Sunday, December 31, 2006
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Wipe Out
OK. We all have bad days and today was one of mine.
The day started out great. Daisyhead Maisy turns 6 today, so even before breakfast I got to watch her open three fairy-related presents. (Thank God Fairies are the new Barbie.)
Then, off to cycling class.
Saturday workouts on our trainers are always harder than the Monday/Wednesday night ones, and you know if we are taking an extra day off (New Year's Eve) then things will be even harder. I'm not sure if it is that or if maybe we've just reached a new level. You know, when you look back at those workouts from the first week of December and we only rode in the big chain ring for short intervals. Now, we ride in the big chain ring for all but the first 5 and last 5 minutes of the workout.
Anyway, on the run, I was feeling particularly emotional. Not sure why. But if I was feeling it, anger, or sorry for myself, or it was just a song that reminded me of this time last year... it didn't matter. Seemed like whenever I took a deep breath I was ready to cry. Then I noticed that actually the emotions were triggering my asthma. That's a new one for me. So I stopped running and walked until my breathing calmed down. I thought I was going to have a full blown asthma attack for only the third time in my 33 years.
I still don't know why I was feeling like that but I guess everyone has their days. And although I did notice an increase in the intesity of the workout, I certainly didn't feel like I was being pushed to my limits. I got to running again, and noted the sigh of relief point (when I have only 1/2 a mile left of my 4 mile run.) I was distracted in my thoughts though I don't know what I was thinking about.
The next thing I know, I'm falling to the ground at warp speed, with not even enough time to put my hands out to catch myself. The sidewalk had worked itself up in a kink on one side and caught my shoe. My knees hit the ground first, and then the palms of my hands. The pain was hard, I felt like I'd high fived a cement wall that was speeding toward me. SMACK! The blood started dripping down my knees and my hands. And I'm ashamed to say crying again. After looking to make sure noone witnessed my fall, I turned onto a sidestreet to finish my run. And for the first time in a while, I felt like I'd hit the wall and gone through it. I wasn't tired at all of running, but I was exhausted. I felt like I could run forever, like I didn't want to stop. But then, I was back at my car.
I was supposed to stop and buy a present for Daisyhead Maisy's birthday and balloons for the party. I couldn't forget the balloons.... but I just went straight home to my family and took a shower instead. And once I got the dried blood off and the water ran clear, I felt much better.
The day started out great. Daisyhead Maisy turns 6 today, so even before breakfast I got to watch her open three fairy-related presents. (Thank God Fairies are the new Barbie.)
Then, off to cycling class.
Saturday workouts on our trainers are always harder than the Monday/Wednesday night ones, and you know if we are taking an extra day off (New Year's Eve) then things will be even harder. I'm not sure if it is that or if maybe we've just reached a new level. You know, when you look back at those workouts from the first week of December and we only rode in the big chain ring for short intervals. Now, we ride in the big chain ring for all but the first 5 and last 5 minutes of the workout.
Anyway, on the run, I was feeling particularly emotional. Not sure why. But if I was feeling it, anger, or sorry for myself, or it was just a song that reminded me of this time last year... it didn't matter. Seemed like whenever I took a deep breath I was ready to cry. Then I noticed that actually the emotions were triggering my asthma. That's a new one for me. So I stopped running and walked until my breathing calmed down. I thought I was going to have a full blown asthma attack for only the third time in my 33 years.
I still don't know why I was feeling like that but I guess everyone has their days. And although I did notice an increase in the intesity of the workout, I certainly didn't feel like I was being pushed to my limits. I got to running again, and noted the sigh of relief point (when I have only 1/2 a mile left of my 4 mile run.) I was distracted in my thoughts though I don't know what I was thinking about.
The next thing I know, I'm falling to the ground at warp speed, with not even enough time to put my hands out to catch myself. The sidewalk had worked itself up in a kink on one side and caught my shoe. My knees hit the ground first, and then the palms of my hands. The pain was hard, I felt like I'd high fived a cement wall that was speeding toward me. SMACK! The blood started dripping down my knees and my hands. And I'm ashamed to say crying again. After looking to make sure noone witnessed my fall, I turned onto a sidestreet to finish my run. And for the first time in a while, I felt like I'd hit the wall and gone through it. I wasn't tired at all of running, but I was exhausted. I felt like I could run forever, like I didn't want to stop. But then, I was back at my car.
I was supposed to stop and buy a present for Daisyhead Maisy's birthday and balloons for the party. I couldn't forget the balloons.... but I just went straight home to my family and took a shower instead. And once I got the dried blood off and the water ran clear, I felt much better.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Dada Paints the Sky
Redfish is growing in leaps and bounds. His ear infection, which he's now had for 2 weeks hasn't stopped him at all. (He got a new antibiotic today). He's started trying to entertain us almost all the time with jokes and tricks (takes after me). His logic is kid logic, the best kind. It doesn't really make sense to adults, but make perfect sense to him....and sortof make sense to adults if you just pretend your a kid.
Like each and every time we see a beautiful sunset he asks, "did Dada paint the sky?" And, it is true, the skies we see look like Dada's paintings. "Did Dada paint the tree he asks?"
And when we wake up in the morning and the sun is up and it is no longer dark, he says, "It's WORKING!" Amazed everyday that the sun comes up.
Like each and every time we see a beautiful sunset he asks, "did Dada paint the sky?" And, it is true, the skies we see look like Dada's paintings. "Did Dada paint the tree he asks?"
And when we wake up in the morning and the sun is up and it is no longer dark, he says, "It's WORKING!" Amazed everyday that the sun comes up.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Why Do Kids Have to Watch T.V. at School?
Ok. This is just a rant. And not triathlon-related at that. Unless you count a sedentary lifestyle with too much T.V. as triathlon-related.
Why does my daughter watch T.V. at school? . How is that helping her? If she's learning from it, I don't like what she's learning. Dare I call her teacher lazy? Not just on rainy days. or special occasions -- that would be fine. I can't determine if it is EVERYDAY, but almost everyday, she watches TV at school. They finished Disney's Jungle Book by watching it several days in a row. Then it was a sort of demented version of Frosty the Snowman ("the bad guy was much meaner than in our version" says Daisyhead Maisy). Followed by another 30 minute movie afterwards.. that she can't even remember the name of (i'm not sure if that is a good thing or if that means her mind has turned to mush already!
This is kindergarten for Christ's sake. At home, where we are the only "family" we know in Richmond who does not get cable or "magic T.V." as we call it. We have banished the T.V. from our living area because we were watching too much (which wasn't much compared to other families). Now, unfortunately that means the T.V. is in our bedroom -- a place we swore we would never put it.
And why did I have to keep Daisyhead Maisy home from school today? Was she sick? No. I had to keep her home because the entire kindergarten, all 90-something 5- and 6-year olds were going to see "Happy Feet" in IMAX at the Science Museum. This is a show that the Chicago Tribune reviewer says, "I wouldn't take a child under 7 or 8 to see "Happy Feet."
The reviewer, Micheal Phillips, says "By the time Mumble nearly loses his mind in zoological confinement, director Miller seems determined to send youngest viewers into therapy and swearing off zoos altogether. (My (his) nearly-6-year-old son's review of this plot development: "Movie, please be over.")
A movie that is rated PG. Now what kind of parental guidance can they give 90-some kindergartners in the dark, when there are like 4 teachers and a handful of parents? Who will explain "the "Jaws"-like attack of the leopard seal" scene to them? And how is it that I have to pay $16.50 for my child to go even though she isn't going? Not to mention the fact that after the 1 hour and 48 minute movie is over they will watch an approximately 30 minute planetarium show and there will not be ANY time at all to see anything educational at the Science Museum.
Am I the only parent at this school who doesn't endorse taking there child to a "often frighteningly intense story."
Sunday, December 03, 2006
The Test
I've been thinking about it alot. Self sabotage.
Sometimes when you are scared of something or scared of failing, you actually can make it worse for yourself. I'd been trying to keep my mind off of the upcoming 1 mile fitness test that would gauge our fitness and help our coaches come up with an intensity plan for our workouts. It turns out by trying to keep my mind off of it and trying not to stress myself I subconsiously was still worrying and found a few ways to make things harder on myself.
For example, maybe I shouldn't have run 4 miles at the Vita course and then walked a fifth when when 15 hours later i'd be trying to get my PR for my mile. And then, eventhough I knew the running test was that morning, I still ate breakfast, which I don't normally like to do before running workouts.
Anyway, my 1 mile PR was 11.05, quite a bit off of the 10.21 from earlier this year. It still sucks to be last (always). But at least I've got nowhere to go but up.
Nancy Toby posted this really great running calculator on her blog. I put in 37.50 as my PR for a 5K (at the end of a sprint triathlon) and it gave me a cute little chart that I'm still trying to figure out.
Sometimes when you are scared of something or scared of failing, you actually can make it worse for yourself. I'd been trying to keep my mind off of the upcoming 1 mile fitness test that would gauge our fitness and help our coaches come up with an intensity plan for our workouts. It turns out by trying to keep my mind off of it and trying not to stress myself I subconsiously was still worrying and found a few ways to make things harder on myself.
For example, maybe I shouldn't have run 4 miles at the Vita course and then walked a fifth when when 15 hours later i'd be trying to get my PR for my mile. And then, eventhough I knew the running test was that morning, I still ate breakfast, which I don't normally like to do before running workouts.
Anyway, my 1 mile PR was 11.05, quite a bit off of the 10.21 from earlier this year. It still sucks to be last (always). But at least I've got nowhere to go but up.
Nancy Toby posted this really great running calculator on her blog. I put in 37.50 as my PR for a 5K (at the end of a sprint triathlon) and it gave me a cute little chart that I'm still trying to figure out.
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