Training Myself Silly

The way you do that {crazy} thing you do.

I'm definitely in the "it-could-kill-me-but-not-trying-is-another-kind-pf-death" phase. How was this week so hard? I really thought I was fitter than this. 

I'm exhausted and it took me 6 days to rack up 70.3 miles. 

How am I going to do this in one day?

And the miles are only going to keep racking up. 

I'm not sure how much yesterday's ice bath helped. My legs felt a lot better after, but this morning's run was terrible. I had to stop to walk twice. I haven't walked mid-run since my marathon. In July. 

I wore the 2012 Olympic Track Trials shirt to keep me motivated on the run. A friend gave it to me when I was home. I like to wear running related shirts when I know I'm headed out on what is likely not going to be a very good run. Rather than be embarrassed by being seen walking or running slowly in the shirt, I usually am able to find the umph to keep going. It helped today, but my tight legs and the 80 degree weather defeated me a few times. I wanted to end early several times, but it was good for my mental training to stick it out. Yes my legs are tight and yes they hurt, but they can do it. My brain needs to get on my body's level! 

I was grateful to end in the pool, until I discovered my shoulders are a lot more sore than I realized. At least I know that I've worked hard this week. I have never been so excited for a day off from the gym. I am going to live for rest days for the next 15 weeks. 

Here's what next week has in store for me: 

Also, I only raised $5.45 for charity through Charity Miles this week. Would have gotten a few more if I had remembered my phone on every run. 

Speaking of remembering -- is such a thing as "training brain" ?? We've all heard of pregnancy brain, and thankfully I've never had to experience that. Not only have I been exhausted this week, but today I have been a complete mess. Forgetting my phone, losing my keys, paying for and subsequently leaving wrapping paper at Target. I took TWO naps today and am still tired. I think I may have left my water bottle at the pool too : ( I'm sure I've forgotten, misplaced or ignored several other things today, I just haven't found out about them yet. Thankfully I still have another week to study for finals. 

{Otherwise I'd be freaking out right now.}

Instead I'm just trying to roll with the punches. 

And today the punches said it was a good idea to throw a dress on over my suit and go sit by the pool while eating lunch. Probably the reason for extra napping/exhaustion. Whatevs. It was delightful. 

Then I was craving sweets. And rather than completely undo my morning training, I opted for a greek yogurt and granola parfait. 

Served in a wine glass made it feel fancy. 

When I finally emerged from my room, after several naps and failed attempts to be productive, I discovered my roommate had assembled a Christmas tree!! 

It sparkles all on its own. Amazeballs. 

Obvi I became overcome with the spirit and had to grab my sweater and head out for a cocoa! Luckily while I was out I was able to submit a few assignments online that I had been pretending didn't exist. Whoops. 

I also noticed that I have been neglecting my calendar!! 

My favorite pinterest craft I've ever done. Each card has the day on top, then you enter the year and something that happened that day. I'd gotten a bit behind, but November 16th was the first day I filled out last year. Thus it was the first time I pulled a card and had a previous entry to read. It only took 365 days, but from now on, whenever I pull a card, I'll be able to read what happened on that day in the past year(s).

On the same day I bought my plane ticket home to Seattle, open water swam in the Gulf, had a silly dinner with the triathlon boys and went line dancing; a year before I was a baking machine. I cranked out over 350 cookies in one night! 

I was working for the athletic trainers at Portland State University, and wanted a reason to celebrate Movember. 

Naturally, I baked all night just so that I could wear these puppies on the field: 

I got away with a lot of things that I shouldn't have. This was definitely one of them. What can I say - football coaches love me. 

Anyways, I love my little calendar. I have journaled on and off for the past several years, and I find that I'm much better at it when I'm traveling. But in my normal life, it is a lot easier to record on short phrase or sentence about the day. I can't wait until a few years from now, when I have several dates to read over each time I flip a card. 

I wonder what I will think a year or two from now when I flip back and look at this time in my life. I wonder if I will fall in love with these longer events, or if I'll think "That's when I was crazy enough to think those events were going to be fun." Either way, there is only one way to find out! Going to conquer this goal, then see how I feel. Maybe it will be the beginning of a life long affair, or maybe I'll be one and done. 

If you've gotta come to the show, you might as well enjoy it. I plan to do a lot more than enjoy life, I plan on making the most of it -- every darn day. 

xoxo Sweat&Sparkle

What were you doing a year ago? What do you want to be doing a year from now? Have you ever trained yourself silly? 

Got my haircut a year ago and went to a Christmas party at one of my favorite shops in Seattle: Curtsy Bella. A year from now I want to be loving life as a second year, seeing clients and living the SLP dream. I'm afraid I'm doing it right now!