Well, the optimism of a new year sure didn’t last long. The D.C. government was worried enough about Wednesday to ask people to stay home (our office was closed), but somehow those in charge of protecting the Capitol–and the people inside–didn’t get the message. I am having a hard time processing the week that was, and steeling myself for the weeks ahead.
The view from the other side, taken in more precedented times.
Processing The Week That Was
I’ve only been in D.C. once since March–on a run that started and ended across the Memorial Bridge in Arlington. One of the things I miss most about working at home are my early morning runs around the monuments that memorialize the values of our democracy and the people who sacrificed so much to preserve it.
One of my all-time favorite pictures.
We need the wisdom of Lincoln to bring us together.
For months I’ve been half-joking about praying for a peaceful transition of power. Even that phrase is dissonant. I never considered a change in administrations to be a transition of power. It’s just how our democracy works–every four or eight years we get a new president, often from a different political party. I’m old enough to remember transitions from Ford (R) to Carter (D) to Reagan (R) to Bush (R) to Clinton (D) to Bush (R) to Obama (D) to Trump (R). The “hanging chads” and Supreme Court decision that put Bush in office instead of Gore by not counting votes due to problems with voting machines didn’t foment a violent uprising. And yet this year, with no evidence of fraud or irregularities that could have impacted the outcome of a single electoral college result, a narcissistic demagogue and his power-hungry supporters inspired an armed mob to raid the Capitol while the Vice President and Congress were carrying out their Constitutional duty to certify the results of the election.
I never expected to see the day when I would be sincerely worried about what would happen on Inauguration Day, but here I am, sincerely worried about what will happen on Inauguration Day. I feel helpless, but am still praying.
In case you want to join me:
https://www.facebook.com/WNCathedral/posts/10159029046362552
Posted by Washington National Cathedral on Thursday, January 7, 2021.
Weekly Run Down
Exercise was a welcome diversion this week–I can’t check the news while I’m running. My focus was to rest/heal my Achilles, which seemed to pay off. I also got back to doing Peloton strength for runners workouts.
Monday: 3.8 Scooby Miles + 30 min Strength + 20 min Ride
After taking off Saturday and Sunday from running, I was eager to get out with Scooby. My Achilles felt better, but not 100%.
After dinner, I was still anxious from a stressful work day and decided to take a 20 minute recovery ride to clear my head and step away from my email. Christine D’Ercole is becoming a favorite cycling instructor.
It turned out to be my 25th cycling class!
Tuesday: 40 min Strength + 30 min Ride
I finally took Denis’s Outkast ride. I enjoyed the music but could have done with a bit less of his singing along! 😉
Wednesday: 30 min Strength + 20 min Ride
I mixed it up with three 10 min strength classes–core, the strength for runners class that’s mostly PT exercises, and arms. Then I hopped on my bike for Christine’s 20 min New Wave ride.
Thursday: 3.8 Scooby Miles + 40 min Strength + 3 mile Walk
I was hoping my Achilles would be OK after two days off, and was so happy when I got out of bed and it didn’t feel tight at all. I needed whatever bit of happiness I could find after Wednesday.
After staying up late watching the news,
it wasn’t hard to wait for the overnight curfew (!) to expire at 6:00 a.m.
Later in the day a friend came over for a long walk–we had a lot to talk about!
Friday: 2.1 Scooby Miles + 20 min Strength + 20 min Ride
I didn’t want to push my luck with my Achilles, so I tried to guess a 2 mile route, which I pretty much nailed. I rounded out my morning with light strength workouts and a 20 minute ride.
Saturday: 5.25 Scooby Miles + 40 min Strength + 20 min Corepower Yoga
My Achilles was still feeling good–or not feeling!– so I took Scooby on a longer loop. Afterwards, I did a new 30 min strength for runners class and two 5 min core classes–one crunch-focused and one plank-focused.
Later in the day, I did a 20 min hip-focused Corepower yoga program.
Sunday: 6.3 Scooby Miles + 20 min Strength
I found another strength workout that works well as a glute-activating warm-up for running, and then put it and my Achilles to the test in my first 10K distance run of 2021.
Bookmarked for future use!
Michelle, are you my other Peloton friend
who’s already taken Jess Sims’s new 20 min outdoor interval run?
Thanks to Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Run Down link up. We’ve gotten each other through 2020–let’s hope we are celebrating together in 2021!
How are you handling the stress this week?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
Exercise is truly an escape. This is a huge part of why I don’t miss having data. It’s a wonderful forced disconnect, and oh so necessary. I’ll never forget summer 2019 my phone found wifi on a run and my garmin alerted to Epstein’s death. Thinking about that and all it entailed really took the enjoyment out of the run.
Glad your achilles stopped chirping, it looks like you had a successful plan to quiet it down. Yay.
Yes, I’m so glad my Achilles seems to be better. I’m still expecting that pinch but glad it’s not there!
On days I end my run listening to NPR, I do wonder if it’s counterproductive. 😉
It sure was an awful week; I pray for you and your fellow DC peeps to be safe in the weeks to come.
So glad to hear the Achilles is feeling better (or “not” feeling LOL). I’m praying, round the clock, for peace as well. Ugh. Total mess…
I am not usually much of a news watcher. There are days that I don’t even watch the news at all (but read NPR on my phone). And sometimes I don’t even do that. So on Wednesday I was blissfully oblivious about what was going on (just the start) until Mr. Judy got home with Bandit from their walk (how he learned about it while walking Bandit . . . ).
We were glued to the tv for hours afterward. I truly did not think it would come to that, but I have been worried. And I’ve worried about inauguration before — for Obama. Because there were plenty, including you know who, who didn’t want an African American in office.
I’m also old enough to have watched Nixon resign. 🙂 I actually do remember that!
Despite the unfathomable events, I have to say I was somewhat encouraged by some Republicans finally growing a backbone, too. Too little too late, and I have zero empathy for his staff who resigned — they knew, they enabled, they are rats leaving a sinking ship.
Ok. Sorry!
So happy to hear your Achilles is so much better. So is mine, but unfortunately because I haven’t run since Monday! I can only imagine how much you miss those monument runs. I lived in MD one year, before I got married, so obviously a very long time ago, but I loved going into DC and did so on my own fairly frequently. Haven’t been back since. 🙁
I have to go to the office on Tuesday. I’m debating a run — it’s ridiculous that I’m afraid, although I’ve heard from others in my running group that it’s quiet there now.
I think you’ll be fine. Next week would be a different story. Good luck!
So what did you end up doing on Tuesday?
I ran to the Washington Monument!
That’s great! I admit with everything going on that might’ve creeped me out.
I’m a stone-age era Chicago Tribune newspaper reader and it was so ironic this week my subscription abruptly stopped, without notice. When I went online to inquire, it just said SERVICE STOPPED. I feel like it was the universe’s way of saving me from all the ugly in our nation right now. I don’t know what to think or say anymore and I certainly don’t know who to trust. Election stress and violence were things foreign countries struggled with, and I was grateful our nation was above that…until now. Very sad indeed.
Glad your achilles is cooperating!
I was trying to work, but also trying to find coverage on-line. I know watching it doesn’t help anything, but at least I could see with my own eyes what was going on. It was so surreal that it was happening here. I still subscribe to the paper Washington Post, but I’ve read most stories on line by the time they are in print!
Awesome job with your workouts this week and I’m glad that your achilles is feeling better – that’s a huge win!
This week was a lot and I found it increasingly difficult to stay positive, but workouts were my way to keep my sanity. So glad that you are safe – I was very worried for my DC area friends.
I know people who live much closer to the Capitol — luckily they were safe at home.
Way to get in a strong week of workouts this week! I hope your achilles holds up and is feeling good. Great running weather this week Thanks for linking up with us today
What a crazy week. Can’t imagine living in DC. I thought about you during the day.
Glad to hear t hat you achilles feels better.
You are rocking those work outs and your Scooby runs.
There were 7 walks, 3 bike rides, 4 runs and a hike = that’s how I handle stress!
That’s the healthiest way!
Well I forgot there was wine and ice cream in the mix. Lol.
I just have no words for this week. So much to process, and like you I’m anxious about the inauguration.
So happy that your Achilles is feeling better!
I haven’t done Jess’ new interval run but I will be bookmarking it! Happy to see Peloton add some new outdoor content.
I will be glued to the news on the 20th, even though we don’t have the day off, which makes no sense to me.
I take the new Outdoor runs as soon as I see them — I wish they did more, but I understand why it’s not their priority.
I’m with you. I am terrified for what’s to come. It must be so surreal for you to be so close to the unrest, and I hope you stay safe. I’ve been running and walking and planking myself to distraction. I’ve been trying to keep my mind occupied with reading and writing, but I keep drifting back to Twitter and the news. Ugh. This isn’t going to end for quite some time 🙁
I’m definitely safe, but worried for our country. I might need to make evening workouts a habit to cut down on doomscrolling.
I can’t imagine what it’s been like in DC lately. It really was quite a week and any hopes of 2021 being a better year seemed to fade very quickly. Glad you were able to get in some good workouts and that your achilles is feeling better!
Thanks, keeping my Achilles happy is my new priority!
Wait, on top of all of this there was a lawyer in your firm who was advising the president?
Wow, that must have been a stressful situation for everyone!
You needed all the workouts you could get this week. Well done on the first 10k of the year!
Unbeknownst to us and I guess in her mind on her own time, except that’s now how it works when you’re a partner in a U.S. law firm, especially one that ^decided^ not to represent anyone in election disputes. Thank goodness she resigned.
The stress was horrific. I had it from work and then I had it watching what was going on from afar. Every week we’ve said “it can’t get worse” and it does. I”m so sad. I’m glad you were no where near any of that mess.
Good that you had a diversion and were able to get some good workouts in. Keep the faith and don’t lose hope.
Wow, I can only imagine how stressful it must be to be living and working in DC right now! Initially I was so looking forward to Inauguration Day, and now I have this feeling of impending doom. i just want to get through it without anything terrible happening.
i’m so glad your achilles is okay- now would not be a good time to be injured! Keep us posted and stay safe.
Washington DC is one of my favorite places to visit! There is so much history and many wonderful paces to visit. I love that the museums are free.
It wasn’t until after 3pm on Wednesday that I fully understood what was happening. I kept seeing bits and bits on Facebook but could not spend too much time on it. Then I had lunch with a student so still no Facebook.
I am also worried about Inauguration Day but am also hoping everything goes smoothly. At least we know “you know who” will not be there.