Just riding the crazy roller coaster that is my life for the moment. If you've read my blog for any length of time, then you probably know my husband works in the media. It's kind of like being married to a doctor without the paycheck; you never know when the phone will ring and he'll be off somewhere for who knows how long. When I plan out my race schedule it's usually with my fingers crossed behind my back and a toss of salt over my shoulder. This year (yes, this very short year) has already been quite newsworthy. For me this means holding down the fort and rearranging my priorities at a moment's notice (read: scramble to find a sitter so I can train.....or race). I do not begrudge him this, he has the hard part, but it is just frustrating at times.
As it happens, this past week the public schools were closed for Winter Break, I no longer have a sitter and the lovely girl I use downstairs in a pinch, was away on vacation. In fact, we were babysitting her fish, for which my son earned $5 (I thought that was very sweet of her to pay him for his fish sitting services, being a novice fish sitter and all). In case you missed the foreshadowing, my husband was also away covering the latest media interest so this meant that I could not find anyone to sit for me on an early Saturday morning so I could go race. Hence the DNS.
My training has been a lot like this too; scrambling when I can to get it done and sometimes having no choice but to let it go. This causes a dilemma for me. I need to do something when I am stressed and not being able to have that something, training, tends to make me more stressed. I've had to be ok with this and while my coach assures me I haven't ruined my upcoming season with my intermittent training regime, I am feeling less confident about it. After an email to her expressing myself on this front, she pointed me to a recent post by Jen Harrison (whom most of you are familiar with, I am sure). It was as if she was speaking to me in this post, the timing was uncanny, although apparently this seems to be a common February occurrence. I'm not sure losing your job counts as a recurring February theme, but the tone of the post was reassuring and for me, extremely poignant, a reminder not to lose my head over my training. After all, I am not Chrissie Wellington, I am a middle aged AGer doing this as a hobby.
On the job front, a bit of a silver lining. A fellow designer friend has asked me to design some stuff for her line of greeting cards for the National Stationery show. It could be good exposure for me. It is really nice that she thinks enough about my work to include me in her line. Fingers crossed.
I did receive a nice little package last week from Brooks. I was invited again this year to be part of the Brooks ID program. I love Brooks gear! I mean that for real. I admit to being a former Asics devotee, but I now own three pairs of Brooks shoes that have force me to change my mind. In particular the Brooks Launch, my go to shoe for racing and training.
New week, new resolve.
11 comments:
I am stir crazy and just want to get outside some, I am starting to really hate the winters. I just read that harrison post, its a good post
That is a great post by Jen Harrison! Totally sums of the February blues.
Sorry you had to bail on the race. Was it the 4 miler in Prospect Park?
Are you doing the Central Park Duathlon in March?
Family and life come before training, it's just how it is and should be. Once things slow down, you'll be refreshed and ready to go! Just do what you can for now! Thinking of you:)
I'm sure that's frustrating, but it sounds to me like you have a great perspective on it. And like you are managing good training on top of it all. Good job.
Sucks that you had to miss the race! I hope that spring weather will bring better training for everyone!
Congrats on the job front - sounds like a fun opportunity and a nice challange!
Oh my gosh!!! Sorry Regina! I hope things are turning around a bit for you. You are not alone! That is why I wrote the FEB post..and then today I needed to re-read it as I had my daughter throwing up all over me today and I thought, "COME ON already!!!" :))) xxxoo hang in there!
That sucks Regina, but you have a great attitude about it and before you know it spring time will be here and all will be good again!
March 13th is Daylight Savings time!
Sucks that you had to miss the race! I know what it is like to have miss a workout/race.
Good luck with the new work opportunity!
I think you have the right perspective on training for sure. Sucks to miss a race.
Love that your son get's $5 for fish sitting.
OH and thanks to the point to the Jen H article. AND I am still making you a hat, you might not get to WEAR it until next year, but you are getting one!! :)
Bummer about the DNS, but you can only do what you can do.
It's interesting to me that one thing most of us 'fitness minded' folks have in common is that running or whatever is our stress relief. None of us seem to be able to sit around doing nothing without going mad. The remaining 90% of people out there don't seem to understand that...
It's good you were handed out the Brooks gear.
Post a Comment