I did 10.3 very hilly miles around Lake Youngs with Team in Training on Saturday. Although the mileage was much lower than my long run last weekend, it was a mentally tough run for me. Lake Youngs is a 9 mile loop trail that runs around a reservoir, but during the entire length of the trail, you get 1 minuscule glimpse of the water. Other than that, it's trees, grass, and hills. Lots of them. Over and over. With very few flats in between. For the first long run of the taper, it was a tough one. But it was good mental practice for the marathon for me. One of my goals is to run this marathon without stopping. On this run, as I rounded each corner to face another hefty hill, my mind told me I wanted to stop. So I practiced my mental battle. I rehearsed the argument I know I will have in my head the day of the marathon when the miles drag on and my legs begin to drag too. My body is trained and ready for San Diego, but I always question the readiness of my mind. This was good, reassuring practice for a race that seems to be inching closer and closer.
On Sunday, we did a 53 mile bike ride out to an awesomely yummy bagel store called Blazing Bagels. I really like planning bike rides based on where we are going to stop and eat in the middle. The food is obviously the most important part.
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| REAL New York style bagels, not the typical bread-shaped- like-a-bagel that you find all over Seattle. |
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| See the blue sky and shorts? Yay beautiful Seattle weather. |
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| Look at us looking strong. And look at my awesome new-to-me bike jersey (thanks MacKenzie!) |
And then there were some awesome sights to be seen along the way.
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| During a quick break at mile 41. Not a bad way to spend a day. |
Here is what my weeks have looked like lately (not counting work and semi-important other stuff):
Monday Rest (long Lucy walk)
Tuesday 40-50 Minute Team Run (hills, "tempo" oops intervals, or now easy runs since we're in taper mode) following 30-40 minute Lucy walk
Wednesday 30-40 Minute Run with Running Club at work (Lucy goes to daycare)
Thursday 1.5-2 hour bike ride following 1 hour Lucy walk
Friday Rest (mainly because I work 2 jobs on Fridays and have no time, not even for Lucy)
Saturday Long Team Run (lately these runs have had mileage in the double digits) followed by 1+ hour Lucy walk
Sunday Long Bike Ride (40-50 miles the past few weekends) preceded or followed by 1+ hour Lucy walk
As training for both the San Diego Marathon and Seattle to Portland bike ride have increased, time for other things in life has decreased drastically. I suddenly feel like I'm constantly on the go, playing catch-up, never having enough time in the day.
So now it's time for another list entitled "Things I've given up since becoming a maniac" (hence the title of this post). Here goes:
Lazy Sundays. I used to love nothing more on Sundays than sitting on the couch, reading, watching Hulu or Netflix on the computer, working, or writing. Now Sundays are filled with bike rides, out in the sun, with friends, not wallowing in my own thoughts. I don't miss this (most days).
Going "out" on the weekends. I gave up Fridays a long time ago. Saturdays mornings are for long runs, so now I've replaced Friday night outings with working, eating, and going to sleep early. I still make it out and about on some Saturday nights to see friends and be social, but not as...well...let's call it as "intensely" as I used to. But I'm pretty sure I have more fun (most of the time) on my runs and bike rides than I used to on my nights "out." And I'm certainly being healthier. I don't really miss it (most days).
Television. This happened a long time ago, but I'll mention it here. I kicked my TV to the curb (almost literally--it was placed and not kicked, but it was on the the curb) over a year ago. Even when I had the TV, I didn't watch it. I haven't had cable since I moved to Seattle and the combined DVD/VCR player (yes, built in VCR, it was that old) was nonfunctional. So I got rid of it. I don't miss it (all days).
Netflix and Hulu. This is a new development. Before STP training, when I still enjoyed lazy Sundays, I liked watching marathons of TV shows on both of these websites. A few months ago, I was watching marathons of Madmen, the Tudors, Parenthood, and a number of other shows. I was an avid Glee, Private Practice, and Grey's Anatomy fan. Right now, I can't remember the last time I watched anything. Are Rachel and Fin still engaged? I don't know (don't tell me!). Is Addison still semi-successfully staying away from Sam? I don't know (don't tell me this either!). Maybe one day I'll watch it. But right now, I don't miss it.
Bringing loads of work home. Does this need to be explained? I don't miss this.
Are we noticing a pattern here?
Most things I've given up I don't miss. Generally, my life is a million times more satisfying and fulfilling right now than it has ever been. I feel healthy, fit, happy, and accomplished on a daily basis. But there are some things that I've had to give up that I do miss. Here's that list:
Time with non-running friends. Yes, I still get to see them (reference to the Sounders game above), but not as often and I used to and not as often as I'd like to. By the time I get home from running, cycling, and the rest of life, I'm exhausted and not motivated to go out and do more. Time seems to have become a precious commodity that I just can't find enough of.
Speaking of time--Time for catching up with far away friends. There are many East Coast friends that I feel like I've been severely neglecting lately. If you are one of those friends (and you know who you are), know that I think about you and want to talk to you. I'm simply being selfish and spending too much time outdoors being active lately. I miss you. And I promise I will call soon, really.
Sunday Skyping with the fam. We used to have regular Sunday Skype dates with me, my mom (in New York) and my sister (in Sweden). Sometimes my brothers and dad would join in. But I think we've all been too busy for this lately. I won't have time for it until at least after the marathon, probably a little longer than that. I miss this.
Running with Lucy. This whole blog started because I wanted to tell the story of how Lucy inspired me to start running. And now, years later, here I am with a schedule that prevents me from ever running with Lucy. I MISS THIS. Everyday, the thought that I can't run with Lucy tugs at my heartstrings, fills my body with a nagging, justified guilt. Without Lucy, none of this would have happened, and here I am making my running (and biking) more important than hers. I find this unacceptable. And I don't know what else to do. And the contradictions that exist in my brain because of this are mind-bending. But for now, I will have to eke through these next three weeks until the marathon, and then Lucy will run with me again. Until then, we take lots of long walks. And this time is her time. I won't give it to anyone else.
Life is full of give and take. One thing must take the place of another. There's only so much time in the day. Sometimes the things that fall away can fall away forgotten without regret. Others fall away, and the hole is noticed and missed. But if there's one thing in life that I've worked really hard to do, it's to live without regret. So now the goal is to fix the things I'm missing. Figure out how to balance the new things that make me happy with the old things that made me (and others) happy. I've been running for a long time now, but the way that it and biking have suddenly overtaken my life is new. With time, I will adjust and things will level out again. Bear with me until then. Right now, I'm going to bring this post to a close, because someone important needs some love.
Monday Rest (long Lucy walk)
Tuesday 40-50 Minute Team Run (hills, "tempo" oops intervals, or now easy runs since we're in taper mode) following 30-40 minute Lucy walk
Wednesday 30-40 Minute Run with Running Club at work (Lucy goes to daycare)
Thursday 1.5-2 hour bike ride following 1 hour Lucy walk
Friday Rest (mainly because I work 2 jobs on Fridays and have no time, not even for Lucy)
Saturday Long Team Run (lately these runs have had mileage in the double digits) followed by 1+ hour Lucy walk
Sunday Long Bike Ride (40-50 miles the past few weekends) preceded or followed by 1+ hour Lucy walk
As training for both the San Diego Marathon and Seattle to Portland bike ride have increased, time for other things in life has decreased drastically. I suddenly feel like I'm constantly on the go, playing catch-up, never having enough time in the day.
So now it's time for another list entitled "Things I've given up since becoming a maniac" (hence the title of this post). Here goes:
Lazy Sundays. I used to love nothing more on Sundays than sitting on the couch, reading, watching Hulu or Netflix on the computer, working, or writing. Now Sundays are filled with bike rides, out in the sun, with friends, not wallowing in my own thoughts. I don't miss this (most days).
Going "out" on the weekends. I gave up Fridays a long time ago. Saturdays mornings are for long runs, so now I've replaced Friday night outings with working, eating, and going to sleep early. I still make it out and about on some Saturday nights to see friends and be social, but not as...well...let's call it as "intensely" as I used to. But I'm pretty sure I have more fun (most of the time) on my runs and bike rides than I used to on my nights "out." And I'm certainly being healthier. I don't really miss it (most days).
Television. This happened a long time ago, but I'll mention it here. I kicked my TV to the curb (almost literally--it was placed and not kicked, but it was on the the curb) over a year ago. Even when I had the TV, I didn't watch it. I haven't had cable since I moved to Seattle and the combined DVD/VCR player (yes, built in VCR, it was that old) was nonfunctional. So I got rid of it. I don't miss it (all days).
Netflix and Hulu. This is a new development. Before STP training, when I still enjoyed lazy Sundays, I liked watching marathons of TV shows on both of these websites. A few months ago, I was watching marathons of Madmen, the Tudors, Parenthood, and a number of other shows. I was an avid Glee, Private Practice, and Grey's Anatomy fan. Right now, I can't remember the last time I watched anything. Are Rachel and Fin still engaged? I don't know (don't tell me!). Is Addison still semi-successfully staying away from Sam? I don't know (don't tell me this either!). Maybe one day I'll watch it. But right now, I don't miss it.
Bringing loads of work home. Does this need to be explained? I don't miss this.
Are we noticing a pattern here?
Most things I've given up I don't miss. Generally, my life is a million times more satisfying and fulfilling right now than it has ever been. I feel healthy, fit, happy, and accomplished on a daily basis. But there are some things that I've had to give up that I do miss. Here's that list:
Time with non-running friends. Yes, I still get to see them (reference to the Sounders game above), but not as often and I used to and not as often as I'd like to. By the time I get home from running, cycling, and the rest of life, I'm exhausted and not motivated to go out and do more. Time seems to have become a precious commodity that I just can't find enough of.
Speaking of time--Time for catching up with far away friends. There are many East Coast friends that I feel like I've been severely neglecting lately. If you are one of those friends (and you know who you are), know that I think about you and want to talk to you. I'm simply being selfish and spending too much time outdoors being active lately. I miss you. And I promise I will call soon, really.
Sunday Skyping with the fam. We used to have regular Sunday Skype dates with me, my mom (in New York) and my sister (in Sweden). Sometimes my brothers and dad would join in. But I think we've all been too busy for this lately. I won't have time for it until at least after the marathon, probably a little longer than that. I miss this.
Running with Lucy. This whole blog started because I wanted to tell the story of how Lucy inspired me to start running. And now, years later, here I am with a schedule that prevents me from ever running with Lucy. I MISS THIS. Everyday, the thought that I can't run with Lucy tugs at my heartstrings, fills my body with a nagging, justified guilt. Without Lucy, none of this would have happened, and here I am making my running (and biking) more important than hers. I find this unacceptable. And I don't know what else to do. And the contradictions that exist in my brain because of this are mind-bending. But for now, I will have to eke through these next three weeks until the marathon, and then Lucy will run with me again. Until then, we take lots of long walks. And this time is her time. I won't give it to anyone else.
Life is full of give and take. One thing must take the place of another. There's only so much time in the day. Sometimes the things that fall away can fall away forgotten without regret. Others fall away, and the hole is noticed and missed. But if there's one thing in life that I've worked really hard to do, it's to live without regret. So now the goal is to fix the things I'm missing. Figure out how to balance the new things that make me happy with the old things that made me (and others) happy. I've been running for a long time now, but the way that it and biking have suddenly overtaken my life is new. With time, I will adjust and things will level out again. Bear with me until then. Right now, I'm going to bring this post to a close, because someone important needs some love.
 |
| And giving love to the important ones isn't something that I will selfishly let fall to the wayside. |
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