Monday:
I took a rest day on Sunday. My hamstring was just not happy, so I decided to give it a rest. I really wanted to go to yoga, but I would feel guilty to spend the money on it. My instructor had told me that I could come as her guest sometimes and so I texted her. I described myself as the "girl who cries all the time." Unfortunately, she was out of town, but she also gave me suggestions for describing myself that sounded better than the girl who cries all the time. Yes, I cry a lot in my yoga class. I don't know chakras, meridian lines, dark room… Whatever.
So back to Monday, since I am currently not working, I decided that I might as well get back to focusing on training. I have Stagecoach 55K coming up in 2 months I would prefer not to repeat my crappy time from 2 years ago. (I also cried during this race, multiple times. Honestly, I need to get a grip.) Getting ready to leave, I was trying to find my pack. I spent 10 minutes looking for it and no luck. I think we left it at the race in Flagstaff, Ugh! I don't have a large bottle because Hank ate the top of my only large handheld, so I had to go with the Nathan shot, which is like 8 ounces or something ridiculous. I didn't push it and tried to avoid trail since my legs felt tired but managed to et in 11 miles. I did expand on a run I love and find a nice gently hilly road route that I am sure will be a regular run for me.
I email Ian about the vest, and yes, he has it. Sounds like a good excuse to go back to Flagstaff. I text Hayley, and we make a tentative plan to go up on Friday.
I decide now is the time to start up weights again. Oh my. A made it through 30 minutes of a 50-minute video that I have used a lot in the past. But I also did not want to kill myself because I would like to be able to walk and put on my clothes for the rest of the week.
To fully enjoy being unemployed at the moment, I took a nice long nap.
Tuesday:
I don't remember anything about today except I am pretty sure I took a nice long nap, and I ran 11 miles.
I took a rest day on Sunday. My hamstring was just not happy, so I decided to give it a rest. I really wanted to go to yoga, but I would feel guilty to spend the money on it. My instructor had told me that I could come as her guest sometimes and so I texted her. I described myself as the "girl who cries all the time." Unfortunately, she was out of town, but she also gave me suggestions for describing myself that sounded better than the girl who cries all the time. Yes, I cry a lot in my yoga class. I don't know chakras, meridian lines, dark room… Whatever.
So back to Monday, since I am currently not working, I decided that I might as well get back to focusing on training. I have Stagecoach 55K coming up in 2 months I would prefer not to repeat my crappy time from 2 years ago. (I also cried during this race, multiple times. Honestly, I need to get a grip.) Getting ready to leave, I was trying to find my pack. I spent 10 minutes looking for it and no luck. I think we left it at the race in Flagstaff, Ugh! I don't have a large bottle because Hank ate the top of my only large handheld, so I had to go with the Nathan shot, which is like 8 ounces or something ridiculous. I didn't push it and tried to avoid trail since my legs felt tired but managed to et in 11 miles. I did expand on a run I love and find a nice gently hilly road route that I am sure will be a regular run for me.
I email Ian about the vest, and yes, he has it. Sounds like a good excuse to go back to Flagstaff. I text Hayley, and we make a tentative plan to go up on Friday.
I decide now is the time to start up weights again. Oh my. A made it through 30 minutes of a 50-minute video that I have used a lot in the past. But I also did not want to kill myself because I would like to be able to walk and put on my clothes for the rest of the week.
To fully enjoy being unemployed at the moment, I took a nice long nap.
Tuesday:
I don't remember anything about today except I am pretty sure I took a nice long nap, and I ran 11 miles.
I can't take pictures of me napping and also that seems creepy so here is Pasta napping like a champ.
Wednesday:
Finally some cooler temps in the morning! But the humidity was out of control, which, I guess, also brings gnats? I had some many gnats stuck to my body at the end of the run. I ran in circles in a hilly neighborhood to get some easy climbing.
I signed up at the community college to be a mentor to a veteran student in a pilot program on my campus (my campus is one of three). I spent the afternoon in training, which never sounds like fun, but it was pretty enjoyable. The presenter was excellent, and I got to know some people from college.
Thursday:
Hayley convinced me to get up super early and join her to run with a group called Women Running Wild. I was a pretty large group of young ladies. I was definitely the way oldest woman there by quite a bit. They are a very peppy group of ladies! Lots of wooing. Let me be clear that I am not criticizing. I'm jealous. I remember being young and happy. Now I am just old and beat down and cynical. It happens. But when they took their pictures on the top of the mountain, I jumped in the air too! I just made sure to hide my three babies belly in the back despite definitely not being the tallest person there. Maybe I'll start a group called Worn Out Women Whining While Running. It's joke, everybody calm down. (Sometimes I think I am being funny, but people out there feel the need to give me shit so I just thought I would be clear - I am being funny.)
We did a nice little 6-mile run. There was a group also going a shorter distance. They are a super friendly group of women, and the leader was really conscious of making sure no one got left behind and lost. They even serve treats and coffee post-run. If you are looking for a group of ladies that run super early on Thursday mornings, you should check it out.
Hayley and I took off to have breakfast and spend some time catching up. Then back to mentor training in the afternoon.
Friday:
I had planned to do my long run today, but I didn't get up when my alarm went off at 4 am, I turned it off and went back to sleep. I left the house and pretty quickly realized I didn't have a buff. But I didn't turn around and get one I would regret that when hot, salty sweet was running into my eyeballs. I felt pretty good and although I wasn't running "fast" I was running fast enough for the pace to lead to some heat sickness at the end of the run. A couple of miles from my house, I had to stop in the shade and turn, so the wind was cooling me off a bit. I started running again and ended up feeling cold and getting goosebumps even though I definitely was not cold. I was close to home. I had a bit of headache post-run for a bit. Instead of being deterred, I decided to use all this heat training and signed up for Jackrabbit Jubilee. I also signed up for Cave Creek Thriller because it is one of my favorite races.
After receiving lots of rejections emails this week, I actually got an email that said someone wants to interview me. Let's be honest; sometimes, you apply for jobs and think, "that would be a fine job." But I actually think I would enjoy this job. Tuesday morning I have a job interview for a job that I think I would actually enjoy. It's a minor miracle.
Norm worked late, and Ava was asleep, so it was a party of 2 for Shabbat dinner. We also did not have Challah because the Whole Foods on Shea and Tatum has stopped selling it. I spoke with the guy in the bakery, and he said I wasn't the only person unhappy about this. I told him to tell the higher-ups that Jewish people need it every Friday so maybe we could just get it on Fridays? So we made a substitute and called it a day. Ava and I can't eat anyways because we can't eat gluten. (I usually have a little, Ava can't have any at all.) s
Saturday:
Guess who slept in again? Ugh! I headed out with a plan to keep the pace really easy to avoid any heat-related sickness. And I did NOT forget my buff. I managed to feel better today, but it was so hot. The last 5.5 miles, I stopped at two different gas stations to fill my water bottle.
Sunday:
The plan was to drive to Sycamore Creek to do a long run this morning. But I woke up feeling terrible. My mouth was so dry. I just felt so dehydrated. I decided just to run around here since I was up early. I decided to use a pack that I don't love but doesn't usually cause me problems until I have a lot of miles. I get ready to leave and see that my watch is on 30 percent. Okay, so I won't be running 20 miles today. I start running, and I have a terrible side cramp immediately. The cramp eventually goes away, but my stomach is just never right. My pace is so slow. And the pack started rubbing me almost immediately, so I end up holding my water flask instead of putting it in my pack. I called it enough at 9 miles. I came home and stripped off all my clothes and stood in front of the freezer with the door open.
I'll call myself happy with 72 miles for the week. I didn't get anywhere close to the climbing I wanted for the week, so I really need to start to focus on that moving forward.
I went to yoga, and the heat in the room was really bothering me, which never happens. This makes me think that maybe the heat incident had earlier this week was worse than I thought. But the good news is that my hamstring seems to be tolerating yoga a lot better.
There is a corner that I pass on my way to yoga that has a homeless young man. The first time I saw him, I didn't have any money, so I gave him snacks out of my bag. Not very exciting, nuts and raisins. Now I try to make sure that I have some cash to give him. Over time I have learned his name, and if the light is long, we chat a little bit. I once told him, "I know this isn't very helpful, but I think about you." When I don't see him for a while, I worry about him.
I haven't seen him in a few weeks, so when I saw him today, I rolled down my window and called out his name. I told him I had been worried about him, and he told me he had been standing on another corner. I asked him if he was taking care in the heat and he told me every few days he can stay with his dad and that during the day he goes to the methadone clinic and the workforce office. I am always happy to see him, and he always seems genuinely happy to see me and chat with me. But after I pull away, I always feel guilty. I feel like I should be doing more. I guess I always assumed he was using drugs, but hearing he was going to the methadone clinic made me feel even sadder. I called Norm to talk t him before I went into yoga because I was feeling really sad. He told me that I am doing everything I can and that no one can help him until he decides this life isn't what he wants any more. I still feel like I need to do more. I don't know why this one person has affected me, but he does. I do worry about him, and I do think about him during the week, just wondering if he is okay in the heat.
I came home and had to finish working on setting up my classes in Canvas. The joys of being an adjunct professor. I have spent many hours working this week to get ready for classes and guess who isn't getting paid for that work? Yeah, me.
Everyone in my house has been sick over the last two weeks. I have somehow managed to keep it away, but I am still a little concerned. So fingers crossed I don't come down with whatever they all have.
Finally some cooler temps in the morning! But the humidity was out of control, which, I guess, also brings gnats? I had some many gnats stuck to my body at the end of the run. I ran in circles in a hilly neighborhood to get some easy climbing.
I signed up at the community college to be a mentor to a veteran student in a pilot program on my campus (my campus is one of three). I spent the afternoon in training, which never sounds like fun, but it was pretty enjoyable. The presenter was excellent, and I got to know some people from college.
Thursday:
Hayley convinced me to get up super early and join her to run with a group called Women Running Wild. I was a pretty large group of young ladies. I was definitely the way oldest woman there by quite a bit. They are a very peppy group of ladies! Lots of wooing. Let me be clear that I am not criticizing. I'm jealous. I remember being young and happy. Now I am just old and beat down and cynical. It happens. But when they took their pictures on the top of the mountain, I jumped in the air too! I just made sure to hide my three babies belly in the back despite definitely not being the tallest person there. Maybe I'll start a group called Worn Out Women Whining While Running. It's joke, everybody calm down. (Sometimes I think I am being funny, but people out there feel the need to give me shit so I just thought I would be clear - I am being funny.)
We did a nice little 6-mile run. There was a group also going a shorter distance. They are a super friendly group of women, and the leader was really conscious of making sure no one got left behind and lost. They even serve treats and coffee post-run. If you are looking for a group of ladies that run super early on Thursday mornings, you should check it out.
Hayley and I took off to have breakfast and spend some time catching up. Then back to mentor training in the afternoon.
Friday:
I had planned to do my long run today, but I didn't get up when my alarm went off at 4 am, I turned it off and went back to sleep. I left the house and pretty quickly realized I didn't have a buff. But I didn't turn around and get one I would regret that when hot, salty sweet was running into my eyeballs. I felt pretty good and although I wasn't running "fast" I was running fast enough for the pace to lead to some heat sickness at the end of the run. A couple of miles from my house, I had to stop in the shade and turn, so the wind was cooling me off a bit. I started running again and ended up feeling cold and getting goosebumps even though I definitely was not cold. I was close to home. I had a bit of headache post-run for a bit. Instead of being deterred, I decided to use all this heat training and signed up for Jackrabbit Jubilee. I also signed up for Cave Creek Thriller because it is one of my favorite races.
After receiving lots of rejections emails this week, I actually got an email that said someone wants to interview me. Let's be honest; sometimes, you apply for jobs and think, "that would be a fine job." But I actually think I would enjoy this job. Tuesday morning I have a job interview for a job that I think I would actually enjoy. It's a minor miracle.
Norm worked late, and Ava was asleep, so it was a party of 2 for Shabbat dinner. We also did not have Challah because the Whole Foods on Shea and Tatum has stopped selling it. I spoke with the guy in the bakery, and he said I wasn't the only person unhappy about this. I told him to tell the higher-ups that Jewish people need it every Friday so maybe we could just get it on Fridays? So we made a substitute and called it a day. Ava and I can't eat anyways because we can't eat gluten. (I usually have a little, Ava can't have any at all.) s
Saturday:
Guess who slept in again? Ugh! I headed out with a plan to keep the pace really easy to avoid any heat-related sickness. And I did NOT forget my buff. I managed to feel better today, but it was so hot. The last 5.5 miles, I stopped at two different gas stations to fill my water bottle.
Sunday:
The plan was to drive to Sycamore Creek to do a long run this morning. But I woke up feeling terrible. My mouth was so dry. I just felt so dehydrated. I decided just to run around here since I was up early. I decided to use a pack that I don't love but doesn't usually cause me problems until I have a lot of miles. I get ready to leave and see that my watch is on 30 percent. Okay, so I won't be running 20 miles today. I start running, and I have a terrible side cramp immediately. The cramp eventually goes away, but my stomach is just never right. My pace is so slow. And the pack started rubbing me almost immediately, so I end up holding my water flask instead of putting it in my pack. I called it enough at 9 miles. I came home and stripped off all my clothes and stood in front of the freezer with the door open.
I'll call myself happy with 72 miles for the week. I didn't get anywhere close to the climbing I wanted for the week, so I really need to start to focus on that moving forward.
I went to yoga, and the heat in the room was really bothering me, which never happens. This makes me think that maybe the heat incident had earlier this week was worse than I thought. But the good news is that my hamstring seems to be tolerating yoga a lot better.
There is a corner that I pass on my way to yoga that has a homeless young man. The first time I saw him, I didn't have any money, so I gave him snacks out of my bag. Not very exciting, nuts and raisins. Now I try to make sure that I have some cash to give him. Over time I have learned his name, and if the light is long, we chat a little bit. I once told him, "I know this isn't very helpful, but I think about you." When I don't see him for a while, I worry about him.
I haven't seen him in a few weeks, so when I saw him today, I rolled down my window and called out his name. I told him I had been worried about him, and he told me he had been standing on another corner. I asked him if he was taking care in the heat and he told me every few days he can stay with his dad and that during the day he goes to the methadone clinic and the workforce office. I am always happy to see him, and he always seems genuinely happy to see me and chat with me. But after I pull away, I always feel guilty. I feel like I should be doing more. I guess I always assumed he was using drugs, but hearing he was going to the methadone clinic made me feel even sadder. I called Norm to talk t him before I went into yoga because I was feeling really sad. He told me that I am doing everything I can and that no one can help him until he decides this life isn't what he wants any more. I still feel like I need to do more. I don't know why this one person has affected me, but he does. I do worry about him, and I do think about him during the week, just wondering if he is okay in the heat.
I came home and had to finish working on setting up my classes in Canvas. The joys of being an adjunct professor. I have spent many hours working this week to get ready for classes and guess who isn't getting paid for that work? Yeah, me.
Everyone in my house has been sick over the last two weeks. I have somehow managed to keep it away, but I am still a little concerned. So fingers crossed I don't come down with whatever they all have.
