Training for a race is partly to do with conditioning the body and partly to do with trying things to see what works and what doesn't work. Ideally, you figure out what doesn't work weeks before race day. What areas need extra body glide, what food make your stomach lurch and what songs drive you batty from the first note.
I started running with music this time last year. I was running a half marathon and was feeling pretty worn down. I figured some upbeat tunes might help carry me over the finish line in one piece. So I borrowed Doug's shuffle, tossed some music on it and ran the race.
It helped.
So I bought myself a blue shuffle. I had the words "I run for life" engraved on it and I spent a long time picking out songs for my running play list. I knew I needed songs that would inspire me, that would not get annoying when I heard them for the 30th time and that would not throw me too far off my pace because of their crazy beats or mellow rhythms.
I've been running to the same music all summer because, like food and chaffing, it takes a while to figure things out.
I discovered that Cindy Lauper is really really annoying when I'm running so I canned her pretty quickly. Surprisingly, so is Blue Rodeo.
Gong.
I found that songs with a slower beat work well - Tiny Dancer, The Gambler, American Pie all keep me moving steadily along.
Corny songs from my childhood make me smile - the theme song from the Greatest American Hero, Eye of the Tiger, It's Not Unusual (Fresh Prince anyone?) or Holiday Road (from Vacation) are favourites.
Songs with a particularly pounding beat help me increase my pace just a bit or, when I'm slowing, help me get back on pace again - This Is War and Boulevard of Broken Dreams work particularly well.
But mostly, my playlist is full of songs that remind me of people. People who love me. People I love. People I miss. People who, just thinking about them, give me strength and courage when I need it. It's not about the beat or the singer - it's about the feeling the songs evoke.
Which means that, should anyone borrow my shuffle, they will be greeted by a crazy medley of music that probably makes very little sense to be listening to on race day.
But it works for me. Some songs bring a tear to my eye every single time they start. Some, from the first note, make me think "thank god, I needed a boost". Others make me think of my parents, my grandparents, my sisters, my lover, past loves and good friends.
Because one never runs a marathon alone.
Five hours is a long time to be by myself. So I bring everyone I care about with me and they whisper words of encouragement in my ear as I run.
Together, we will cross the finish line.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Diabetic Meanderings
Bear with me - my mind is in a wandering mood...
Yesterday, at work, I was chatting with a co-worker. During our conversation, another co-worker came in to give a message to the person I was talking to. It was about giving someone their medication. He said that the person needs to be given insulin.
"Insulin??" asked my co-worker in a horrified voice.
"Ooops" he replied with a laugh. "Nope, not insulin. I just looked at Céline and thought 'insulin' because she has diabetes".
Apparently looking at me in mid-sentence can cause random diabetes diagnoses.
His comment did get me thinking though. Thinking about how happy I am that I am open about diabetes. It's no secret that I have it because I never hide it. When I was using needles, I would whip them out wherever I was when I needed to inject insulin. Standing in line for ice cream, in fancy restaurants, in moving vehicles that I may or may not have been driving down the highway, during Christmas Eve mass when I was feeling high. Just do it was and still is my motto.
I am who I am and diabetes is a part of who I am. So there's no point in hiding it.
Speaking of hiding, I've read other people's blogs about trying to hide their insulin pumps. Until I read them, it never occurred to me to hide mine. I clipped it on my belt from the very first day and that's where you'll find it. I've never tucked it in my bra, designed a dress with a hidden pocket or found some other secret place to stash it. I have, however, used my holster (as I call it) the odd time that I've worn a skirt. It's a wide band that goes around my thigh and I tuck the pump in there. It does look like a holster and it's such a novelty that I'm constantly pulling up my skirt to show people. My pump probably gets more attention on those days than it does when it's on my belt for the whole world to see.
I'm thinking a lot about diabetes lately, partly because my endo appointment is next week and I've been writing down every morsel of food I eat and every unit of insulin I take. I'm also thinking a lot about it as I try to plan for race day.
As marathon day approaches, my diabetes game plan is beginning to take shape. There are so many things to think about it that I need a few weeks head start to figure it all out. Some things I've managed to practice during our weekly long runs. Things like what foods work well during long runs, how much to reduce my basal rate before I run etc. Other things are a bit of a crapshoot. Pre-race eating will remain a mystery until race day because our training runs happen at 6 or 7am but the race doesn't start until 10:00am. My typical routine of eating a bowl of cereal, banana and 1/2 of a grapefruit, putting on my running shoes and heading out the door will not work on race day. Breakfast will be happening at 6am ish and then it's four hours until the race starts. And what the hell are we going to do about lunch??
I think about it for a bit and then start feeling mild twinges of panic so I purposefully stop thinking about it. It's the same mild feeling of panic I feel when I'm thirsty and don't have water. I don't do well when my eating routines change drastically or when food or drink is not within arm's reach. Two neuroses that develop when your safety and ability to function are so closely linked to food and water.
Thankfully, one thing that I don't have to worry about is having to carry all of my diabetes supplies on race day. Doug has offered to cycle the race route and carry all of my supplies for me. What a difference that will make - not having to cart all of my food and emergency carbs on my belt. Not having to worry about whether I can stuff everything I need into my belt. And, since I've been doing all of my training runs carrying a heavy water belt, not having to carry it should help me shave, what, an hour or so off my time??
Dream on Céline...
Yesterday, at work, I was chatting with a co-worker. During our conversation, another co-worker came in to give a message to the person I was talking to. It was about giving someone their medication. He said that the person needs to be given insulin.
"Insulin??" asked my co-worker in a horrified voice.
"Ooops" he replied with a laugh. "Nope, not insulin. I just looked at Céline and thought 'insulin' because she has diabetes".
Apparently looking at me in mid-sentence can cause random diabetes diagnoses.
His comment did get me thinking though. Thinking about how happy I am that I am open about diabetes. It's no secret that I have it because I never hide it. When I was using needles, I would whip them out wherever I was when I needed to inject insulin. Standing in line for ice cream, in fancy restaurants, in moving vehicles that I may or may not have been driving down the highway, during Christmas Eve mass when I was feeling high. Just do it was and still is my motto.
I am who I am and diabetes is a part of who I am. So there's no point in hiding it.
Speaking of hiding, I've read other people's blogs about trying to hide their insulin pumps. Until I read them, it never occurred to me to hide mine. I clipped it on my belt from the very first day and that's where you'll find it. I've never tucked it in my bra, designed a dress with a hidden pocket or found some other secret place to stash it. I have, however, used my holster (as I call it) the odd time that I've worn a skirt. It's a wide band that goes around my thigh and I tuck the pump in there. It does look like a holster and it's such a novelty that I'm constantly pulling up my skirt to show people. My pump probably gets more attention on those days than it does when it's on my belt for the whole world to see.
I'm thinking a lot about diabetes lately, partly because my endo appointment is next week and I've been writing down every morsel of food I eat and every unit of insulin I take. I'm also thinking a lot about it as I try to plan for race day.
As marathon day approaches, my diabetes game plan is beginning to take shape. There are so many things to think about it that I need a few weeks head start to figure it all out. Some things I've managed to practice during our weekly long runs. Things like what foods work well during long runs, how much to reduce my basal rate before I run etc. Other things are a bit of a crapshoot. Pre-race eating will remain a mystery until race day because our training runs happen at 6 or 7am but the race doesn't start until 10:00am. My typical routine of eating a bowl of cereal, banana and 1/2 of a grapefruit, putting on my running shoes and heading out the door will not work on race day. Breakfast will be happening at 6am ish and then it's four hours until the race starts. And what the hell are we going to do about lunch??
I think about it for a bit and then start feeling mild twinges of panic so I purposefully stop thinking about it. It's the same mild feeling of panic I feel when I'm thirsty and don't have water. I don't do well when my eating routines change drastically or when food or drink is not within arm's reach. Two neuroses that develop when your safety and ability to function are so closely linked to food and water.
Thankfully, one thing that I don't have to worry about is having to carry all of my diabetes supplies on race day. Doug has offered to cycle the race route and carry all of my supplies for me. What a difference that will make - not having to cart all of my food and emergency carbs on my belt. Not having to worry about whether I can stuff everything I need into my belt. And, since I've been doing all of my training runs carrying a heavy water belt, not having to carry it should help me shave, what, an hour or so off my time??
Dream on Céline...
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The Numbers
I started keeping track of my running in a spreadsheet in April. I wanted to see how things changed during my training. How far I ran and how my pace changed (if it changed at all).
Now that August is over, I took a look at the last four months.
In May, I ran 107 kilometres.
In June, I ran 123
In July, 172 and
In August, 181.
My highest weekly average was 55 kilometres and I've done that twice now.
When Doug and I were in Boston in April, I bought two pairs of running shoes at the expo. I started running with them in the last week of April and I alternate shoes for every run. So far, I've put 312 kilometres on one pair and 313 on the other. We're supposed to get new shoes every 500k. That means I will have exhausted two pairs training for one marathon.
Someone told me that running is a really inexpensive sport.
Whoever said that needs to take a look at my bank statements.
It's not.
Other numbers...
I've lost four pounds in the past four months. That's huge for me - the girl whose weight never changes.
I've gone through three large body glides since May. Number four won't last too much longer.
Two boxes of gels and one container of eDisks have been consumed.
I have run for 63 hours (3,778 minutes) since May.
I have run six long runs that are longer than a half marathon. No medals to prove it though.
I now change my insulin pump every six days rather than every four - that means I'm using a lot less insulin. This may also explain the weight loss.
My last two A1Cs have been 7.0 and 6.9.
My body's clock has shifted and it now wakes up on its own at 5:00am. I can hardly stay up past 9pm. My mother no longer calls after 8pm for fear of waking me up.
I have only cried twice during a run since May. Once was this past Saturday and you would have cried too.
Animals I have seen on early morning runs:
8 deer
1 fox
3 herons
countless horses
1 white dog that followed me for about 5k
1 baby racoon (omigod they're cute!)
0 skunks (yay!)
The lowest my blood sugar has gone during a run (since May) was 6.0. The highest was 19.5.
I have had 5 massages and 8 chiropractic appointments in four months.
The number of times I have checked the confirmation page for the Niagara marathon to make sure that I really have registered: four (not counting the day I actually registered).
The number of times I have wondered whether I can really run a marathon? Less than 5.
The number of times I have thought: "I can totally do this"? I've lost count.
Number of days until race day? 46
I can totally do this.
Now that August is over, I took a look at the last four months.
In May, I ran 107 kilometres.
In June, I ran 123
In July, 172 and
In August, 181.
My highest weekly average was 55 kilometres and I've done that twice now.
When Doug and I were in Boston in April, I bought two pairs of running shoes at the expo. I started running with them in the last week of April and I alternate shoes for every run. So far, I've put 312 kilometres on one pair and 313 on the other. We're supposed to get new shoes every 500k. That means I will have exhausted two pairs training for one marathon.
Someone told me that running is a really inexpensive sport.
Whoever said that needs to take a look at my bank statements.
It's not.
Other numbers...
I've lost four pounds in the past four months. That's huge for me - the girl whose weight never changes.
I've gone through three large body glides since May. Number four won't last too much longer.
Two boxes of gels and one container of eDisks have been consumed.
I have run for 63 hours (3,778 minutes) since May.
I have run six long runs that are longer than a half marathon. No medals to prove it though.
I now change my insulin pump every six days rather than every four - that means I'm using a lot less insulin. This may also explain the weight loss.
My last two A1Cs have been 7.0 and 6.9.
My body's clock has shifted and it now wakes up on its own at 5:00am. I can hardly stay up past 9pm. My mother no longer calls after 8pm for fear of waking me up.
I have only cried twice during a run since May. Once was this past Saturday and you would have cried too.
Animals I have seen on early morning runs:
8 deer
1 fox
3 herons
countless horses
1 white dog that followed me for about 5k
1 baby racoon (omigod they're cute!)
0 skunks (yay!)
The lowest my blood sugar has gone during a run (since May) was 6.0. The highest was 19.5.
I have had 5 massages and 8 chiropractic appointments in four months.
The number of times I have checked the confirmation page for the Niagara marathon to make sure that I really have registered: four (not counting the day I actually registered).
The number of times I have wondered whether I can really run a marathon? Less than 5.
The number of times I have thought: "I can totally do this"? I've lost count.
Number of days until race day? 46
I can totally do this.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Plugged Ears and Other Nonsense
The more I run, the more I learn.
About my body. About my diabetes. About myself.
Here are some of the things I've learned about my body over the last few Saturday long runs.
My ears plus up when I run for a long time.
It starts after a few hours. The first 25k are ok and then, suddenly, my ears slowly start plugging up. It doesn't hurt at all, it just feels like I'm slowly being submerged in water. By about 28k, they're plugged right up and I have trouble hearing. Nothing I try (walking, swallowing hard, drinking, deep breathing) seems to help.
Once the run is over, it clears up within about ten minutes.
I've googled it but have found nothing particularly helpful other than I'm not the only person out there who experiences this.
It is annoying and, if I'm almost deaf by 30k, I'm not sure how things will be feeling by 42k.
Anyone else out there dealing with this?
Also, over the last few long runs, I've had trouble breathing when I finish the run. Things are going fine and then, when I stop running, I find myself gasping for breath. I breathe slowly and deeply for a few minutes and things seem to settle down but, if I try to talk or stop the slow breathing, the gasping starts over again. So lately after longs runs I find myself walking around, breathing deeply and drinking water waiting for my breath to slow and my ears to unplug.
Very weird. Mildly annoying. And kinda worrisome.
Are the two related? Not sure but they don't always happen at the same time so perhaps not.
Finally, what the heck is up with all the chaffing?!? I have taken to slathering on the body glide before every long run. I mean, really slathering. Some weeks it works fine. Others (like the last two), it doesn't. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, it's really really painful. Multiple aloe vera applications and a rather funny duck-like walk are now a regular part of my Saturday afternoons...once I stop hyperventilating and have regained my hearing.
Sheesh!
Well, that's my little rant about things I discovered since passing the 25k mark.
Not sure what I'll discover next on my running journey but I'm quite confident that it will be equally painful and embarrassing.
About my body. About my diabetes. About myself.
Here are some of the things I've learned about my body over the last few Saturday long runs.
My ears plus up when I run for a long time.
It starts after a few hours. The first 25k are ok and then, suddenly, my ears slowly start plugging up. It doesn't hurt at all, it just feels like I'm slowly being submerged in water. By about 28k, they're plugged right up and I have trouble hearing. Nothing I try (walking, swallowing hard, drinking, deep breathing) seems to help.
I run with one earbud in and yet both ears plug at the same rate.
Once the run is over, it clears up within about ten minutes.
I've googled it but have found nothing particularly helpful other than I'm not the only person out there who experiences this.
It is annoying and, if I'm almost deaf by 30k, I'm not sure how things will be feeling by 42k.
Anyone else out there dealing with this?
Also, over the last few long runs, I've had trouble breathing when I finish the run. Things are going fine and then, when I stop running, I find myself gasping for breath. I breathe slowly and deeply for a few minutes and things seem to settle down but, if I try to talk or stop the slow breathing, the gasping starts over again. So lately after longs runs I find myself walking around, breathing deeply and drinking water waiting for my breath to slow and my ears to unplug.
Very weird. Mildly annoying. And kinda worrisome.
Are the two related? Not sure but they don't always happen at the same time so perhaps not.
Finally, what the heck is up with all the chaffing?!? I have taken to slathering on the body glide before every long run. I mean, really slathering. Some weeks it works fine. Others (like the last two), it doesn't. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, it's really really painful. Multiple aloe vera applications and a rather funny duck-like walk are now a regular part of my Saturday afternoons...once I stop hyperventilating and have regained my hearing.
Sheesh!
Well, that's my little rant about things I discovered since passing the 25k mark.
Not sure what I'll discover next on my running journey but I'm quite confident that it will be equally painful and embarrassing.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Running Lessons
Ah Labour Day!
The temperature even dropped 10 degrees in honour of back to school. People are walking by the house in their coats and scarves. How nice.
If only it had done that two days earlier. Saturday was not cool and crisp. It was hotter than hell (we checked) and the humidity was beyond ridiculous.
Saturday morning's 32k run began at 6am and ended at 10. The four hour journey was a test that I thought I failed. I realized later that I didn't.
It started off well. I left in the dark and was feeling a wee bit nervous about the distance. I told myself that I could start off running as slowly as I needed to (it always takes me 5-6k to warm up and for my stomach to settle down) but, once I found my groove, I had to keep my pace at 6:30 min/k (no faster) no matter how good I felt. The reason for this is that I want to get better at spreading out my energy over the entire distance of the run - rather than running out of steam about 4k from home.
Doug went out early to plant water because we were running a route that took us through lovely country roads and had us meeting up with the rest of our running club (and water support) at around 22k. So water was planted at 9k and 16k to keep our hydration levels up.
By 9k my pace had settled nicely into its groove and my blood sugar was 7.6 (perfect! I ate one date, two eDisks and one salt tablet). At 16k it was 10.1 (a little high but I figured it would start dropping so I had another date). By that point, it was getting close to 8am and the temperature was rising alarmingly fast. I upped my water intake and took another salt tablet. At 22k, I found Chris and Erin. Not having seen either of them in weeks, I happily stopped to chat for a few minutes. They refilled my bottles with cold water and checked out my shin tape job. I figured I'd check my sugar again before carrying on. It was 19.5.
Damn it!
I took 0.8 units of insulin - not much but enough, combined with exercise, to help it drop back down. I guzzled more water and resumed the run.
I checked again at 26k. I was 8.0. Holy bananas! That's a horrifyingly fast drop. Part of me wanted to eat something in case I kept dropping. The other part said no - wait to see what happens first.
By this point I was feeling really nauseated from the sugar coaster and pretty cooked by the heat. There were still six kilometres to go and I no longer had the strength to run. I would run for 5 minutes and then walk. Run again, then walk. The runs were getting shorter, the walks were getting longer. I just couldn't do it.
Tears of frustration hit at 30k and I walked the entire last two kilometres. I walked in the house feeling dejected and very much a failure.
My sugar, upon arrival, was 6.6. Perfect.
Figures.
It took me four hours to cover 32k. I lost 5 pounds during the run. I was humbled and seriously beginning to doubt my ability to run a marathon.
Doug and I went out for dinner with some running friends on Saturday night. They are seasoned runners - strong and capable. They run marathons regularly and do it well. I was dreading having to answer the question: "how was your run this morning?". Luckily they answered first. It turned out that they all struggled with their Saturday morning run in the heat. They all cut their runs short. One even had to get picked up. Really?
On Sunday morning, I chatted with a few people before our bike ride and they all struggled too. And cut their runs short. Really??
It wasn't me. I had an awful run but so did everyone else. It wasn't that I didn't have what it takes to run the distance. It was just a brutally hot day and we all got cooked.
I'm ok with that.
So here's what I learned during that run:
- taping my shins works wonders. I had no pain, no pressure, no nothing. Yay!
- taping my shins and then running in the sun for several hours makes for really silly looking tan lines.
- I can actually sweat so much that I can fill my shoes with sweat. They were squishing as I ran. That is really gross.
- my hair can get so full of sweat that it becomes too heavy to stay in the bun I put it up in. I had to keep stopping to retie it. That is really gross too...and annoying. I need to find a better way to tie my hair up so it stays...
- salt tablets really work and may have saved my run on Saturday.
- Doug can leave 30 minutes after me, run 32k and get home an hour before me, looking fit and fabulous as usual.
Friday, September 2, 2011
I've Been MacGyver'ed
So, Saturday is the big 32k. Only two kilometres more than last week but it's two kilometres farther away from my comfort zone.
Would you listen to me. I can scarcely believe that I'm calling 30k a 'comfort zone'.
It's also 2 kilometres closer to the finish line so, in that sense, it's good. I can almost start pretending that I can see the finish line. Way, way off in the distance...
Anyway, the other issue is that, because I'm not what you would call a speed demon, I'm running for a really long time now.
Thirty-two kilometres means that I'll be running for over 3 1/2 hours. That's a hell of a lot of pounding on my feet. And my shins.
They're holding up fairly well but I have a feeling that it's only a matter of time now before they start really screaming at me. Right now, they're still just humming away in the background.
Last night I went for my regular tune up with Geoff. I alternate between my massage therapist (Janice) and my chiropractor (Geoff) so I see someone every two weeks or so. It was Geoff's turn. He was pretty impressed (as I am) at how well my body is holding up with all the mileage but he too felt that I was close to the edge.
So he taped me.
I've never been taped before.
It's kinda neat.
What he did was he put some tape over the lower part of my shins in such a way that it relieves the pressure on the part that tends to flare up. The tape is supposed to stay on for a few days and he said that it should take some of the pressure off during my long run on Saturday morning.
When I stood up off the bed when he had finished, the pressure I feel every time I put my foot down was almost gone. Not sure if that was the result of the treatment or the taping (or both) but I could feel a difference. We'll see how Saturday goes. Like I said, I've never been taped before so I'm not sure what to expect but I'm willing to give it a try. My next appointment with Geoff is two days before my 35k run (the longest in the training) so I may be getting him to do another MacGyver on my shins.
If it works twice - sign me up for race day!
Would you listen to me. I can scarcely believe that I'm calling 30k a 'comfort zone'.
It's also 2 kilometres closer to the finish line so, in that sense, it's good. I can almost start pretending that I can see the finish line. Way, way off in the distance...
Anyway, the other issue is that, because I'm not what you would call a speed demon, I'm running for a really long time now.
Thirty-two kilometres means that I'll be running for over 3 1/2 hours. That's a hell of a lot of pounding on my feet. And my shins.
They're holding up fairly well but I have a feeling that it's only a matter of time now before they start really screaming at me. Right now, they're still just humming away in the background.
Last night I went for my regular tune up with Geoff. I alternate between my massage therapist (Janice) and my chiropractor (Geoff) so I see someone every two weeks or so. It was Geoff's turn. He was pretty impressed (as I am) at how well my body is holding up with all the mileage but he too felt that I was close to the edge.
So he taped me.
I've never been taped before.
It's kinda neat.
What he did was he put some tape over the lower part of my shins in such a way that it relieves the pressure on the part that tends to flare up. The tape is supposed to stay on for a few days and he said that it should take some of the pressure off during my long run on Saturday morning.
When I stood up off the bed when he had finished, the pressure I feel every time I put my foot down was almost gone. Not sure if that was the result of the treatment or the taping (or both) but I could feel a difference. We'll see how Saturday goes. Like I said, I've never been taped before so I'm not sure what to expect but I'm willing to give it a try. My next appointment with Geoff is two days before my 35k run (the longest in the training) so I may be getting him to do another MacGyver on my shins.
If it works twice - sign me up for race day!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
September Soul Search
August is over...
...and that feeling that washes over me every September has returned.
It's the feeling of wanting to go back to school. Aching to go back is more like it actually.
Some of you may cringe at the thought but I adore reading, learning new things, being challenged and new pens. Not necessarily in that order. And, truth be told, I'll take pencils over pens any day. As a child, teenager and twenty-something young adult, the start of school was always my favourite time of year. Now, as an almost 40 year old adult who has not started a new year of school since (oh dear!) 1997, I still crave it.
Every year.
Just as intensely.
Perhaps it's just change I crave. A new challenge? Routine? A new backpack maybe?
Whatever it is, it's a pretty overwhelming feeling and it hits with a wallop every September.
It's hit me again. And, like clockwork, I've started thinking about things I want to start doing. Challenges I'd like to face. Places I'd like to travel to. Languages I'd like to learn. Scary things I should try. New foods I should learn how to cook.
I guess I do in September what a lot of people do on December 31st.
The funny thing about this year is that I really don't have time to take on a new challenge. I'm up to my neck in new challenges at the moment thank you very much. There are only seven weeks left until marathon day. When we had ten weeks left, it felt interminable. Now, at seven, it feels like next week.
There are, however, a few more hurdles to jump before race day. In the month of September, I will have to make my body run 32k and then 35k. Plus find the energy for all the other runs that seem to fill my week to the spilling point.
Who has time for a new challenge?
So why do I keep thinking about trying my hand at swimming? And starting a new season of curling?
Sigh.
For a girl who really really enjoys sitting quietly with a glass of wine and a book, I sure don't leave much time for myself to do that.
...and that feeling that washes over me every September has returned.
It's the feeling of wanting to go back to school. Aching to go back is more like it actually.
Some of you may cringe at the thought but I adore reading, learning new things, being challenged and new pens. Not necessarily in that order. And, truth be told, I'll take pencils over pens any day. As a child, teenager and twenty-something young adult, the start of school was always my favourite time of year. Now, as an almost 40 year old adult who has not started a new year of school since (oh dear!) 1997, I still crave it.
Every year.
Just as intensely.
Perhaps it's just change I crave. A new challenge? Routine? A new backpack maybe?
Whatever it is, it's a pretty overwhelming feeling and it hits with a wallop every September.
It's hit me again. And, like clockwork, I've started thinking about things I want to start doing. Challenges I'd like to face. Places I'd like to travel to. Languages I'd like to learn. Scary things I should try. New foods I should learn how to cook.
I guess I do in September what a lot of people do on December 31st.
The funny thing about this year is that I really don't have time to take on a new challenge. I'm up to my neck in new challenges at the moment thank you very much. There are only seven weeks left until marathon day. When we had ten weeks left, it felt interminable. Now, at seven, it feels like next week.
There are, however, a few more hurdles to jump before race day. In the month of September, I will have to make my body run 32k and then 35k. Plus find the energy for all the other runs that seem to fill my week to the spilling point.
Who has time for a new challenge?
So why do I keep thinking about trying my hand at swimming? And starting a new season of curling?
Sigh.
For a girl who really really enjoys sitting quietly with a glass of wine and a book, I sure don't leave much time for myself to do that.
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