Paranoid Swimmer

After years of club swimming with coaches yelling from the deck of the pool,

PICK UP THE PACE!  This isn't a pool party! image from google

I've developed the skill to scope out the deck mid breath.  Now that I've added swimming back into my training (giving my shins a break), I'm really surprised at how quickly my swimming habits are returning.  Good, bad, or indifferent, I keep an eye out on the deck.  However this skill has mutated into a serious case of paranoid swimming. 

I was the only one in the pool this morning and it was too cold for anyone to be hanging out on the deck.  So I was all alone, and would stay that way.  As I swam, I kept seeing a figure walking along the side the pool.  But when I lifted my head, there was no. one. there.  It was a really creepy feeling.  Even when I kept telling myself that I was alone, I kept getting the feeling that someone was walking the deck, watching me, judging my stroke and pace.  I'm not sure what to think.  The only possible conclusions I can come up with are:

1. I'm going nuts
2. I'm feeling guilty that I'm not pushing as hard as I could
3. There really is a person walking the deck but hides when I stop to look closer

I'm leaning towards #3.

tsk tsk, and you call yourself a swimmer ...

If curious, this was my swim workout (almost an hour):

1. Warm up: 200 Fr, 100 Br
2. 6x50 alternating Fr and Br, rest 5 sec
3. 100 kick Fr
4. 4x100 alternating fr and Br, rest 15 sec
5. 200 Run
6. 6x50 alternating 25 Fr and Br, rest 5 sec
7. 200 Run
8. 50 kick Fly
9. 200 pull Fr
10. Cool down: 50 kick Fr, 100 Fr

Also, I learned that if you don't eat before a morning workout, you're completed wiped out after.  Just, you know, FYI.

Have any activities that bring you into a paranoid space?

The Quiet Muse

My muse, the B, has been on the down low this week. Even the hitting has died down. I haven't had anything interesting to talk about. She must be conserving her resources for a coup. Or else she is happy with me. Yeah, she's definitely planning a coup...

Ok, here's the plan.  I'll be the orange block and get her from this angle.
Yellow, you approach from this side.  Blue, what's that you said?

I was finally able to set up a play date for the B with the mama I stalked at the local Whole Foods.  It went very well and she is terrifically nice, as is her kid.  Yet again, I was reminded of the parallels between play dates and dating dates.  This was especially true after I came home and wondered out loud if it was too soon to text her and tell her what a great time we had.  I thought I was done with the whole dating business after I got married.  Isn't that the reason you get married?!  Then you go down the road of dating questions like these.

1. Did she like us?
2. Will she call me?
3. Will I see her again? 
4. Did she mean it when she said, text me when you are free for another playdate?
5. When is it appropriate to call her?

Mamas, how long do you wait until you call back after a play date?

At play date mama's suggestion, we took the B to the My Gym class.  So much chaos, so much fun!

As for running miles, it's been a big goose egg.  These are the reasons why.

1. Shin splints (worried it might be something worse)
2. Sick again (really?! Thanks B.)
3. I'm a bum

I went to the shoe store Road Runner to have my setup checked out.  And it turns out that the last guy that helped me had set me up in all sorts of wrong.

1. Wrong shoe support category
2. Wrong shoe size (his exact words were, "how did you get your feet crammed into a size 6.5?")
3. Wrong inserts

They very kindly exchanged my shoes with shoes that are better fit for me, yay!  I also just had a Dr's appointment to check out my shin splints.  I got a tentative all clear.  The x-rays showed no acute fracture, and the location of the pain is not a usual candidate for stress fractures either.  My bones are apparently just angry with me.  The Dr says, as soon as it stops hurting to walk, I can run again.  Whew, sweet relief.  I just have to build back slowly, do some physical therapy, and get a blood test for vitamin D + calcium.  Can't wait to pound some rubber!

The B is pretty excited to get back on the track as well.  She has been visiting with the running stroller and climbing in.  Although, I'm sure the screaming will start as soon as she is strapped in.

You'd better believe there will be screaming, mama.

Motherhood Fail

Or the alternate title, The Weekend That Was Too Long

Who would have thought I would prefer work to a weekend at home with my toddler?  And yet, I'm definitely feeling the work > toddler time after this weekend.  Serious kudos to stay-at-home moms.  How do you do it?  This vibe just adds to my hypothesis that I was not meant to be a mother.  These are the reasons why this weekend was way too long.

1. The B has started a new game where she hits me in the face and either runs away or gives me a hug, and repeat.  So much fun!
2. My Friday and Sunday runs were just terrible with the B screaming as soon as she is placed in the stroller.



Mr. Cow must have offended her too as he was ejected from the stroller and dragged along the track for an unknown number of laps

3. The B sustained her first head injury that resulted in a visible scab.  More traumatic for me than her, but still a real Fail moment for me.



It's worse than it looks in this blurry picture

4. The B decided that it would be fantastic to wake up screaming every couple of hours during bedtime.
5. The B has decided that she would rather eat plastic than my cooking. 

People have told me that motherhood is so rewarding.  Please tell me why.

My Running Route

I'm copying this post idea from Kara @ It's a Dog Lick Baby World because I thought it was so fun to see her running route.  My path isn't as scenic.  However, it's good at raising my heart rate while I dodge cars in the dark with my stroller.  Yes, I run dangerously.  Although it's not all my fault, the danger comes from the drivers that pull out of their drive way without looking.  Of course you can't forget the drivers that cut corners making right turns.  Don't you just love them?  I often sympathize with Frogger.

If only I had a red arrow following me around while I run.
I would have the caption say, "hey, I'm running here!"

Since I doubt a floating red arrow will come to my rescue, I'm thinking about getting those flashing bike lights for the stroller tires.  My version of Frogger.

Please don't back out.  Please don't back out.

This is the hill going down to the track.  It's too steep to run down even with the hand brake on the stroller, so imagine how it feels coming back up it after a long run.

This is where I say to myself, "don't let go of the stroller, don't let go of the stroller."

I do most of my running on this track.  Some people can't stand running on a track because you just go in circles, but I actually really enjoy it.  Can't say the same for the B.  I think I like it so much because I'm terrible with directions and could probably get lost on my own street.  On a track, you can't get lost, yay!  It's also well lit at night, and has kids playing soccer on the field.  When it's warm enough, I let the B out of her confinement and chase her around the track or kick soccer balls on the field.

Rubber tracks are like running on a springs.  Boing boing.

Tuesday night was COLD and WINDY.  I was getting in some good resistance training along with sand in my eyes.  The B stays warm and comfy in her Bundleme.  It's like a plush sleeping bag.  I wish someone would push me while I lay around in a sleeping bag.

The bundled B with her buddy, Mr. Cow

After going up the hill and dodging cars pulling out of the track parking lot, I come to a stop waiting at the intersection.  If I'm lucky, I catch the light mid run and can go on my way.  Otherwise I have to stop and hammer the street crossing button.  It probably doesn't make a difference if I hit it 100 times or just 1.  But hitting it really hard 100 times in quick succession makes me feel better.  Why is it so hard to start running again once you've stopped?

The world's longest intersection

Other than the hill, this is my least favorite part about my running path.  The street light pole is right in the middle of the side walk.  To get past it, I have to push one of the stroller tires into the dirt, and get it back up the lip on the other side.  No simple task for clumsy folk like me.  Especially when running.  I won't tell you how many times I've almost eaten it into the bushes.  The B is blissfully unaware of the tumultuous situation.

Get ready, get set, CRASH!

Then we get home and I frantically make her dinner while she threads in and out between my legs.  On the rare occasion, she'll chill out and watch Elmo.  What a life!

Can you tell that we live with a toddler?

Since this is a blog about making lists.  Here's my list for the post.  Things I like to do after a run:

1. Shower
2. Potato out in front of the TV
3. Nap
4. Stretch

Things I actually do after a run:

1. Chase the B around to burn off her energy from been strapped in her stroller
2. Make dinner for the B
3. Feed the B
4. Eat leftovers off B's face and tray (toddler smushed food is the best!)
5. Pick cracker chunks off Mr. Cow

What do you do after a run?

Easy Runs and Sunday Dress Day

It has been a busy few days.  Between fighting bonfires at work and recovering from the B's 24hr stomach bug, I've been dealing with shin pains that are keeping me from running off my stress.  I'm just now realizing why I felt unsettled all weekend.  Lame excuses for not running on Sunday include:

1. Too tired from chasing the B at the party on Saturday night
2. Errands
3. Brunch with Auntie Alice (shoot forgot to take pictures with Alice, AGAIN)
4. Shin pains
5. Too hot

My training partner (the sadistic monster), has told me that my shin splints are entirely my fault.  He claims that my long run days should be easy runs, especially when adding a new mile on.  I'm not fast by any means, but I have a hard time maintaining an "easy" run.  I feel like a loser if I can't keep up with the pace that I started with.  Slowing down makes me feel like a bum so I feel the need to push my pace.  Besides, what is an "easy" run anyway?  As much as I love running, it's never easy.  Since I obviously don't know what easy means for me, my new goal for long runs is to not look at my pace.  Let's see how that shakes out, wish me luck.

This is the pipe the sadistic monster gifted me to rub out my shins.

In the world of the B, we have decided to start a Sunday dress day tradition now that the weather is warming up again.

B: I bet you a bottle of milk that this tradition doesn't last the month of March

What does an easy run mean to you? Do you have any weekly traditions?