Survival Mode

Definitely feel like the last week was all about survival mode. But, all in all, I have to call it a success nonetheless, because despite my kid getting his brains scrambled in last weekend's hockey game requiring a ton of doctors visits & follow ups, very late nights for work (think college all-nighters, TWICE) and a long hard look at some of my interpersonal relationships, I was still able to get all my training done this week.

For the first time this training cycle I had to shuffle some things around (ironic, considering that I cut that night's run short after  posting about how I was not going to let things bother me and impact my training!) but ultimately, my log shows that I hit 100% of my training for this week, including my second 20-miler. One of those runs was a painful, tedious slog that sucked my soul out of my body, and one I had to cut short because I was too wrapped up in emotions to just get it done that night.  But I switched days around and by the end of the week, I was all caught up and feeling better about my week. I was feeling pretty damn good about my training, actually, and my week as a whole.

After a whole lot of chaos this past week, this is what my Friday-Sunday looked like, and all of these things added up to really renew my spirit, if not totally sap my body!!

• Quick, relatively easy 5.75 mile run - got back the run I had to cut short Wednesday night
• Sushi take-out dinner date w the husband
• 50-minute romp through nearly deserted trails in North Arlington
• Hour-long full body massage
• Afternoon of low-stress errands & hanging out w all three of my boys 
• Saturday evening watching my Longhorns (they ultimately won after I went to bed - whew)
• Early Sunday long run w Marci & Kris - we ran HARD and blew away our last 20-mile time 
• Relaxing quiet afternoon at home full of naps with baby cats snuggled up to me
• Delicious home-made meal & fun family time around the dinner table

Marci, Kris and me after our 20-mile run around Lake Grapevine. We rocked it.

This week was rough, no two ways about it. But it reinforced to me that not only can I get the training done for NYC when life intervenes, but that the training helps keep me centered and grounded.  I can keep myself going when life intervenes because my running is my lifeline, my therapy, and my own personal coping mechanism.