Coasting Towards Year End

The nice thing about having no race plans is that I can just run. I used to love having a training plan with miles to accomplish, but I feel differently now. I'm enjoying my retirement from long-distance racing, and my knees are grateful for that, too. I saw my rheumatologist and my internist last week for checkups and both of them expressed amazement that I'm still running at my age and with RA; my annual mileage made my rheumatologist shake her head. I've been running so long that my body just dials in and lets me do my thing. I still lean on running to keep me sane, which has come in handy during this year's end craziness.

As long as I can run, everything else will fall into place. 

1000 miles!

This week I hit the 1000 mile mark for the year! I don't really set firm mileage goals, but in my mind, I like to have 20 miles per week of running, with the ultimate goal of 1000 for the year. I only have data back to 2014, but in the 11 years I've been tracking my runs on my Garmin, I've hit the 1000 mile mark 7 times. 2021 was the year I broke my ankle and foot, and I took almost 3 months off running. 2019 was another off year. I had to scroll back to my year-end recap to remind myself of the prolonged RA flare I had after receiving the shingles vaccine. 2016 was oh-so-close with 973 miles despite dealing with plantar fasciitis and receiving my diagnosis of RA. 

Will I hit 1000 miles in 2025? How much longer will this body let me push myself? I'll just keep lacing up and let it play out...

I Really Needed That Run...

It's a week like this that reminds me of how much running does for me. Sure, there are physical fitness benefits from running--we all know about that. But the main reason I started running and why I still do is for my mental health. This week my husband had his back surgery after that incident he had in August showed he had multiple herniated discs and spinal cord compression. He ended up having laminectomies at L3, L4, and L5, all done as a minimally invasive outpatient procedure. As a seasoned, jaded medical professional, I fully admit to being awed and amazed by his surgeon.

While he's been doing well, he's not able to do a whole lot without pain. He's not a complainer, but if I'm being honest, he's been a little grumpy. 

I took most of the week off to take care of him but was thankful to be able to continue my workouts as usual. While I missed Wednesday's trail run when I took him downtown for his surgery, I made up for it on Friday. That run was everything I needed. I had some good workouts at CrossFit that filled me up as well.

Ouch!

As much as I like to think otherwise, I am not invincible. That point was driven home this week when I pulled a muscle in my lower back while attempting a heavy deadlift. Lucky for me, some quick work on my back by the PT at the gym prevented any major soreness. But it was a good reminder to check myself before picking up a heavy barbell.

The cold weather this week brought a different kind of pain. If you live in an area where it gets windy and cold, you know that feeling of your face freezing. We've had such a mild fall that this sudden cold plunge has been a shock to the system! Looking ahead, the temperatures are supposed to moderate but not a whole lot. 

Can I have my abnormally warm weather back, please?

Mini Book Reviews: Nonfiction November 2024

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received a complimentary copy of Epic Runs of North America from Hachette Publishing in exchange for my review.

I didn't expect to read so many books this month but with the focus on non-fiction, I had so many options! Some of the books were in my TBR, some were recommendations from other readers, and some were just spontaneous picks! I've never been good at planning my reading--I like to just go with what suits me at the time. Sometimes after reading a really heavy, long book, I like to read something totally different. 

My favorite book this month was The Sugar Rush. A book about maple syrup? It was just so much more--a buddy story and a competition that was humorous and touching. Plus I learned a lot about maple syrup! My least favorite book was Sure I'll Join Your Cult. Reviews called it hilarious, but I found it obnoxious and chaotic. 

I'm looking forward to getting back to some fiction. I do have a few more nonfiction books I want to read. I hope you find a book or two that you want to read here!  

A Sudden Change of Seasons

As Ron Burgundy famously said, "Well, that escalated quickly!" 

We were having a really fabulous fall, warmer and sunnier than normal. I had hopes that this was our new normal. But on Wednesday, the wind picked up, and it started to snow Thursday morning. The snow was wet and heavy, and the wind was strong. My sister and I drove out to our parents' to meet with their lawyer to go over their estate plans. It was a treacherous drive, less due to the conditions and more due to the poor judgment of the other drivers on the road. Clearly no one was prepared for this sudden shift to winter.

By Friday morning, most of the snow was gone but the cool weather lingered. I couldn't even remember how to properly dress! Looking ahead to next week, my layering skills will be put to the test as we are predicted to have highs in the 20s. 

I'm glad I decided to treat my RA flare with this round of steroids. The timing couldn't have been better! Or maybe my body knew the seasons were going to change?

2024 Holiday Shopping Guide for Runners

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

Once again, it's time for my annual gift list for the runner in your life! I am sharing 10 of my favorite things--I've tried and tested everything here except the last item on the list, but it is just so cute I had to include it. I hope you find something here you might want to gift--or purchase for yourself! Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Happy Shopping!