Wrapping Up May At Home

It’s strange writing about my workouts this week, how many miles I ran this month, and our weekly bike rides when there are truly important issues demanding my attention. I don’t have any answers to the anguish, anger, violence, despair, injustice, hopelessness and outrage that’s weighing on my heart. I know not knowing what to do is no excuse for doing nothing.

Prayer for grace

I’m even struggling with what words to pray, but the familiar opening line of the Prayer of St. Francis grabbed my attention this week: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. I am watching and praying for how to live that out.

Wrapping Up May At Home

After 10 weeks, I’ve settled into a pretty good working-from-home schedule and am content to stay “safer at home” for a while longer. I’ve enjoyed sleeping a bit later, running with Scooby a bit longer, and–as I runfessed–not always showering every day. 🙂 I’ve switched up my weekend routine, prioritizing grocery shopping Saturday morning and bumping my long run to Sundays–which I can fit in with time to spare before “attending” my church’s 10 am service on Facebook. For the most part, Mother Nature has cooperated with this new schedule, with the best running weather falling on Sundays and decent cycling weather on Saturdays.

Garmin Calendar May 2020

My Garmin Connect calendar.
Blue = running; Red = cycling

Between more frequent and longer runs with Scooby and Peloton treadmill and bootcamp workouts I logged over 100 running miles for the first time in ages. I also logged 100 cycling miles, with 5 rides averaging 25 miles each.

Weekly Run Down

Monday:  45 min Peloton Yoga and 25 mile Bike Ride
I started my day with my first full Peloton yoga class, and then went for a bike ride. At one point I recognized my friend and her husband walking their dog, so we stopped and chatted (at an appropriate distance). That was a fun coincidence!

Garmin Map of bike ride

Tuesday: Strength Workout
After four solid cardio days in a row, it was time for a lighter workout, including some “prehab” exercises and my favorite routine from the Quick Strength For Runners book.

Quick Strength For Runners Book

Want to check it out?
Use my Amazon affiliate link for Quick Strength for Runners

Wednesday:  5.6 Scooby miles
I wasn’t sure how Scooby would do with this Peloton outdoor intervals workout, but it went well. Next time I’ll choose a 60 min program to cover our whole route.

Scooby Selfie

Scooby’s tongue tells you how humid it was!

Thursday:  45 min Peloton HIIT Treadmill Workout
Not sure what I was thinking with this one, but 33 minutes of HIIT intervals is hard. I maxed out at 8.0 mph–60 seconds at that pace is my limit!

basement gym treadmill selfie
Friday:  30 minute Peloton Strength Workout
I was debating doing my own thing, but couldn’t resist this new 30 min total body workout with Jess Sims on the Peloton app. It was tough, but the time flew by!

basement gym selfie

Saturday: 28 Mile Bike Ride
I looked at the map to see where we could add a few more loops to our route, and found a nice long loop in one of the neighborhoods we ride through. I would have gone for 30 miles, but we were getting hungry!

Stratford Landing Park

We ventured to the park by the river for a hot second. It was the first weekend the parking lots were open, and it was busy! After taking this photo we headed back to the quieter neighborhood roads.

Sunday : 8.5 Scooby Miles
After a restless night with visions of violent protests interrupting my sleep, I woke to gorgeous running weather–60F and low humidity. I struggled with feeling guilty for enjoying a run with all that’s going on, but it was more productive than scrolling Facebook ….

Scooby Selfie

I had to share this picture of Scooby giving me the side-eye. 🙂 

Thanks to Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down link up. It’s always great for motivation and encouragement, but now it’s especially important for distance socializing. We may be physically apart, but we are in this together! Speaking of being together, please make plans to join the June Ultimate Coffee Date link up next weekend!


Did you log more miles in May than usual? 

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23 Responses to Wrapping Up May At Home

  1. A very solid week of training for you. Nice job on the running and bike miles. Thanks for linking up and enjoy our gorgeous weather today

  2. Catrina says:

    What a great month May was for you! I did a lot more running than usual as well. My Garmin has a dynamic step target, and now my goal is apparently 16’500 steps a day. Now I have to go running every day to hit the target…

  3. kookyrunner says:

    You had a great week or workouts, and a great month of activity! I think it’s so important to find a groove, especially in this “new normal”.

    I’m also struggling with the right words to say and what prayers to request. Right now I’m just constantly angry but I’m trying to not feel that way.

  4. Wendy says:

    Congrats on your 100 mile month! I struggled a bit with publishing my post today too, but I think keeping normalcy is important right now. Plus our workouts help us, mentally. I feel so much better after my quick weekend away. This a terrible time.

  5. Great running and cycling month for you!

    I almost skipped my post today too, but as Wendy said, trying to keep some normalcy. I have been searching for the right words or prayer to address what’s been happening…but I’m at a loss.

    • Coco says:

      It’s so much easier to find fault in what someone else says than to think of the right to say, so I’m trying to stay out of it while figure out what I can ^do^ to make things better.

  6. therightfits says:

    Congrats on the mileage- Scooby seems to be loving it.

    It was such a heavy week. I agree, it’s a privilege that we can sit in our homes and write about fitness…we are fortunate.

    • Coco says:

      Scooby is totally loving all this running — at least when it’s not too humid.

      You’re so right. I am grateful, but still know it underscores the societal divides.

  7. I’ve had to pretty much avoid Facebook recently. It’s been ugly.
    You’ve been getting a lot of riding in, and workouts in general! Great job!

  8. Kim at Running on the Fly says:

    Total agreement on all your thoughts/words mentioned above. I struggle with knowing what to say, and whether it’s better to risk saying something “wrong” by accident, or to not say anything at all. So, yeah…prayers. Lots of prayers. Great job with all your rides and all those running miles as well 😉

  9. Marcia says:

    Congrats on a 100 mile month! That’s amazing. Running has served me well through this pandemic. I don’t even know what to say about the current violence that seems to be putting COVID on the backburner.

  10. As I frequently say to Mr. Judy, I really just have no idea what to do with all the tragedy & hatred in the world. I know that I am very privileged. We have friends that are in the police, though, so it’s just hard all the way around. Mostly I try to avoid the news (but it always seeps).

    I think that exercise is still important. On so many levels. And you had a great week!

    • Coco says:

      Yes, we have to be wary of demonizing all police, but blaming “a few bad apples” doesn’t address the systemic issues. I saw a police car on my run today, and my first reaction was one of support — our local police are being proactive in supporting peaceful protests while trying to maintain the peace — but I recognize that reaction is another sign of my privilege!

      • Yes, exactly, it’s horrible that we (not just the police) suspect people because of the color of their skin. Or the way they dress. Or their tatoos.

        You can’t read a book by its cover, but I guess sometimes we just become conditioned to.

  11. Chaitali says:

    Words are so hard to find with everything that’s going on right now. And it’s hard to find the right balance with taking care of ourselves. It sounds like you’re doing a good job on finding balance. I love all those peloton classes you’re taking!

    • Coco says:

      Thanks. I really did not want to watch the President speak on Monday — it really stresses me out — but I needed to hear him first hand to be fully informed.

  12. runswithpugs says:

    I struggle with the right words and the solutions as well. I just don’t know what to do or say.

    I have been logging a lot of miles as well. I’m counting running and walking (for exercise, not just walking around) in that tally, but I’ve been over 100 miles the last few months. It’s really the main thing I have to do these days, so I might as well lean into it.

  13. Congrats on a great month! I also find myself scrolling Facebook way too much and that does not help. I’ve said it before and I will say it again but it is my alone time to reflect and think about what is going on now.

    May was a good month for me! Logged my most miles so far and I hope I continue.

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