Because I haven't blogged in a really long time and you probably think I don't blog anymore...
Ok, so I know I have sinfully neglected this blog for way too long now. Isn't that like the worst thing you can do when you aspire to awesome readership and literary fame? Pretty much, but it can't be helped. I always know I am in a crazy spot when I can't think of even one topic that would be suitable for blogging. Normally, my day consists of endless things I think I could over-share about. In fact, my last blog post was August 18th - yikes. What has kept me so busy for practically two months you ask? Well, I'm not sure I can account for all of the nonsense, but I can tell you that most of my precious time has been eaten up by work travel. There has still been a lot of running and a very nice vacation thrown in the mix.
Fall is both my favorite time of year and the most hectic for us. We always take a pretty big vacation around our anniversary and this year we are fortunate enough to be headed to Barcelona in late October. I feel like I have been killing myself every month trying to be ahead of my year end work goals so I can take off for three weeks and enjoy myself. It's almost not worth it, truth be told. I love taking a big long trip - who doesn't love big long trips? But, I don't love all of the torture I put myself through for the entire year. I've already told O that next year I would like to take a bunch of smaller trips strategically placed throughout the year so that I don't, again, feel on the edge of sanity by the time Fall rolls around.
The family beach vacay was great in September. It was a little mini break that came at exactly the right moment (the one before O checked me into a loony bin). I wasn't sure how I was going to handle running on vacation. Seaside is great for getting some runs in, but I have a definite tendency to feel like when I am on vacation, that I am on vacation from everything (calories included). I must be a changed person because I managed to get in all of the big, important runs that week - 10, 3, 5 and 12 miles. I was also pleasantly surprised that each and every one of those runs were the best I have had in months. Maybe it was because it was flat, maybe because I didn't have 8,000 other things going on while trying to get in running - but I didn't care. It felt wonderful to just run and enjoy the scenery and not feel tired or in pain. Oh - and I didn't gain a single pound (but I don't really weigh that often so who knows).
Those vacation runs stand out to me as the time I feel like I really turned a corner as well. The next two weeks following vacation ramped up to the most mileage I have ever, ever run in preparation for my race on October 20th. The past two weeks felt so, so unbelievably strong. I have hit all of my mileage and all of my speed-work paces and I was thrilled to see an unofficial PR on my 13 miler last weekend. It makes me super excited about race day! It makes me hopeful for a really big PR. Fingers crossed.
If I can just make it through the next two weeks of back to back work trips, I will feel so much relief. I never take back to back trips - ever. Because it is utter misery. I get behind on everything, have to double up on the hours to stay on top of my reports and, in general, being away from home for that long is just not ideal. I have to find a way to do all of this work, do all of these runs and enjoy myself on race day. PS - that only leaves one more week for preparing my house/pets/etc. to be left for 3 weeks. Oh - I'd love to throw in that we are also going to 2 weddings in this time period also.
I ran a terrible 11 miler this morning, probably because I can't stop thinking about all that has to be accomplished in the next 21 days. Mind blown. The best I can do it take it one day at a time. I know one thing for sure - I really don't want to let the hectic state of my reality dictate my performance on race day. I am ready to run my best half marathon yet.
So anyway - sars I haven't been around much lately. Keep running folks! For the things you really love/care about/want: It's not about having time, it's about making time!
Fall is both my favorite time of year and the most hectic for us. We always take a pretty big vacation around our anniversary and this year we are fortunate enough to be headed to Barcelona in late October. I feel like I have been killing myself every month trying to be ahead of my year end work goals so I can take off for three weeks and enjoy myself. It's almost not worth it, truth be told. I love taking a big long trip - who doesn't love big long trips? But, I don't love all of the torture I put myself through for the entire year. I've already told O that next year I would like to take a bunch of smaller trips strategically placed throughout the year so that I don't, again, feel on the edge of sanity by the time Fall rolls around.
The family beach vacay was great in September. It was a little mini break that came at exactly the right moment (the one before O checked me into a loony bin). I wasn't sure how I was going to handle running on vacation. Seaside is great for getting some runs in, but I have a definite tendency to feel like when I am on vacation, that I am on vacation from everything (calories included). I must be a changed person because I managed to get in all of the big, important runs that week - 10, 3, 5 and 12 miles. I was also pleasantly surprised that each and every one of those runs were the best I have had in months. Maybe it was because it was flat, maybe because I didn't have 8,000 other things going on while trying to get in running - but I didn't care. It felt wonderful to just run and enjoy the scenery and not feel tired or in pain. Oh - and I didn't gain a single pound (but I don't really weigh that often so who knows).
Those vacation runs stand out to me as the time I feel like I really turned a corner as well. The next two weeks following vacation ramped up to the most mileage I have ever, ever run in preparation for my race on October 20th. The past two weeks felt so, so unbelievably strong. I have hit all of my mileage and all of my speed-work paces and I was thrilled to see an unofficial PR on my 13 miler last weekend. It makes me super excited about race day! It makes me hopeful for a really big PR. Fingers crossed.
If I can just make it through the next two weeks of back to back work trips, I will feel so much relief. I never take back to back trips - ever. Because it is utter misery. I get behind on everything, have to double up on the hours to stay on top of my reports and, in general, being away from home for that long is just not ideal. I have to find a way to do all of this work, do all of these runs and enjoy myself on race day. PS - that only leaves one more week for preparing my house/pets/etc. to be left for 3 weeks. Oh - I'd love to throw in that we are also going to 2 weddings in this time period also.
I ran a terrible 11 miler this morning, probably because I can't stop thinking about all that has to be accomplished in the next 21 days. Mind blown. The best I can do it take it one day at a time. I know one thing for sure - I really don't want to let the hectic state of my reality dictate my performance on race day. I am ready to run my best half marathon yet.
So anyway - sars I haven't been around much lately. Keep running folks! For the things you really love/care about/want: It's not about having time, it's about making time!
You will rock your race girl! No doubt.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed! Thanks for the good thoughts! :)
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