I questioned the title of this post for a couple of reasons. First, I don’t really like the term “me time” because it seems to be just another one of those cheesy, made-up, trendy phrases that a lot of people use with little meaning. Second, last week was mostly about not being on a training schedule and not running very much, two things I don’t really enjoy, which is the opposite of what “me time” is supposed to be…I think?

TheRundown

If taking time for yourself to do the things you really want to do, is what it’s all about, I feel like I do that a lot, and it most always involves activity in some form. Of course I wasn’t completely inactive, but I did force myself to rest, to remove the phrase “I have to…” from my head and, of course, there was a little trip to a wedding in Miami.

 

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2, 2015

RUNNING

Re-entry is always rough. The week after a big race is always tough for me, no matter the outcome. I don’t think I’m going to far when I liken it to childbirth. You train for months (or carry a baby or two), all your training comes down to one day (if you’re lucky), and afterward you feel exhausted (sometimes in a good way), emotional and lost.

My first run was four days post-marathon and I was just so happy to be out there. I didn’t think about pace, I just ran. I also may have chosen a route based solely on elevation, or more specifically, lack of elevation.

The best part of that run was the last song to come though my ear buds – “Fix You” by Coldplay. It’s a longtime favorite of mine and the first verse begins “When you try your best but you don’t succeed…” Yep.

I ended the week with two great runs in Miami! Great because I had an ocean view most of the time and, it was so damn hot and humid, my legs were super loose and felt great!

Post run balcony stretch out!

Post run balcony stretch out!

SWIMMING

I am so grateful to love swimming about a tenth as much as I love running. I absolutely could not wait to get into the pool on Tuesday and just go! I even did some kicks and my legs protested at first but then, felt so much better then they had in 48 hours. After resting (and napping!) on Monday, I swam on Tuesday and Wednesday with a good soak in the hot tub after each 45 minute session.

The best, by far was doing laps in the pool at 8:00am on Sunday morning in the Miami heat!

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FLYING

If we’re talking about burning calories then I have to include “flying” as fitness. One of these days I’m going to strap on a heart rate monitor before take-off just to see how far it skyrockets. Although the flight was completely smooth to Miami, I’m never really at ease during a flight. I was trying to use some of the mind games I’m learning from The Runner’s Brain and, on take off at least, they seemed to work. #NoXanaxNeeded

[Tweet “#TheRunnersBrain mind games are not just for running! #TrainYourBrain @RodalePress”]

CROSS-TRAINING

So I have a confession to make. I’m playing volleyball. Weird, right? I actually played in my very first game the week before the marathon. Stupid, right? Well, here are four things I can tell you about my all-women’s recreational team experience, after one game:

  1. The first time I touched the ball, I hit it so hard it flew up and got stuck in the ceiling.
  2. I have not played volleyball ever, unless you count high school gym class. I don’t.
  3. I’m very glad I purchased knee pads. I wish I purchased a face mask since yes, I hit the ball off of my face. It wasn’t embarrassing at all.
  4. We lost all four games but improved in closing the gap with each one. I’m sure next week will be better. If not, my teammates may ask me to f**k off. I would not blame them.

FUEL

My shipment of Lucy’s Granola arrived just in time for my trip south and in the most convenient, packable sizes. It’s like she knew.

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Lucy’s holds a special place in my heart because my niece is named Lucy and, the first time I saw it was on a family trip with her at L.L. Bean in Maine. Who knew it would surface as a sponsor for the Rise.Run.Retreat this past October? I love it when my worlds collide in the best possible way. #ILoveLucy

RACING

Of course I’m already thinking about what 2016 will hold and even hope to get in a 5k before the year is out. On Friday I wrote about the 5 steps I use in planning my racing calendar and I’m already plotting out a sweat-filled 2016. My focus will be on triathlon, with nationals in August, and I’m maybe most excited about returning to a local duathlon to see if I can defend my title and claim another sword! Because a girl can never have too many swords.

THINGS I LOVE

The outpouring of support from all of you after I posted my recap of the NYC Marathon. There are many days when I question the validity of this blog and then, I have a day like last Wednesday and I know for certain my life is better because of it.

I also love this NYC Marathon hat I got from Another Mother Runner!

I also love this NYC Marathon hat I got from Another Mother Runner!

Had I not had this outlet to talk about my experiences I would never feel as good as I do about that race, or as quickly afterward. For all of you who commented that you’ve been there and you get it, and especially for those of you who said it was helpful or that you wish you had done what I did in your last disappointing race, makes it all worth it.

THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH

Taking a chance on having my make-up done before the wedding and ending up looking like a old hooker.

These were the directions I gave the make-up artist:

  1. I don’t wear a lot of make-up so I want a neutral look.
  2. I’m wearing pastels and need to keep it light.

Either she didn’t speak English or she just hated me because this is what happened:

She was also a chain smoker and I loved having her face in mine for the 30 minutes it took for this abomination.

She was also a chain smoker and I loved having her face in mine for the 30 minutes it took for this abomination.

Needless to say I couldn’t face time my kids until I made it back to my hotel and scrubbed my face off, lest they have nightmares until they’re 16.

READING

Here are my picks of the week:

Magic Words to Say When Everything Goes Wrong | UpWorthy by Tim Lawrence | Basically, don’t say “everything happens for a reason.” I know this first hand from when my mom died. I don’t think anyone had the audacity to actually say that to a 17 year-old who just lost her mom but, you may be surprised. I did hear “she’s in a better place,” quite a bit which is worse. Of course, Mr. Lawrence puts this all much more eloquently.

7 New Nontraditional Empathy Cards | UpWorthy by Laura Willard | This is what you should say, or send, instead. Creator of these fantastic cards is Emily McDowell, a cancer survivor who never wanted to hear “everything happens for a reason” ever again, so she created an alternative. Way to take matters into your own hands and finally give people something real to say when you really can’t say anything:

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Unwanted Parenting Advice from Non Parents and How I Would Like to Respond | Scary Mommy by Clint Edwards Read it because every single word this man typed is truth. If you don’t have a kid, please shut the hell up with your parenting advice. I wish I had before I had kids. Learn from my mistakes – I beg you.

This is my favorite…it’s almost as if I wrote it.

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RANDOM QUOTE and PICTURE OF THE WEEK:

“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. What happens in Miami, never happened.”

Shhhhhhh

Yes, I'm sheep riding with my husband and a friend.

Yes, I’m sheep riding with my husband and a friend. What?

 Are you getting enough “me time?”

How was your week?

Did you give parenting advice prior to becoming a parent? What was it?

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