Finding Time To Do It All

Giving Up on Fun

Yep, I'm saying it out loud and putting it in print.  I am no longer going to do anything fun. ** Why, you ask, am I saying this?  Because I'm tired of being in situations like this (except for the Interesting Man, of course).

And this.

And this.

You see, I'm clumsy (as if you haven't figured that out, based on previous posts).  I'm clumsy, and I like to play sports for fun.  OK, I admit "playing sports" is a loose term.  We'll leave it at "I like to be active" for fun.  Unfortunately, it often ends up that I get a boo-boo.

Yes, really.  I once broke my wrist while taking off my dry suit (tripped over my pants while getting out of them).  I broke my nose talking on the phone (don't ask).   I broke a finger while, um, having an amorous moment (that one was really my husband, he was being all suave and jumped into bed and landed on my finger - and no, we didn't give up and go to the hospital!).

I've hurt myself so many times, I know whether or not it's broken 99% of the time, without X-Rays or expert examination.  I'm not squeamish about any of it; it just "is".  I often will wait days or weeks before having something checked out because (as in the case of the finger above) I've got other things to do.  

The last few years though, I've figured out that I'm too old for this shit.  I'm not 20-something anymore, and broken stuff doesn't heal nearly as quickly as it once did.  Nor does it heal as well.  I have enough mended bones that I'm sure if my body were X-Rayed, a radiologist would ask whether I'd been in the rocket with Evel Knievel.  I've probably not broken as many bones as he did, but I was in this car when it crashed (4 broken ribs and a cracked sternum, among other things - and no, I wasn't driving).

The point is, if I decided to go for a relaxing day of fishing, I'd be the one to get hooked.  So, I'm not going fishing.  I'm going to sit on my ass, right here in front of the TV (or computer), and eat Twinkies and do nothing.  I'm through with fun!

**If you believe any of the above, I have a really nice starship to sell you.  I just had to vent a little because I feel sorry for my clumsy ass.  I'm not asking you to feel sorry for me too; in fact, I want you to laugh, and then go outside and play.  I assure you, once I'm healed up, I'll be back at it again!

Headlights!

Yesterday I went to the pool and stayed in the sun a little too long, wearing a strapless bathing suit top.  I now understand why boobs are called "headlights."  That is all.

Ferrets

Ferrets are da bomb!  

...that is all.

Where Does the Time Go?

Let's face it: there are only 24 hours in a day.  It's hard to find time to make yourself beautiful, get the job done, 
be a parent, buy groceries, be a spouse/lover, relax, and fix decent meals...I haven't even mentioned the other important 
things in life, like keeping in touch with friends and family.

What's a person to do?  I wish I had the answers, but the truth is, I don't.  However, I'm starting to try to make small 
changes in my life (read: everyday routines) that allow time for each of those things.  That doesn't necessarily mean I'm 
succeeding, but at least I'm trying.

For instance, yesterday I got home from work at about 5:30.  After saying hello to the main men in my life, I went straight 
into the bedroom to change my clothes - into something I could wear to work in the yard.  In the process, I came across a 
spatula (!) on my husband's bathroom sink.  I immediately went and got my phone, took a picture, and sent it to a friend, 
with the caption "Can you spot what's wrong with this picture?  Hint: it's the bathroom."  Included in the picture was the 
sink, a toothbrush, and mouthwash, along with with said spatula.  The main idea here was that I wanted to be outside because 
the weather was absolutely glorious (low 80s and sunny) and, admittedly, my yard needs some serious work.  This is my idea 
of relaxing, but making progress on something else that simply must be done.

Granted, we did not have an organized meal last night, but sometimes it's fun to do that.  I know I enjoyed my boiled egg 
and even didn't mind the one mosquito bite I got.  And, in just over an hour, I managed to clean up a flower bed to the 
point of being "somewhat tolerable".  Progress!

Once I came inside it was only about 6:45, but I had to have a shower (bug spray) and I wanted to allow my wonderful husband 
time to run (the boys had friends over, one of whom is only five years old, so we have to be available even if we're not 
directly in the room, so I couldn't take a shower while he was out).  Got the shower done, ate, and then proceeded to clean 
up the daily stuff that has to be done. 

...and then I remembered the taxes!  So, I started getting the tax stuff together.  It was mostly already gathered, but I 
still had to package it nicely and send it to the accountants (yes, I pay someone to do my taxes, it's worth it in my opinion).
So, progress made on the taxes.

By then it was 8:00 and the neighbor kids were gone, and my boys were bathed, and it was time to chill...NOT!  I had to go 
and floss/rinse/brush my teeth.  I still have braces, and it takes me about 30 minutes to accomplish that to my liking.  So,
off I went.  I was nearly finished when my husband yelled that the boys were in bed waiting for me to tell them goodnight.  
I rushed into the room, did our nightly goodnight routine, and came out into the family room.

Only to realize that I needed to gather a load of laundry to be washed today.  We happen to own one of the greatest inventions 
ever: a washing machine with a timer on it.  I can set up the washer and it will run up to 19 hours later.  I usually set it 
so there is a freshly-finished load of laundry when I walk in the door from work every day.  And yes, that's the first thing 
I do when I put my purse down: put the clothes in the dryer!

By 9:00 I was able to lay down on the couch and relax...by 9:30 I was in bed.

I think I like this lifestyle.  It's hectic, but I don't feel like I spend any time watching TV.  And the truth is, I don't 
miss it at all.

Cruising on a Gluten-Free Diet

Yeah, it was more than a few days ago that I said I'd post this "in a few days".  I've been formulating this in my mind since then, and since it's been cold and dreary here my mind doesn't function so well...but without further ado, here's some info about cruising on a special diet!

We took a cruise out of Port Canaveral on Carnival Cruise Line's (CCL) Sensation over the New Year's holiday.  I wanted to do something besides go to Disney World (I bet you've never heard anyone say they'd rather not go to Disney, have you?), without spending a ton of money.  And, there was no snow within driving distance when I needed to make the plans.  Despite the blizzard that followed shortly after my booking, the cruise was well worth the money.  We all had a blast, got out of the country (yes, the Bahamas is a foreign country, and we got off the ship, which means I've now taken my children to a foreign land...).

On the first day of the cruise, we checked out what CCL had to offer for children.  I'd heard of Camp Carnival from several friends, and they all said their children loved it and never wanted to leave.  I'm sure that was true.  They had lots of activities planned and they all sounded like fun.  Even my boys were interested in it, to some extent.  The cool thing to me was that, starting at age 9 or 10, kids could "sign themselves out" of certain activities if they didn't want to do them.  I assume that meant the kids could actually leave the camp, which potentially means roaming the ship without parental supervision (because what adults stay in the cabin the whole time?).  Since we have an eight-year-old and a ten-year-old, they would have been in different groups.  Since they are best friends, that didn't go over so well with them.  So, we gave them the opportunity to show us how grown-up they were: we let them roam the ship freely.

At first we had walkie-talkies (they had one, we had the other).  The rule was that they had to stay together at all times, stay out of trouble, and not get hurt.  If any of the rules were broken, they would have to go to Camp Carnival.  The first day, they talked to us constantly while they were exploring.  On subsequent days, we found that we couldn't understand most of what was said anyway, so we stopped using the walkie talkies.  Mostly they stayed on the Lido deck with the pool and the food (and the free ice cream!).  Since all the food was "free", they hung out there the most.  Apparently they managed to stay out of trouble because we never heard anything.  And, nobody got hurt.  The other rule was that they could not swim unless one of us were with them (no lifeguards).  Since it was in the low 60s most of the trip, that wasn't a problem at all.  So, if your kids are somewhat responsible (ours are) and you trust them to stay together, this is a valid option.  I'm sure they would have had fun in Camp, but it was nice to give them an opportunity to show they could behave on their own.

Now, for the food...this is, of course, the main reason for writing this post.

When I booked the cruise by telephone, just before completing the booking, the woman asked me if there were any passengers with special accommodations or needs.  Just in case, I said that I had celiac disease, and she barely seemed to acknowledge me.  I figured I'd have to fend for myself on the cruise, trying to figure out what to eat the whole time.

We got on the ship and the first night, we went to the dining room (because there was no hope of a gluten free meal on the Lido deck - but more on that later).  The first night, they asked us for our cabin number and sat us at a nice table next to a window.  I was sitting there looking at the menu when a woman came to the table and said, "Who here is gluten-free?"  I told her I was, and she said, "Let me show you what you can eat on the menu tonight."  

I was confused.  "Oh, you mean you're here to tell me what I can eat?"  

She said, "Yes, and I'll show you tomorrow's menu and we'll make whatever you want from that list, but gluten free.  It's hard to pick your food a day early, but you'll be able to have anything you want."

I was in shock.  I felt like I was getting the royal treatment!  I chose my food for the night, and the next night.  Near the end of the meal, she came back and asked if everything was good, and did I want to come for breakfast in the morning as well?   They could make me some pancakes, eggs benedict, French toast...the list went on.   There were no pastries for me, but I was just happy to have something besides bacon and eggs and fruit the whole time.

Yes, that's the Titanic staircase in the background. I couldn't resist!

Each night, Nitya came back to our table and took my order for the next night, and breakfast the next morning.  I even had chocolate cake!  One night I had a pasta dish with gluten-free pasta.  The best part was that because my food had to be specially made, I often got more of it than everyone else.  My pasta dish was enough for two-and-a-half meals.  My single-serving chocolate cake was twice the size of my son's, and he was a little jealous of that.  The regular meals were "enough" food (with a three- or four-course meal, everything can be small and you still get plenty of food) - but my meals were always bigger.  Oh, and they were tasty too! On the last night, I thanked her over and over for helping me out.  I know she was "just doing her job" - but to me, it was a nice surprise to have someone on the ship who actually could tell me what to eat, not to mention get me whatever I wanted to eat.  I wish I'd taken a picture with Nitya (I was going to get one with her the next morning, but she wasn't there; missed photo op), I would post one if I had one. So, if you're gluten free and are thinking about cruising, I know Carnival will see about your needs IF YOU TELL THEM AHEAD OF TIME.  I have no idea whether they can help you out if you don't tell them before you go.  It didn't cost me extra, there was no hassle involved, and I got to eat a variety of food throughout the trip.

*Note: you will have to eat in a dining room in order to have this accommodation.  Although it's easy to get bacon and eggs or fruit or salads at the open-all-day/night buffets, the choices are limited.  And who wants to eat the same thing every day?  Word to the wise, the desserts there look great but the only desserts served on the Lido deck that were gluten free were pudding, jello, and ice cream.  If those suit your fancy, you're all set though!

** I am sure other cruise lines have an accommodation for gluten-free diets, but since I've not cruised with them, I cannot comment.  I was delighted with CCL's handling of my dietary needs and I wanted to share that information with those of you who also suffer.  I have no affiliation with CCL and they don't even know that I'm writing this post.

Happy New Year and Some Other Stuff

Howdy friends! This is going to be short because I'm writing from my phone...

I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday season! We spent New Year's on a cruise, and I will write more about that very soon.

I could have told you how the National Championship game was going to end...in fact, if I talked football with you I surely did!

I could not, however, have told you how the Sugar Bowl was going to turn out. I'm sure it's my fault, as I was unable to watch the game on the cruise ship.

My foot is finally starting to feel better, but it still aches at the end of the day. I was on crutches for weeks this time (I tried for two, then the, but no luck).

The bits are back in school and it's finally (?) winter in Florida. I already can't wait fit it to be over!

That's it for now, but check back in a few days and I'll tell you all about the cruise!

The Rest of the Story

So if you recall, I'm back on crutches again.

I learned a ton both while training for this ultra, and by running it.  I had been told repeatedly that if you can run half the distance, you can run the whole distance - with any race.  While I found this to be true (I never ran over 15.6 miles on a training run), it was uncomfortable.

First, with the training runs, I never experienced any chafing problems other than on my chest where my bra rubbed.  A little Body Glide did the trick for that, and the problem went away.  I never had problems with blisters, or my shorts, or anything else - even running in the heat in September.

Yesterday though, I started noticing chafing from my shorts.  Now, these weren't new shorts, and I'd run 15 miles in them before.  Apparently though, when you get a shit-ton of salt in spandex, it causes chafing.  Not that I didn't know this, I just hadn't ever reached that point before.  So, today (I'm writing this on Sunday) I have a raw spot in a place I'd rather not.

Second, I'd never had a blister during my training.  Not so much as a new shoe blister even.  Yesterday, when I took my shoe off to look at my foot, I had a blister between my toes.  I'd never experienced that in my life, and I'm not sure what caused it other than perhaps the same issue (salt).  When I changed my shoes at mile 18, it was not there (I changed my socks at the same time).  Perhaps it was the walking that did it?

Third, when you feel your worst, there is always another runner to pick you up.  I didn't get a chance to chat with people yesterday, but everyone was encouraging and willing to help.  When I mentioned I had a problem with my foot, several people offered to help in different ways.  When I had to walk, people tried to encourage me to run (until I told them why I was walking), and then they gave encouragement to continue walking if I could.  Several people walked the whole race even.

Lastly, I learned that I don't give a rat's ass about running marathons.  Don't get me wrong, I love to run.  I even love to run "long" distances.  But long and far are relative terms.  Because I have other obligations right now (my sons are 10 and 8),running for hours at a time on the weekends deprives all of us of precious family time.  I don't mind giving up time with them while they're otherwise occupied, but I don't like not being there when they want me around (because they won't always, and I'm sure that time is closer than I think).  Also, my house became a complete and total disaster while I was training.  Like most people with a full-time job, the only time to exercise is in the evenings or on the weekends - you know, the same times you need to clean your house.  Despite months of planning and training, I was getting bored with the distance running a few weeks before the race - mostly because I "had" to run the distance so I could be ready for the race.

So, there you have my complete race report.  Hopefully one of you can learn from it (even if you only learn that despite talking tough, I'm a big softie and I won't always sacrifice my body to achieve a goal!), and if not, I hope it was entertaining.  It's OK to laugh at me, too.  I ran nearly 12 miles on a broken foot; I'm not sure whether that shows perserverance or stupidity.  But I lived to run another day, without metal pins in my foot, and I'm OK with that.

Of Ultramarathons, Running, and Not Finishing

OK, so, you've waited, and waited, and....waited.  And now I've given you the answer before you had to read a sentence.  That's right, after all the training, I did not finish the ultramarathon.

As promised, here is my race report, and the story of why I didn't finish.  Please ignore any smudge marks; it's highly likely I'll cry as I write this ;-).

The day started out great...except that apparently I had something that didn't agree with me the night before.  I don't usually get the nervous shits before a race, because I honestly don't care about "racing".  I care about "finishing" and "not being last".  The only competition I believe in is that with myself.  So, I had my normal breakfast and proceeded to go to the bathroom three times before leaving the house - which made me leave 15 minutes later than I'd planned.  This caused me some anxiety because I had an hour drive ahead of me and I was cutting it close.  Fortunately, I made it in time for the pre-race briefing, which I was able to listen to from the bathroom.

I bumped into someone I knew who was also running the 50k, which was awesome.  I found him at the start of the race, and we ran the first 5k or so together.  The only reason we split up was because I went ahead and stopped for Gatorade at the first food table.  Why?  After all, it wasn't even 7:30AM, it was overcast, and it was about 55 degrees.  The reason was because I had to stay ahead of the salt intake.  I didn't salt up the night before like I should have, so I was very worried about tanking once it got hot outside (which it was supposed to do).

Apparently my medic alert bracelet flapping around drives me nuts; notice the funky position of my left hand!

Anyway, running with him was great; it was a pace faster than I normally do (9:20) and I was feeling great.  After that, I was able to keep a pretty good pace of about 9:30 for many miles.  Then, in mile 14, I started having a pain in my left foot.  It felt like I had a rock in my shoe or something, around my arch.  I've never had problems with my left foot, so this was new.  I decided I was going to run through it as long as I could, because it didn't really feel like an injury; it was more like a "get the debris out of the shoe" kind of feeling.  When I got to the food table, I took the insert out of my shoe and carried it.  That seemed to do the trick.   I made it about two more miles and it really started hurting, so I walked for a bit.  I had to get back to the car (at a little over 18 miles) to switch out my shoes (another very long story, but the short version is I planned on comfortable shoes for 18 miles, then padded shoes the last 12).  I finally made it back to the car after alternating running and walking as best I could.  I was really hoping switching out the shoes would help.  I went over to the first aid station and asked for tape.  I duct taped up my foot really well, and that seemed to help a lot, so I refueled and took off again.

I didn't make it a mile and realised I was in serious trouble.  But, because of the time of day, I knew I could walk the rest of the race and finish.  That was all I wanted.  I tried running again here and there.  It didn't matter if I could only run 10 steps, I was running.  By this time I knew something was really wrong, and that I was probably doing some serious damage to whatever was messed up in there.  I didn't care.  If I had to crawl to the finish line, I was going to do it.  I'd worked too hard to give up, and my legs and mind were great - if it weren't for my foot being cranky I was good to go.  So, I kept going.

After an excruciatingly long time, I came to the final stretch of lap four (we were running a bow-tie shaped loop, so we had to cross the finish line five times to complete the race), the rest of my family was waiting.  I was so happy to see them, but bummed out as well because that meant I was nearing my goal finish time, and I had another six miles to go.  And by this time I could hardly walk, much less run.  I had mentally prepared myself for continuing if the family wasn't there, and quitting if they were - because it would have taken me another 3-4 hours to finish at the rate I was hobbling, and it was unfair to make them wait.  Not to mention I knew I was being stupid.

My times, by mile:

• miles 1-10: 9:22, 9:25, 9:57, 9:54, 9:44, 9:32, 9:32, 9:36, 9:53, 9:35
• miles 11- 20: 9:21, 9:22, 9:33, 10:01, 10:58, 10:57, 12:46, 12:05, 16:46, 12:05.  Here you can see something went wrong in mile 14, then got progressively worse.
• miles 21-24.82: 12:25, 19:16, 14:58, 14:00, 13:41(0.82m).  I think I was trying to beat the family so I could start the next loop.  Don't let the 14:00 times fool you; I was in some serious pain by then and I was trying to sprint 10 steps, then walk fast, then sprint 10 steps etc.  Not the smartest thing I've ever done.

I told David, "I've got another lap, but I think I've got a stress fracture."  To which he replied, "Don't be an idiot!  Stop running now."  After 24.82 miles, you can imagine the emotion that welled up in me at that moment.  He's fortunate I didn't slap the shit out of him - but intellectually I knew he was right.  I got the boys to run with me to the finish line, where I told the officials I had to quit, and why.  With tears in my eyes, I walked to the benches and sat down.

And you thought I was such a tough one, didn't you?  Truth is, I'm a complete and total fucking sap. :)

Anyway, after soaking my feet in the spring for a bit while the boys went swimming (yes, really), I drove home alone.  I took a shower, then decided I was going to the hospital for X-Rays and lo and behold, I have a hairline fracture in my foot.  It's also a lovely shade of red and purple already.

So that means - you guessed it - my ass is back on crutches!

This is getting ridiculously long, so I'll continue this tomorrow...

Ultras, Shoes, and Whine

I've taken the plunge and registered for the ultra marathon.  If you want proof that I've registered, you can find it here.  Whether or not I can finish it remains to be seen - mostly because I've reached the point of being sick of trying to kill myself to run farther than 15 miles.

I live in a very hilly neighbourhood (yes, they do exist in Florida!) and trying to run those miles on the hills and in the heat is proving difficult for me.  However, I don't want to train again next year, so I'm going to give it a go this year.  

I did finally give up on trying to do it all barefoot though.  I managed to get a half-marathon distance barefoot and it was great.  Unfortunately my aging hip joints screamed at me for a few days after that, so I decided to wear shoes.  I wore my Merrells  (yes, I am wearing men's shoes...see below for colour commentary) for a long time and managed to get to 15 miles before the hips started screaming.

So I finally did a stoopid thing.  I went to a shoe store and bought a pair of shoes with a 4mm heel rise.  Yes, I know that 4mm is not a lot.  But when you're used to 0mm, 4mm may as well be 6-inch stilettos (you know I had something else there first, right?).  Ever tried to run in those?  Yeah, me either (6" pumps would put me at 6'2", which is taller than 99% of the men I know...ain't happening).  But I digress...

I have no idea which shoes I'm going to wear for the ultra, which is in 5 days.

I wanted to list for you the things I hate about big cushy running shoes:

• I can't feel the ground, so I trip over my feet.  Literally.  I can't tell where the ground is because I'm hitting it too soon (this goes along nicely with my teeth being in the wrong place, due to braces...but that's another story too).
• A heel rise makes for sore calves.
• ...and sore knees
• Ever seen a baby walk when you first put shoes on them?  Yep, that's pretty much what I look like running.
• They're heavy. I don't care how light they are, they're heavy.
• They're hot, especially when you have to wear socks too...which is always.
• Most of them are butt-ugly.  Who comes up with the putrid colours of running shoes?
• They aren't shaped right
• All the other runners in my neighbourhood comment on the fact that I'm wearing shoes!

But, to be fair, here are the things I like about big cushy running shoes:

• ...ummmm
• ...crickets
• ...I'm still thinking
• OK, my hips actually don't hurt when I'm finished running - despite the fact that everything else does.

I'm pretty sure that if I ever run again after the ultra, I'm going back to barefoot.  When the race is over, I promise to give you an update, because I know I've tortured you all for months with the antici

...pation!  Be careful what you wish for though; it'll be either very short or very long. :)

It's Fall....Finally!

Hello friends!  I know it's been a long time, and I'm full of excuses.  Knowing that you don't care what my excuses are, I won't bore you with them.  Just know that I've been thinking about you!

So what have I been up to?  Working, homework, family stuff, FOOTBALL, and of course running.  Lots and lots of running...!

I might have mentioned that I'm thinking about running an ultra marathon in December.  Assuming I don't drop dead before then, I think I'm going to do it.  I've been training (!) and I feel pretty good about my progress (read: I'm able to complete my goals when I plan on completing them) and frankly, I've got nothing to lose.  If I can't finish, at least I tried (I plan on finishing though, assuming I make the start) - which is more than most people can say.

So how do you train for an ultra, you ask?  Mostly, you run.  A lot.  For a long time.  Like most of you, I don't have a lot of free time that I can just go out and run all the time.  I have a family.  I have a job.  I have a life (outside of running!).  My two boys (now 8 and 10!) are the most fun they've ever been, and I gave up football tickets - GATORS football tickets - for the first time in over 30 years, I'm not going to games - to be with my children.  So, long runs don't happen every day.  Add to that lack of time the fact that my husband runs too (and is thinking about doing a 50-miler) and the time becomes even more valuable.  Ultimately, we split the weekends (he gets a long run on Saturday, and I get a long run on Sunday).  On "our day" we can go run as long as we want to without worrying about the kids.

During the week is a different story.  Between getting home later than I'd like (due to traffic), homework, dinner, family time, and all the other stuff that goes with life in general, we pretty much each run for an hour during the week - and I'm only doing every other day right now.

But how many miles is that, you ask?  Still a lot.  I'm doing a minimum of 12 miles on Sundays (but I've been doing 15+ lately), plus about 6 the other days.  I don't know what that comes out to, do the math yourself. ;-) (OK, it's 30-33/week).  Ultimately, that's not a lot of miles...I guess I need to try to work in some 3-milers or something on my off days!

If you want an example of my runs...brace yourself.  I'm lightning fast!

Above is the grade profile from mile 13.  These are driveways.  Many driveways in our neighborhood are built up and have steep mini-hills.  They're hell at this point in a run.

My HR at mile 13.  Not too all over the place.  I was working hard to beat last week's time though; I guess that shows.  I try to keep it under 160 even on hills.

As you can see, the pace is relatively flat despite the mini-hills.  The slow part at the beginning was when I stopped to get some water at the mailbox. :)

On another note, I'm thrilled the weather is cooling off.  It's been great for my runs this last week.

Oh, and you know I couldn't resist saying..."How 'bout them Gators?"  Who knew...?