My return to normalcy after a month of being away has been rough. I know I should have probably expected this, but I didn’t. Part of the problem is that I didn’t realize just how relaxed I was when I was in New Hampshire. I was still doing a lot of my normal daily tasks, spending more time then usual with the kids and keeping up with my training schedule. What I wasn’t doing was keeping my house running, working more and dealing with two kids who have subsisted on s’mores and nightly fires until 9pm. There’s no place like home, but she can be a real bitch.
WEEK OF AUGUST 10, 2015
RUNNING: This has been interesting. I’m currently scouring the earth for the right pair of running shoes and it’s a complete pain in the ass. The main reason is because I live 45 minutes away from my specialty running store. I managed to get there one glorious day and came away with the Brooks Ghost 8. Run #1 was 20 minutes and felt great. Run #2 looked like this:
20 minute warm-up
3 x 30 seconds at 5K pace, 1 min recovery
3 x 5 minutes @ 5K pace, 2 min recovery
2 mile cool down
Totaling 8 miles @7:42 average pace
Afterward I felt like this:
Speed kills.
And my left toe looked like this:
Because you need to see it.
I’ve never in my life had this much trouble finding the right running shoe and it’s so beyond frustrating.
I made it back to Fleet Feet at the end of the week and had quite the experience. I ended up choosing a shoe I never thought I would have. In fact, after running more miles in them, I’ll be dedicating an entire post to a review. I know the anticipation is killing you.
Lastly, I’m still in this weird space of having several upcoming half marathons and THE New York City marathon but, before all of that, I have a triathlon on Aug 30. I’m training hard but not doing any big running mileage right now. My long run was 11 miles @8:12 pace and I’m good with that for now…
Total: 28 miles
Speed work with lots of recovery!
CYCLING: Getting back to teaching spin was interesting. Logging miles on the road (especially the hilly NH roads!) is definitely harder then being on the spin bike…or is it? My very first class back was a rainy day, which should not matter. However, when you work at the YMCA and there’s day campers there, it matters a lot. A decision was made to hold class in the lobby (which we have done before for other reasons) so they could show a movie to the kids in the spin room but, they also had a ton of campers in the lobby. And it was about 180 degrees in there. Not ideal.
Then they asked me to turn down my music so the receptionists could hear one the phones. I did not.
Nightmare.
All other cycling was fantastic and this Tuesday will be a return to the comforts of the cycling room at the Y.
Total miles: 55
Brick training by the lake.
SWIMMING: The first swim in the pool was horrible as expected. Luckily I was able to meet my coach for transition work and an hour swim in open water on Friday.
We set up a mock transition area and she videoed me transtioning from swim to bike and bike to run. It wasn’t as awful as I thought. She gave me some great tips:
– put your sunglasses open and ready in your upside-down helmet so you just throw them on first
– go from head to toe, as in – sunglasses, helmet, GU (I stick them in my shorts), shoes
– during the bike to run transition just grab your bib belt and put it on while you’re running
I also practiced what I call the “fancy” way of getting on and off your bike, where you run next to it and then jump right into the pedals as you swing your leg over. I almost fell the first time I tried to dismount because I seriously forgot I was clipped in! Luckily CRS was there to catch me. #NoJoke
A gorgeous day for a swim!
FUEL: Since returning from NH I’ve cut back my alcohol and sweets intake considerably which may be contributing to my overall crankiness. One new addition to my breakfast is really working for me and it’s amazingly simple – whole wheat toast, banana and honey. Delicious and all the slow burning carbs I need to keep me going for my morning workouts.
THINGS I LOVE: Reuniting with friends after being away for so long! I’ve been able to have dinners, cookouts and runs with some of my favorite people and it’s really the best feeling. I didn’t realize how much I missed everyone!
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH: The boys have discovered Lunchables. It happened at camp (of course!) where they were not only informed of where to get these boxes of salt and preservatives (WalMart) but also that they come with “special treats.” Of course I tried to tell the boys that the “special treat” is called obesity, cavities and early onset diabetes. #NotEvenExaggerating
I was happy to find they actually make a healthier version and told the boys they could have it once a week. Compromise and bribery are the key to a happy parent/child relationship.
READING: Two articles really stuck with me this week – one that has to do with life in general and other, with running life:
My brother sent the below article to me I think just to kind of say “Hey, you runners are insane and here’s proof:”
What Runners Are Thinking – The Atlantic article: A group of marathon runners were equipped with tiny recording devices and asked to say out loud what they were thinking during 26.2 miles of, well, pain.
Most of the time, marathon runners are thinking about their pace and the distance they have left. For much of the rest of the time, their thoughts dwell on their surroundings and, of course, the extreme discomfort they’re enduring.
This next one I saw posted to Carla’s FB page and I couldn’t click the link fast enough:
5 Minutes Early is On Time; On Time is Late; Late is Unacceptable – Forbes article: This is basically the mantra I live by and the reason I drive most people insane.
RANDOM QUOTE OF THE WEEK: From the Forbes.com article above:
“Intentionally being late is about power. It’s showing the other person, or people that you’re a “big deal” and have the upper-hand in the relationship. It’s also called being a dick.” – Brent Beshore
How was your week?
Is everyone ready to get back to everything come September? What are you dreading most?
OH THE LUNCHABLES.
mine beggggged for them in kinder.
I let her pick WHICHEVER she wanted (one day. kinder fieldtrip day)
She hated ’em.
I was sooo thankful 🙂
That is awesome! I was not so lucky. Of course, the ones they liked are the “pizza” ones which consist of basically a small pita, tomato sauce and shredded cheese. If I had presented these food items and suggested “pizza making” I’m sure there would have been a less then stellar reception! Gotta love marketing and peer influence!
As someone who works in a running store, I’m excited to see what shoe you have stumbled across! It’s always hard when they switch shoes and they don’t work for you.
Surprisingly, August actually put me back on schedule. I’ve got “normal” hours which is nice. It stinks to be busy but routine is awesome.
Oh I can’t wait to get your opinion on my new kicks!
Glad you are getting back to normal this month 🙂
My new favorite quote: “There’s no place like home, but she can be a real bitch.” haha. Love it!
I’m actually excited to be home because I get more help here so it is easier for me to take care of everything. Also, I was working like crazy this summer so hopefully things will ease up now!
I love toast with banana and honey. I have to suggest adding a scoop of passionfruit on top. It is so good!
I have never seen the healthy version of lunchables but what a great idea!
Totally agree about the Forbes article. I am always early. I would so much rather be early than late. My dance director used to say the same thing about our Saturday morning rehearsals (10am on Saturday…in college!).
So glad you like that quote 🙂 But yes, being home for you means more help from mom which is so needed right now!
I will absolutely take your suggestion of adding passion fruit – YUM.
I cannot believe you were expected to wake-up before 11am in college on a Saturday. That is dedication.
Welcome back to reality! Some bumps in the road, but overall, sounds like you’re doing great.
So–a little trick on the mounting/dismounting: use rubber bands to hold your shoes upright/straight while you shove your feet into them. As soon as you take your first pedal stroke, they break. Genius!
Why do kids gravitate to crap so easily in spite of our best efforts?
Finally, the article on being late. I have to cop to the fact that I am perpetually late. I am always trying to shove just one more thing on my plate as I rush out the door. I MUST get better!
Thank you for the trick and yes, my coach suggested that as well but I need to keep my shoes on my feet right now!!! I’m just trying to run beside my bike, jump on and swing my leg over, in a fashion that resembles a coordinated athlete. I may do the super fancy she thing next year. One baby step at a time!
I hear you on the cramming one last thing before you leave – luckily for me I’m usually already 10 minutes ahead of the game because it’s just how my brain works. When the clock reads 1:30, I see 1:45. It’s a sickness.
I read about that what runners are thinking article, and I don’t really agree with it…. Maybe I need to read in more detail and it’s what are you think 20 miles into running 26 miles, but I would think that most runners who have maintained it longterm are not thinking about pain, or heat, etc…..but are sort of meditating and sorting their life (like I do) during their run…..
That 5 minutes early is on time… that is ME. If you are late you are not important, you are just an ass who thinks your time is more important than mine, and it’s not.
Paria, once again you are proving to be a better/stronger woman then I since I pretty much thought about pain nonstop for the last 6 miles of my last marathon!! And yes, I was thinking about how NOT to think about the pain but I was definitely thinking about how much pain I was in! 🙂
As for the Forbes article, I knew we were like-minded in that!!
My running shoes changed, too! Never had any issues before this, now I’m on the search. I love my Nike Pegasus, now they seem to have less cushioning and my feet hurt!! I’m spoiled in the closeness of our running shop though; actually two really great ones about 5 miles from home. Lunchables draw my kids in like soda and candy. Marketing!!
I wholeheartedly agree on the arrival times–we were always taught it’s simply disrespectful to be late! Ellen has a great skit on this-“The traffic…” “Yes, well the rest of us were all air-lifted in!” =}
Can’t wait to read all about your races!! My October race schedule is daunting-only in that I also have to do the rest of my life, too, but it’s what we love, right?!? Crewing for friends racing there Princeton half, then the Army 10-miler, then the Runners World weekend (4 races in 3 days!), then the Patapsco 50k. Yep…I have a hard time refusing races with friends!!
Sorry you’re searching for shoes too. It’s a huge pain (literally) and can be so, so frustrating! Good luck!!
That Ellen thing about the traffic is hilarious!!…and so to the point of people who think it’s ok to be late think things like traffic only happen to them!!!
If only we could put the rest of our lives on hold for race season, right?? Imagine!! And running races with friends is a MUST! Enjoy…
That toe issue!! eww!! love you but. EWWWWWWWW! *in my Jimmy fallon voice* I am super curious about your new shoes! you are so good at buliding suspense I tell ya! The funny thing is that I totally have had the opposite problem, I try to get off the spin bike real easy and I realize that i’m locked in! haha
The half time lunchables look great. My sons school has an amazing health conscious chef….for free! They eat ALL the great stuff there, I get kinda jelly when he comes home and tells me about his meals! 🙂
Sorry but you just had to see that blister!!! Well, you didn’t but…:-)
I SO wish we had a chef at the kids school. I will say this – the food at their school is so bad – even they won’t eat it!!!
Belated welcome back! I am in running shoe heaven and ALSO got mine from Fleet Feet! I used to have this constant struggle with my running shoes till I found my Nike Pegasus and also my Hoka Clifton. I’m in love with them both and this past weekend I treated myself to new pairs. The new Hoka cliftons are even comfier than the
Other ones! I’m clearly too excited but it’s nice t know you can buy shoes and not even need to break them in and immediately run happy. Hap
Oops I pressed submit on accident, eep!
Anyhow just overly excited about running shoes and reading what you got. Happy feet 🙂
And I can’t imagine spinning in the lobby at the Y, and I especially can’t imagine spinning without music!!? That’s mainly why I used to go to the classes was so I could pretend I was actually spending my mornings in s techno rave. Lol!
So glad you have not one but two pairs of great running shoes! I love my Hokas for recovery – they are so comfy!!!
I just got back last night and so I feel your pain! I am trying to get a grip on all the things I need to do to get back into the swing of things. The laundry pile is HUGE! I thought you would be excited to know….I did the 1 mile swim!!!!! It was hard! It would have been easier for me to run 10 miles :).
I am definitely dying to read the shoe review….you couldn’t tell us what you went with?! :)…I love trying shoes :)! The only Brooks that have ever worked for me are the Launch 2. You had a great run despite the blister :).
My week last week was AMAZING!!!!! Now I have a week to go until school starts and I am dreading the end of summer….it just went too fast!
CONGRATS!!!! OMG it’s such a long way, isn’t it? I would so prefer running 10 or even 15 miles over that one mile swim. Great, great job!
I can tell you my new shoes are not Brooks and that is scary for me. I’ve been running in Brooks since forever.
Good luck getting everything done. You absolutely will and then there will be more so just breathe 🙂
TOTALLY a long way and it probably took me a ridiculously long time :). You had to swim a cross which is 1/2 mile touch a tree and swim back. When I got out to touch the tree my legs were like jello! There were several times I looked up and wondered if I had even gotten any closer to shore! The head swim counselor swims 2 miles 3 times a week there! She also swims the 2 miles in the time it took me to do 1!!!!! (almost 50 minutes)….AMAZING!!!!!
I am feeling it today though for sure….my run just about killed me!
WOW! I cannot believe she swims that much and that far…but she would probably say the same about your running! The worst part is looking up and feeling like you’re making zero progress. BUT – you did it! So awesome.
As for the lunchables I’m right there with you. I forgot Ryan’s lunch for baseball camp one day and had to run to a tiny grocery store that didn’t have the best options. Sad to say the best option was the lunchable so I bought it for him. He hasn’t stopped asking for them since, yuk! I had to convince him that they are actually bad for you. And then of course he asked me why I bought it for him if it was bad for you…oy….Anyway, I haven’t seen those “healthy” lunchables! I’ll have to keep my eye out! Welcome back to reality 😉
Darn kids are getting too smart! We’re in trouble when they can read everything…which is probably by the end of this year – yikes!!
Thanks Sue! Hope you have a great week…
Yea, we are already screwed in that department. Ryan is reading everything already :/ I can’t even spell things to my hubby anymore. I may have to learn how to speak pig latin, lol.
I remember being SO MAD at my mom for refusing to buy me Lunchables. How dare she insist on sending me to school with homemade meals?! Ha!
The audacity!!!! I bet she’s glad she did now that you’re a superstar, gourmet cook!
I still had friends eating Lunchables in college. COLLEGE! It baffled me. That Forbes article is practically describing me. Being late makes me anxious and I have a tendency to arrive ten minutes early if I can. Deadlines make me anxious I have to have things done at least 12 hours before then, if not more.
Looks like you had a great week of training back! I’m excited to read your shoe review!
I guess it’s better then Ramen noodles?? Maybe? Actually, it’s probably the same amount of sodium.
As for the who anxiety about deadlines? Yep, me too. What is wrong with us? 🙂
Want to go get pedicures?!
What are you trying to say GiGi? I think my toes look amazing for running, swimming and biking with that pedicure I got in June 🙂
I am simply asking because it would be nice for us to go get pampered! LOL!
I will have been gone for 3 weeks and I am not looking forward to the mail. Last year I had it held and when I went to the USPS they handed me that big white container tney use to deliver everyone’s mail in and said ‘here, just take the box’
The catalogs alone will kill ya:)
OMG the mail!!! We were getting it in clumps over the last month and then came home to a pile! You’re right – the magazines will kill ya. Good luck!
Can’t wait to hear all about your new shoes!!!
We are soaking up the rest of summer like mad people, but it’ll be nice to be back to school and routine.
I think. We are having so much fun I don’t want it to end yet!! 🙂
Great job on the training week!
I really don’t want it to end either!!! This is truly the perfect time to hit that pause button!
Enjoy what’s left 🙂
I am still on vacation for four more days. Definitely not looking forward to going back to reality. Loved the quote about being late. Agree 100%.
Enjoy every last moment!!
And so glad you agree about being late – just rude and ridiculous.