Happy Monday, Happy New Year and Happy Back To The Grind! It’s time for the Weekly Wrap with HoHo Runs and Taking The Long Way Home!
If you do a weekly recap post, this is a great way to check in with other active bloggers for extra support, sharing and accountability!
I checked out over the last few weeks. Between vacation and traveling, I admit, I just needed to decompress. It was the right call, and I am recommitted to my running and to the blog. Yay! Of course, that means you get to read two weekly wraps! But they are pretty fun and full of stuff, so that’s all good 🙂
Sunday, 12/24 – Christmas Eve, 6.29 miles, running
One of my friends organized a group run for Christmas Eve morning, and I convinced my regular running crew to join the fun. Out of nowhere, it was sticky and humid and hot and we called it at 6.29 miles.
When I got home, Mr PugRunner texted me to ask me not to eat. Ugh. I was ravenous, but it was all worth it when he and little man showed up with this box from Good Dough. All was forgiven.
Since it was Christmas Eve, we turned the focus to prepping for the holiday. I finished rolling and baking the the cinnamon rolls,
cleaned the house, finished wrapping the gifts, and by the time my parents arrived, we were ready to order our delicious Chinese food buffet.
We stayed up way later than planned, because little man struggled getting to sleep, but that’s how things go, sometimes. I made sure everything was all ready to go for the morning and finally turned in.
Monday, 12/25 – Christmas, rest
Little man really couldn’t wait until the 6:00 AM downstairs time we had set for him. Of course, it’s understandable. Christmas morning is a huge deal.
And this day was epic. Santa brought little man the Nintendo Switch he had been asking for.
Mr PugRunner got his tickets to the Orange Bowl.
And I got some great running stuff, including entries to two races! Wheee!
We had a small dinner snafu, but ultimately everything worked out and we shared a lovely day together.
Tuesday, 12/26 – 6 miles, running
Just because it was the day after Christmas didn’t mean we had time to rest! Nope. We were out there for six nice miles. Things were a little cooler, so that was nice, too.
In the evening, we went to my parents to celebrate Mr PugRunner’s birthday with them before our trip. He’s a New Year’s Day baby, and we weren’t going to get to see them as a family later in the week. They took little man to stay at their house for a few days, and we went home to some extra craziness.
Wednesday – 12/27 – rest
After work, I had planned to go shopping and to dinner with Mr PugRunner. Unfortunately, his sinuses were acting up, so I said I would go alone. I needed a final sweep of leggings and winter accessories, and had to hit a bunch of stores to get it all done. He did rally enough to meet me for dinner when I was finished. When we got home, I started making all our packing piles, and crossed my fingers that our balaclavas and ski gloves would come on time through Amazon.
Thursday, 12/28 – 7 miles, running
Another seven miles! Whoo hoo!
Little man came back to us at lunchtime, and he was back to playing with his buddies in the afternoon. We had a nice family dinner before Mr PugRunner’s first trip of the break.
Friday, 12/29 – deck of cards
C had asked us if we would be up to play “Deck of Cards”, a workout activity where each suit of cards would be assigned a fitness move (hearts = squats, diamonds = crunches, etc), and then we would go through a deck of cards, doing as many of each exercise as was indicated on the cards. In case you were wondering, that’s 105 of each move. We all agreed, but on this Friday, only I was available.
It was rough, because I don’t cross train quite like I used to. Later that day, I confess to getting stuck in my sports bra because my arms were so sore. Fabulous.
Mr PugRunner left to make the drive south for the Orange Bowl and little man and I were on our own. We chilled out, watched movies, cleaned up from Christmas and went shopping for birthday gifts. It was some good one on one time.
Saturday, 12/30 – rest
I skipped my usual Saturday run because I had no one with whom to go and because I was still really hurting. Besides, I had the whole day to spend with my little guy and we had a blast.
Sunday, 12/31 – 2.17 miles, running
New Year’s Eve had arrived. It was actually kind of a stressful day, due to a car rental issues (we were renting a 4wd vehicle for our trip), which led to some incredibly awful customer service and us spending the afternoon driving around to snag a vehicle. We made it back home in time to have some pizza and drinks and sparklers with our neighbors. None of us made it to midnight.
Monday – rest
By 9:00, we were on the road, heading up to Charlotte. Even though Banner Elk was a doable single day drive, we didn’t want to be riding in the mountains in the dark, trying to find our cabin, so we planned for an overnight stop.
We met up with our friends and their kids at the hotel, and had a great dinner together with the football game. Little man had even selected a cake along to celebrate Mr PugRunner’s special day.
It was a little untraditional, but lots of fun all the same.
Tuesday – rest
After breakfast, we finished our journey, with a few stops. We let the kids dig for treasure at a gem mining place, where they each walked away with quite the haul of gems and stones. We paid a little extra to have one of little man’s amethysts cut into a cabochon, and the end result was pretty impressive.
When we checked into our cabin, we were more than ready to be done in the car. It was amazing, with gorgeous mountain views. We couldn’t have been more thrilled with our choice.
Wednesday – snow skiing, 3 hours
It was the day of truth: skiing day! We had to be very flexible with our plans because of the impending winter storm, so this was really the only reasonable day to get to Beech Mountain. We all signed up for lessons, and they went really well.
Little man loved it and I really hope we can take him back in the next year. He and I were really getting the hang of it before the slopes started to get really crowded.
Our friends came over in the evening for some steak on the grill, which was fun. We made it a point not to eat out a ton over the course of this trip, and did an excellent job with that plan.
Thursday – rest
With the snow falling, the temperatures dropping and the wind gusting at up to 40 mph, we really had no choice but to call it a cabin day. I literally took two naps! We did take a lovely walk in the afternoon and then we went to our friend’s cabin for dinner.
Friday – snow tubing, 2 hours
We couldn’t leave Banner Elk without snow tubing. The problem was, the weather just wasn’t on our side. Two of the three tubing venues were closed due to wind, but Sugar Mountain decided to open at noon and after a delicious lunch with our friends, we headed over.
It was bitterly cold, but we had an absolute blast on the tubing runs. My fingers and toes were so numb I couldn’t even stay out the whole two hours, but the boys lasted the entire duration.
After hot chocolate, it was back to the cabin to finish packing and tidying. We ended up going out to an awesome Italian dinner and then it was off to bed for an early wakeup call and departure.
Saturday – rest
And by rest, I mean I sat my rear end in the seat of a car for the eight-ish hour drive home. It wasn’t a bad drive, but my body definitely craved movement. As soon as we got settled back at home, I texted my friends to see if anyone would be up for a morning run on Sunday. They were definitely put off by the cold but all three were up for the challenge!
******
And there we have the last two weeks of training. I was really unhappy with taking a week off running, but it actually didn’t leave me as far behind as I originally thought it might. Bonus was that I got some pretty dedicated time with my family and friends.
The month ahead is already pretty crazy: I have a ton of races, including two this weekend! It wasn’t planned, but the opportunity arose and sometimes FOMO gets the best of me.
Additionally, I have found some accountability buddies and cross training is off to a great start for the year. It’s something I badly neglected in 2017, and I’m hoping to keep the trend going this year. Timing is everything, and being able to get up and get it done early in the morning has truly been everything. We are aiming for two cross-training sessions a week, which makes sense with three days running.
How was your Christmas and New Year? What do you have coming up on the calendar?
Awesome weeks of workouts! Good luck on your upcoming races this month – I can’t wait to read all about them!
It looks like you all had such a blast skiing!
I’m so excited!
runswithpugs recently posted…weekly wrap: 12.24.17 – 1.6.17
Sounds like a great time! I’d be up for naps in a cozy cabin too. 😉 I don’t think I’ve ever been tubing. It sounds like a lot of fun.
I never get to nap anymore. I felt so lazy, but what else was there to do? Eat, read and sleep LOL!
I love that cabin! This is in North Carolina? Looks amazing. I need to talk to my hubs about this.
I’ve had that stuck in the sports bra feeling more often than I care to admit. Lately it’s been more from RA than soreness but still…
Wendy recently posted…Running Over Challenges
I’m sorry about the RA 🙁 I know it must make things miserable sometimes.
We got the cabin through Carolina Cabin Rentals. They have several properties in the area. This one was in Banner Elk, and we were about halfway up Beech Mountain (about two hours north of Charlotte). The location was perfect and the property was lovely. I highly recommend it.
Yeah for skiing!!! That cabin looks like a beautiful place! Great workouts too!
Anna @ Piper’s Run recently posted…Recap of 2017 Goals
Loved our vacation! It was such a great time!
. it’s funny to see a Christmas with a group in shorts! LOL
That cabin looks amazing.
I don’t ski because I personally hate being outside in the cold. So you can imagine how miserable I am this winter.
This too shall pass.
Looking forward to my half in March in Fla!!!!!!
Darlene recently posted…Weekly Wrap for 1.1.18-1.7.18 – Baby, it’s cold outside…
I’m sure it is! It was actually a little chilly on Christmas Day, which was nice. Usually, it’s pool and beach weather.
The cabin was phenomenal. I loved it. I have Raynaud’s so it’s hard for me to be in the cold. However, I feel like we always take the same kinds of vacations, and little man has been desperate to ski and see snow, so we planned this. I had to bundle up with extra layers and shove hand and toe warmers into my gloves and boots, but once I was moving, I was ok in the weather.
I’m sure your half is going to be gorgeous! We definitely have to try to coordinate!
Looks like a great couple of weeks! Good luck with your races this weekend – can’t wait to hear how they go!
Michelle @ Running with Attitude recently posted…Wrapping up Black Cat Week 1
I’m excited for them! It will be fun, especially since the Sunday race is an inaugural, out of town event. You know I am always up for a good racecation!
So glad your holidays were nice! Stepping back from blogging from time to time is good for the soul!
Marcia recently posted…Florida Good Bad Ugly
Stepping back stresses me out, but sometimes I just have to take that hard break. I do have some posts I have to catch up on, but I will get those done.
Looks like you kept really busy! Your ski trip looked fun…though, I know my abilities, and they are NOT strapped into a pair of skis LOL
Kimberly Hatting recently posted…#Brrrrrr!
LOL! I have reached a point where I am game to try anything. And it really wasn’t bad. The worst part was all the heavy, bulky gear and trying to maneuver in those boots! It was pretty hilarious watching me try to do anything.
Looks like you all had a great few weeks together with lots of family fun and you kept up your mileage
Deborah Brooks recently posted…Cajun White Bean, Vegan Sausage and Kale Soup Meatless Monday
I’m definitely trying to keep the mileage going. This week is going to be pretty crazy with running, but I’m looking forward to being back in the game.
Those cinnamon rolls!!!! YUM!
Nicole @ fitnessfatale recently posted…Nerissa’s 21 Day Fix Transformation
Pioneer Woman’s recipe, with cream cheese frosting, instead of her coffee maple glaze. Rave reviews, every time!
Looks like a great holiday and a great start to your year! Looks like you had fun skiing….I dont ski, too afraid I will die and I hate the cold.
TOni recently posted…My Pre-Workout Fuel & Energy Must Haves
I was a little afraid of dying, but once I got going, it was ok. Little man actually slipped and rolled down the freaking mountain, which was absolutely terrifying on my end, but he was fine. It’s amazing – here, we go in shark-infested waters and think nothing of it, but an icy mountain with no guardrails is a whole different ball game.
Sounds like you had a wonderful holiday season and even played in the snow! I can’t quite wrap my head around this cold snap. I was in Palm Beach for most of it, but one morning it was 29 degrees when I got to the barn! In FLORIDA! What is that? Still better than the -3 I came home to though I guess….
Did you enjoy skiing? I went once when I was a kid, but I’m pretty sure I cried the whole time….
Stacie Seidman recently posted…Thursday’s Threads
It got crazy cold here! I couldn’t believe it!
I liked skiing. I think with time I would get better. It was awkward moving in all the clothing and the gear, but once I got the hang of things, it was good. Definitely different and out of my comfort zone. And cold lol!
Oh man. Those cinnamon rolls look awesome. I try to keep foods like that for special occasions and the holiday season. Do you think I could argue that Valentine’s Day is still part of the holiday season??
Andrea recently posted…Strong Mom: Angela Karr | How lifting made me whole
If you can’t have cinnamon rolls on Valentine’s Day, I don’t even know what kind of world it is anymore. Enjoy!
Those donuts look amazing! I could stave off some runger for a dozen like that too!
They were everything!
What an amazing two weeks! It sounds like an absolute blast, even with the few weather glitches along the way.
We can always roll with the changes! I’m getting better about adapting and being flexible!
We used to ski on Beech and Sugar all the time! And Hawk’s Nest — I don’t know if it is still around. Lessons are the way to go to make the first experience (or even if you haven’t been in a while) a good one. I need some accountability buddies for cross training. I often slack on that. Thanks for linking!
We wanted to go tubing at Hawk’s Nest, but they were closed due to the wind. Apparently, it’s a great tubing location. We will have to check it out another time.
I stink at cross training. I’ll get a good start but I can’t bring myself to maintain it. Hopefully, having this group with me and being about to get it done early in the morning will help keep me on track.
Awesome! We’ve been to Banner Elk with my cousins many times! Such a cute area, with a lot to do! I love Beech and Sugar mountain!
It’s so great! I can’t believe it’s taken us this long to discover it! We will definitely visit again.
You had a very busy and active couple of weeks. I’m impressed with all of your miles right before and right after Christmas. That’s always such a busy week, and I often find it difficult to get all of my runs in.
Kathryn @ Dancing to Running recently posted…Princess Half Marathon Training Log – Week 3
Busy is right! I really shouldn’t complain too much about that week of rest we took in NC – I needed that more than I realized!
Since we usually stay home around the holidays, running isn’t so hard on this end. Sometimes it stinks to have to get up early, but I’m getting used to it.
wow! your holidays were busy, active and sound like a lot of fun. except for those long car rides! I totally get the need for movement!
I really like the deck of cards idea! I will bring that up with some of my sporty friends!
Christmas here was very low-key. I live in the Netherlands and the Dutch don’t celebrate like how I think it should be celebrated. It’s not “bad”, it’s just not how I grew up celebrating. So sometimes it’s a little sad for me. My husband knows this and made up for Christmas by suggesting we go somewhere for NYE! We drove an hour and a half away to Dusseldorf and celebrated there. Not too far away, yet different and NOT sitting at home! YAY!
I start training end of the month for a half marathon in March and then I have another in May. So right now, just cross training at the gym and doing a “long” run still on Sunday (10 – 15K max).