’s get the conversation started:

Would you run a trail race in the 30s — in April? With snow on the ground?

Try any new holiday things lately?

How are you fighting with Mother Nature?

42 thoughts on “Mother Nature Won’t Let Up: 4/2 – 8 Weekly Wrap”

  1. You can tell you’re training with all these miles.

    I thought I would run into you since I ran 3 miles after on the bike path. . I did see Sharon several times.

    Barbara and I joined the breakfast group a little later.

    See you next Sunday.

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  2. I have never heard of Matzo pizza. Sounds easy to make and looks pretty tasty. I’d give it a try. I wouldn’t want to run a trail race in the 30s in April with snow, but I guess the time when you sign up for the race you can never predict what the weather will be .

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    1. Oh, I hadn’t registered for the race so the decision for DNS was rather easy. And technically it wasn’t a DNS anyway.

      If I’m going to do a trail race, for the most part, I want it to be on a nice day. Unless it’s a goal half and then I’d suck it up.

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    2. Vin & Yin yoga is supposedly a combination of vinyasa & yin yoga. I’ve never done yin yoga, but I don’t think we held it as long as I imagine yin yoga would.

      I can tell you my arms were mildly sore today, though & that I liked the class!

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  4. I might run a cold trail race with snow on the ground. I might skip it if it was raining. Ugh. I didn’t use to be a fair weather runner but lately…. I mean, I’ll do cold but precipitation? No thanks.

    I’ve never heard of Matzo pizza but now I want pizza for dinner. I have zero idea what to make for myself and it doesn’t help that I’m feeling lazy. haha

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    1. It wasn’t actively precipitating. But when it comes to trails, I’m much more of a fair weather runner — mainly cause it gets real treacherous real fast.

      I sooooooo did not want to cook dinner yesterday. Even though I’d done a lot of the prep work in the morning. I made it anyway, though.

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  5. I wouldn’t do a trail race in those conditions either. It’s not so much the 30s temps, it’s the snow and maybe ice. I want to lose myself in the run, and I don’t want to me concerned about what I’m running on.

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    1. My guess is that the trail was probably fine — the snow had probably melted by the time the race started. I wasn’t registered for it so it was a pretty easy decision for me. Some day . . .

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    1. Matzo toffee is crack. And therefore I don’t make it. I actually don’t eat a whole lot of matzo during Passover but I do love me some matzo brei. I may have to make some more, we didn’t even finish off one box between the two of us (of course we were also gone at my parents for 2 days).

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  7. We had chocolate covered matzo and matzo brei at a work brunch this week. I liked the chocolate version better. 😉 We had a few snowflakes yesterday, but lucking no “real” snow. I’m done with it!

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  8. It also snowed here on Monday and then it was pretty gloomy and raining the rest of the week. Definitely not Spring weather!

    Matzo pizza looks so good! I’ve never tried that before. I have had matzo in the past with peanut butter and jelly, but never thought to make a pizza with it. Thanks for the idea!

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    1. I had never thought to make pizza with matzo, either, until my sister mentioned it. I have made all sorts of weird things with it. But it’s not something I would *choose* to eat . . . like ever.

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    1. We’re supposed to have nice weather for Friday, and today was lovely, although still chilly. But then back to unseasonable temps. Well, it’s not abnormal for this area. I’m just waiting til I can finally ditch the long down coat for good!

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  10. After hiking in icy conditions, I’d definitely not attempt a trail run in the snow. It would be my luck to fall. It’s nice you found a new running buddy. That’s always seems to encourage a fresh supply of motivation. I hope you’ll get some spring weather soon. You guys have paid your dues this year. Thanks for linking.

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    1. My guess is that the trail was fine. I’m just tired of being cold, frankly, and part of the fun of a trail race is hanging around after you’re done — not sure I would have wanted to. It was really damn cold saturday!

      It helped that I hadn’t actually registered for the race!

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  12. If April has been this brutal in the past, I must have blocked it out. I am so sick of it. We haven’t had much rain but almost daily snow. Today it snowed all damn day and it’s still coming down. Thankfully the temps are rising so it started to melt this afternoon. I am not a fan of muddy or snowy trails, which is what mine are right now.

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    1. We were back & forth between snow & rain & cold & windy all week long last week.

      I knew the trails would be muddy — that was just a given. I just don’t want to hang around after I’ve gotten sweaty (outside).

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  13. Matzo pizza looks delish …well, actually any pizza looks good to me but this is really cute and fun. I’m assuming it’s healthier?

    I wouldn’t have done the trail race under those conditions either. Actually, I’ve got my eye on a duathlon this weekend, but I’m waiting to register at the last minute based on the weather …yes, I’m a fair weathered runner too and not ashamed of it!! Lol

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    1. I suppose it’s a little healthier, but for us, it was just about the fact that it was Passover. And therefore regular pizza is off the menu.

      I hope the weather is good for your duathlon this weekend! I am racing this weekend too. The weather is a bit iffy but at least isn’t supposed to be snow and there’s real bathrooms & a place to hang out inside. 🙂

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      4. I definitely don’t blame you for not wanting to ride in rain & wind. Which sounds like exactly what I’ll be racing in on Sunday (but road race, and a warm place to hang out before/after).

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  14. I run trails in the snow all winter, so that part wouldn’t phase me…but it would probably depend on the race distance and how long I wanted to be out there. I’m realizing now that it’s starting to melt away how much the snow slows me down!

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  15. You are getting a lot done even with your challenging weather! I give you props for TM running, I said I was going to do it more but I always talk my self out of it lol
    Matzo pizza looks yummy.
    I have run a trail race in pretty cold conditions but no snow. I would not like snow it would be too slick and muddy. I hope it warms up for you soon 🙂

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    1. I don’t think the race itself would have been treacherous (but wasn’t sure) but seriously, mainly it was the cold. For me trails are about enjoying the outdoors and hopefully hanging around afterwards — which I wouldn’t have wanted to do when it was cold!

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  16. Boo to this weather! I’ve never done a true trail race but I’ve wanted to! Even if the weather was rough I’d probably still do it, but that’s because I’m crazy lol. One of my coworkers brought in Matzo during a super long meeting…I’ll have to tell her about the pizza!

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    1. I can’t seem to catch a break with weather & races. Maybe that means my goal races will have nice weather? Trying to look on the positive here (because it’s supposed to be a cold rain for my first race of the year). Boo, indeed!

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  17. I’m a firm believer in “do what feels right for you” and would skip any race that I wasn’t feeling that day especially if I hadn’t registered yet 😉 I really wish I had trails to run here – my knee would probably be grateful for the softer surface.

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    1. As I’m telling everyone, I have my first race this weekend. And the forecast is for cold rain. But at least there is somewhere warm to hang out before/after so my plan is to do it. I may have to skip my warmup mile, though.

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