Time Trials

This might sound like a post about running (and it is…), but I’m going to weave in a little everyday life too.  I’m laying on the couch in jammies–aka running clothes–with Gabe, while Javi is at a work event tonight.  Asher is finally asleep, but not without a fight.  Gabe’s socks are inside out because he took them off to “help” me with Asher’s bath, and he smacks snacks on chicken.  Chicken that he wouldn’t eat at the dinner table with me.  It must just taste better while sitting on the couch, watching “Donald Wood” (aka Donald Duck) on Daddy’s old iPhone.  The cats sit in the tall begging-to-be-mowed grass in the backyard.  Random toys strewn about, trash can at the curb since tomorrow’s Tuesday.  Now that I’ve painted the picture…

The last two weeks have been pretty light on the running, so Saturday I really wanted to get a good six miles in while the kids were at the YMCA child watch.  I run in the [rich people] neighborhood behind the Y.  Lots of nice streets with minimal traffic, and plenty of houses, flowers, and such to look at.

I figured I’d warm up for 2 miles, do my time trial of 400 meters & 800 meters, then a few hill sprints if I still felt OK, then cool down for 2 miles.  I didn’t even think about what I ate the night prior (Hibachi from China Buffet, our Friday night go-to) or breakfast (J is on a ‘German breakfast throwback’ kick, where we have cheese, meats, scrambled eggs, jam, & grainy bread–it’s SO good!).  Surprisingly, my stomach didn’t bother me at all.  Guess waiting a full 2+ hours helps…

My 400 meter goal was 1:30.  I ran 1:30.  My best timed 400 in high school was 1:05, and back then I thought it was the worst torture ever, and I told my coach to never put me in it again.  Now I’d be thrilled to get anywhere in the vicinity of 1:10.  But 1:30 is OK for not having worked on speed yet.  I jogged another 400 to rest, then started on the 800 meters.  I was feeling a little pooped, and figured I’d be somewhere around 3:20 or so.  I ran 3:30.  Well… that’s fine.  At least I know where I’m at.  I did these for the Ultimate Runner competition I’m doing at the end of June.  Next week I will start my training program for that, an 8 week intermediate workout plan focusing on speed.  I think I found it at Competitor.com or Women’s Running…  Even though the two trials felt difficult, it also felt great to start (trying to) run fast again.  I did five short (7 second) hill sprints, just to work on my power a little bit.  It rained, but just enough to feel wet.  It was cool, but just enough that my new purple Under Armour jacket felt just right.

Today, I had a dentist appointment–all is well in the mouth area 😉 –and upon returning to work, found that I had the afternoon wide open.  No meetings, no pressing issues.  Hours upon hours to get caught up and move some projects forward… and hours to get distracted, unfocused, and daydream.  I made every effort to do more of the former and not the latter.  I had a big lunch of rice, sauteed veggies, and chicken, then a cake square from Dewey’s, so that wasn’t on my side.  The clock ticked on and on, and the afternoon finally passed.  Time trials.

Tonight, Asher fussed early on, so I gave him an early bath–where he bonked his head a little on the faucet, so I got him out early too.  I hoped he’d go down easily, without Daddy here to rock him, but of course… I laid him down and came downstairs to do dishes, and the fussing started slowly, then crescendo’d (if that is a word) after a few minutes.  I still had bottles to wash and food to put away.  I headed upstairs to rock him, and laid him down after a few minutes.  He seemed sleepy, so I came back downstairs to continue on my to-do list.  Is it just me, or is a mom’s life one big to-do list?  I try to give myself a break and put less stuff on the list, but geez…   Unfortunately, Asher just wanted his dad, and got me instead, so he cried even more this time.  I sighed, my back aching from stooping over the sink full of breakfast and dinner dishes, plus my lunch containers.  As I headed upstairs for the second time, to try to put him down for the third time, I was moderately irritated.  Why won’t he just go to sleep?  I know he’s tired!  I have dishes, trash, etc and I just want to sit down and relax (and blog! LOL).  As I held him, I heard his breathing slow, and his little body relaxed into mine.  I thought, he will only be this little for a short time.  It feels like he was just born, and now he’s walking and eating Cheerios, and has a sweet toothy grin.  Enjoy the rocking… savor the snuggles.  Time trials.

I jinxed it… Asher woke up, doing the ‘tired talking’ that babies do when they are trying to go to sleep.  I gave him a few minutes, then clicked save and headed up the stairs again.  Only he stopped fussing when I was on the first step.  Ooh.. that was a pleasant surprise!  And in a twist of irony, J just texted that he’s on his way home.

I should sign off.  I’ll leave you with a few of my fave pics of the little dude & the big bro from a few weeks ago.  Goodnight, friends!