In preparation for my weekend I made sure to stock up on groceries Thursday night. I also took the opportunity to get a sitter for the kids Friday night and asked my mom to watch them for three hours on Saturday. On the family whiteboard calendar, I marked "Mommy Nap" on Saturday, this way everyone knew what to expect!
Last week I found myself with an official training plan for my two (very small) fall races. I have been struggling with achieving the level of performance I want and thought this was a good test case for more focused training. My plan takes into account my two fall races and...wait for it...wait for it...triathlon season in 2014. This means I am now training in all three disciplines. No races or distances have been decided for next year. I am still trying to find the courage to even acknowledge that I am willing to think about this. Triathlon was an "I will never" thing for me. As in, "I will never compete in a triathlon." Well, like they say "never say never".
Last week was a rough week adapting to a new training schedule which on a few days called for double workouts. Double workouts on top of working full time, being a mom, having a house to take care of, friends who I want to interact with, etc. As much as last week was physically draining, it was mentally and emotionally draining. The anxiety before every workout was palpable. The workouts were far more intricate than the "lazy" workouts I had been doing. It's interesting how one can be active and lazy at the same time. I ended the week tired, sore, emotionally bruised but still determined.
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| Trying to adjust to three workouts in 24 hours. |
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| Stretching and playing mind games to get me out the door for my long run |
Here are some highlights from a much needed "step back" weekend:
- Dinner with friends on Friday night. It was so nice to get out and have a real sit down meal with familiar faces. With friends I have known for a while it was easy to relax and soothed my soul. John and I don't get out much for dinner and we thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant chosen by the group. We went to Butera's in Smithtown and would recommend it.
- Saturday my training plan called for a ride of 10-15 miles on the ROAD!!! Ack! I have had my bike for 10 years and have probably had it on the road 3 or 4 times. My bike handling skills usually put me on the pavement as I try to unclip from my peddles. Since we were able to arrange for the kids to go to my moms, John came with me on my ride. Sometimes I want to kill him under these circumstances but on Saturday I was grateful to have his expertise with me. He already logged his training for the day and was more than willing to ride to MY plan. It is hard to train with a spouse (or anyone) who is at a different fitness level than you. Having a plan ahead of time makes the experience manageable. John gave me some pointers but for the most part kept the mood light while I clenched my handlebars and swerved everywhere trying to get my water bottle.
Having fun on our bike ride. - My plan for a nap was actualized when John took the kids to Big A's triathlon camp! I love to nap. I miss napping. I miss my kids napping. Napping is one of my most favorite pastimes...like ever.
- Sunday I hit the gym for my weight routine. Then we headed to the town pool for a swim which allowed me to get in my long swim while hanging with the family. Big A interrupted me every few laps so this wasn't the most productive workout but it felt good incorporating family time into my workout.
Sunday's Workout - I tried out a new recipe. I have been in a major cooking rut and I am determined to make one new recipe a week for a while. This weekend I made Egg Muffins and I got the recipe here. This recipe is really adaptable and fun to play with. I made my egg muffins with spinach and peppers. We topped them with salsa and guacamole. A few suggestions: mix the spinach in with the eggs (it makes it easier); use a ladle to spoon egg mixture into muffin tins; and don't forget the step that says spray the muffin liners.
Egg Muffins
And hey! It was also John's 40th birthday!! Whoop Whoop. We had a quiet celebration with family. John isn't a center stage kind of guy. He seems to be rolling with 40 just fine. Me on the other hand, not so much.
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| Like fine wine...getting better with age. Well, he is more like Scotch but you get the point. |
This week will be more adapting to a new training schedule. I am looking forward to another quiet weekend...and yes, I have already marked "mommy nap" on the calendar. I also plan on doing some major organizing around the homestead. I should have some good tips and ideas on next weekend's recap.
What did you do this past weekend? Do you prefer to have lazy weekends or event filled weekends?
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