Last week took me from a visit with my daughter in Colorado to my firm’s retreat in Phoenix. Between being out of my usual routine for almost two weeks, the drastic changes in the weather, and Arizona not following Day Light Saving Time, I am not sure which way is up.
Hot Air Ballooning was not one our activities,
but they did set up a finish line for the 5K Fun Run.
Since I’m still out of town, I’m going to keep this pretty short, but still cover the highlights for the Weekly Wrap link up with Holly and Tricia.
Finishing Out Hell Week
After taking Sunday off, I was back to Orange Theory Fitness to finish out hell week. Monday’s workout was “Inclines of Death,” where we ramped up the treadmill incline to 15%. That earned me a few extra splat points for sure!
On Halloween I woke up to this “trick” from Mother Nature.
Never mind that it was in the 70s on Monday.
Tuesday’s workout was called “Helloween,” and was a fun trick-or-treat workout where you picked your workout from a pumpkin trick-or-treating bucket. I got two of the “trick” workouts–a long treadmill workout and the 30 rep card for the floor workout–but was grateful I didn’t get the 3000M card for the water rower.
After that workout, I treated myself to Starbucks and loved how the baristas were dressed up for Halloween.
Zombie Frapp, anyone?
On Wednesday I went back to OTF to claim my hell week t-shirt. I was hoping they’d give us a recovery day, but it was an intense 2G workout with run/row intervals and two tough floor circuits.
I’ve seen complaints about the “boxy” shirt, but I love it!
Thursday was my travel day, so I finally had to face the hotel gym treadmill. I was going to do 4 miles, but after realizing I have a half marathon in a week, I decided I should try to stick it out for a bit longer, and made it to 5 miles.
Retreating And Running In Phoenix
Our retreat was held at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort, which has gorgeous tennis, golf, and pool amenities we didn’t get to use. We did get out for some great pre-dawn runs, though.
Friday I ran with my BRF from work.
Saturday I ran a slightly different 5.5 mile loop with a woman I met on my recent trip to Milwaukee. We started out earlier so we could make it back to the 6 am yoga class that was one of the (optional) morning activities.
Sunday I ran with another crew who agreed to start a bit later so we could see more of the sunrise.
Maybe running four days in a row after completing Orange Theory Fitness hell week wasn’t the best idea, but my PF isn’t too angry with me. Hopefully I’ll be able to get a chiropractor appointment before the Woodrow Wilson Half Marathon next weekend.
Have you ever been on a hot air balloon ride?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
I’ve never been on a hot air balloon but I think I would like it. Probably better than hell week…
LOL. I bet you’d get into Hell Week too!
Wowza you had quite the line-up of workouts! Hot air balloon ride is definitely on my bucket list!
I don’t know about that hell week! Congrats on making it through. The travel and the time change have me wondering what time it is today for sure
No balloon rides for me (yet). OMG…that long treadmill workout? My condolences….
I went last year on my birthday on a hot air balloon ride. So fun! I didn’t get to try the Halloween Frappe at Starbucks over Halloween but I heard it was tasty.
Oh, cool on the hot air balloon ride – was it scary at all? any issues with air sickness?
The weather has been so crazy here too – in the 50s one day and then in the 70s the next. I’m just ready for some consistent weather!
I’ve never gone to Phoenix but I’ve heard that it’s so pretty.
November is a great time to go to Phoenix – the weather is AMAZING!
OH I LOVE THAT BARISTA.
I need to get out more 🙂
Wow to snow! and wow to your changing views this week, all so lovely 🙂 I hope your PF stays calm and you have a fun race. I had a massage person work n my arch last week and it helped. I don’t have pain, but I can feel tension in there and it makes me nervous.
I have not been on a true hot air balloon ride, but I have gone up high in on a tether at a camp I volunteered at years ago. Seemed scary lol
I am a bit nervous about going up in a balloon, but I think they have a pretty good safety record.
I lived in Tuscon when I was a kid, so I didn’t understand this whole DST time change. I still don’t get it. Today I finally had light again driving into work, but we also had fog.
Isn’t running in PHX the best? I love it. I’ll be doing that in two weeks!
I had no idea that Arizona didn’t have daylight savings time. That had to be disorienting dealing with all the different times. Beautiful photos from your runs in Arizona!
I’ve never been on a hot air balloon ride but it’s only my list of things to do one day!
Phoenix looks awesome esp those runs.
Hot air balloon is on my bucket list!!!
Picking your workouts from a bucket is a very cute idea. I like the Hell Week T-shirt! I want to ride in a hot air balloon but can’t convince my husband to do so. Maybe one of the kids would go with me… Thanks for linking!
What a great trip, besides Mother Nature’s cruel trick. 🙂 Riding in a hot air balloon is on my bucket list.
I love the creativity OTF has with their workouts and hell week. Love the t-shirt too! How nice to have a work BRF. Wow did DC get that snow?? Or CO?
I really do love the OTF theme workouts.
The snow was in Colorado – in between the 70 degree days. 😉
You get the award for the best wrap this week! Inclines of death, snow, and starbuck’s costumes! What a week. Great job getting through hell week!
Hah! It was quite a week!
Great week!
I love how you got to travel so much this week, too! So much fun!
I have gone on one hot air balloon ride. I remember it being pretty cool, but it was a long, long time ago. I would love to go to a hot air balloon festival, some day!
I’ve heard the festivals can be breathtaking.
Fall is a busy travel time for me. Luckily I’ve got two weeks at home before I have to pack my bags again.
I love Arizona, look at that beautiful saguaro habitat that you got to run in. Beats the snowstorm! Good for you for finishing that whole Orange Theory Hell Week, but boo on them for not giving you a recovery day right after that! And points for getting yourself on that hotel exercise room treadmill. That took a lot more discipline I’m sure than getting out among the saguaros.
Thanks. Orange Theory was a lot less crowded the day after Hell Week for sure!
Your week sounds both fun AND exhausting, LOL! Cute tshirt.
We did a hot air balloon ride in Napa many years ago. And my husband was really into that for a while, and did a few rides when we lived in VT, too — sometimes they’d land in the common area of our condos, which was pretty cool.
That would be a sight to see!
That scenery in Phoenix seems astonishing and breathtaking, Coco! How do you stay motivated to workout on the treadmill?
It helps to have a planned workout – like progressive intervals – to keep me going on the treadmill!
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I still have yet to claim my hell week shirt. When I went in last weekend, post hell week I didn’t see any around and nobody said anything…hmmm….
And I think I am the only person who would happily pull the 3000m row, I actually love rowing and got mad on Monday when we didn’t have any.
My favorite workout is 2G with no rowing! 🙂
Hello, Coco.
That barista surely looks scary. Haha. I have never been in a hot air balloon. I maybe have not seen one in person. Maybe. I would love to try it though.
It looks fun in a slightly scary way.
Wow, I’ll definitely have to go to Phoenix someday to do some running. Looks like really amazing place for any kind of physical activity 🙂
I actually don’t live that far away from Arizona, so I’m not sure why I didn’t go there yet 😛