Rant

This is going to be a rant, so if you don't want to read it just surf away from my blog right now. If you stay, don't say I didn't warn you. If you see yourself in my ire, then so be it.

My son was in the hospital for four nights. He had invasive chest surgery. The only reason he is not in tremendous pain is because he is on extremely serious pain medication and muscle relaxants, not because his surgery was "minor" or he has a "high pain threshold" or because he has "bounced back" already. This is called PAIN MANAGEMENT. Thank goodness for it. As his mother, I set two alarms in order to give him the medicine he needs on time so that he doesn't experience terrible pain.

A friend of mine told me about "CarePages." I am experienced with maintaining my own website, so I set up a CarePage for Freddie. I sent it to anyone who I thought might be interested in reading about Freddie's progress. It's remarkable how many people called us upon receiving the link to the CarePage out of concern for Freddie before he even had his surgery. It's remarkable how many people who are not our closest friends and relatives check on the CarePage, and even leave messages for Freddie (although some don't but I know they check). But what is truly remarkable, is how many close relatives have decided that the CarePage alleviates them from making an actual phone call or a visit to see how we're doing. Apparantly, by creating the CarePage, I've relieved people of an unpleasant burden -- that of actually caring.

Finally, as it was when Freddie was in the hospital, and now still with him being at home, our lives go on. Is it too much to ask that when someone says they are coming to town to help out, that they actually do help out while they are here? Or instead of saying "We'll come see you after dinner," how about "Can we bring you dinner? We want to come see Freddie."

A couple of people have gone out of their way to be helpful, and their actions are so appreciated. My good friend Heidi calls everyday, went to the grocery for me and brought lunch to the hospital while Freddie was in surgery. My brother and sister-in-law took Sarah for most of the day, thus allowing us to spend undivided time at the hospital with Freddie. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Let me just finish with one more thing, almost unrelated. I got up early this morning to give Freddie his meds and decided to get my run in while Scott was still here. Because it is just us, and Sarah has camp, Scott is going to work late every day and leaving early to take Sarah and pick her up. We thought we would have assistance this week, but apparently we don't. But I digress.

3 mile tempo run today. The nice weather has left us and we are left with this gross muck, so thick it feels like you could cut it with a knife.My run looked like this:
Avg. Pace 9:42. I'm pretty pleased with it.
Mile 1: 10:13
Mile 2: 8:52
Mile 3: 10:03
Mile .37 3:32 (9:41)

Working out my Life

Weights today. No mercy from the trainer.

Leg extension 55lb 4 X 15
Split squats (10 lb dbs) 4 X 10
Deadlifts on bosu (10 lb dbs) 3 X 15
Unilateral hip lift on bosu 3 X 15
Stairs (every other) (10 lb dbs) 3 X 5
Military press uni leg (10 lb dbs) x X 10

I told Aaron (my trainer) that the most recent issue of Runners' World referred to a study that suggested that running stairs didn't simulate running hills and that to run hills better, you need to run hills. Aaron agreed, but stated that since I have improved on the hills and I run stairs also, that I am evidence that running stairs does help somewhat. So, my little strategy to get out of running the stairs didn't work.

Freddie, my oldest son, goes into the hospital for surgery this Thursday. Of course, I am wondering how this is going to effect my training schedule. I wonder if there is a gym with treadmills at the hospital? I plan on staying with him at the hospital and that will result in some challenges to getting in my Saturday and Sunday runs. To run 11 miles on Sunday will mean taking 3 hours off from the hospital (including drive time, run time, and shower). I wonder if I could get away with running just half that many miles, say 6 miles, and still jump back into the program. I'm pretty sure that I can since my fitness base if pretty high and my running fitness is too. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how things pan out over the weekend. I'm also toying with the idea of not running at all on Saturday and Sunday.

The Nest is Full Again: End of Week 1

The kids have been at camp for nearly a month and Scott and I can measure our time alone in empty bottles of wine. This last week, especially, we've added five bottles to the recycling bin. We haven't accomplished this feat alone, but always with friends. Like the few short years before the kids came along and demanded that their social lives and entertainment come first, we were able to enjoy just. . . being. No set schedules. No carpools. No homework or text messages. We ate when and what we wanted. We slept when we wanted. We even hit golf balls together. Best of all, we had time to join our friends for dinners and even tried three new restaurants. That's more adventure than we are able to squeeze into eleven months with three kids in the house!

This morning I paid the price, somewhat, for enjoying all that wine and good food. With the kids arriving at 10:30 and ten miles on the schedule for me, I had to get up early to both beat the heat and the bus. That meant five hours of sleep when the alarm clock woke me at 5:45AM. But I was out the door by 6:45. The first mile was wonderfully pleasant, but by 7:00 the sun makes it's presence known and the humidity is almost choking. Add to that last night's wine, and well, let's just say it was a long ten miles. At least it felt interminable to me, but my pace was right on target for a long run. Actually, maybe even a little fast. My average pace was 10:48 when it probably should have been more like 11:00 or 11:15.

It's just so difficult to run that slow now. I know I need to, but it feels like a shuffle. The good news is, this is only the end of week one. I have 17 more weeks to work on it.

WTD: 27.9
YTD: 734

You Call This a Life? I Call it a Marathon.

We've all had them. The days and weeks that never end. The endless parade of sporting events, concerts, recitals, lessons, rehearsals, appointments, and on and on and on. Is it just me? Or is it May? When the school year comes to a close, so do all of the related activities. I had to set the alarm on my Treo to 30 minutes prior to every event or I would be in deep shit if the bell went off at my customary 5 minutes till and I had completely forgotten where I was supposed to be. It's not even 10:00 PM and my eyes are halfway closed. I'm fantasizing about being in bed as I write in my blog, but there are still lunches to be made, laundry to be put away, and two more children to put to bed before my fantasy becomes reality. Please, please, please let me get through this week and then it's 1 week until my real marathon.

Speaking of which, I ran 5 miles at Lunken Airfield today. I attempted to listen to Fresh Air. I gave two episodes a try, but I guess I don't care too much about the relationship between Kissinger and Nixon or who leaked info about WMD in Iraq. Call me uninformed, but I just couldn't get into it. However, EVERYBODY who reads this blog should immediately download last week's episode of This American Life called "Habeas Shmabeas." It's about "terrorist" prisoners at Guantanamo Bay prison and, as nick m. suggested in my V-Team blog, should be required listening for all citizens. Seriously, does anybody have any idea what we are doing there??? Anyway, as usual, This American Life made for captivating listening for 5 miles in 50 minutes. Not too shabby for a recovery run.