Saturday, April 2, 2011

Commitment...


1: a promise to do or give something 2: a promise to be loyal to someone or something 3: the attitude of someone who works very hard to do or support something

Despite the fact that every man I date wants to make a big commitment to me for some strange reason (perhaps because they need me to support them but that's a different story for another day), I have a big problem with it.



Big



Huge



Take, for instance, the fact that I signed up for 2 marathons this Spring (one which takes place next weekend). Big commitment, right?

It should have been, yes.


The problem: I didn't do the training. Same as when I signed up for Chicago last October, no training. (The difference is that I will NOT be running a marathon next weekend with no training.)

So, even though I paid the money and signed up (commitment), I refused to do what was needed to keep up my side of the bargain. I made no commitment to my goal. In fact, I probably did LESS running than I would have done if I hadn't imposed a big deadline on myself. It was like I had a monkey on my back, but I couldn't force myself to do something about it.


The weekend following Marathon #1, I have committed to run a relay. Ugh. (I will be running the relay, I can't let my team down)



So, here's my plan for the next month or so:


  1. 1- I will go to Marathon #1, I will support my friends and cheer for them (and possibly switch to the Half Marathon, if that is allowed).
  2. I will run the relay, it's only ~10 miles per person, broken up into 3 sections, I can do that. I will enjoy the day with 7 of my friends.
  3. I will play Marathon #2 by ear...


Beyond that, I plan to stop making these commitments until I can get a handle on my schedule and start running for myself without a looming deadline.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Getting the Hang

Yeesh! What kind of blogger am I? An absent one, I suppose...

As usual, I'm on the road this week. Unless something comes up at the last minute, I'll be home all week next week. I'm actually starting to get the hang of this. I honestly don't mind traveling a couple of days every week. I don't have to go to the same office every day and meet with the same people week after week.

This week, I'm south. I know it's warmer everywhere, but I didn't even need a jacket today, for crying out loud! I'm planning a run tomorrow morning in shorts and short sleeves, my Garmin is charging away as I type.

The bad, terrible, horrible news that I'm trying not to focus on until I get home... my dog is missing.


Yes, this guy. Long story short, he got away from my daughter on Monday night. I've got pictures hanging up all over town, contacted all the local vets and groomers, and nobody has seen him. This is a 14 year old dog, hard of hearing, poor vision, but as energetic as a puppy. I just can't imagine somebody would pick him up and not turn him in. I can't believe he's gone. I don't know what else to say about it. I feel like I'm missing a member of my family right now, a runaway. I'm hopeful that he'll come home, but realistically I know that's probably not gonna happen.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Three Things Thursday

1- When traveling for work with a group of men, and vendors are taking you to the best places to eat, it is not always the best idea to get the most food and drinks possible out of the free meal.

Moo.

That said, I ate at a couple of great places in Minneapolis (here and here) and one pretty great place in Grand Rapids. I did pretty good at eating healthy in Grand Rapids (here), but I was out of control in Minneapolis.


2 - I haven't been running. Combined with #1 above, I feel terrible right about now. I want to hibernate and wake up when I've lost about 20 lbs. The problem with hibernating is that it won't get me marathon-ready in less than 3 months. Guess I'll have to suck it up.


3 - Work is kicking my butt. I need to figure out how to get more rest when I'm traveling. I chose the job that includes all the travel, now I have to figure out how to make it work in my life. When I'm on the road, I tend to work all day at the facility I'm visiting, then go to my hotel and do the work I would have done if I was in the office.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Woe, Woe

I had a 2 1/2 day long pity party over the weekend.

Am I depressed? Maybe.

Am I just lazy? Most definitely.

I tend to need activities planned in order to keep myself motivated over the weekend. Otherwise, I lay around in my pajamas the entire time and read. It all ended last night with the ordering of pizza so that I wouldn't have to do any more dishes.

I'm ok with it because I hit the ground running at work today and have had a pretty productive day. I'm pretty stoked about work these days because I have quite a few pretty big projects coming up. The big projects that affect a lot of change are always my favorites. :)

Anyhow, I took advantage of the beginning of the year sales this year and ordered a treadmill and an elliptical machine. I've had several treadmills in the past, but this time I went all out and ordered quality instead of taking the cheap route. Since my daughter doesn't like to run, I also ordered an elliptical machine for her to use (and I'll take advantage of it, too).

I expect zero excuses from me from here on out.

It's too cold. (hit the treadmill)
It's too hot. (hit the treadmill)
I overslept. (treadmill before bed)
I don't feel up to it. (hit the treadmill or elliptical and stop if you feel worse)

It's worked for me in the past, no reason it shouldn't work this time around.

One more day in the office this week, barring a huge snowfall, and I'll be off to Grand Rapids later in the week. Maybe I can explore GR on foot one of the mornings I'm there...

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

It's a Good Thing

That I didn't make any "real" resolutions for 2011. I got my days and nights all mixed up over the long weekend, and I've been having a hard time getting any sleep so far.

No sleep = No running for me.

I have, however, cooked healthy meals at home every day since January 1. That's HUGE for me! I can't remember the last time I cooked dinner every day for 4 days in a row, and I have plans for what I'm cooking tonight. I may actually make it a full week of healthy, home-cooked meals. It's a miracle!

Unfortunately, my streak will have to come to an end when my travel schedule starts to ramp up for this year. I'll be spending part of every week from next week through mid-February in Madison, WI, Grand Rapids, MI, or Minneapolis, MN. Why couldn't I have gotten assigned to Florida and California for the winter?? Why?

Anyhow, I had a fantastic New Year's. I spent it at one of my new neighbor's house. They probably had 20 or so families over from the neighborhood. It was great to get a chance to know some of the neighbors a little better, and I'm SO glad I moved into this particular neighborhood. I've never lived in a place where people tried to be friends with their neighbors. I like it.
I don't like it so much when my doorbell rings a couple of times a week for one reason or another and I'm wearing my pajamas. But, ah well, such is life. I'm sure I'm not the only one that changes immediately into sweats or pajamas as soon as I get home from work.

Right?

Now, to find somebody to pawn off these butter braids that the neighbor's daughters were selling for the band. It's bad for me to have something that sweet and fattening in the house...