4.27.2009

training plan for reaching grad school finish line

So I am in the final stretch and looking at a mountain of work (not shocking in the least). In order to avoid complete mental meltdown in the next two weeks, I have plotted out my own homework/life training plan to keep myself from piling too much on one day, and loading the other days with non-stop, hair-pulling stress. I have also done my best to write in some running days so that my 1/2 training can possibly not go completely down the toilet.

As for the other necessities like breathing, bathing, house work, and possibly packing for a move I don't know is actually coming or not - those will have to fall somewhere into the cracks of time I have left. On the plus side, our 'due to be homeless' date isn't until June 1, so at least that gives me a couple weeks to collect my wits after walking down that aisle, getting my diploma, and diving headlong into the real world (or not).
Somewhere in that time Karen and I were supposed to take a cross-country trip, but everything is hanging in flux right now until I find out when I am supposed to start work (my contract at the current place supposedly has been extended until the end of summer session). I also am feeling a bit hesitant to leave town if Dan and I have no idea what we're doing about living space. For those of you who aren't immediately in the loop, our lease is up June 1, we've been searching for a home to buy for the last couple months, and our land lady refuses to let us go month-to-month until we sign on a place. We had a place that we'd made an offer on, and had that offer accepted, but the seller completely screwed us over and walked away at the last minute. Back to square one with a little more than a month to find a home has us just a little bit frazzled. There have been many tiffs, and many make up meals and ice cream - nothin' says lovin' like training-massacring stress eating.

4.23.2009

Hi blog

my relationship with you is like my relationship with my gym of late - I only visit to blow off some steam when stuff gets so heavy I can't deal. So, today was so extra awesome on the 'shoot me in the face and get it over with' scale that I went and ran six miles at the gym; nice to see firsthand how badly I've let my training slide. I managed to finish in about 68minutes and then had to walk for another 10 to stop feeling like I was going to die on the treadmill. To be completely honest, I decided to do the long run at the gym because I knew it would be a tough one and wanted witnesses if I keeled over.

When it was all over, all that I was running from caught up and and I was back to square one. Oh well, at least I got a workout out of it, and I'm not too terribly sore; it was a stamina issue and not a strength issue. Out of body glide, so the chafe issue struck again - tried Vaseline but it didn't really work too well. Better than nothing though, I guess; the wonders of being a running fattie!

Now it's back to laying in bed - massive knot of anxiety eating away and keeping me awake. It'll be great when all of this is over, but there are so many things overlapping that there isn't one neat deadline. Time to do some scheduling and working out what I can eliminate from the stress list first (more like what needs to be eliminated first), so that I can move on and actually deal with the more long-term issues. In the end it's all manageable - nothing life-threatening, so no need to worry - just taxing at the moment. Life has a way of working out eventually, but it would be nice if it didn't work itself into such a knot before starting the process of sorting things out.

4.02.2009

Robin red breast

Some people look for crocuses poking through the brown grass, or curse their seasonal allergies; as for me, the sign that spring is finally near is the first runner's chafe of the season. Unlike my more hearty friends who run through the winter, I am just now emerging from my hibernation to answer the call to rise to my feet. Like my squirrel sistren, I have discovered that my carefully placed stashes of survival rations have become depleted during my winter absence; yes, those sticks of body glide that have been hanging out on my dresser (the site of which seemed to be a perpetual chastisement for my sloth) have turned out to be empty.

Heedless of my better judgment which, though slowed by my still-groggy state of mind, still told me that I should not attempt to run without greasing up, I hit the rubber path (no, I still have not braved the elements) sans anti-chafe protection. And now - I hurt. But it's ok, because it's all downhill from here (in some ways at least). I've had my first 'hey, wake up and resupply, dummy!' moment to tell me that I need to get serious again and be prepared. Red welts will shrink and fade as, hopefully, will my times and wasteline.

So, procrastination and lethergy be gone - it's time to lumber onto the lake path to get ready for a summer of events.