Tag: life

Whenever

You know I used to pretty good about posting weekly recaps on Mondays. Then Tuesdays… and now? Whenever, wherever… Oops, Shakira moment.

Yeah, my tendency to turn everything into a song lyric has been working overdrive lately. A new way to deal with stress? Throw some levity into life? Who knows.

Any who.

The previous week saw one bike session and sadly only one running session. Boo. I had plans for more, I really did. I can’t seem to get myself running after work again. It’s not a dark thing- night running is kind of fun but I also can’t put my finger on what it is. But I really need to work on it.

I went out for my first virtual race of the year on Saturday- Oakland 5000. It went about as well as I could have expected considering my lack of running lately. Granted it was also an unseasonably warm day but maybe I should stop making excuses? My pace is what it is now and it will remain that way until I decide to make it something different.

I had plans for a nice trail run but things went off the rails Saturday night. I took the Pops to urgent care in the evening- for a tick! Ok, there are some downsides to trails. He’s fine but we picked up dinner at a burger place and eating later than normal and a burger at that sent my damn GI system into a tailspin. I was a mess for the next 72 hours. Yay, me. I probably need to up one of my meds but I really don’t want to. The top drawer in my bedside table resembles a drug store. Grrr.

Which also hammered home my last dr’s appointment. So now I am watching my carbs, cutting back on artificial sugars which is a pain. Hell, even my toothpaste has been swapped out.

Tell me something good!

Fast

Where did January go? How is this even possible?

Hell, considering I started this post on Monday and it’s now Friday that you are reading it… where did the week go?

I did not get in the miles I had hoped in January. I ended the month with 25 ish miles. Which if we are being honest, is kind of on par with the last few months. Stupid 2020.

I really had hoped for more but the month went by stupid fast. I think I have whiplash, ha. Work got a little chaotic-like. First general busy-ness then a surprise inspection followed by a big maintenance project that I totally wanted but wasn’t ready for. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad it was done but wow was I unprepared for one day to become last week. And this week.

January saw road miles and dirt miles. 2 very different views of the Pacific Ocean, both good. Still on the fence about the trail shoes but hopefully getting there.

With my time flying realization, it also occurred to me that I have races in the next few months, I should probably get on a training plan for. Oops. I have the Napa Valley Perfect Pairing (virtual), the Oakland Marathon half (virtual) which I should downgrade to the 10K. Then a maybe IRL race- Saguaro Half Marathon out in Tucson. All in the next 8ish weeks.

Proving that I still don’t look at calendars well.

A Moment

Running wise, January has gotten off to a slower start than I had hoped for.

Life wise, holy crap, where is the brake? How is it almost February???? I need a moment. Or 5.

Also, if this post reads a little disjointed, it might be that I have been trying to write it for 5 day but keep dozing off in my chair. Oops.

I haven’t been a complete lay about. I have made it out for a few runs and finally got the spin bike in the house and shoes ordered. However I have only used the bike once since the shoes arrived. Oops?? I also signed for that 2 month Peleton free trial but with no onboard computer on the bike, who knows what I am actually doing?

I’ve had a few decent runs and some very slow ones. Spent some time in the dirt and got my new trail shoes dirty. Actually it’s been a long time since I felt like a kid on the trails. It was fun aiming for the rockiest parts instead of taking it easy like I have for the past year or so. Still not sold on the shoes though, it’s been a long stretch of bad luck, so I am not ready to commit just yet.

I have high hopes for the weekend and running but forecasters are predicting we might actually get rain. Say what? It can’t be real. We won’t know how to react!!! No but seriously, rain is desperately needed so as long as it comes in nice and slow, bring it on. Thunderstorms and burn scars make for a bad combo.

We just finished a big, surprise audit at work so my brain may take a little vacation this weekend. It’s been a busy, hectic, chaotic week or so. Maybe I’ll take a nap this weekend.

How has your January been?

Peace Out 2020

I really shouldn’t have said so many bad things about 2019. 2020 was just cackling in the background.

However, instead of digging into the dumpster fire that it was, lets talk about something else.
So, yes, last year went according to no plan but there were some things that didn’t suck.

I ran 2 IRL races. One local 8 miler in January with no medals or bibs or shirts so I kind of feel like I have nothing to show for it. Oh wait- a blog post here!

I ran half marathon #40 on March 1 in Napa. Yeah, not what I had hoped for half #40 but maybe indicative of the shi**storm that was coming. If you missed the sh*tshow- here’s a post!

Then the world went, well you know and my motivation took a huge nosedive. My first canceled race was in mid- March and it went downhill from there.

But moving on.

Work went cuckoo in April and then I received news that I was transferring offices in May. 3 times the size of my current one, so I guess I’m doing something right? I feel like I hit the ground running and haven’t stopped since.

Most of my canceled races transitioned to virtual, very few deferred or postponed. I also signed up for a few virtual challenges. However it took months for any semblance of motivation to come back. I’m still not sure it’s back but I am getting there. Maybe. That’s another post.

So…. yearly mileage. Yeah. I saw a number I haven’t seen since the first year or 2 when I was running. I ran 327 miles in 2020. Yay??

No, it’s not great but it is better than it could have been. When I say I was lazy outside of work- I was lazy. I am only now beginning to realize my stress level and my coping are not where they should be.

For a year with no miles, I may have the biggest medal haul yet-

Not sure how I feel about that. And some are not in this picture as I don’t feel I earned them. Something for 2021 right??

Oh- I did escape to the Grand Canyon and Sedona in the fall. First time as an adult and now I can’t wait to get back there.

Also, I have either optimistically or naively signed up for real race in 2021. Fingers crossed!

Catching Up

The week after my little escape was the week of Thanksgiving.

Even with the holiday week being busy catching up and being tired from the trip, I still managed to get out for 3 runs that week. It doesn’t sound like much but considering my track record for 2020, it’s pretty damn good.

Not to say it was all rosy. The more I ran, the more I noticed that my backside hurt. I knew I had a very large bruise but now I felt pain in my hips and lower back. Maybe I landed harder than I thought? So I took a few days off. Like I really need an excuse to be lazy. Plus work was a little cuckoo so I was usually beat by the end of the day.

Actually, I know part of my problem is ripping off the band-aid. That first night run every year carries nerves. Which is silly I know. I have good routes. Or I did, that is part of my issue now. I don’t run from work when it’s dark out for a couple of reasons. I used to drive to another office and run from there- I had a nice street to run on. Except now that office is my office and the street has a lot of construction right now. More than a few sidewalks are tore up and blocked off. On both sides of the street. Grrr.

Which leaves me only one runnable night route. And I am not a fan of that predictability. I admit I probably don’t think about running solo all that often (yes, I have pepper spray) but dark o’clock winter does make me a little nervous.

And then there’s morning running but then worrying about mountain lions and my beast of a driveway become a thing. Dude, I need a treadmill. Honestly, it’s not even the price of a treadmill that is holding me back. It’s that I have zero space to put it. Zero. I can’t even find space in the garage. Also, that would be fun- a 30 degree morning run in winter and 110 degree run in summer. Yay, for California weather.

Maybe I just need to whine it out before I rip off the band aid. Maybe.