Here we are at the end of the month already, which can only mean one thing: it’s time for runfessions of April 2021! This was a weird month for me, and thinking back on past years April is usually a struggle. Let’s jump right in and get to the most recent runfessions.
Runfessions of April 2021
Sick Days and Rest Days
I runfess that this month wore me out with being sick, having a sick kid, and starting daycare! I really thought by now we would be in a good routine with everything. Grayson should have gone to school 12 days this month; he went 7.5.
I ended up taking a bunch of rest days this month which is fine, but just throws me off. I end up feeling more tired and my mood is worse. Our schedule and the weather didn’t even really allow for any walks. I love having a routine and don’t do well when things get thrown off!
Stroller Runs
I runfess that I kind of miss all the stroller runs we were doing before this month! With the way our schedule is now we will probably do them twice a week. Maybe sometimes we will do short ones on days I’m working from home if we have time. I guess we could always run at the end of the day, but that’s just not my thing! I am always so tired by the afternoon. I also feel like there are more cars out in the neighbood at that time.
Up and Down Weather
I runfess that I’ve had it with this up and down weather! I mean I guess overall it hasn’t been that bad. I packed away my winter clothes other than a few sweaters, which I have ended up wearing all the time over the past few weeks! As for running, I’m just glad to be in shorts these days. I saw pictures from last year and I was still running in tights, gloves, and a headband!
Racing FOMO
I runfess that for the first time since the pandemic started I was really missing races last weekend. I think that was the first big race weekend and I saw so many runners on instagram doing live races. Even though there have been some races for a few months now, it’s the first time I felt some FOMO.
I do have thoughts about signing up for races, but I’m still on the fence. Now that we are paying for Grayson to go to school I can’t be spending money on races every weekend, so I would want to pick just a couple to focus on. But I am not sure what I want to do or how much energy I can put into training for a race. While I feel like races are doing a good job with precautions, being at a crowded event still makes me nervous.
April Memories
I runfess that April has been a stressful month for a few years now. Last year we all know what was happening. (I think that was one of the hardest months of the pandemic for me.) The year before that I had just gone back to work after maternity leave, daycare had fallen through, a nanny had fallen through, and I decided to drop down to working part time. On top of that we were having breastfeeding and weight gain issues and I was pumping all the time, and basically stopped running. And the year before that I found out I was pregnant, which was a very exciting thing but also stressful and scary and I didn’t feel very good!
I feel like this year my mindset has been “one day at a time” or “one week at a time” because things are constantly changing. There have been alot of ups and downs but when I look back on the last few months, it feels like overall we’re moving in the right direction.
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Early Spring Runfessions
Fall Runfessions: Where Did Summer Go?
What are your runfessions of April 2021?
Have you had racing FOMO?
Can you run at different times of day or do you always work out at the same time?
I’m linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday and Marcia’s Healthy Slice for Runfessions!
April is always a month of transitions, so it is kind of unsettling. The weather this year has been so wild–more so than usual. We’re hitting the 80s again this weekend and then there’s a day next week in the 40s…it’s been so odd.
It will get better!
I think I always expect April to be better than it is, maybe because its the start of spring. Even May is usually a bit of a struggle!
I also feel more tired if I rest too much LOL I think April of last year was weird for me, as well…with the pandemic rearing its ugly head, AND with the weather, too. Spring is always a crap shoot, but the wind has really been a nightmare in recent years…I tried biking in it this week, and OMG. I’m also excited for races returning, but I’m not feeling the pressure to do every one I see (that is a big shift for me).
Interesting about the races! This year has definitely made me appreciate running just to run even more than before.
The weather has been nutty this month but I feel like April is always that way. I am in no hurry for the heat and humidity to come rolling in. Hope you all are feeling better and Grayson is able to stay on his schedule. It is rough for everyone when they get messed up!
I am not really ready for the the heat and humidity either, but I’m done with this wind and cold!
Yes our temps are swinging wildly here too. We go from 80 to 40 overnight. Literally. I don’t have race FOMO. I love my beautiful trails so much, that’s all I really care to do. I don’t miss those super early alarms to be at a race. Mostly I run in the morning, but some of my runs have become almost “runches”. I love when I have the flexibility to do that but it doesn’t happen often. Thanks for linking!
It’s kind of been nice to not worry about racing at all! Glad you are enjoying your trail runs so much!
Luckily I can run at different times of days, but I still have other obligations, like walking Bandit, so I’m not always free to run whenever I want to.
April is usually a back and forth month. May too! I do feel like we had some better weather this April than in past years — my FB memories tell me that, since there have been quite a few memories of dogs running around in snow in April lately!
Ugh, I have been sick off and on for the entire year and it’s been a bummer. But nothing major, so I’m still lucky.
Still no racing FOMO.
It’s been a rough year for you! Hopefully you will be feeling better and totally healthy moving forward. I agree that May can be a little back and forth too!
I’m sorry April brings some stressful memories. A had a very difficult time when he was born, so those weeks between his birthday and Mother’s Day were awful with the NICU and trying to get to the bottom of his issues. As the years pass, so does the intensity of those memories <3.
I do hope you're all feeling 100% and can get on with the rest of spring. Illness is no fun!
That must have been so hard, and I’m glad its getting better.
Thank you! I’m sure Grayson will get sick again, I jus hope he can adjust to being in school first.
It always takes time to get used to a new routine. Hopefully you will find the right balance with your stroller runs too. I never was an afternoon exerciser. I feel like there are more demands on me then, and of course it’s sunnier and warmer. I’m more of a vampire runner. 😉
I think it will get better once we all settle into a new routine! I like the opportunity to run in the daylight, but in the summer its nice to avoid the heat.
I’m glad you feel like things are moving in the right direction, in spite of it being a hard month for you. I know I keep saying it, but the toddler phase is challenging. It’s just so hard to plan and get into a routine for very long. But… you’re doing great. I think everyone just patches it together one day, one week, one month at a time.
I occasionally will run before dinner, but my normal time is early morning. It just sets up the day perfectly. Plus if I don’t so it first thing, there’s a slight underlying stress that something will come up and I won’t be able to do it later.
Its nice to know that the toddler phase is a challenging one in general! I was always nervous about this age, and its actually not as bad as I expected.
Totally agree about the benefits of getting a run done early!
The weather has been a major buzzkill this month. It’s hard to get into a flow when it’s in the 30’s one minute and almost 80 degrees the next.
April has definitely been a long month! Here’s hoping that May is better 🙂
Definitely hard to get in a flow! Fingers crossed for a better May!
I feel like this month was all over the place and the weather certainly didn’t help! I’m sorry the daycare transition wasn’t a smooth one. Hopefully, things will settle down and you all will find your groove.
Thank you! I’m sure we will, its just taking longer than expected.
Totally agree that the weather has been all over the place! April felt like a super long month even with only 30 days. I was happy to have an in-person race but I’ve definitely started to get the FOMO feeling as people get more and more active!
It’s great that you were able to do an in person race! They are really starting to come back now!
No FOMO because I am racing. But this weekend I’m in Fla and all my friends home are doing a 5k. FOMO.
Same with weather which makes it hard to dress right.
I work so no I can’t run when I feel like it.
Things will improve. Hang in there.
Thats too bad that you’re missing the 5k with your friends! But at least you are in Florida:)
Lisa, I am totally with you on afternoon running…it’s just weird! Last month I had a weird schedule and ended up running in the afternoon something like 3 times in two weeks. It was better than not running at all, but my body was really tense from being at my desk all day. The funny thing is that I used to work out at night and thought that working out in the morning was too hard. Once I went to grad school my workouts switched to the morning and I never looked back.
I am very impressed that you did all those afternoon runs! They are just not for me! I also started working out in the morning when I was in grade school. It was the only way I knew it would get done.
Lisa, it is understandable why April has been a stressful month for you for the past few years. You are doing great continuing to run with your little guy so young. He will grow up and you will have more time for running. I learned this the hard way: don’t compare where you are now with where you were in the past. Situations change. Comparison adds to the stress. Have fun! Maybe you could sign up for some of the smaller, cheaper races?
That’s so true! I definitely find myself comparing things I do now to what I did before..like I used to clean my house every week and does that happen anymore? Nope! Lol but I just let it go. I know running will be different for now and eventually it will be easier to manage everything. Thanks!
Things will be different year after year and month after month. Hopefully things will be better soon and we can do the things we used to do before. 🙂 I can run after work but I am usually so tired and exhausted and have no energy for it. I prefer to run in the morning before going to work. However, there have been times where I just had to do it after work.
Agreed- getting it done in the morning is so much better! But sometimes there is just not enough time.