Tiptoeing Back to Where I Want to Be

It's been a bumpy start to 2026, and that includes off the trail. I won't tackle what's happening in the US on this blog. In my little world, there's been illness, and this week, dental surgery. I'm continuing my return to fitness and am hoping to stay healthy from here on out. 

Weekly Rundown:

Sunday: trail run 6.2 miles

Monday: auxiliary strength

Tuesday: Fluid Running

Wednesday: trail run 5.5 miles

Thursday: auxiliary strength

Friday: treadmill run 3 miles

Saturday: rest

Whelp, I skipped my Trail Sisters run--the trail run was set at a local preserve, but the trails there are paved. As much as I love my group, I want to run on dirt. Tough decision, but in the end, I made the right one because....DEER! 

I didn't set out to run the east preserve where most of the deer hang out, but after I started my run, I saw an injured coyote and decided to go to the office to report it. There are also heated bathrooms there, so the decision was easy. Once I took care of that, it was into the woods on the frozen trails. We had a thaw last week, and everything turned to mud, which froze when it cooled off. There was a dusting of snow overnight, which made everything pretty. I saw a few deer on my way into the deep woods, but it was on the return trip where I saw a lot of deer, including a buck! He was favoring his right front leg, which, of course, had me concerned. He didn't seem too concerned, though, making his way through the brush and munching on foliage. There were 2 photographers with the biggest lenses I've ever seen. They weren't as happy to see me. Too bad, so sad. 

The rest of this run was uneventful and I made my way back to where I started. I took a little detour through the woods so I could walk up the sledding hill. That is where I ran into a guy hiking up and down the hills. He told me he was preparing for a trip to Las Vegas, not to go to the strip, but to go hiking with a group of friends. "50 trips up and down this hill will get me ready," he said.

Monday's auxiliary strength workout was another burner. I was still a little sore from last week's sessions! Same structure as the previous week's workouts:

Set 1:

4 rounds: :40 KB (20#) kickstand squat/:10 transition/:40 single leg hip thrusts/:30 rest

Set 2: 

4 rounds :40 KB (20#) lateral step up/:10 transition/:40 kickstand RDL (25# KB)/:30 rest

Set 3:

4 rounds :40 box jumps (18")/:10 transition/:40 tall kneeling palloff press/:30 rest

Set 4

4 rounds :40 A jumps with squat to plate/:10 transition/:40 band pull over with leg raise/:30 rest

Bonus: Tabata single leg v-ups

I woke up on Wednesday morning to 40 degrees. That quickly changed as a snowstorm unexpectedly blew in. It looked like a blizzard outside! What to do? I stalked the radar like the seasoned runner that I am, and by 8:30, I drove to the preserve for my run. The roads were terrible, but I made it unscathed. The trails were as pretty as I had hoped. I decided to stick to the main trail to avoid tripping over the snow covered tree roots that line the single tracks. Mine were the first footprints on the trail, and since there was maybe 2 inches of snow, it was easy going. I hoped to see the deer frolicking in the woods--they love the snow-- and I wasn't disappointed. Eventually, the snow came to an end, and the sun broke through the clouds. The temperature dropped to 19 by the end of my run. Yes, it was cold!

Thursday's auxiliary strength focused on the upper body and followed the same structure as previous workouts: 

Set 1:

4 rounds :40 KB gorilla rows (25#)/:10 transition/:40 DB (20#0 bridged floor press/:30 rest

Set 2:

4 rounds :40 seated landmine press (35#)/:10 transition/single arm landmine row (50#)/:30 rest

Set 3:

4 rounds :40 dips/:10 transition/:40 KB suitcase carry (45#)/:30 rest

Set 4:

4 rounds :40 chin ups (banded)/:10 transition/:40 medball plank tucks/:30 rest

I had hoped to run outside Friday morning, but gusty winds, fresh snow, and early morning darkness drove me once again to the treadmill. Sigh. The treadmill run wasn't a success, with 5 trips to the bathroom after only 3 miles of running. I think the antibiotics I'm taking for my dental surgery have upset my system. Oh well. Three miles are better than nothing, right? I stepped outside for this photo--you know I wanted to run in this!

Off the road...

Fresh off celebrating a Bears win over the Packers, I was feeling pretty good! On Monday, I had dental surgery with the periodontist for a bone graft on a tooth that had been bothering me for some time. I've had bone grafts before, and it was no big deal. I don't know what was different about this time, but I left the office bruised and swollen. It kind of reminded me of when I had my eye surgery 4 years ago. Except instead of my eyes, it is my mouth. I've been eating a lot of pasta this week. Fingers crossed that the tooth heals properly and that I don't need any other procedures.

My youngest son got exciting news on Friday--he's been invited to Northwestern University Feinberg Medical School for his first interview! We've been sitting on pins and needles since he applied to medical school last summer. The waiting has been agonizing, and this news brought me to tears. Fingers crossed this goes well for him! 

And how about those Bears? The Chicago Bears, that is...they are playing for the divisional playoffs against the LA Rams later today. As much as we Chicagoans complain about the cold, it's going to be extra tough for the team from Los Angeles. The Bears practice outdoors, so they are acclimated to it. Coach Johnson isn't going to have heaters on the sidelines. With a high of 22F predicted/real feel 8F, it's going to be tough! But it is the Bears, and you know, anything could happen.

How was your week? Anyone else having a rough start to the new year? Any fun medical procedures?

You may have noticed my change to my blog header. I decided that since I'm spending most of my time on the trails, my blog needs to reflect that. I'm excited for the weather to warm up so I can get back to doing what I love--getting lost in the woods!

I'm linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Rundown.