How Lucky We Are: 12/14 – 20 WRD

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

I spent some quality time with my treadmill this week. As I type this, there were two treadmill runs. Will there be a third? You’ll have to read on to find out.

bwrd

But first I’m joining Kim @ Kimrunsonthefly and Deborah @ Confessionsofamotherrunner, and coasting towards the New Year.

Workouts update

  • Monday: Yoga (30 min),  Dogwalk/short hike through the woods
  • Tuesday: Yoga (30 min), 3 TM miles, Dogwalk, Yoga (20 min)
  • Wednesday: Yoga (40 min), PB ST (25 min)
  • Thursday: Yoga (60 min), 3 TM miles, Shoveling roughly 60 min, Yoga (20 min)
  • Friday: Yoga (30 min), Dogless Dogwalk (too cold & wet for Bandit), PB ST (25 min)
  • Saturday:  Yoga (40 min), Dogless Dogwalk (still — I’m pretty sure Bandit would’ve balked at 19F with some snow still on the road; we have been playing/training with him to help him from missing his walks too much)
  • Sunday: Yoga (30 min), 6 miles easy, Short, Snowy Dogwalk (Bandit says Yay!), Yoga (20 min)

Running Mileage: 12 (+1)

JY = Jasyoga
PB = Killer B
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 Update

Tuesday intention: keep it steady
I did think about running outside, despite the crazy wind giving it a real feel of teens. In the end I chose the mill and Peloton Whitney Houston run + warmup due to time. So much faster not having to get into and out of all the layers.

As much as I love Whitney, I wasn’t in love with running to her. The playlist was good, but I don’t think I’d do this run again. I kept it relatively slow and steady, doing my own thing mainly because I knew that’s what I needed today. Arm still a little sore but almost back to normal.

Thursday intention: building up endurance
I thought I might do the Peloton Bon Jovi run today, but I settled on an endurance run — proud to say I ran about 35 minutes straight, no walking breaks. This was the second run I’ve done on Peloton that used only instrumental music, and I find I really like that. I took it nice and easy — as the snow was really coming down,  I knew I’d need to save something for the shoveling later in the day.

Never know what you’ll see outside

Sunday intention: stay upright
It actually wasn’t that hard to stay upright. I wore screw shoes, but they really weren’t needed. Better safe than sorry. It still felt really hard. Because . . . Winter and all the layers and heavy clothes. Pace was on the slow side and all over the place, but not terrible in the end. I found about halfway the chorus from several Hamilton songs, “How lucky I am to be alive right now” popped into my head and I felt better.

One last walk through the woods before they were buried in snow

Favorites of the week
We took Bandit to one of the nearby preserves for a quick walk through the woods — because winter is coming (and come it did).

Saved the last carrots before the snow

I pulled the last of the carrots before the snow, too. They needed a little more time but I wouldn’t be wading through two feet of snow to pull them. As Mr. Judy was dumping the soil from the grow bags, he discovered I had 2 other small potatoes growing. I have since learned that if I cooked them before they thawed, they would have been okay. I guess they’re compost now.

And cooked up the garden’s potatoes — they were tasty!

I could have had more if I’d known I could use my little frozen potatoes, but oh well, live and learn.

I’m going to have to research if you can get it to bloom at other times of the year; they really are lovely — and low maintenance. My kind of plant.

Our Christmas cactus — which we thought was a Thanksgiving cactus due to the shape of its leaves — is beginning to put on its show.

Any recent garden fails/saves?

Looking forward to the COVID vaccine?

What are you most looking forward to this week? Just a normal week for me!

GWY sleep 1

ICYMI: Last week it was all about short practices to change your energy (you can see them all at this playlist here); this week it’s all about better sleep! Today is the first two videos in a whole series of short practices to help you wind down for bed. You’ll find it here. The good news is that these Yin Yoga practices will also help quickly stretch you out after a run/workout. There are four short Yin Yoga practices, three meditations, a Savasana video, and a longer, deep relaxation video — yes, I’ve been working on this for a while! Keep an eye out on my Facebook page to see when new videos are released (or subscribe here to my YouTube channel).

Coming up on Tuesday: My opinion on the Peloton Beginner 5k Course. Friday it’s time for the last Runfessional of 2020 here! I’m sure we’ve all got something to get off our chest before 2021. If I don’t see you there, for everyone celebrating, I hope you have a great holiday.

29 thoughts on “How Lucky We Are: 12/14 – 20 WRD”

    1. You can put screws in the soles of old running shoes. I find it more comfortable than yaktrax & they never break. Google something like screws old running shoes & it should come up. I’ve never tried the nanospikes.

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  3. My place of work is giving us paid holidays for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, NY Eve AND NY Day this year, so I’m looking forward to two upcoming 4-day weekends. Of course, we’ll pay dearly on the following Mondays, but it’ll be worthwhile. Your Christmas cactus looks beautiful! I’ve had those in the past, but they don’t seem to make it past 3-4 years. I don’t think I’ve found the perfect spot for them (yet) in my house.

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    1. I’ve had christmas cacti in the past, too. Apparently they need roughly 16 hours of dark each night. No lights at all. And need to be repotted every 2-3 years. I’ve only had this one a year, though. When I got it last year all the buds fell off so having lots of flowers this year is nice.

      Enjoy your extra time off, Kim! How nice of your company to do that.

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  4. No treadmill runs because I don’t have one and I am finding that I don’t mind the cold like I used to. I figured out that I don’t need to wear a lot of clothes (feels so much better & I sweat less).

    My neighborhood is impossible to run in (so much ice, sleet & snow). Not sure where to go during the week but at least on the weekends I can drive to clear roads.

    My succulents are going crazy flowering this year. Not sure why?

    Yes. Can’t wait to get the vaccine. For once, I am glad to be over 65 lol.

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  5. We got a little under a foot of snow this week. The streets were plowed well so driving was no issue but the sidewalks are still mainly filled with ice and snow, so no outside running for me for a while.

    Loving your Christmas cactus – it’s so pretty!

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    1. Love your Christmas cactus! I’d be lucky to get one to bloom at the right time, let alone trick it into blooming another time. I don’t mind running n the cold, but running in the wind is miserable.

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      1. Wind makes everything worse, for sure. I can run in pretty cold temps (and have done just that pretty recently!) but I take a pass on wind + extreme cold.

        Apparently the trick for the Christmas Cactus is it needs a lot of darkness. Appropriate for this time of year, right?

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    2. We don’t have sidewalks in my neighborhood. The main streets get plowed well but it takes them time to get to the rest.

      My Christmas cactus was a bust last year so happy it’s blooming this year. 🙂

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  6. I don’t think I know about a Christmas cactus. I am so bad with plants. Maybe I should check those out. I don’t mind the cold but the wind is challenging. Wow you all got a lot of snow. It’s pretty but I am sure it gets old. happy holidays to you and your family!

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    1. I’ve had Christmas cacti before, but I went through a period when I just couldn’t take care of one more thing (that included plants) so let them all go. I’m swinging back to having plants again.

      Happy Holidays to your family too, Deborah! Keep soaking up that sun!

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  7. I think I told you about my Christmas cactus, which I had for years–my grandma gave it to me. It bloomed every year at Christmas, but one year it went rogue, blooming in June, and then it died. I have no idea what happened. I bought a new one this year at Trader Joe’s. It’s succulent and it fits nicely in my collection (obsession). I need to find a cute pot for it. It’s blooming, right as it should.

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  11. Your cactus is so pretty! My gardening year was a very light one as I did not do a plot in the community garden for the first time in forever. My tomatoes and peppers and herbs turned out ok.

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  12. I gave up on growing a vegetable/fruit garden when my neighbor told me that he watched a momma dear jump the fence to eat the tomatoes. And then the next spring I witnessed a squirrel eating my strawberries (he was taking a bite out of each one).

    Your Christmas cactus is very pretty – love the color. My mom has one that color and a white one blooming.

    I am definitely looking forward to getting the Covid vaccine. Hopefully, after both my mom and Bill and I get it we can visit without wearing masks in her house, eating meals in separate rooms, and most importantly, I can finally give her a hug!!!

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    1. Ah, so it’s the squirrels that eat my strawberries! I’ve never been able to figure it out. Also don’t know what decimates my blueberry bushes (birds, I think).

      I know how hard it’s been for you & visiting your mom! I don’t eat at all when I visit mine, but at least I’m close enough to go & come in one day, although I actually miss the days I could stay over there. I eat in the car . . . the things we do to keep our loved ones safe!

      And yes, I haven’t hugged my mom since Feb. 😦

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  13. I am always in such awe of everyone who can coax life from the ground. That person is not me.

    I am so far down on the vaccine list, it isn’t even funny. I’m excited but nervous. I feel like it’s happening so quickly, but I also want to go back to our lives. I hope that it’s the gamechanger we have been waiting for.

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    1. I’ve always had a green thumb, but had decided against plants for a long time. One more thing to take care of. I guess now that I’m down to one dog . . .

      I feel much like you do about the vaccine, and I don’t expect to be getting it anytime soon. Initially they said my mom would be getting it 2 weeks after it was approved, now they’re saying first quarter 2021 — which obviously isn’t far away.

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