On the Brightside

Happy Tuesday! Congrats on surviving Monday!  At least that’s how it felt to me.  🙂

Even though I had used my one rest day on Thursday for the mixer, Sunday was less of a real workout and more of catching up on things.  I worked up quite a sweat cleaning my car.   I don’t know if that’s more indicative of how hard I worked or how dirty it really was.  I spent over an hour on just the inside.   It is now so very clean.   Well, the windows are still streaky but that’s because I have zero talent at washing car windows.  Seriously, it’s bad.  This may be a cop-out but I called that my workout for the day.  🙂

All were in my car, I think I have a problem
All were in my car, I think I have a problem

Other than that little blip, I’ve been doing really good with my no excuses plan so far.  I have had plenty of reasons to skip a workout but I wouldn’t let myself.  First the two weeks of little to no sleep; that at least finally getting a little better.  No lie, there have been more than a few naps.  Then it’s like since I made a comment that I may as well get used to my stomach never being perfect, it decided to pick a fight with me.  And it is still fighting with me, so yeah, June’s been a little rough.   But I’ve kept trucking.  And running, even if they haven’t been the best workouts.    I am currently on track for one of my best month’s mileage wise, knock on wood.  Pace, however has taken a big hit.  So, I am trying to think optimistically and call this a base reinforcing month.

I came to this lovely epiphany while running yesterday.   My mother wanted to try the new path again without Zoey and asked if I would run it while she walked it.  We figured we would pass each other a time or two.   I needed to do 5 miles but again my stomach was hating me so I was wondering if I could even complete 2.   I walked most of the first mile with my mom before attempting to pick up the pace. I focused on my breathing and tried to keep a steady pace and just kept going.    I made it to the top of the street, turned around and headed back.  I passed my mother but we just waved and kept moving.   I felt a little rough but at the same time this felt like the best run I have had all month.    I knew I wouldn’t hit 5 unless I deviated from the path, so I went right onto one street and looped back around into the housing complex before then turning off onto the trail section for the last bit.  I finished up my 5 just as my mom was completing her walk.  There were some rough moments but I just kept breathing and this turned into the best run of June so far. good5

While running, I was thinking about my stupid stomach and how this time last year I would have just said screw it and not run, even if that meant a month off.  And yes, that’s happened before.  But, realistically, these flares happen, so better to deal with it than ignore it.   So with that being said, I have decided that my last few month of runs haven’t been that bad, all complaining aside.   This flare will pass and I will reintroduce speed work into my work outs.  I actually kind of miss it.  🙂   And if that doesn’t work, I have an appointment to see my gastro doc in August.  I’m not sure where this sudden shiny outlook is coming from, normally I’m rain clouds and cynicism.  Who spiked my Diet Coke?!

After yesterday’s great run, I kind of really wanted to run today.  However I had made dinner plans to catch up with a friend I hadn’t seen in a while.  Since the schedule was gonna be tight, I decided to make today my rest day.  I also used that as a reason to finally get the blood work that I have been putting off.  So far, no bruising, woo hoo!  Dinner was good and I got the perfect fortune in my cookie-cookie

It’s almost Hump day! Almost at the half way point now!

Ever get any good fortunes?
How about a running epiphany?

 

11 thoughts on “On the Brightside”

  2. I would totally count an hour spent cleaning out the car as a work out! I call those my “natural” workouts – getting my exercise in organically! And I refuse to listen to anyone who attempts to tell me otherwise!

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  3. Haha, I second Courtney’s question… whoever’s spiking your Coke, will they share?!

    I’ve had one running epiphany that I can remember… it was after a long stretch of hot, summer races where my finishing times were getting longer and longer and I was feeling discouraged. One race ended up being rainy and cooler (60s instead of 80s and 90s) and around the 2.5-mile mark I all of a sudden felt an overwhelming love for running and felt like I could keep running forever. It happened at just the right time… I was so discouraged before that I might not have kept at it!

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  4. I love reading fortune cookies but don’t always put stock into them. They’re just fun to read 🙂
    I ditto the newspaper instead of paper towels for windows!

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  5. I think I’ll have some of that diet coke that you’re having! I consider cleaning out my car a huge workout. It takes me forever and I, too, suck at cleaning windows. I do use newspaper sometimes and it does work much better, but we quit getting the paper because no one was reading it and we just had a huge pile of newspapers inside the front door, after a few years of that, I canceled our subscription. I have gastroparesis, and it’s forever changed my life. Last Friday, I had my 2nd feeding tube put in. I had another one back in 2010, for 9 months. Not so sure, but this one just might be forever. As you know gastroparesis isn’t curable, so it’s not going to go away or get any better and mine doesn’t come and go, mine is a daily struggle, every day for the past 5 or 6 years. I never want to have this surgery, again. I’m glad you’re able to run and keep active. I hope it stays that way for you. I wish you the very best on this difficult journey and I look forward to following your blog. Take care. Keep running…………………………………………:)

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    1. I already need to clean it again! How does that happen so quickly?! It’s the flare ups that have always made me question the diagnosis. Especially when I hear stories like yours, of people having a truly difficult time. I should be more thankful for everyday. I hope that you are doing better after your surgery and that the tube does not have to be permanent. Thank you for stopping by 🙂

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      1. I haven’t cleaned out the inside of my car in over a year. How embarrassing is that? Not that I go too many places, but it just seems to get dirty, quickly. I have no idea how that happens. LOL Now, with the flare ups, that is normal for most people. I’m just so lucky to have to deal with it every day. I got out of the hospital last Tuesday and was readmitted Friday. I wasn’t tolerating the tube feedings when I got up to 50cc/hr and they wanted me to get up to 80cc/hr within 7 days. The night I put it on 50cc/hr, I had to stop it within 30 minutes because I became so nauseated. Not sure what’s going to happen. Take care. I hope you are getting along “okay.” 🙂

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