You have heard the phase “Just Do It” ad nauseam but my phrase of the week was “Just Stop It.” Every time I felt the smallest tinge of self pity? Just stop it. Whining about getting a mammogram? Just stop it. Upset because I’m not a teenaged Olympian? Just stop it. You get the idea. Let’s see how this new mantra worked out, shall we?

Wah…my 12 mile run was awful. Cry me a river.

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 12, 2018

RUNNING

The week started out awful but had a great finish so I’ll take it. The weather was absolutely amazing which is to say there was no freezing rain or snow. I was motivated by the Olympics and having Valentine’s Day fall on hump day wasn’t too shabby either, plus I bought myself a new pair of running shoes which always makes things better.

Finishing my hill repeats with a smile…a smile buried under several layers but it’s there.

Does this picture make me look tall? Bonus!

Tuesday – Dave Scott’s hill repeats | 6×20 seconds, 8×20 seconds, 8×40 seconds with equal rest time then 1.5 mile shakeout and cool down | 8.13 miles | 8:19 average pace

Friday – “long run” one week before the half marathon/recovery swim | miles 5 and 6 are fast (7:23 pace) | 7.85 miles total | 8.14 average pace

Total = 15.98 miles

CYCLING

I really missed the time away from my bike last week and was only able to get in two rides. However, after my first ride of the week and the soul sucking VO2 max intervals, I was good. #JustStopIt

Thursday – VO2 3 – 3 min intervals at VO2 Max | 17.7 miles | 1:10:14

Sunday – 2×20 min intervals + cadence work before strength| 21.4 miles | 1:13:09

Total = 39.1 miles

SWIMMING

The pool was brutal last week, especially at the start when my energy and enthusiasm were waning. As I was gasping for air in between sets of 100 yards on 2 minute intervals, I saw a poster on the wall from a meet the previous night that read: Swim Now, Breathe Later! So I did.

Monday – 100s and 25s | 2,200 yards

Wednesday – Drills and 100s before strength | 2,000 yards

Friday – Recovery swim after run | 1,000 yards

Total = 5,200 yards

STRENGTH

The most interesting thing about my strength sessions this week was trying to get a photo. I already feel like a massive tool trying to secretly take a picture in a crowded YMCA gym…crowded with seniors because it’s like 10:30am. Anyway, as I was trying to sneak a pic and this happened:

I mean, this dude could not have timed this better. It was hysterical and I was actually questioning whether or not he was messing with me because the timing was ridiculous.

Also noteworthy, if you can see around his New Balances, is how deceptively difficult the strength move I’m doing is. Balance on one foot and then do a reverse fly with the opposite arm. I laughed at myself the first time through because I totally lost my balance.

THINGS I LOVE

This could be the best thing I have ever seen.

Caution: expletives and excessive truth

THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH

Having four days of massive fatigue.

It started after my horrible long run on Friday. It made sense I would be really tired Friday night and the next morning but, after taking a nap on Saturday (unheard of!) and sleeping until…wait for it…8:50am on Sunday (the last time I did that I was 20), I assumed I was going to die of the flu within the week.

My husband suggested that maybe I was just tired. What? Tired? It made zero sense to me but must have been the case because my mojo was restored by mid-week and I never even got the sniffles. #JustStopIt

READING

I have to say my peace here regarding another horrific shooting, this time at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. I don’t think it’s about being political, it’s about being human. Yes, there are several factors at play where school shootings are concerned but no civilian should own an AR-15 assault rifle. It’s shockingly horrifying I even have to write that.

After joining Moms Demand Action, I started doing more research and really identified with these articles:

17 Things Harder to Get Than A Gun | Wendy Wisner | Scary Mommy

In case you’re not up for reading the whole thing, the list includes extremely dangerous items like Sudafed, kittens, birth control (which should be raining from the sky!) and Hamilton tickets. How is this possible?

4 Pro Gun Arguments We’re Sick of Hearing | Amanda Marcotte | Rolling Stone

My favorite one is the second amendment argument. Marcotte brilliantly addresses this nonsense:

“Here’s a good time to remind everyone that the Second Amendment was written by slaveholders before we had electricity, much less the kind of weaponry that would-be murderers can buy today. But sure, if you think it’s that precious, we can compromise: If you love the Second Amendment that much, feel free to live in a powdered wig and shit in a chamberpot while trying to survive off what you can kill with an 18th century musket. In exchange, let those of us living in this century pass some laws so we can feel safe going to class, or the movies, or anywhere without worrying that some maladjusted man will try to get his revenge by raining death on random strangers.”

The saddest thing about the Rolling Stone article is a version of it was originally written in October 2015. We can now simply update and re-publish articles on gun violence and school shootings because that is how often they occur.

Just Stop It.

RANDOM EXCHANGE OF THE WEEK

To drastically shift gears, let’s review another chat I had with my boys this past week:

Miles: Mom, [my male friend at school] has a coochie.

Me: A what?

Miles: He has a coochie. He brought it to school.

Me: That cannot be right. What…um,…did it (afraid to ask the rest of the question) look like?

Miles: A coat.

Me: Oh! A GUCCI?

Miles: Yeah, a Gucci.

Me: That still can’t be right. I don’t think Gucci makes coats for third grade boys, but if they do, you should spend more time with this kid.

Make it rain!

Here’s to a week of “just stop it” moments…

[Tweet “The Rundown is saying “just stop it!” to a week of whining, me too and ignorance. #train4life”]

How was your week?

Thoughts on school shootings if you dare…

Thoughts on Gucci if you don’t…

%d bloggers like this: