Monday:
Ok, we have a problem. Symptom number 1 – I have no energy I could not get myself out of bed at 4am or a 5am. I finally got up at 6am. I considered not running because of symptom #2 – I am so dehydrated. Yesterday was not a great experience in running and if I am this dehydrated., maybe I need to rest. But I decided to run anyways. I should have known the universe was giving me a sign when my watch was dead despite being on the charger all night. So I head out and tell myself to run really slow and easy. It just never felt great. Around mile 5 I was sorry I ever left the house. I kept feeling really sick to my stomach (symptom #3). Then I would start stressing about having a full-on heat stroke. I had to talk myself off the ledge several times. Symptom number 4 happened after I got home and changed. I had the chills really bad. I am wearing a thick sweatshirt, and I can't stop feeling chilled. Symptom #5, exhaustion, came quickly after. Three and a half hours after I woke up, I took a blackout, drooling on your pillow nap for 2 hours. I woke up feeling sick to my stomach.
I also woke up to an email about an interview for a full-time professor job in North Carolina. I have a phone interview on Wednesday.
I drug myself to Safeway for a few things and a lot of Gatorade. I was exhausted all day. I barely mustered up the energy to take a shower. I really wanted to nap again. I had two Gatorades, more than I have had in my life probably. I didn't even have wine tonight so you know I am really sick.
Tuesday:
It is a lovely cloudy day with some sprinkles, but this also means not great for running if you have had a heat episode because the humidity makes it difficult to cool down. I managed a 10-mile run but felt iffy. I also saw my first rattlesnake. A guy warned me and some hikers that there was a rattlesnake ahead, but I wasn't really sure where he was telling me the snake was. I ran past the hikers, and then I hear them call out, "did you see the snake?" but what they actually said was, "do you see the snake." I stopped and turned to face them, and they repeat "do you see the snake" and point. There it was in front of me, stretched out and moving across the trail. This doesn't concern me too much. If he isn't coiled I terribly concerned about getting around him.
I finish the run and immediately start drinking Gatorade. I have a job interview, so I get myself cleaned up and head off. I think t went well. When the interviewer found out, I am an ultra runner, she wanted to take a detour to talk about Aravaipa and ultra running. Which I was happy to do!
I had time to come home for a quick bite and then had to head to talk to someone about another job I am considering. That also went well.
I managed to stay awake all day. And I seem to feel a bit better than I did yesterday. I spend most of the afternoon running the numbers to try to figure out which job to take. (I still have another interview tomorrow). A week ago, I was stressed about not having enough work, and now I am stressed about making the right decision.
Wednesday:
I feel better when I wake up and even when I leave for my run. I head out for a 12-mile run knowing that I need to be back by 9am for a phone interview for an assistant professor job in North Carolina. It's a bit cooler out today, and I feel a lot better, so I push the pace a bit. Not super fast, but not 9-minute miles of the last few days. I hit about 5.5 miles when something in my head tells me that I have made a mistake and my interview is at 8am. I can't be sure, but I don't want to be wrong. I have to figure out a way to shorten the mileage, and I have to run truly fast. I made it home with 2 minutes to spare. The interviewer called me at 8am on the dot.
Good thing it wasn't a skype interview because I was a sweaty mess and wearing a towel. I go into the laundry room, thinking it will be the best place t get away from any dog barking that might happen. I was wrong. Hank starts going crazy, and I have to move into the bathroom. Of course, one of the kids comes in and starts moving things around. That part of the interview was probably not that smooth because I kept getting distracted.
If I am offered this job, I have to be in North Carolina in 2 weeks. So I am trying to weigh my options because I will have to make a quick decision. More running of numbers.
After weeks of being stressed about not having enough work, I have my second job offer of the week.
Thursday:
I got up at 3:45am to run with Hayley. We ran from here house to join the Wild Women Running group at Papago. I ran at Papago once a million years ago. Great place to run if you want gently rolling and smooth for your running. I might need to get back over there soon. We run back to Hayley's house. She goes to get towels, and I check my emails. The job in NC emails to ask if they can check my references. I am going to assume this is a good sign.
After some time in the pool, I head home and get some work done while before heading to lunch with friend Haddie. Haddie is probably half my age, but we have become good friends, and I am so glad to have her as a friend. A run to Traders Joe's and I am home to take a nap. I have 3 of the 4 dogs managing to sleep next to some part of me.
Friday:
I came back from my run to see an email offering me the job in North Carolina. I accepted! I will be a Professor of Cognitive Psychology at Elon University. It's a one- year only position. It was a crazy day of back and forth emails. Unfortunately, no one in my house seems very excited for me. So instead of everyone being happy for me and celebrating that after 6 years I finally have a job as a FT professor it is more of a "this is the worst thing that could happen" response.
Saturday:
I wake up having decided that I am going to email the University and tell them it isn't going to work out after all. I see a couple emails from the department head, but I am out the door to pick up John and go for a run at Sycamore Creek. This is the first time I have ever seen the place crawling with people. And they happen to be people there for hunting. We decide not to take a route that might get us accidentally shot and stay on the main road. The road dead-ends at Mt. Peeley Trailhead. We look at the map and walk on the trail a bit. When we see a sign that clearly tells you the trails and the mileage we walk back and take a picture of the map. We see a way to loop back around and head out. This is my favorite thing! I love finding new to me trails! The trail was amazing! Easy to follow and super well marked. When the river has water, you will get really wet feet as we crossed over the dry river bed several times. We found an old truck and wondered about its story. We pop out onto the fire road again and talk to some people in FJ Cruisers. They were very nice. Made the obligatory jokes about running that far for fun and offered us water.
The loop was 18 miles, and we needed 4 more, so we added on some miles. I am so sad that I did not find this sooner! We stop at the gas station for my favorite post-long run treat, a DR. Pepper and Salsa Verde Doritos.
I come home and sit Norm down to talk about the job. I tell him that it feels like no one is happy, and it bums me out. Originally we had planned that I would go out with Ava and Norm would stay here for the 9 months and just visit. But we decided that in a month or so he will move out with our youngest.
I go back to looking for a place to live. Brandi and Enzo ask us to play a game and feel and that I am half paying attention and sending lots of text messages, but I am trying to figure out where I am going to live. The night quiets down, and I start reading the emails from my department chair. Surprise! I have to be on campus on August 19th! Basically, I have to leave on Monday or Tuesday.
Ok, we have a problem. Symptom number 1 – I have no energy I could not get myself out of bed at 4am or a 5am. I finally got up at 6am. I considered not running because of symptom #2 – I am so dehydrated. Yesterday was not a great experience in running and if I am this dehydrated., maybe I need to rest. But I decided to run anyways. I should have known the universe was giving me a sign when my watch was dead despite being on the charger all night. So I head out and tell myself to run really slow and easy. It just never felt great. Around mile 5 I was sorry I ever left the house. I kept feeling really sick to my stomach (symptom #3). Then I would start stressing about having a full-on heat stroke. I had to talk myself off the ledge several times. Symptom number 4 happened after I got home and changed. I had the chills really bad. I am wearing a thick sweatshirt, and I can't stop feeling chilled. Symptom #5, exhaustion, came quickly after. Three and a half hours after I woke up, I took a blackout, drooling on your pillow nap for 2 hours. I woke up feeling sick to my stomach.
I also woke up to an email about an interview for a full-time professor job in North Carolina. I have a phone interview on Wednesday.
I drug myself to Safeway for a few things and a lot of Gatorade. I was exhausted all day. I barely mustered up the energy to take a shower. I really wanted to nap again. I had two Gatorades, more than I have had in my life probably. I didn't even have wine tonight so you know I am really sick.
Tuesday:
It is a lovely cloudy day with some sprinkles, but this also means not great for running if you have had a heat episode because the humidity makes it difficult to cool down. I managed a 10-mile run but felt iffy. I also saw my first rattlesnake. A guy warned me and some hikers that there was a rattlesnake ahead, but I wasn't really sure where he was telling me the snake was. I ran past the hikers, and then I hear them call out, "did you see the snake?" but what they actually said was, "do you see the snake." I stopped and turned to face them, and they repeat "do you see the snake" and point. There it was in front of me, stretched out and moving across the trail. This doesn't concern me too much. If he isn't coiled I terribly concerned about getting around him.
I finish the run and immediately start drinking Gatorade. I have a job interview, so I get myself cleaned up and head off. I think t went well. When the interviewer found out, I am an ultra runner, she wanted to take a detour to talk about Aravaipa and ultra running. Which I was happy to do!
I had time to come home for a quick bite and then had to head to talk to someone about another job I am considering. That also went well.
I managed to stay awake all day. And I seem to feel a bit better than I did yesterday. I spend most of the afternoon running the numbers to try to figure out which job to take. (I still have another interview tomorrow). A week ago, I was stressed about not having enough work, and now I am stressed about making the right decision.
Wednesday:
I feel better when I wake up and even when I leave for my run. I head out for a 12-mile run knowing that I need to be back by 9am for a phone interview for an assistant professor job in North Carolina. It's a bit cooler out today, and I feel a lot better, so I push the pace a bit. Not super fast, but not 9-minute miles of the last few days. I hit about 5.5 miles when something in my head tells me that I have made a mistake and my interview is at 8am. I can't be sure, but I don't want to be wrong. I have to figure out a way to shorten the mileage, and I have to run truly fast. I made it home with 2 minutes to spare. The interviewer called me at 8am on the dot.
Good thing it wasn't a skype interview because I was a sweaty mess and wearing a towel. I go into the laundry room, thinking it will be the best place t get away from any dog barking that might happen. I was wrong. Hank starts going crazy, and I have to move into the bathroom. Of course, one of the kids comes in and starts moving things around. That part of the interview was probably not that smooth because I kept getting distracted.
If I am offered this job, I have to be in North Carolina in 2 weeks. So I am trying to weigh my options because I will have to make a quick decision. More running of numbers.
After weeks of being stressed about not having enough work, I have my second job offer of the week.
Thursday:
I got up at 3:45am to run with Hayley. We ran from here house to join the Wild Women Running group at Papago. I ran at Papago once a million years ago. Great place to run if you want gently rolling and smooth for your running. I might need to get back over there soon. We run back to Hayley's house. She goes to get towels, and I check my emails. The job in NC emails to ask if they can check my references. I am going to assume this is a good sign.
After some time in the pool, I head home and get some work done while before heading to lunch with friend Haddie. Haddie is probably half my age, but we have become good friends, and I am so glad to have her as a friend. A run to Traders Joe's and I am home to take a nap. I have 3 of the 4 dogs managing to sleep next to some part of me.
Friday:
I came back from my run to see an email offering me the job in North Carolina. I accepted! I will be a Professor of Cognitive Psychology at Elon University. It's a one- year only position. It was a crazy day of back and forth emails. Unfortunately, no one in my house seems very excited for me. So instead of everyone being happy for me and celebrating that after 6 years I finally have a job as a FT professor it is more of a "this is the worst thing that could happen" response.
Saturday:
I wake up having decided that I am going to email the University and tell them it isn't going to work out after all. I see a couple emails from the department head, but I am out the door to pick up John and go for a run at Sycamore Creek. This is the first time I have ever seen the place crawling with people. And they happen to be people there for hunting. We decide not to take a route that might get us accidentally shot and stay on the main road. The road dead-ends at Mt. Peeley Trailhead. We look at the map and walk on the trail a bit. When we see a sign that clearly tells you the trails and the mileage we walk back and take a picture of the map. We see a way to loop back around and head out. This is my favorite thing! I love finding new to me trails! The trail was amazing! Easy to follow and super well marked. When the river has water, you will get really wet feet as we crossed over the dry river bed several times. We found an old truck and wondered about its story. We pop out onto the fire road again and talk to some people in FJ Cruisers. They were very nice. Made the obligatory jokes about running that far for fun and offered us water.
The loop was 18 miles, and we needed 4 more, so we added on some miles. I am so sad that I did not find this sooner! We stop at the gas station for my favorite post-long run treat, a DR. Pepper and Salsa Verde Doritos.
I come home and sit Norm down to talk about the job. I tell him that it feels like no one is happy, and it bums me out. Originally we had planned that I would go out with Ava and Norm would stay here for the 9 months and just visit. But we decided that in a month or so he will move out with our youngest.
I go back to looking for a place to live. Brandi and Enzo ask us to play a game and feel and that I am half paying attention and sending lots of text messages, but I am trying to figure out where I am going to live. The night quiets down, and I start reading the emails from my department chair. Surprise! I have to be on campus on August 19th! Basically, I have to leave on Monday or Tuesday.
The Mazatzal Wilderness. This is my most favorite place to run!
You can take FR 201 to Mt. Peeley and then follow these signs.
Sunday:
It was actually a really lovely morning. I run one of my favorite weekend morning street routes. We are scurrying to come up with the money for this move. With me not working the last few weeks, we are really tight. We start listing furniture for sale. And I start washing and packing. I decide it's best to leave on Monday, even though it is my youngest kids birthday.
My yoga teacher has me as her guest so I can go to one last yoga class. I cry a little at the end of class. I am excited about the new job but also scared to death. And while I don't love Phoenix, I love my friends and have favorite places. It's comfortable. I feel a little sad. This isn't like being in Colorado, where I can just jump home in eight hours. I probably won't be back in Phoenix until next summer.
It was actually a really lovely morning. I run one of my favorite weekend morning street routes. We are scurrying to come up with the money for this move. With me not working the last few weeks, we are really tight. We start listing furniture for sale. And I start washing and packing. I decide it's best to leave on Monday, even though it is my youngest kids birthday.
My yoga teacher has me as her guest so I can go to one last yoga class. I cry a little at the end of class. I am excited about the new job but also scared to death. And while I don't love Phoenix, I love my friends and have favorite places. It's comfortable. I feel a little sad. This isn't like being in Colorado, where I can just jump home in eight hours. I probably won't be back in Phoenix until next summer.
