ho-hum

I've been putting off posting much for a few days because I've been in a funk this week.  But, since the fog isn't lifting as quickly as I'd like, I'll just rattle on...

Christmas, ahhh, Christmas...

• I adore this holiday, as ironic as that is (or isn't?) since I'm not even Christian.  I was raised in a pretty ordinary (i.e. casually religious) midwestern home though, so I've gradually come to terms with embracing the family traditions that mean so much to me, regardless of their cultural origins.  
• We have a tree up, a few strands of lights outside (the husband won out this year and convinced me to replace my favorite all-white simplicity with bright blue, but it's in honor of fallen police officers so I won't gripe), and are cruising through daily goodies, projects, and tiny acts of charity via our advent calendar.  
• We actually entertained the possibility of skipping gifts altogether this year due to an empty checking account, but ended up stealing from our emergency savings to get the kids each one fun gift (a balance bike for Lola and a wheely bug for Hank), one useful gift (boots for Lola, shirts for Hank), and a couple of stocking stuffers (a memory game worthy of framing, new water bottles, and a couple of new Schleich animals for the growing menagerie).  Most other family members will get baked goods or other handmade stuff, and while I'm getting to be a pretty superterrific maker-of-things, it's taking some effort to not feel self-conscious about being so cheap.

The brave kid...

•  We are a shy people, Lola and I.  It is no question that the bashful apple doesn't fall far from the timid tree with us.  So, imagine my wonderment and pride when Lola marched in to her first dental check-up, told me she didn't need me to go back with her for her teeth cleaning, and then answered the hygienist's questions politely and clearly.  Another 3-year-old was dragged, absolutely bawling, to the chair next to her and I was both surprised and thoroughly gratified to not have to be that parent.   Instead, the dentist rushed through our exam, and told me he wanted to get us out of there before my "brave kid realized other kids weren't all so tough."  Wait, what? 
  

Exercisin'...

• Running is feeling good, but I'm not making fast progress.  This is the part of recovering where it's hard to be inspired to do what seem like pathetically useless workouts, but it's so insanely important to get out there every other day.  I skipped Monday's run for some dumb reason, and don't feel particularly happy about that right now, but it's just stupid to dwell on that.
• That no-shoes-for-indoor-workouts idea is still fascinating me.  I did an entire high-impact plyometrics workout barefoot the other day and was still surprised how much more I had to work to keep my balance.  Training all those weird little stabilizing muscles has got to be good for something.
• I miss the pool right now.  Really, really, really miss it.
  

cheap running analysis

Our recent snow has mostly melted or been trampled down to isolated icy patches now, but I was reminded the other day that there's something very informative about running an out-and-back route in fresh snow.

I headed out on a short, easy run, still carefully building up to continuous running without starting the injury cycle again, and knowing that the slick conditions would have me all tensed up.  Not long after I turned at my halfway point, I started to notice I was running back over just two sets of footprints.  One set was nice and parallel and normal, but the other feet were turned out, not just a little, but like 30-degrees out.  Guess which footprints were my own?

Crap.

I worked so hard to fix my form for good last year – shortened up my stride, focused on my footfall, tried to get in better alignment and keep each leg moving along one plane – and thought I was past having to think about every single step, but apparently just the distraction of winter weather is enough to plop right back into my old habits.  That's me, feet out like a ballerina penguin.

The nice thing about this (frustrating) revelation?  Free.  Didn't cost a penny.  I didn't even have to drive to a running store.  All I had to do was pay attention to my own footprints on a day when my eyes were glued to the ground anyway. 

And you'd better believe those footprints on the way back were nice and straight.

gasp

I knew Hank was going to give us a run for our money, I just didn't think he'd be off to such an early start.  I figured we'd probably have an ER visit or two before sending him off to college, but surely he couldn't get too scuffed up before even getting fully mobile.  I mean, the little guy's just barely walking for a few days, right?

Um, guess I need to stop assuming things.

Exhibit A:

That's a tooth... 

a healthy, sweet, tiny, perfect baby tooth...

that was in Hank's adorable little smile just yesterday...

and now...

isn't.


Turns out he's fine, just slipped in front of the window (where he stands every day watching for dogs and squirrels) and caught only that one top tooth on the windowsill on his way down.   He plopped down super angry and the tooth landed *plink* right next to him.

We called the Dr.,  gave him Motrin, and within an hour he was back to his chipper self, playing through dinner (ice cream and mashed potatoes) and hamming it up like nothing had happened.  This morning I took him in to the dentist expecting to kick off a long chain of procedures like x-rays and space maintainers just to find out that it was a clean break and they shouldn't have to do anything at all.   He'll just have a big gap in his smile until the permanent tooth comes in, which may, ironically, be delayed a few years because of the gap.

Whew.

I should be relieved, and I really am, it's just that this little experience (and I know that in the grand scheme of things, knocking out a tooth is indeed little) has given me an ominous reminder of how quickly things can turn scary.  After the kids went to bed last night S and I sat on the couch and tried to reassure ourselves about a silly tooth by rattling off all the things that would have been worse – a broken nose, a head injury, a split lip, an eye injury, a broken jaw – but as I tried to go to bed later, all I could think about was how easily it could have been something worse. 

In trying to find a silver lining, I am at least glad I was right there, three feet away, fully present (to fail at protecting him, but present nonetheless).  I had just gotten home from my run, and I know if it had happened while I was gone I would be thinking 1. it wouldn't have happened if I'd been here, and 2. I'm never going for a run again.  So, at least I know for sure I couldn't have stopped it.

I'm mainly thinking of this as a dress rehearsal for what's sure to be a childhood of tumbles for this plucky little guy.  My grandma was a figure skater and regularly chimed, "if you don't fall, you're not trying hard enough," which always seemed pretty wise, until I became a parent.  For now, I think I'd be OK with him trying just a little less, maybe?

ugly shoe time

Time to break out the homely trail shoes...

because today, I'll be running in this...

OK, so it will probably just be grey slush and icy patches by the time I get out this afternoon, but still... it's SNOW!  And I'm actually happy about it!

I am a total summer bum at heart, but as long as it's going to be cold, it might as well be entertaining.  Plus, we've been in this no-man's-land of seasons, cold for a day or two at a time, then warming up to 60 (!) every few days, just enough to remind us how much it sucked to be cold and fool us into thinking we'll continue getting that regular warm weekend reprieve.  Enough teasing already: it's time to just commit to the cold and settle into winter habits.

So goodbye to boring dry pavement, 

and hello to black ice!

back at it

So, I guess I'm back to running, or more accurately, the now familiar short-bursts-of-running-with-frequent-walking-and-no-downhills.  It's not glamorous, but it's something.  If I've learned anything this year, it's that patience, ridiculously long warm-ups, alternating days, and walk breaks help me handle the ITBS enough to maintain some sort of running habit.

I want to be 100%, but I've taken enough breaks to try to fix things myself to see that there's nothing more I can do without professional intervention.  So, I've given up my search to find the real root of this injury for now, and accepted that I'm going to have to act like a regular person and simply treat the symptoms with a band-aid.  Specifically, I'm using my roller before and after running just to keep that IT band bendy and non-spasmy (those are fancy medical terms, you know).

Rolling before seems to be my most beneficial trick, and the one that makes me feel the most like a cheater.  I know there's some sort of holistic explanation for why my knee ends up hurting, something I should address with alternative therapy or the right core strength exercises or wardrobe choices or better nutrition (kidding, mostly), but right now I just need to stop thinking and run.  Umm, run cautiously, that is.

And that, for once and for all, is the last I'm going to say about my lame iliotibial band.

time to get serious

So, that November goal to post daily was humbling, but totally worthwhile.  Sure, I didn't come anywhere close to writing every day, but I still more than quadrupled my typical output (!).  It was a change to be more aware of what I was doing throughout the day, think more about what I was doing to achieve goals, or take stock of how I was really feeling.  Even when I didn't end up writing anything, I felt more engaged, more on top of things. 

But, in order to just keep thinking, I gave myself permission write about anything, not just training or triathlon goals.  And what do you know?  I ended up posting about anything but training, oops.  Time to get back on track, because December is already kicking into gear, with the first of what's sure to be many late-night holiday making things frenzies already taking place...

Yeah, I made a holiday countdown tree (my as-secular-as-possible version of an advent calendar) out of electrical tape and graph paper and immediately thought whoa, I need to put this one my blog.  Seriously?  Is this that what my triathlon blog has come to?  No, I need to get my ass down to that snazzy basement and work out more.  (sidenote: if you haven't fixed up your indoor workout space, be it yoga spot, weight corner, treadmill, or bike trainer... DO IT!  I can't get over what a pick-me-up it is to have planned my space with a few little details that make my efforts feel like more of a priority)

Actually, I've been using the bike plenty and am really encouraged that I'm getting through workouts without knee trouble.  I can still feel the underlying ITBS woes (tightness, knots), but no pain flare-ups so far, and I'm feeling more myself, running up the stairs, darting to the bedroom to grab a clean diaper, jumping around with the kids.  It's time to start my half marathon training, so I'm moving ahead come hell or high water now.  If it comes down to it, I'll sub bike workouts while I fix the running kinks and solve the new shoe dilemma.

one year

There is nothing more perfect than a kid and his first birthday cake...

 

 

He was so bewildered to have been given a tiny-to-us-but-huge-to-him cake of his very own – not just one bite at a time, not on a fork held by a grow-up, not even cut into pieces – just... there. 

There were many minutes of tentative little frosting pinches while he looked up frequently and waited to be stopped.  Eventually he figured out that the gawking crowd was actually encouraging, got a whole happy squishy handful, and in a blink, the cake was a crumbly mess spread out to cover a surprising amount of surface area.

 

Ahhh, a whole year, and only a year.  I can remember more details of a year ago today than I can remember about just this morning. But at the same time, there's a blanket feeling that he's just always been here.  He is so warm (in temperament and temperature), persistent, silly, and sociable.  More like his Papa than I ever could have imagined, and such a perfect foil to his big sister (who remains almost as completely smitten with him as she was 365 days ago).

Life feels completely settled.  We're all sleeping well now, so naturally, all must be right with the world.  Our daily routine, though it evolves a little each month, is comfortingly stable.  It feels like we've gotten through that first year of baby focus, and now are hitting our stride as a family of four, rather than three people who orbit around a little guy (as endearing as he may be).

I'm glad I've been able to be home for this entire first year, and extra happy to see that this sometimes ridiculous abundance of mommy-time has not created a clingy baby, but instead a confident, gregarious one.

Happy Birthday Hankers!

you know you're old when...

You know you're old when you injure your knee – the one you've been calling your "good knee" – bouncing on the bed with a three-year-old. 


You've GOT to be kidding me.


Actually, I think I'll survive.  The pain is sharp, but it only hurts when I completely straighten it, and it has faded a little each day.  No excuse not to work out, since the whole range of motion of biking or running doesn't really include straight legs.  Oh, and the bouncing around fun was totally worth it.

This is just a little ridiculous though.  Bouncing on the bed?  Really?  Never mind the fact that using the phrase "my good knee" should alone have qualified me for the senior discount, now I'm falling apart without even leaving the house.

I guess I'd better watch out while vacuuming today, wouldn't want to throw a hip out.

two-a-day

Two posts a day, that is...

I couldn't stand leaving that whiny post up there on top. 

At the risk of sounding bipolar... sometimes when I'm feeling overwhelmed I have to do something stupid (like whine about it) before I remember that I only have to be as stressed as I let myself get.  I've since tackled the dishes, vacuumed, done a fair amount of laundry, and built a super duper rainy-day-tent near our big front window where I told random silly stories to Lola while Hank laughed at nothing and everything. 

Now, I just had a few minutes to drink a treat cup of coffee (which means I took a second to add a little cream and cinnamon, instead of chugging it for caffeine's sake).
And an extra treat... I even think I have enough time to work out before naps are over. 

Maybe it's the coffee talking, but really, I do not have it rough.

pause

After feeling productive last week, I guess I relaxed and rode that wave of satisfaction a little too far.   Now I'm back on the other end of the spectrum, scrambling to get things together. 

It's suddenly one of those weeks when I just want to hit a pause button that makes everyone around me freeze while I  just. get. caught. up. already.

Wouldn't that be dreamy?  The week just stands still while I buzz around cleaning the kitchen, sorting laundry, packing away warm-weather clothes, making Thanksgiving goodies (a mushroom-gruyère gratin and many tiny pumpkin pies), getting in a complete workout, preparing for Hank's birthday, finding a way to create holiday gifts, raking the yard again, cleaning the gutters, vacuuming, making stockings, putting away baby furniture Hank has outgrown...

Yep, I need that pause button. 

a luxuriously adequate bike trainer set-up

I said I'd get it done this week, and I did!

I carved a space out of clutter to create a more pleasant winter home for my bike trainer.

BEFORE...

 



AFTER...

OK, so there are actually still some random boxes cropped out on the left, but I'm pretty damn pleased with the amount of stuff I managed to relocate in an organized way without being able to buy shelves or storage containers (the excuse I had for putting this off all this time).

I was initially just hoping to make a little nook for my bike, but ended up clearing enough stuff to spread out the weights and make a practical little changing spot in the corner.  And the real kicker?  I didn't spend a ton of time on it.

I was so excited to use the space that I did an extra little spin this evening just to break it in.  I wouldn't say I ever skipped a bike workout simply because the previous trainer corner was depressing (there's got to be a psychological training advantage to staring directly at a nothing more than a blank basement wall), but this location is so very much better, enjoyable even.

So, instead of the old view of:

• wall
• spider web(s)
• roly-poly-bug carcasses

I now get to look at:

• a TV!
  
• a fan!
• more than 2 feet of open space before a wall
  
• brilliantly placed bamboo shade to hide the other basement disasters I haven't yet tackled
• tray table to hold remotes for fan and TV, iPod, baby monitor, phone, a selection of hair bands, water, towel (all things I balanced precariously on my bike frame before)
• an area that has no intended use other than working out (i.e. no distracting laundry piles!)
  

It may not be fancy, but I know I'm lucky to have such a luxury of space.  I suppose that's the Midwestern trade-off – we have the crappiest winters, but affordable real estate and good basements.

Now, I just have to use it.

Shoeless J

I know I'm grasping at straws here, but I'm willing to try anything to get rid of the IT band syndrome as long as...

it doesn't cost a cent.

Sure, I'd like to walk into the office of some specialist and say, "tell me how to fix it, bill me whatever it takes, and I'll pay my bill when it's really fixed," but there are two major hurdles to that:  neither my bank account nor the American health care system want to cooperate with that idea.

So, back to my latest half-baked scheme: starting at the bottom.  When I realized I hadn't done so much as change shoe models, I decided I should probably be thinking a little more about the role my feet play in this little fiasco.  And what's the cheapest foot workout?

Go barefoot.

Sure, I could say I've been affected by all the barefoot running hype, the recent mainstream publicity about natural running footfall, the appearance of rubber gecko-ish shoes on the market, but honestly, it's not so cerebral or trendy for me.  I'm going barefoot because shoes are expensive.

Now to be fair, I'm not running again yet, so I'm really just doing indoor workouts right now.  And we do have those foam exercise floor squares in the basement, so I'm not exactly hopping around on a slab of concrete.

It took me a couple of workouts to decide, hey, this is not that weird.  I've done workouts that include a barrage of squats, lunges, jumping jacks, running in place, core work, and now I feel ready to start some more high impact jumpy stuff.  After all, the most injury-free time in my life was when I spent a few hours a day jumping around a room with nothing more than a thin leather sole under my feet...

OK, so that's a bit of a stretch to claim ballet was ever in the same room as the words biomechanically friendly.  But, it was reassuring to recall the things I used to do without ultra cushiony foam shoes.

So, I'm going to try this little barefoot thing for awhile.  A little unconventional perhaps, but the conventional wisdom is clearly not working for me.

obstacle shmobstacle

I've got motivational sports maxims running through my head.

If it were easy, everyone would do it.
Brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough.
You can quit, and no one will care if you do.  But you will always know.


Oh, but this isn't for an actual workout, mind you, but rather because I'm facing a bit of an obstacle to getting my bike trainer set up in the basement for winter.  You see, it requires tackling this mess:

Yep, I want that spot for my bike.

Now, just to find a home for all of that stuff.  I hate stuff.  I am way too anal to sort through things in any sort of speedy way.  I know I'll start out just moving things, then decide somewhere mid-project that I need to set up a color-coded, alphabetical, front and faced storage quadrant.  But, I will get it done this week.

If it were easy, everyone would do it.
If it were easy, everyone would do it.
If it were easy, everyone would do it. 

peek into my day

I seem to be increasingly interested in the most banal details of other people's routines.  Maybe it's my age, or a function of being a homemaker (though I hate, HATE that word), but what people eat, what their homes look like, and how they manage their time has become intriguing to me.  So, I thought I'd keep track of my own somewhat typical day.  Here's Wednesday, for example:

7:15 a.m.

• wake up to the sound of Hank jabbering in crib and Lola calling "Mommy, I need to go potty"
• bottle for H (I know they say babies don't self-wean before 1 year, but he was completely over breastfeeding for a good month before I threw in the towel and switched to bottles last week)
• H's diaper change/wrestlemania match #1

7:30 a.m.

• grab something to wear from stack of folded laundry left on coffee table last night
• cook breakfast. A true luxury of being an at-home parent is getting to make a warm breakfast every day.  Usually it's pretty simple – stovetop oats, a banana for each of us, black coffee for me, OJ for L – but it felt like we needed a mid-week treat today, so I made popovers dusted with powdered sugar, orange-cranberry sauce, coffee for me, egg nog for L, banana+flax for H 

8:15 a.m.

• eat breakfast
• wipe faces and hands, leave dishes on table

9:00 a.m.

• diaper change/wrestlemania match #2 for H, and he's down for his morning nap
• help L get dressed in her choice of attire, always good for a giggle, today's choice was a shirt and tights, apparently ideal for practicing crane pose
  

• comb L's hair, have her brush teeth with a dry brush because she's out of toothpaste
  
• brush my teeth, put on deodorant, redo ponytail to look slightly less like I just got up

9:30 a.m.

• help L get started on a relatively quiet activity, and persuade her to play a bit more independently than usual so that I can...
  
• completely disregard all of the normal household tasks I would otherwise be doing throughout the morning (laundry, vacuum, dishes) in order to work more on the kitchen deuglyfication which I am so ready to finish at this point that I will now do it at the cost of all else except feeding and cleaning the kids themselves

10:30 a.m.

• Lola is bored, needs potty assistance, and I've completed coat #2 of primer to cover super gross '70s backsplash tile

• help L get out watercolors and paint with her for a few minutes
  

11:15 a.m.

• finish coat #1 of paint on kitchen window trim and backsplash, tidy up paint supplies, put baby gates up in kitchen doorways as H starts to wake from nap
  

11:30 a.m.

• Hank gets up
  
• diaper change/wrestlemania match #3 (man, that kid hates to sit still) 

• L and H play in the living room while I turn a seemingly simple sandwich lunch into three distinct and age-appropriate preparations (as soon as they can eat/chew the same stuff, I swear I'm going to just pile food in the middle of the table)
  

12:00 p.m.

• clear breakfast dishes (nice, huh)
  
• eat lunch
• wipe hands and faces

12:30 p.m.

• grab shoes for everyone, load H in stroller, and go for a quick walk to play at park
  

1:15 p.m.

• back home for nap time. H gets a bottle, diaper change #4, then I lay him down in crib to fall asleep.  L gets a story in her bed, we talk about our day so far and our plans for afternoon, then she spends nap time playing quietly in her room, looking at books, or sometimes actually sleeping.

1:30 p.m.

• my 1½ - 2 hours of "free" time.  Usually workout time, but today I start a quick load of dishes, run downstairs to get H's diapers in the wash, and get back to painting that friggin' backsplash

4:00 p.m.

• oops, lost track of time trying to finish painting in a clock-less room and apparently didn't hear the awake kids.  S walks in from work and wonders why I'm letting H cry (I'm not a cry-it-out fan, so that's not the norm in our house).  Feel like a worthless parent for leaving kiddos locked in their rooms when naps should have been over

4:30 p.m.

• get paint stuff cleaned up and kitchen returned to workable order
• move H's cloth diapers to dryer 
• ignore laundry heap some more

• make a quick trail mix snack for L and me
• H's diaper change #5

4:45 p.m.

• play on living room floor with kiddos and chat with S while he unwinds (Facebook) and opts out of his workout 

• start rice for dinner (why does brown rice take SO long to cook?)
  

5:30 p.m.

• S plays with kids while I work on dinner (teriyaki rice, broccoli, and random veggie "meatballs" because I forgot to buy tofu)

6:00 p.m.

• trade kid patrol with S again so he can cook his chicken

6:15 p.m.

• trade kid patrol yet again so I can get the various levels of chopped/mashed foods plated for each kid and set table while rice finishes
• S paces around holding a hungry H, and L sits in her chair ready to eat (it feels like being circled by hungry hyenas some nights)
  
• dinner is ready, finally
  

6:45 p.m.

• dinner is done, L gets to pick a piece of Halloween candy for dessert
• quick bath routine.  The kids splash in the tub together, then brush teeth, I take H to get him ready for bed, and S takes L
• repeat of nap routine: bottle for H, storytime for L, talking about our day, hugs & kisses, "love you, have a good night's sleep, see you in the morning," close doors behind us, and... quiet

7:10 p.m.

• tidy up.  Put away the toys strewn around living/dining room, clear dinner dishes from table and rinse/soak what can be cleaned quietly (have to tiptoe around a bit until the kids are sound asleep, so the dishwasher's usually unloaded/loaded later right before I go to bed)

7:15 p.m.

• sit on couch just long enough to eat a mini Hershey bar and give S a hard time about skipping his workout 

7:20 p.m.

• head down to basement for an hour and fifteen minutes of working legs, back, and abs.  First time using legs for much more than hobbling in the week since ITBS flared up again, so workout was not easy, but exciting to be able to complete it without knee pain

8:45 p.m.

• flop on couch feeling unusually tired
  
• continue ignoring laundry pile
• watch last week's Office and Community episodes on the laptop with S

9:45 p.m.

• tidy kitchen a little more, but skip loading dishwasher
  
• shower and get ready for bed, where S has already fallen sound asleep
  

10:00 p.m.

• read in bed to wind down (finished The Homework Myth, started Montessori in the Home)
  

10:40 p.m.

• get bored, turn out light, spend maybe 30 minutes getting to sleep (lightning fast for me)

And, there's my day.  Probably should have picked one that was a bit more typical (free of home projects), but hey, that's life.

thank you

This daily blogging goal is tougher than I expected.  I have come to the not-so-shocking realization that I may not do enough uniquely interesting things to write about on a daily basis.  I may have a ton of thoughts buzzing around, but taking care of a couple of kids manages to absorb a big chunk of my time (funny how that happens) and some days I don't even venture out enough to speak to another adult until S gets home late afternoon.  (Actually, now that I think of it, there was a day last week when I didn't speak a word to a single grown-up until he got home at 9:30pm – wow.)

Anyway, that's a roundabout way to say I appreciate that anyone comes here to read this.  I started this blog as a personal journal and a ticket to feel more comfortable commenting on other blogs – a way to be less of a lurker and a more active participant in the online community I had recently discovered.  I didn't really expect that anyone short of the occasional google searcher (a word to those who want to generate blog traffic: include the phrases "athletic maternity swimwear" and "IT band recovery time" in your posts) would find this space.

So, the fact that this too often neglected blog has shown me a handful of people who are inspiring in their amazing achievements, comforting in their commonality, friendly for no good reason...  well, that's pretty great.

It sounds facetious, but really...
Thank you for visiting :)

IT band woes, chapter 1,909,342

It won't be long before I'll be marking the one-year anniversary of this ITBS problem's start.  Ick.

I've run pain-free for a good three months, so I'm stumped on why I re-injured it again the other day.  If injuries come from either trauma, overuse, or weakness, I can't figure out where I fit in.  I didn't fall or do anything acute.  I'm certainly not in the overuse camp, as I've been holding steady at pretty low mileage, planning to start a half marathon plan next month.  And what really has me confused is that I feel like my core strength and flexibility are the best they have ever been.

I did take an easy week while everyone else in the house dealt with a cold virus, so I knew to go easy on that return run and only planned for 3 miles.  It was a hilly route, I suppose, but I used to eat hills up.   Why is this problem plaguing me?  I'm a patient warm-up-er, a devoted stretcher, a careful user of the foam roller.  But still,  even when I'm feeling good, there's a knot halfway down my femur that no amount of rolling will iron out.  My glutes are especially tight after a run, more so on the problem side.  This is clearly turning into a chronic thing, and I'm so over it.

I think it's time to toss my shoes out (and anyone reading this says, duh, moron).  They're still plenty new and the same model I've worn for the past 4 years, but then again I'm convinced that pregnancy #1 changed my gait temporarily, and #2 changed something about my hips for good. I think I've refused to think such a simple thing as footwear could be the problem, but I certainly know how important the right shoe is.  I'm just so cheap!  It's hard to justify not using perfectly usable shoes... but I know, I know. 

I'm skeptical that the fix is as easy as a shoe switch, but I'll be more than happy to admit I was a moron if it turns out all I needed was a $75 shoe purchase all along.  Wishful thinking.

so-so perfectionist

I've always considered myself a perfectionist, wearing that title like a crazy badge of honor.

I'm meticulous about inane cleaning tasks, never satisfied with my artwork, fully absorbed in anything I'm reading, and passionate (that's right, passionate) about finding grammar and spelling errors.  A couple of years ago I would have listed this trait on my résumé, but now, not so much.  I'm seeing the downside of being so black or white about things.

The most obvious example would be today's task: finishing the damn kitchen cabinets.  Instead of feeling good that what once looked like this...

(What!? You say perfectionists don't photograph their kitchens with spinach all over the floor?)

is now more like this...

(lest I need to point out the DRASTIC and EARTH-SHATTERING change here, 

that's not off-white anymore, it's off-grey)

I'm unable to enjoy any feeling of accomplishment because it's not perfect.  I'm stressing that cabinets aren't lining up as well as before (what do you know, there's been a change in the way basic hinges have been manufactured in the last 55 years).  I have a sinking feeling in my stomach, wishing I hadn't opened this can of worms, and frustrated that what needs to just be done is now going to occupy my thoughts and free time until I can get it just right.

The parallels to my triathlon goals are staring right at me.

I want badly to be able to experience life as a triathlete, but can't get over that feeling that I have to do it just right.  I'm so afraid of doing something badly that I've been willing to not do it at all.  What's doubly stupid is that I realize all this.  I get how ridiculous it is, how limiting. 

It's not that I think I need to win a race before I'll enter (ha!), it's that I need to do my best, and there's always a reason why I'm not ready to do that.  I can't afford to swim, I have a nagging running injury, I'm terrified of being hit by a car on my bike. I'll get into triathlon when money's better, when my IT band is better, when my bike fear disappears.  Then everything will be perfect, right?

Oh my god!  ENOUGH ALREADY!

Perfectionism is clearly NOT working for me, and while I can't deny that it's part of my personality, perhaps there's room to just be a so-so perfectionist. 

So, here's to doing things poorly sometimes.  Maybe those cabinets will line up tomorrow, and maybe they won't.  And if not, they'll still be there, holding pots & pans.  Maybe things will align and I'll get to train the way I want, but when they don't, I'll still go after things I want to achieve.  And I'll do them, for better or worse.

the bright side

I should be sulking because the IT band knee has been on ice tonight (yep, that jackass flared up again), but I'm determined to keep in mind that it was a pretty good day. 

I made a good chunk of progress on our "mini" kitchen remodel that started three years ago.  Lola, Hank, and S are finally getting over a virus that made them miserable for a few days and then lingered over a week (but somehow skipped me, even after Hank sneezed directly in my mouth a couple times and Lola sneakily "shared" my water glass all week).  Dinner was made by someone other than me.  And even if it ended up hurting, at least I got out for my run.

If nothing else, I suppose the whole ITBS will give me something daily to gripe about all November long.

the no-sugar challenge

So, clearly this is the wrong week to talk about my efforts to quit sugar.  Especially today, when I may or may not have eaten my weight in little York Peppermint Patties from one of the 5 bags left after swine-flu-a-phobia kept the trick-or-treaters home last weekend. 

But, before Halloween proved too tough a challenge to resist, I was plugging along nicely.  So far, what has worked:

:: No drizzle of syrup or sprinkle of brown sugar on daily breakfast oats.  Instead of slicing a whole banana as topping, I mash half of it and mix in with the oats to sweeten a little.

:: No cookies.  This has been tough for me, but I've stopped baking weekly cookies.  I've satisfied the baking itch with weekly bread instead, and made maybe a half batch of cookies (sweetened without cane sugar) every other week.

:: More fruit. I thought I was already buying a ton of fruit, but I've learned I have to buy a lot more to truly have enough for extra snacks.  It's tough to fit it into the food budget, so I mix frozen fruit with seasonal sale fruit, eat a lot of a couple things for a week at a time, then move on.

:: Having naturally sweet and comforting snacks on hand.  The worst time of day for me is my mid-morning snack, when I need something sort of sweet, but more substantial than fruit to pair with my 2nd cup of coffee.  Nuts and dried fruit work, or maple banana muffins, or homemade peanut butter granola balls, but the trick is that they have to be ready to go.

what is not working:

:: Having our blender and our food processor both crap out on us last month, which means our daily smoothies are no more.  That was such an easy way to get a really delicious and perfectly healthy sweet fix, it's been hard to substitute.  Note to all: when a plastic spindle is supposed to spin a plastic cog to power a big blade that is supposed to blend things, those two plastic parts will inevitably meld together (which is really a long way of saying DON'T EVER BUY A CUISINART BLENDER).

:: Allowing sugar junk in the house at all.  If it is here, we will eat it.  Boy, will we eat it. Halloween candy, a pie brought by family, leftovers from a get-together:  all have been problems this week.  I've got to find a way to ration out the junk food so that we're somewhere between wasteful (by throwing it out) and gluttonous (eating it all at once to "be done with it").

:: Having this recently appear in my life:

And it's not just any ice cream flavor, it's sugar flavor. 

SUGAR-FLAVORED ICE CREAM. 

But see, I said I wouldn't let my no-sugar goals get in the way of trying new things or experiencing the true pleasures of food.  How did I go 31 years without tasting something so delicious?  And what will I do when the pint is gone?

a belated Happy Halloween

My fretting/planning/type A mind is on to Thanksgiving, a certain someone's first birthday, then (crap) x-mas, but my photo card isn't past Halloween yet.

The little guy was squeezed into a hand-me-down, store-bought, completely random chicken costume.  Sure, it's a little weird to dress a boy as a chicken, but so much more bizarre that he absolutely LOVED wearing that awful fluffy get-up. 

Now, that handmade triceratops costume was quite the test of Mommy's fledgling sewing and knitting skills, but I was actually pleased with the result (that's part of it above, being worn with pajamas first thing in the AM).  From the frill/horn hat to the tail, the four feet to the leaf-themed treat bag, every last bit of it was made from materials that were found around the house.  I let on that I was a little put out with such a tough costume request – are you sure you don't want to be a cat? – but really, I eat this stuff up.  I am a little lot crazy.

This sounds petty, but I have to admit that getting all wrapped up in creating Lola's ideal Halloween was rewarding for me.  I've been feeling inadequate lately about my family contributions, so pulling off a costume project was a welcome challenge (distraction?).  I make no secret of being thoroughly thrilled that she has lived in at least part of that costume from the minute I snipped the last thread.  Sure, I may not be bringing in income or meeting the grocery budget, but at least I can make fun things.

And I'm not even going to try to make this relevant to triathlon training; I'll save that for tomorrow, or the next day, or one of the the 26 days after that.  See, I'm going to participate in National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) to try to get back in the habit of using this spot more as a journal to note smaller bits of progress and ideas.  I doubt I'll make daily posting a long-term thing, but I think trying it for a month will be good for my mind.

sweet fall

I'm in a hopeful mood lately, something about the new season and starting fresh. A lot of things are just plain old going well, and boy, that's a welcome change...

:: Fall :: Man oh man, I'm such a summer bum at heart, but I've recently learned to love this season in the Midwest (even if it's only about month long). I've gotten over the bittersweet winter-is-coming dread that used to ruin fall for me, and now it's the one time of year I don't even slightly envy people in tropical climates. This October may have been extra chilly and Seattle-ish drippy for some freakish reason, but it's still fall, and I'll enjoy it while it's here.

It's hard to get too down about the rain when, even on the grey-est of grey backdrops, we still get to see these colors right out our own back door:


:: Sleep :: It only took 10 months and five teeth, but H finally started consistently sleeping through the night. Phew. That was a long year (late pregnancy included) of rarely more than 4 consecutive hours of sleep. And wow, I am so much smarter and faster and pleasant-er when I'm rested ;)

:: Fall running :: Have I mentioned I love fall yet? There might not be anything better than running over crunching leaves, smelling wood burning, seeing new colors every day, feeling that air that's just crisp enough, but not chilling. Recovery chocolate milk becomes recovery hot cocoa and morning oatmeal is full of pumpkin and cinnamon. I'm not exactly sure what temperature it is, but the one right above where you need gloves and a hat? Yep, I'd bottle that one up if I could.

The two kiddos actually enjoy jogging stroller time even when I'm all business and there's no fun destination like the park or library. Oh, and L insists on getting out during my cool-down so she can jog too (be still, my heart).

:: Spring goals that mean winter speedwork :: Ok, maybe that one's got a little dread mixed in, but here's the scoop: My so-called off season is wrapping up, and next month, I start half-marathon training!

What? How does this work for the girl with no entry fee $? Well, I sent an email off to a race director and made a deal to do some pre-event volunteering in exchange for a race entry in early April.

I am super excited to race and eager to find out what I can do at this distance. I actually love winter running, but have never tried to achieve specific paces in ice/snow. With no treadmill access, slippery track workouts could get interesting (if anyone has any tricks for outdoor winter speed work, I'm all ears!).

ummmm.... hello?

Whoops, long time no post.

I thought for awhile that I was avoiding this space for lack of motivation or progress, but eventually realized it was simply for lack of time. I sort of forgot that I more than doubled my workout time two months ago, and didn't connect that the time I usually blog or piddle around on the internet (when both kiddos nap after lunch) was completely deleted from my routine.

I've still gotten in a little internet time late at night since, apparently, no matter how tired I am, I will pry my eyes open just to consciously waste time once I know everyone else is asleep and I can finally feel off-duty. But, in the interest of making sense, I haven't been blogging in that barely awake time. I've also been a particularly crappy commenter while people I follow (cyberstalk?) do really amazing comment-worthy things, but I got to the point where I had so many posts marked to go back and comment that it felt like an obligation. Too bad I can't send a mass message: Here's a belated GOOD JOB to you on your __________ ! (insert: comeback race/wedding/move across the world/Ironman finish/return to health/baby milestone, etc. as appropriate)

So, yeah. The "off season" workouts are going well and I'm feeling more fit than I have in a long time. Heavy core work was just what I needed to finally feel fully recovered from pregnancy #2, and I'm hoping it'll be what kicks my IT band kinks to the curb too.

Perhaps more importantly, the intentional time off of endurance activities has already made me feel more mentally rested and focused on what I want in the coming year. I'm thinking of some winter goals to chase and *shocker* I've decided to break my no-racing ban in order to run a late winter/early spring half marathon. More on how I plan to make that happen soon enough, but for now, I just wanted to break my little silent strike.

IT band recovery update

I've hesitated posting much about my ITBS progress for awhile. No, I'm not superstitious, but this has turned out to be the most finicky injury I've ever had. It's like a parasite that actually wants to fool you into running, re-injuring, and keeping it around.

The time of recovery right after the acute pain was gone (about one month after injury first appeared) was the most frustrating. I'd build up to the point where I was perfectly comfortable with all sorts of activity, and then I'd do something innocuous like walk off the 4-inch porch step just so and -- damn -- back to square one.

That made me hit the physical therapy activities (a combo of online advice + my doctor's suggestions) with more discipline -- lunges galore, one-legged bridge pose, step-downs, sideways leg lifts, specific stretches, etc. -- but even after more than a month of that, I still felt stalled. Thing is, those activities all mainly targeted a gluteus medius weakness/tightness as the cause of the ITBS, but I didn't really need as much work in that area as the norm (I think squatting 800 times a day to lift two small kids and/or their many accessories had my glutes in dandy shape, thank you very much).

Ultimately, I think all that specific work and excessive stretching was counterproductive for my injury, and actually ended up delaying recovery. I can certainly see now how ITBS varies greatly from one person to the next, but here's what ended up letting me run again:

1. Rest -- it took a week of rest/ice/ibuprofen, then another 3 weeks of taking it really easy to feel up to running. Once the round-the-clock pain was gone, I walked daily, swam 2 times a week without too much kick emphasis, did yoga, and did a little targeted stretching.

2. Rolling -- I still haven't found a stretch that's just right, but using my "foam roller" judiciously tended to help. It took a little trial and error to find just the right amount of rolling to work out the kinks without overdoing the hurts-so-good factor, but rolling lightly and regularly has been better than stretching.

3. Running -- I know they say there's no such thing as recovery running, but I took a really conservative approach. For me, that meant FORM, SPEED, and REST were key.

• Form -- I had slipped back into my old ballet-induced overpronation problems during the hip wonkiness of pregnancy #2, and it took some focus to get my feet parallel again and right under my hips rather than crossing my midline. I can tell my shoes aren't helping, but have to make do with that for now (I'm a forefoot striker, stuck with the heavily heel-cushioned Asics Nimbus, planning to switch to a low-profile Nike next time I'm due for shoes). I had to avoid all downhill running for months, especially with the jogging stroller, because that unavoidable braking motion was a big pest.
  
• Speed -- I really pushed the pace to keep my momentum way forward and avoid stalling on my hips. To run any considerable distance at this tough pace, I had to take regular walk breaks (NOT jog breaks), but the short, track-like efforts did wonders for my morale. It made me feel like I was still accomplishing something, instead of being pathetic.
  
• Rest -- Running every other day worked perfectly. No more, no less.

So, where am I now, 7 months after this problem appeared?

At this point, running causes no pain and I've managed to do a little cycling without trouble (running caused the pain at first, while the bike was the worst offender after the injury). But, to be completely honest, I can still feel an unhealthy tightness when I stretch so I have to accept that I'm not 100%...

and therefore all of the above should probably be disregarded.

I'm coming off of a little running break again, working on whole body strength including a neglected area that really is a big weakness for me -- abs. In my entirely unprofessional approach, I've decided that working in a more holistic way is more healing than targeting any specific spots. I've certainly got the time to wait for slow improvement, so I'm willing to be more patient with this recovery than others with more immediate goals might be.

Now, If I'm still not feeling 100% by the end of the year, I'll probably suck it up and find someone who actually knows their stuff.

training for what, exactly?

I've been feeling disconnected from this little blog for awhile. To be honest, I've been disconnected from the whole swimbikerun thing lately which makes it feel quite insincere to keep a triathlon blog. I guess my goals seem more someday than today lately -- not to be attained anytime soon for reasons I'm just plain tired of listing.

But, I feel like those on-the-shelf goals are OK where they are because, even if I'm sort of stuck right now, at least I have them. I realize it's probably not very interesting for anyone to read about someone else's floundering goals, but this is an entirely selfish blog, after all. Sticking with this blog (even half-assedly) keeps the long-term picture in mind, which is the reason I end up popping in to say, "no training here," even though I swore I wouldn't post stuff like that.

On that note, while I'm not training for a race right now and won't be anytime this year, I'm not ready to say I'm just exercising (snob alert). I still hold out that I can call it training as long as I'm working toward a goal. Right now that goal is to build a solid base of experience, fitness, and habit that's there to count on when I am ready to hit a specific plan.

As far as immediate goals, I started to get really down about being so derailed from my summer plans, even worse now with all the late-summer and fall races, so I came up with a slightly backwards approach to stop the frustration: I decided to call this fall my "off-season" (but hmm, you say, when was the on-season, again?). I'm targeting a variety of strength issues right now (rather than in the middle of winter) with a plan that is way outside my comfort zone. There's no swimming, biking, or running involved, but I am leaving the door open to enjoy the best running weather of the year. I still occasionally feel the ghost of IT band problems, so it helps to have the attitude that I'm finally doing the hardcore core work to start next year perfectly healthy and balanced.

So, for anyone wondering low long this procrastinator can keep blogging about thinking about planning about training for someday getting into triathlon...

I guess the answer is:

as long as it takes.

enough already

I can hardly believe I'm saying this, but here goes:

It's time to say goodbye to sugar.

Now, I still believe that dessert plays a key role in a balanced and happy life, but I've found myself suffering the effects of sugar, and need to take a break for awhile.

I've had hypoglycemia-ish problems for ages, but it seems to be getting worse lately. While I usually feel lucky to have fast metabolism, when my blood sugar crashes, it crashes hard and fast, enough to worry me a few times.

Plus, lately I've been surrounded by sugar, sugar, sugar at the in-laws' house. And talk about irony -- the diabetic's pantry is grossly overloaded with sugar, and then what do people bring her when she's sick? More sugar. It feels like I've been on two months of holiday vacation, eating comfort food that I don't find particularly comforting just because it's there.

So, in typical all-or-nothing fashion, I'm making a drastic change. A few months of no cane sugar, long enough for me to kick the habit and work through all the things I normally cook/eat to find alternatives. I'm OK with some honey, agave, and maple syrup, but don't want to just load my diet up with those things either. Eventually, I hope to find a reasonable balance, but right now I want to significantly shift my taste and craving for sweets.

I do have a few exceptions to stay sane:
1. One sugary dessert a week isn't the end of the world, but it'd better be worth it (no eating boring junk just because I have my weekly allowance to use up).
2. I'm not going to let this keep me from trying new things -- being vegetarian or vegan my entire adult life, I've refused enough foods already.
3. I'm not going to raise freaked-out kids and start insisting on sugarless birthday cakes or anything. Lola already has a good handle on eating balanced foods without being afraid of occasional treats, so I don't intend to change her diet much.

I'm 5 days into this little challenge, and I have to say, I really do feel a difference already. Most notably, my energy level is unusually steady, even with a couple nights of disrupted sleep. Another perk, I had a serving of peach applesauce (that I've had several times before and thought was so-so) that suddenly tasted so vividly delicious because I hadn't had anything sweet all day -- really an eye-opener.

Luckily, this little change of mine coincides with the husband's big new fitness goals, so it's perfect timing for him too. I'm not even remotely looking to lose weight, so my main challenge so far has been to find snacks that substitute the calories I was getting from a daily dessert (or two or three). Let's just say, you have to eat a lot of snap peas to equal a chocolate chip cookie.

new normal

Today, S starts a much deserved new position at work, his mom gets to resume her chemoradiation regimen (after the troubling threat that progress would be called off altogether, that's as fantastic as a misery-inducing treatment can possibly be), and our little home life has the feeling of a new school year, with new goals and lots of learning all around.

A few days ago, Hank woke up one morning and decided it was time to:

1. Crawl
2. Pull up
3. Climb
4. Eat finger foods
5. Sleep through the night (FINALLY)
6. Self-wean except for early morning and evening
7. Jump off the bed

People always say, "man, I wish I had some of that energy," about kids, but I look at Hank and wish I had his persistence. He is a boundary-pusher in a way that I've never seen. It is both terrifying (see #7 above), and awe-inspiring. Talk about intrinsic drive.

Oh, and he's REALLY charming. Really serious trouble, I tell ya...


Lola's also having a super month, suddenly interested in reading and writing. I'm so opposed to over-structured lessons at this age (or any, really), trying instead to just let things come up as they're naturally relevant to our activities, so it's extra amazing to see what she is able to piece together, and where her curiosity then goes. She (and we) would be so suited to our local Montessori school, but that unattainable private tuition is the ONE thing that makes me regret being a single-income family. She may just be three, but we're starting now to toughen her up for the mean ol' suburban public school system...


As for my routine, I got back to running last week, and have picked up morning yoga again since I've discovered Hank thinks it's a riot to watch me bend and stretch, giggling ridiculously every time I look up (which is handy when he's ready to be entertained at 6AM and I can't do anything productive around the house for fear of waking Lola). My summer goals aren't too far lost to be salvaged, so I'm setting out this week to reclaim my habits.

Maybe it's an uncharacteristically optimistic morning, or maybe it's the return of my coveted coffee (after trying to behave with a week of boring green tea), but for the first time in awhile, it feels like things are going well. This may not have been the summer we expected, but that's starting to be OK.

off course

Sheesh, I tried to write this post about how the last month has gone -- mainly how S's mom's illness has affected us -- but really, it just felt all over the place (no coincidence, given my completely structure-less life right now).

So, briefly:

S's mom was finally released from the hospital yesterday, but still has a long road of recovery before she'll even be considered well enough to resume chemo/radiation. There's a chance that could take a really long time, too long. So, while cancer is surely the real enemy, and maybe it can't be avoided, at least you'll have a better chance of getting through the treatment process if you're not obese, diabetic, asthmatic, and hypertensive.

I'm both frustrated with S's mom's unhealthy life, and newly resolved to have control over the health of my own family. All of us.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Oh, and I really, really miss running.

catching our breath

Coming up for air here -- haven't even been thinking about training for the last two weeks+

Well, that's a lie, I've been thinking about it, but there's just no room.

S's mom (a VERY involved grandma who is part of our kids' daily lives) had a terrible chain of rare adverse reactions to her supposed-to-be-ordinary cancer treatments (chemo/radiation) that ultimately landed her in the hospital, critically ill. S has been with her nearly all the time, first providing crucial care in her home (she was unable to even lift her own arms), now standing watch in her hospital room, trading 12-hour shifts with his sister.

I'm pretty useless, just hanging out at S's mom's house as invisibly as possible, trying to be the support crew for the caretakers, cleaning, taking care of kids, cleaning, cooking, cleaning. Did I mention I'm cleaning? It's how I use my nervous energy when I'm not able to work out.

I have a lot of nervous energy.

And a new appreciation for the comforting ritual of exercise. I crave it the way I crave coffee. I see people out running and think how nice that their lives are stable enough for a run. I am so very looking forward to things getting back to normal -- for many reasons -- and I think getting out for some exercise will be a signal to me that we're at least coping with this stress in a healthy way.

added: Oh, and due to all this I had to (ironically) back out on my intentions to contribute to Lil Runner's bake sale to benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. So, please help me feel less guilty by baking, donating, or buying a little something extra :)

done and done

Finally get out the door for the first real bike ride since having kids?

Check. (finally)

Accept that a well-ventilated, made-in-the-21st-century helmet is not going to drop into my lap anytime soon, suck it up and brave the ridicule of wearing old mushroom helmet?

Check.

Realize 5 minutes out that the conservatively inflated front tire is so conservative it's borderline flat?

Check. (some cyclist snickered and called out "FLAT," and I wanted to say, "no shit Mr. Helpful, and get this: it was intentional, so scurry your douchey shirt along and wait to mock me out of earshot, please.")

Be reminded that runners are a much friendlier group than pimped out bike snobs?

Check. (Nerd helmet + low tire + clip-on aerobars + pink running shirt = scorn of cyclists)

Realize that no matter how hard you thought you were pushing on the trainer, it just isn't the same?

Check.

Wonder if you live in the hilliest neighborhood in Kansas?

Check.

Feel like a kid again cruising down hills?

Check.

Successfully maneuver a few uphill stoplight intersections, unclipping and clipping in without drama?

Check.

Make it all the way home, turn into the driveway feeling completely accomplished, then lean to the clipped-in side and crash in the grass of your own front yard?

Check. (and the only witness? Standoffish über-cycling-enthusiast-neighbor. Of course.)

downhill

Don't be misled by the title -- downhill is a good thing. As in...

I ran downhill for the first time since February without injuring myself!

Seriously, I've gingerly avoided the downhills for months now, worried about starting the whole ITBS fiasco over again. It was starting to get frustrating to keep trudging up hills, just to suddenly stop at the crest and walk down the "easy" part. Last night I was finally feeling brave enough to run down, relaxing with the momentum, but keeping my steps as quick and itty bitty as possible.

Mind you, these "hills" are Kansas bumps, but still...

little victories,

little victories.

remedial

In yet another money-related confession, I've offered to forego race fees for the next two years during our student loan/credit crunch time as long as I can have guilt-free reign to race once our debts are gone. It's actually not too bad of a compromise since I'm not necessarily where I wanted to be fitness-wise this time of year (ITBS), but I've still been happily plugging along with workouts so that when the gates are cleared, I'm ready to jump out there.

I'm (perhaps excessively) intrinsically motivated so I don't always need a group race to legitimize the accomplishment of breaking an old limit (though I do still crave competition, even if it's just a passive-aggressive race with the blue-hair ladies in the pool right now). I'd say it's time to embrace my novice regimen for what it is (piddling around) and recognize that while I'm still tiptoeing around an injury, there's still plenty of fun stuff to achieve.

So, here are my REMEDIAL TRAINING GOALS for the summer:

1. No More Cycling Hamster

• Enough blabbing about it -- I've GOT to get the bike off the trainer (aka hamster wheel) and outside.
• time: ASAP, definitely before my birthday (later this month).
  

2. Find My Own Ice Age

• Call it masochism, or call it morbid curiosity, but I'm determined to find out for myself what the whole ice bath thing is all about. It's a goal in itself to be able to put out enough sustained effort to warrant an ice bath, so I'm actually looking forward to reaching that threshold and then working to bump it up.
• time: mid-July
  

3. Excessive Grooming

• I miss the old days when I used to do enough to need not one, but two showers a day, and I want to get back there. First step toward that is to work my running into an early morning routine. As much as I am NOT an early bird, I really do love to start my day with a workout (once I'm up and going), and the earlier it is, the easier to forget that effort and do something else later in the day. Note I'm not saying I'll actually get to take two showers, just that I'll need them.
• time: this month

4. Start Humbly at the Bottom (and Follow Through)

• I've decided that the best way for me to get back in running shape is to continue upping my efforts really gradually, keeping a quicker-than-normal pace for shorter distances -- no long slow miles right now. I half-assedly started a 5K training plan last week just to give myself a little structure, but I'm actually having fun focusing on my form and I think I'll stick with the plan for the full 12 weeks. I'll run my own time trial at the end, mainly to make myself complete the plan before I'm tempted to start adding distance, but also to record some sort of time for this year.
• time: 5K time trial August 23 August 15
  

5. Just Keep Swimming

• Use every last opportunity to get to the pool while it's open, since it's a sure bet I'll miss it when it's gone (I don't plan to pay for Masters next winter).
• time: NOW! Surely I can fit in 4 swims per week.

And there are my lofty goals: to sweat a little more, put ice in my bathwater, go swimming a little, ride my bike, and complete a novice 5K plan. Remedial indeed, but I can find a challenge anywhere, and I think this will be a fun summer nonetheless.