Disarray.
That’s the state of my life these days, I’m afraid.
Sometimes it seems as if I have life figured out. Not always succeeding, but at least I’m tracking and hanging in there fairly well.
Then there are times like the past couple of weeks when it seems more that I am hanging on. By my fingernails.
Nothing overly traumatic or dramatic. About the best image that comes to mind to illustrate my situation is a hamster on a spinning wheel. Except someone else is spinning the wheel. Sometimes the hamster moves his little legs fast enough to keep up. And sometimes the wheel flips him – me -- upside down and forces him to start running again.
Work has got me running. Life with the Ozlings has me running. And my running? Well, that’s what pushed me to the disarray realization.
Didn’t get a long run in on Saturday. Definitely didn’t make it to the inaugural edition of a local race – the Pilgrim Pacer. Topher did though and had a good run. Great job, Topher. My life was too hectic. The Boy Ozling had a birthday party that day. With 20-some kids. What were we thinking? Actually, it all turned out fairly well. We had the party at a place with a bunch of big slides and inflatable bounce houses.
Run the kids hard for a couple hours, load them up on excessively sugary frosting and cake and then send them on their way.
Sunday morning arrived and I pondered a run. What the heck, I thought. Let’s go. I just about got whomped by hypothermia earlier in the week. Before leaving Sunday, I walked outside to check the temp. Seemed a little chilly. So I put on my wind jacket. A mistake. I can’t even figure out the weather these days.
It was in the high 50s. I regretted being so bundled up about a mile into the run. I kind of had a course in mind. I also kind of had a distance in mind. What about 10 miles? I went through a park at about mile 5. Stopped at a drinking fountain. Apparently they already have turned off the fountains for winter. Great.
At that point I took off the jacket and tied it around my waist. That helped a little. About 7 miles in, my legs started feeling heavy. My breathing wasn’t coming as easy as it normally does on a long run. Was I going to make it? Would I have to walk?
This was supposed to be a simple training run. I was struggling more than I did during the recent half marathon. One of my feet started to hurt. I began obsessing over getting a glass of Gatorade.
My Garmin beeped at 8 miles. Surely I can make it two more, I thought. I kept shuffling along. Straining. Thought about cutting it short, but sucked it up, crested a final hill and finished a full 10. When I did get home, I just sat on the stairs to take off my shoes. I had to wait a few minutes just to muster the energy to go mix up a glass of sports drink.
Pushing yourself on run so you can build strength and test your limits is one thing. Not dressing for the weather, failing to hydrate properly and hanging on just to finish what was supposed to be a long, slow run is another.
Let’s hope life settles down at least a little this week. And I can find my way back into a running groove.
That’s the state of my life these days, I’m afraid.
Sometimes it seems as if I have life figured out. Not always succeeding, but at least I’m tracking and hanging in there fairly well.
Then there are times like the past couple of weeks when it seems more that I am hanging on. By my fingernails.
Nothing overly traumatic or dramatic. About the best image that comes to mind to illustrate my situation is a hamster on a spinning wheel. Except someone else is spinning the wheel. Sometimes the hamster moves his little legs fast enough to keep up. And sometimes the wheel flips him – me -- upside down and forces him to start running again.
Work has got me running. Life with the Ozlings has me running. And my running? Well, that’s what pushed me to the disarray realization.
Didn’t get a long run in on Saturday. Definitely didn’t make it to the inaugural edition of a local race – the Pilgrim Pacer. Topher did though and had a good run. Great job, Topher. My life was too hectic. The Boy Ozling had a birthday party that day. With 20-some kids. What were we thinking? Actually, it all turned out fairly well. We had the party at a place with a bunch of big slides and inflatable bounce houses.
Run the kids hard for a couple hours, load them up on excessively sugary frosting and cake and then send them on their way.
Sunday morning arrived and I pondered a run. What the heck, I thought. Let’s go. I just about got whomped by hypothermia earlier in the week. Before leaving Sunday, I walked outside to check the temp. Seemed a little chilly. So I put on my wind jacket. A mistake. I can’t even figure out the weather these days.
It was in the high 50s. I regretted being so bundled up about a mile into the run. I kind of had a course in mind. I also kind of had a distance in mind. What about 10 miles? I went through a park at about mile 5. Stopped at a drinking fountain. Apparently they already have turned off the fountains for winter. Great.
At that point I took off the jacket and tied it around my waist. That helped a little. About 7 miles in, my legs started feeling heavy. My breathing wasn’t coming as easy as it normally does on a long run. Was I going to make it? Would I have to walk?
This was supposed to be a simple training run. I was struggling more than I did during the recent half marathon. One of my feet started to hurt. I began obsessing over getting a glass of Gatorade.
My Garmin beeped at 8 miles. Surely I can make it two more, I thought. I kept shuffling along. Straining. Thought about cutting it short, but sucked it up, crested a final hill and finished a full 10. When I did get home, I just sat on the stairs to take off my shoes. I had to wait a few minutes just to muster the energy to go mix up a glass of sports drink.
Pushing yourself on run so you can build strength and test your limits is one thing. Not dressing for the weather, failing to hydrate properly and hanging on just to finish what was supposed to be a long, slow run is another.
Let’s hope life settles down at least a little this week. And I can find my way back into a running groove.
2 comments:
Thanks for the shout-out. Saturday's run was fun, bet definitely a challenge. I've felt much the same way as you since the KC Half, and have even managed to pack on some pounds thanks to general lathargy, and Halloween. I think when it comes down to it, though, you're doing the right thing by just lacing up your shoes and going out for runs. Sad to say, it's barely November, but I'm already looking forward to good warm running weather again where just shorts and a t-shirt does the trick.
We all have those days I think! At least you muscled through - I probably would have given up and walked :-)
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