week 47: the november blur

We are the midway point of November, which means we’re in the thick of the November blur. It’s that time when the days fly by and we are caught up trying to fit in everything for the upcoming holiday season. I am so excited for the fun ahead, but have to remember to enjoy every moment.

Sunday – rest

Sundays have been fairly lazy, and it’s not a bad thing at all.

This particular Sunday, my parents came over and we grilled and chatted the day away. We hadn’t seen them in a while due to conflicting schedules, so it was a nice change. Little man was especially glad to spend time with them.

Monday – 5.6 miles running + cooldown yoga

School was closed for Veteran’s Day, so S and I were able to run just a little later. Another hour of sleep made all the difference.

I am truly taking my yoga commitment to heart, and tried out a runner’s cool down video. The stretches were great, but it was another reminder of how tight I am. Verdict? More yoga is the answer.

We surprised little man with a day out with a buddy he doesn’t get to see to often. First, we got lunch, and then let them explore our area’s new Lego store. They went hog wild!

Then we headed over to Top Golf for some driving fun. It’s always such a great time there.

Hooray for a day well spent.

Tuesday – 9Round #115

I confess it was hard to get back into the weekday groove. The weather started to make its downward spiral into “winter” and it’s left me really tired and unmotivated.

No excuses, though.

Most of the day was spent at my SOUPer Bowl meeting, and then we had our afternoon of clarinet lessons, homework and Scouts. Little man is progressing beautifully: his teacher has upgraded him to the Jurassic Park theme and the Spongebob Squarepants theme. I love hearing him play.

Wednesday – 9Round #116

Wednesdays are short days, so I scrambled to get everything done before little man got home from school.

First up was 9Round with Mr PugRunner and his buddy, and then we had our monthly PTSO Executive Board Meeting.

Mr. PugRunner was working from home, but was gone when I got back to the house. Turns out, he couldn’t handle the “chicken sandwich wars” controversy anymore and wanted to try the Popeye’s version to see how it stacked up. It was kind of funny, but we had fun taste testing.

Thursday – 9Round #117

I love Thursdays. They are really our only day off, and it’s a nice segue to the upcoming weekend.

We skipped our run again. It was freezing, and S had to be out too early to make it work. I was just fine rolling over and going back to sleep. Of course, the same rules didn’t apply to 9Round. It’s been a bit of a grueling week, but I feel better about not running if I get in these 30 minutes.

My mom and I had a super fun day planned. There is this really cool, old bookstore in Jacksonville that she wanted to check out, so I joined her for the adventure. It’s literally floor to ceiling books: old books, new books, hardcover, paperback, collector’s items, you name it. The smell alone was incredible. You could literally get lost in the shelves (and we did).

We grabbed lunch before I dropped her off at home and caught up a little bit more. It’s always fun to spend time with her.

In the evening we went over to the school: little man wanted to watch his friend perform and we were happy to show our support. He went out to dinner with his friend’s family after and had a blast.

Friday – 9Round #118

This session was brutal! Wide-base pushups, box jumps, frog pulls and burpees all came out to play. Being the only woman in a gym of five men gave me a little extra motivation, too, so I feel like I pushed more than usual. I am loving these new red kettlebells.

The rest of the day was incredibly cold and blustery. Mr PugRunner and I had a quick lunch date before a small seminar. Not my favorite way to spend an afternoon, but it was now out of the way and we were able to enjoy the rest of our day: pajamas, holiday movies and Chinese take out.

Saturday – 2 miles, walking (Walk to End Alzheimer’s)

Mr PugRunner and I have both lost family members to Alzheimer’s, so this walk is incredibly important to us. It was a cold and dreary day, but we bundled up and joined in with the sea of purple to remember those we have loved and lost.

Afterwards, little man went to a friend’s house for an afternoon of gaming, and then all the families met for dinner to get the kids back to their respective homes.

Goal-getting

We missed a lot of miles this week, again. I feel fine about it, to be honest. I’ve stayed active and that’s what’s important. We have just been so busy and it’s incredible tough leaving the warm bed for the cold weather. If we had a bit of a transitional season (I’m looking at you, fall), that would make a difference, but one day is 80 degrees, and the next is 40.

9Round and yoga are both doing well. It’s tough to do the yoga at home, but even once a week is something.

On the cooking front, I made delicious sausage, peppers and onions on a sheet pan. This is a favorite meal here and doing it on the sheet pan was so easy! I can’t believe I never tried it this way before! Meals like this are vital to combating that November blur – less time in the kitchen and more time with friends and family.

Donut consumption is still greatly limited, and I’m proud of that. It wasn’t quite as hard as I thought it would be.

I am linking up with the new Weekly Rundown, with Confessions of A Mother Runner and Running on the Fly! Check them out!

Will you be joining me at any of the Best Damn Race Ambassador Crew! Don’t forget to register with my BDR discount code RUNSWITHPUGS to save on any distance at any BDR location!

How was your week in training?

What are your tips and tricks for beating the November blur?