A Special Visitor
As I mentioned last week, Pablo and his humans (our son and daughter-in-law) were visiting for the week. We enjoyed lots of walks, cuddles, and spoiling him with treats. Sadly, they are leaving this morning and our house will be quieter without his little toenails tapping on the floor as he runs to greet us.
The visit also brought our family together several times during the week for dinner, a Friday night sleepover, and Saturday visit to a local brewery.
Overview of the Week
Before getting into each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from this past week. Scroll beyond the infographic for daily details…
Sunday
Cycling: 42.2 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.4 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 6:48 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 66° in the basement, 57° and sunny outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra
Walking: 3.19 miles
• Average pace: 15:26 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 145 feet
• Start time: 10:52 AM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 73° and sunny, climbing to 77° and partly cloudy
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor
With Pablo and his humans arriving later in the afternoon for a week’s visit, we planned a family barbecue with the rest of the family. I routed my walk to take me by our favorite butcher on my way home so I could pick up marinated Key West chicken and bourbon beef tips, but just as I arrived a fire alarm started ringing in the store. Even though there was no fire, code required management to close the store until they got an all-clear from the fire department. I left empty handed and could here the distance sirens of fire trucks as I approached home. Not to worry, we didn’t starve because my husband walked back over a little later to pick up the delicious meats to grill.
Monday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
Walking: 2.06 miles
• Average pace: 15:20 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 111 feet
• Start time: 6:43 PM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 80° and sunny
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor
This was a busy fun day… After seeing two morning clients, I lifted weights before my husband and I headed to the Verizon store to trade in our old iPhones for 16 Pro’s (which took forever). The camera quality is amazing and quite the upgrade from my 11 Pro. After that we ventured to the Apple Store to replace my MacBook, but they don’t carry in-store the one I need so we ordered it while there.
Determined to get in my walk on such a beautiful day, once home I walked to the UPS Store to return an Amazon purchase.
Tuesday
Cycling: 58.29 miles
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Average speed: 13.6 MPH
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,959 feet
• Start time: 10:12 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail Sterling/Purcellville loop including Quail Creek and Irene
• Weather: 74° and mostly cloudy, climbing to 81°
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, and fingerless gloves
I set out with plans to ride a metric century, but cut it short because of time constraints. Based on how I was feeling – overall fatigue and lots of tension in my shoulders – I wasn’t the least bit bothered to call it quits early. I stopped for a few pics of my bike, but otherwise rode steadily.
Wednesday
Strength training: 1 hour of total body
After I wrapped up work at 1 PM I ran a few errands before coming home to an almost 2-hour nap.
Thursday
Walking: 4.23 miles
• Average pace: 14:44 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 193 feet
• Start time: 6:03 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 64° and hazy, climbing to 66° and partly cloudy
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor
Cycling: 18 miles
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Average speed: 15.2 MPH
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 10:54 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 68° in basement, 75° and sunny outside
• What I wore: bike shorts and sports bra
Kim and I met for our weekly virtual cardio workout, and since Pablo was in town, a pose with our favorite pups was in order. After a couple hours of work and anticipating a longer ride the following day, I opted to stay inside on my spin bike rather than riding outside.
Friday
Balance and stretching: 45 minutes
Cycling: 41.13 miles
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Average speed: 13.7 MPH
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,598 feet
• Start time: 5:24 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail and Hunter Station loop
• Weather: 63° and mostly clear, climbing to 69° and sunny
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, and fingerless gloves
It’s rare that I’m able to join my husband and our Dawn Patrol friends on their early morning rides because I’m normally with clients at that time. But with an open Friday morning, I rolled out in the dark for a rare weekday group ride. We even saw a wild Tom turkey on our way home!
Saturday
Walking: 3.05 miles
• Average pace: 15:08 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 165 feet
• Start time: 10:08 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 73° (feels like 79°) and sunny
• What I wore: shorts, s/s shirt, and visor
After a relaxing morning which included a walk, the whole family went to a favorite brewery to enjoy an early dinner, a few drinks, and the beautiful weather.
Questions:
- • Do you have any great murals where you live? ~ I can’t think of any in our little community/town, but there are some in nearby towns.
- • How was your weather this past week? ~ Our weather was absolutely delightful all week!
- • Which workout did you enjoy most this past week? ~ I most enjoyed getting back out with my Dawn Patrol friends for an early morning ride on Friday.
And that’s my rundown… Have a great week!
I know how much you love having Pablo visit! I am surprised you don’t have a Pablo of your on. You logged some impressive miles this week! Weather was definitely better-enjoy
Pablo is such a good boy. He doesn’t shed, rarely barks, doesn’t get on furniture unless invited, doesn’t table surf (but he might give you a begging puppy dog look). He set the bar high and any other dog just wouldn’t measure up. Also, we’ve started traveling a lot more and it would be harder to leave with a pup at home.
You had delightful weather? I’m envious! Ours is… not delightful. But we don’t expect it to be, this time of year.
Yay for your special visitor! Yes, I’m sure it feels sad and quiet with him (and his humans) gone now.
We don’t have any murals that I know of but I enjoyed finding lots of murals when I would visit my son in Waco. I wonder if there are any in my area that I’m not aware of? I’ll have to look that up!
Nice week of workouts for you!
Yes, we’ve been very lucky with cooler temps and low humidity since last Saturday. We’ve actually been able to enjoy being outside for barbecues, visiting breweries, etc. while the fam was in town.
I just Googled to see what murals we have in my town and found a few. I need to ride my bike around town and take some pictures.
I know there are some murals in Alexandria, but not in places I run by. I haven’t been out west on the W&OD in ages — I should go visit your bench though!
If you plan to ride out this way let me know so I can meet you!
I know you had a great time with Pablo 😉 Too bad we can’t have him and Max meet in real time. I love finding new-to-me murals when I’m out and about. Des Moines has a lot of them (as I’ve discovered since moving to the area). I see a lot of them on the trails, as well, usually near the trail heads (and there’s usually “small town pubs” nearby, LOL).
Yes, we had a great time with the kids and Pablo while they were in town. The week flew by!
I just Googled murals in my town and found a few, but none are near the trail. I’ll have to plan a route to get to some of them for pictures.
Awwww, so nice to have family visit! Toledo does have a very large mural on some grain silos along the Maumee River. It’s a very impressive sight!
Yes, we had a great time while they were in town!
Those murals along the river sound great. I really like that they’ve become a thing. 🙂
Aw, Pablo really knows how to steal the show – I can almost hear those little toenails on the floor!
You packed in some great workouts despite the busy week with family, Debbie. That Friday Dawn Patrol ride must have been extra fun – so cool to see a wild turkey!
I bet the house feels a little too quiet today… how long until your next Pablo visit?
You’re correct, Pablo (and the little ones) steal the show! 🙂
The wild turkey was the largest I’ve ever seen and I wish he’d spread his tail feathers into a fan for us!
Yay for more manageable weather! I need to find some murals to catch in my workouts. There were a few near downtown when we lived there, but I wonder if there are any near where I live now? Nice week of workouts for you!
I’m going to make it my fall goal to either ride or walk near some of the local murals I just found when I Googled to see what we have in our area.
We do a have quite a few murals and a lot of public art in Jacksonville and St. Augustine. I love it.
I’m so glad you were able to have time with family and sweet Pablo, and also that you got to ride with the Dawn Patrol. That’s great!
Weather still stinks – I’m having pressure headaches from all the storms brewing and I hate it.
I do love the public art trend with murals popping up around town. I did a search to see what murals we have in my town that I didn’t know about and plan to visit them in the coming weeks!
And thanks, we had a fabulous time with our family while they were visiting!
Our weather was great too… but now it’s back to being HOT and humid.
A few murals in the city but none where I love.
Favorite workout was my 5k yesterday even if it was slow.
The humidity is creeping back in here today, too. 🙁
How great to have your grandpup with you 🙂 What a good boy he is!
Love the murals! Great photo ops.
The iphone cameras are so darn impressive now!
We so enjoyed our visit with our son, d-i-l, and Pablo. And yes, Pablo is a very good boy!
I’m loving my new iPhone’s camera!