After the bucket loads of rain we've had this week (I mean a LOT of rain), I wasn't surprised when I got an email from the Paper Mill Run director saying the race was postponed. I don't see the big deal...what's a few downed trees and massive mud ditches?! That wouldn't have slowed me down!
But in all seriousness, I was kind of glad it got pushed back. After starting class this week and fully realizing just how busy I'm going to be, I would be lying if I said I wasn't really stressed out. It's not even that the work load is that high right now, but it will be a lot in the near future. I'm the type of person who gets prematurely stressed out about things. For example, as with the GUs, the stress I have about the possibility of having a stomach ache actually causes a stomach ache. So, just knowing that every week for the next three and a half months I have to fit 7 hours of class + homework into an already busy week of work, running, and (maybe) a social life, stresses me out.
After this week, the last thing I wanted to do Friday night was prep for and worry about getting up for a race bright and early the next morning. So, instead, I will be running the Paper Mill Run in two weeks, on Saturday, September 24th. I hope that by then I will be more adjusted to my busier schedule and less stressed out. Especially since I still plan to run the Parkway Run 5k the next day, September 25th.
Backing up a bit...Thursday I had a bit of a crazy day. I had to go to work for my normal 8 hours, then run 10 miles, then go to class for 2 hours. You could say I was a little intimidated. I handled it very well though, and ended up finishing my 10 miles 7 minutes faster than the 10 mile race I ran in June!
Final Stats: 10.04 miles, 1:23:10, 8:17 pace
I should go back and add another item to my Our Great Motivators post from earlier this week: being stressed about lack of time = a great motivator. There's no way I would have gone as fast as I did had I not been stressed about whether or not I'd have time to eat dinner before class. I literally had to run as fast as I could so I could move on to the next thing on my to do list.
Of course, three awesome, speedy days in a row had to come to an end. On Friday I attempted to run an easy 4 after work. Good thing it was supposed to be easy, because there's no way I could have done anything more. My head was totally into it. My body? Not so much. I felt like I was trying to roll a square bolder up a hill. My body was beat.
So yes, when I found out the race was postponed I was pretty happy about it. My first thought was "I can actually sleep in!!" I can't remember the last time I didn't have to get up and either go to work, run, race, or go to boxing. It's always go, go, go.
When Mike found out the race was rescheduled, he decided to sign us up for a boxing class Saturday morning. I wasn't thrilled about going since I had so been looking forward to sleeping in, but there was no way I wasn't going to go, right? That's what I assumed, but when I woke up this morning, went into the living room and found dirt on the dining room table that had transferred from Mike's backpack I burst into tears. On top of everything else I have been neglecting my apartment. There's nothing more stressful to me than to live someplace that is dirty and unorganized. I am a clean freak. After an already stressful week, the dirt on the table was the last straw.
Mike ended up going to boxing on his own. I sat on the couch, turned on the TV and thought about what to do with my morning. Boxing was out. "I could run my 5 miles that I have to do today? No, I don't feel like running now. I could sit on the couch all morning and be a fat ass? No thank you. I need to sweat, but I'm so tired of the routine."
Luckily one of the things that kept Mike and I busier than normal this week was that we went bike shopping and go new rides! A Saturday morning bike ride was just what I needed to clear my head! No watch. No prescribed distance. Just go.
I headed up West River Drive, snapping some pics along the way...
When I got to Falls Bridge and checked the time I realized that if I went into Manayunk I would be there right around the time Mike finished boxing. He was very happy and surprised when I showed up and we got to ride home together. This was also a great opportunity to model our new rides (and practice taking pictures while riding a bike at the same time).
Final Stats: ~15 miles, untimed
I felt MUCH better after my ride. My body is not accustomed to biking so I am definitely in an adjustment period and my quads were burning afterwards. It was something different, though, and that's what made it great!
Afterwards we grabbed some breakfast at a new place, Pure Fare. I was craving massive amounts of fruit:
Since that still wasn't enough, we went to the Farmer's Market and picked up these:
I am going to spend the rest of the day cleaning my stinky apartment and doing some homework. Will I run my 5 miles? Maybe. I haven't decided yet. I'm thinking I just need a day off. I need to be okay with taking a day off every now and then. The point is, I'm not going to stress about it. This is now a STRESS FREE ZONE!
But in all seriousness, I was kind of glad it got pushed back. After starting class this week and fully realizing just how busy I'm going to be, I would be lying if I said I wasn't really stressed out. It's not even that the work load is that high right now, but it will be a lot in the near future. I'm the type of person who gets prematurely stressed out about things. For example, as with the GUs, the stress I have about the possibility of having a stomach ache actually causes a stomach ache. So, just knowing that every week for the next three and a half months I have to fit 7 hours of class + homework into an already busy week of work, running, and (maybe) a social life, stresses me out.
After this week, the last thing I wanted to do Friday night was prep for and worry about getting up for a race bright and early the next morning. So, instead, I will be running the Paper Mill Run in two weeks, on Saturday, September 24th. I hope that by then I will be more adjusted to my busier schedule and less stressed out. Especially since I still plan to run the Parkway Run 5k the next day, September 25th.
Backing up a bit...Thursday I had a bit of a crazy day. I had to go to work for my normal 8 hours, then run 10 miles, then go to class for 2 hours. You could say I was a little intimidated. I handled it very well though, and ended up finishing my 10 miles 7 minutes faster than the 10 mile race I ran in June!
Final Stats: 10.04 miles, 1:23:10, 8:17 pace
I should go back and add another item to my Our Great Motivators post from earlier this week: being stressed about lack of time = a great motivator. There's no way I would have gone as fast as I did had I not been stressed about whether or not I'd have time to eat dinner before class. I literally had to run as fast as I could so I could move on to the next thing on my to do list.
Of course, three awesome, speedy days in a row had to come to an end. On Friday I attempted to run an easy 4 after work. Good thing it was supposed to be easy, because there's no way I could have done anything more. My head was totally into it. My body? Not so much. I felt like I was trying to roll a square bolder up a hill. My body was beat.
So yes, when I found out the race was postponed I was pretty happy about it. My first thought was "I can actually sleep in!!" I can't remember the last time I didn't have to get up and either go to work, run, race, or go to boxing. It's always go, go, go.
When Mike found out the race was rescheduled, he decided to sign us up for a boxing class Saturday morning. I wasn't thrilled about going since I had so been looking forward to sleeping in, but there was no way I wasn't going to go, right? That's what I assumed, but when I woke up this morning, went into the living room and found dirt on the dining room table that had transferred from Mike's backpack I burst into tears. On top of everything else I have been neglecting my apartment. There's nothing more stressful to me than to live someplace that is dirty and unorganized. I am a clean freak. After an already stressful week, the dirt on the table was the last straw.
Mike ended up going to boxing on his own. I sat on the couch, turned on the TV and thought about what to do with my morning. Boxing was out. "I could run my 5 miles that I have to do today? No, I don't feel like running now. I could sit on the couch all morning and be a fat ass? No thank you. I need to sweat, but I'm so tired of the routine."
Luckily one of the things that kept Mike and I busier than normal this week was that we went bike shopping and go new rides! A Saturday morning bike ride was just what I needed to clear my head! No watch. No prescribed distance. Just go.
I headed up West River Drive, snapping some pics along the way...
 |
| Philadelphia Museum of Art |
 |
| Boathouse Row |
Final Stats: ~15 miles, untimed
I felt MUCH better after my ride. My body is not accustomed to biking so I am definitely in an adjustment period and my quads were burning afterwards. It was something different, though, and that's what made it great!
Afterwards we grabbed some breakfast at a new place, Pure Fare. I was craving massive amounts of fruit:
 |
| Fruit salad |
 |
| Fruit smoothie with greek yogurt |
 |
| Even a fruit muffin - oatmeal apple |
 |
| Fall favorites! |
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