I know I just said rest…

Two weeks ago, I completed a 5-week baseline workout plan via Garmin. So much for your last post on rest.

Last week, I began another 5-week series of workouts destined to test my overall strength and grit. Unrelated, I’ve seen the word grit mentioned no less than 3x at work in as many days. Maybe it’s making a comeback?

Results so far indicate I’m vertically challenged, probably don’t eat enough to power said workouts, and are overall incredibly difficult.

As evidence, here is a collection of whackadoo hairstyles I’ve implemented lately –

Alas, the running continues, even with weather fluctuations and holidays. I average 2.5-3.5 miles per run. Nothing fancy, just basic movement. Alongside the strength plan, I aim for several runs/week but sometimes I only get a single or double. Meh.

As tomorrow is Thanksgiving, at the moment I have plans to run a 5k with a local group. But those plans belong to today me. Not the me who has to wake up tomorrow, get dressed, eat, and brave whatever weather is in store. Maybe I’m still resting.

_____________________

I ask you –

Will you be partaking in the Thanksgiving Day 5k tradition?

(The post I know I just said rest… first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Running from Zombies

If I’ve learned anything during this furlough, it is to take it slower. Much slower. But not too slow because I just can’t.

A run collection

For weeks, I have been doing two-a-day workouts and I’m feeling the best I ever have. That’s not taking it slow, Kel. In other ways, I have been giving endless grace. The first week of the furlough, admittedly, I was angry. Angry we had gotten to this point. Anger directed at everyone around me. But soon I realized anger wasn’t getting me anywhere. Now, and since, I’ve been in a numb sense of acceptance. I do not like this situation. I still battle anger and disappointment. But I’m humbled every single day by a team of few who continue to show up. And it’s what they deserve from me.

the team

You don’t know what ya got til it’s gone. Oh, but I did know. I would have rather never experienced it. Despite the furlough, the show must go on. Despite taking a massive manpower hit, the expectation to deliver is still there. Thankfully, with the help of dozens of volunteers and a killer core team, we executed the 2025 Zombie Run 5k of over 300 participants. To say I was stressed was an understatement. But they did it.

I think I could outrun the politicians, or zombies, in charge of bureaucratic decision-making. But a nice right hook to the jaw might be more fun. Well deserved.

________________

I ask you –

In a run with a zombie, would you win?

(The post Running from Zombies first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Seems Odd

Musk is upset with AI, says it’s wrong for it to be so inconsiderate of safety requirements. From the guy who created self-driving vehicles. That’s rich. Odd.

For two consecutive weekends, I’ve taken a 2-hr nap. The weight of tiredness has been exceptionally heavy. This isn’t normal for me. Odd.

It’s that time of year again. Where the weather cools off and you no longer sweat from thinking about going outside. Because people really do sweat before going outside in the summer in Texas. Odd.

Credit: via IG

Drums!

And, finally, the update you have all been waiting for. My drum lessons! I told you, right? Maybe not. I signed up for drum lessons. And I’m well on my way to being the greatest drummer of all time. Jokes. But lesson one went well…now all I hear is oneandtwoandthreeandfour. Then, oneehhanduhtwoehhanduhthreeehhanduhfour…you get the idea. It was fun! I thought I would have to learn to read music. Wrongly odd.

____________________

I ask you –

Tell me something odd in your life!

(The post Seems Odd first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Source of Frustration

This is where it ended. I have never had an issue with Garmin, but the fact that a plan cannot be modified during execution is archaic. You see the Threshold workout above scheduled “today”? It’s the same workout I had attempted every run day prior for over a week. I could not complete it. I tried. I followed the directions, I tried so hard to stick the proverbial landing, but it was out of reach. Every time. Despite the indicated training status and training readiness, I never got above a 3% execution score. Instead of moving on, changing the workout, or deviating in any way, Garmin continued to schedule this threshold workout.

So you know what I did? Never give up! I quit. I stopped the plan. Sure, quitting is rarely recommended, but futility is stupid. I was making a choice to suffer through it – for what? To potentially injure myself trying to attain a passing score on a single workout which meant nothing to my continued mental or physical well-being? No thank you very much.

Sure, I can justify the marbles out of this entire decision. 1. It was week 17 of an arbitrary 20 week plan. I didn’t have a race goal. So who cares. 2. Maybe my watch needed a restart and some updates to get its life together. (I tried it – no luck.) 3. Eventually you’ll get it, Kel. Maybe just not right now.

In conversation, I admitted to having no motivation to run, strength train, or do anything really. Classic overtraining. I ate some chocolate, drank a lot of coffee, and put on my shoes. In no particular order. Then, I crushed 3 days of strength training. Followed by a free run.

Take that, Garmin. I run this.

_____________________

I ask you –

What frustrates you?

(The post Source of Frustration first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

I’m Just Here for the Nonsense

Mini is headed back to school! When did school supplies cost $100?!

The Week Junior

From a magazine subscription – the more we teach our children about civics, the more able they are to be informed members of society. Minus the misinformation part of society.

Why make plans and submit calendar dates when someone will color outside the lines and get what they want, upending all your plans. Still a bit heated.

Final thought: High Will, Low Skill, i.e., someone who is willing and teachable yet lacks the current skill level to perform above the minimum. Other iterations: low will, no skill. For example, my running motivation lately.

___________________

I ask you –

What nonsense have you encountered lately?

(The post I’m Just Here for the Nonsense first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Brain & Body Health

I saw a funny Instagram post which basically said I didn’t realize I’d be navigating my daughter’s PMS while also battling perimenopause. I’m doomed. Although I suspect perimenopause is a recently concocted term for all the space and unknown leading to menopause, if this is it then it’s very real.

My memory has taken a nosedive downhill. We all attributed it to PhD brain, work stress, the usual. But when mini started commenting on how I couldn’t even finish a full sentence… yikes. Time to make some changes.

Insert brain vitamins! It’s still the first week, and maybe it’s a placebo effect, but I do feel more focused! Will report back.

Saturday evening I decided to pause my run plan. The past 2 weeks, Garmin has indicated my training status as “straining”. I thought it meant I was coming out of “peaking”, which I had been, but I also thought straining was positive. Ha. Wrong.

It has been struggle city. I haven’t hit any of the prescribed paces, constantly tired, not sleeping well…classic symptoms of overtraining. And perimenopause. All this to say, I’m taking a break. Literally and figuratively. I’ll be back soon.

_________________

I ask you –

What does straining mean to you?

(The post Brain & Body Health first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

New Watch, Same Me

Garmin has a lot of faith in me! This is the Forerunner 955 Solar, a vast improvement to my previous Forerunner 265. The solar feature was a last minute decision, but since this is Texas and the sun is nearly always shining, I thought why not. Even without it, my battery, with regular use, lasts more than a week between charges. It says you can sit the watch in the sun and it will charge without overheating. Haven’t tried yet.

Thus far, I think the watch is much more accurate than my previous version, especially when it comes to heat acclimation. Very important to me. At the time of this post, I’m only 44% acclimated. When my other watch would give feedback, it commonly stated I was 78-80% acclimated when I hadn’t been running at all. Although it doesn’t influence my running habits, I would like a more realistic picture of heat acclimation, which I believe I’m receiving.

For me, this was a satisfactory, albeit expensive, purchase. My previous one, the Forerunner 200-something series, was great…no complaints, but when it started losing charge quickly and began having some glitches, I knew it was time.

Just like this post. It was time. Get it get it.

_________________

I ask you –

When did you last update your electronic gear?

Have you tried a newer version of a watch where it exceeded your expectations?

Tell me what you currently run with!

(The post New Watch, Same Me first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Re-Post!! Running + Cycling Stuff

From 3 June 2024 – as I’m traveling today and didn’t properly plan for a post, please enjoy this re-post until I return!

I’ve been running. Yes, it hurts. I keep forgetting about that part, until I do it.

On the bright side, Garmin says I’m 40% acclimated to the heat, which I know is definitely not true. Probably more like 14%. Nonetheless, it’s rained so often in the past 2 months I haven’t been out in the heat thus far. Only recently have I attempted to navigate the daily rain showers to make a conscious effort to go outside.

Perhaps I’ve forgotten to mention I’ve been sort of training for a mini triathlon. The sort of part refers to a general, well complete, lack of swim training due to a complete lack of available swimming locations. Unless you count the consistent daily rainfall and the fact the installation pools have only (until last weekend) been open on the weekends. Nonetheless, I can swim, so 250-something meters shouldn’t be too hard, right? Meh.

Working back up to a 20 mile week!

I’m genuinely excited to participate as I’ve never done anything like this before. Typically, I’m a single-plane type of athlete, unless volleyball counts as dual-plane? Relatedly, fast four volleyball has begun and I intend to join this week. More to come.

P.S. Someone should remind me about this run next year: Freihofer’s Run for Women 5k. The check in gift is a box of cookies and a loaf of bread!

_________________

I ask you –

How has your weather been?

Have you ever entered a triathlon? To be clear, this is a mini triathlon so definitely less intensive.

Tell me about a sport you’ve always wanted to attempt!

(The post Running + Cycling Stuff first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

How Dare You Suggest!

Garmin has lost its mind; specifically, the suggested workouts function. This thing suggested I do a 30 min run at 10:35′ without a warm-up. I’m old. I require a warm-up. At least 5 mins!

Then, the following day, it suggested a temp run, 6×1:00 at 7:20′. 7:20′! I’ve never run that pace in my life. 7:20′ is like running from a pack of hungry lions. I think I’ve played in the 8-8:30’s – never a sustained 7-anything for 1 min. Craziness.

So you know what I did? I ran it. Because “can’t” isn’t in my vocabulary. And you know what happened? I ran like hungry lions were chasing me. It wasn’t pretty, it hurt a lot, and I disliked every interval, but I did it.

Then the next day I made an appointment because I suspect something is wrong with my meniscus again. It feels like fireworks inside the inner knee, and the tell tale stretched rubber band. Or maybe it’s all related to my feet. Remember, I had planned to have double toe surgery the early part of 2024, then I scrapped those plans altogether. It is still on the horizon sans date. The suggestion was to handle it sooner rather than later. Like stop signs, right? Just suggestions.

But I continue to run, to make time for exercise, no matter the consequences. At this point, I’d rather be in pain than stop all activity, to the detriment of my body. Maybe that’s why I have spare parts.

_________________

I ask you –

Do you follow Garmin’s suggested workouts?

What type of workout did you do last? Strength training.

Might you be willing to donate a healthy knee to my cause?!

(The post How Dare You Suggest! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Turtle Races and some other stuff

Resubmitted my manuscript last week in hopes they’ll approve it for proposal defense. Now I wait. Again.

In the meantime, I’ve been reading, and running. A lot actually. And drinking copious amounts of coffee, but that isn’t new. I’ve also cleaned, paced, and generally avoided saying much.

On the bright side, October ushered in cooler weather and I want to spend every day outside. Might even move my desk outdoors.

Not sure if I’ve shared yet – my favorite mug from McK. She gets me.

Small town things – a turtle race! I can just see numerous children the week of the race scavenging for turtles. Some large, some small, hopefully none that snap. Probably lots of angry parents.

________________

I ask you –

Did/does your hometown celebrate homecoming, etc. with a festival? My little 1A school did not.

Have you ever kept a (wild) turtle as a pet?

Tell me your go-to fall activity!

(The post Turtle Races and some other stuff first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)