Hello, My Name Is....

I almost feel like I need to reintroduce myself.  Hello, my name is Regina and I'm a recovering blogaholic.  I don't mean to offend or make light of AA; respect.  It's just been a while since I blogged and I used to be addicted...not no mo'.  So, if there is anyone left out there still subscribed, I'll do my best to be entertaining.  Otherwise, whatever.

Did I mention Kindergarten is a lot of work?  I think I may have, but it bears repeating.  It's probably not just Kindergarten, but school in general.  I seem to remember a lot of coloring, painting, snacks and naps.  Not plot development, character building, triangular prisms, trapezoids, Venn diagrams and the historical live's of saints (ok, I made up that last one).  But what do I know, I'm just a parent (who's already had a beer...or two).  

I was also in charge of the class art project for our school's annual auction.  We did scratch foam prints and then I assembled them into a frame.  Combined they made $3100 for the school.  Nice.

I've been busy, as you can see.  It's been a huge change this year with my son's school and my new job;  not as much down time, I always seem to be 'on duty'.  It makes training tough.

Ah, yes, training.  I pretty much bailed on it this winter.  Oddly enough, I had no anxiety about going for days without doing anything.  I was happy.  However, that didn't last.  At some point, as I suspected might happen, I started to get the itch.  It was a small itch, demanding a light scratch, but an itch, nonetheless.  I've been lightly scratching.  Ok, medium scratching.  What does that mean?  Let me tell you...

I am signed up to do exactly two races this year and both because my entry fee was $0.  First: the NYC Triathlon.  I was a volunteer captain last summer at this race which garnered me a free entry for this year (booya!).  I seriously thought of deferring because I am just not into it.  However, I did not.  I am doing the very minimum amount of training to get me to the finish line.  How do I feel about this?  Fan-fucking-tastic!  I don't feel any stress or pressure.  It is such a load off my mind.  Yes, I am swimming and biking and running, but not with the same past intensity.  I'm just gonna have fun.  I am going to make my old time look like I broke the sound barrier compared to what I do this year.  But wait, it gets better....

Last year I had to defer my entry in the NYC Marathon because of injury.  This year I had to decide if I was going to take that entry.  I had until midnight April 23rd to make that decision.  At 9:24 PM on April 23rd I decided to just go for it.  I have no idea how my feet will hold up, but what the hell.  I already had a new running partner who runs as slow as I do (she doesn't know about this blog, phew!) which has made running so much sweeter.  Who knew?  I always thought I would hate running with someone.  It helps that she has a great sense of humor, has a son the same age as mine and curses like a sailor; so refreshing.  I think I might be the anti-mom mom.  

I am planning on training completely differently this year.  Last year was for time, this year for a finish.  I also plan on running less during the week.  I am going to be 45 years old in a month's time.  I also happen to know a few things about my own body, having been involved in athletics my entire life.  My body does not do well when pushed to train too often, it needs rest.  Yes, I get the whole 'training your body to work even when it's tired' thing, but I am not sure that works for me.  In the 3+ years since I started doing triathlon I never got faster in my running.  In fact, I would say, I got slower.  I am willing to accept that I may be wrong, but I am going to see what a more conservative training plan will do for me this year.  For example, last year I ran 5 days a week with a long run every weekend, each weekend getting a bit longer than the last.  To be fair, I was only running and there was no swim/bike.  This time around I plan on running three days a week with a long run every other weekend, the opposite weekend being a run half the mileage (or time) of the long run.  It'll get me to the finish line I believe, and that's all I want.  I am not time motivated, but I am happy. 

There is so much and so little to tell.  I think that will suffice for now.