Wednesday, November 19, 2014

November 14 to November 18: Feeling better

Exercise:

I am struggling with the "unmotivation" that I think every single runner faces.  I really didn't want to get up this morning.  It is frigid cold right now...it would feel like a heat wave in Michigan...but we're not used to it having acclimated to our winters here.  It's so dark in the morning.  It makes it difficult.

Friday I made myself get up and go to Ride.  I went out to Applebees with friends on Thursday night.  I told myself I would shoot to leave by 10 and even if I got to sleep past 10:30, I would still go to Ride.  I fell asleep around 11, but still went to Ride.  Probably not enough sleep for a night, but it was well worth it.  My Friday (especially the morning) went smoother because of it.  On Saturday we hit some bazaars and went shopping which was really fun--nice to not have to be anywhere and be on our own schedule.  I ran in the later afternoon and went four miles.  On Sunday I wanted to run in the morning but it was so dark and cold--I didn't want to get up.  I did run 9 miles around 1:30 PM and it was a beautiful afternoon...and a few degrees warmer.  I switched from Hal Higdon's Marathon 3 to Half Marathon Intermediate at least until I run my half in December.  Then I'll switch back to Marathon 3 because it will take me all the way to the spring marathon I tentatively hope to run.  On Monday I did not do any exercise.  Yesterday (it's now the next day--I started this blog post on Tuesday) I ran 4 miles in the morning.  It was cold and it took me awhile to warm up, but at least it was dry.  Today I swam for an hour in the morning and we did a lot of 150's and slow/fast swims.  I felt better than last week.

Food:  I am doing better than last week.  I still have cravings for junk especially pumpkin bread, but it's not nearly as bad.  My breakfasts and some of my lunches have been pretty healthy--I've slid a little for snacks and some dinners.  I am not doing too bad.

Sleep:  My sleep has been fine.  The cat slept with us again and I didn't even know she was there until I went to the bathroom at 3 AM.  Last night I woke up at 2:30 AM to noise in the other bathroom.  I thought one of the kids was either sleep walking or else just making a lot of noise as they were going to the bathroom.  I was going to get up if it continued but I heard them going back to bed.  Turns out it was Kara throwing up and she threw up again later on...at least she made it to the toilet both times and nothing had to be cleaned up in her bed/floor--yay!  She laid in bed all morning but really perked up by 3 PM.  Aside from her appetite not fully back, she is acting normal.  I am praying I don't get it and it stays isolated.  Pending sickness makes me overly anxious...I almost felt like I was in a panic this morning.  I had to find someone to cover youth group and change my plans for the morning...I am just too organized and don't do well when things get changed last minute.  But it is a spiritual lesson I am learning and I am trying to not control but trust God's ultimate control.  And I guess we'll just see what the next few days bring.  Kind of stinks we were dealing with this less than two months ago.  And we hardly got sick all last year.  Our school has had several kids our sick again and all the toddlers have runny noses--we just can't avoid it all.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

November 8 - 13: Feeling "off"

The past couple days have felt "a little off."  It seems like one major schedule disruption and everything gets thrown off.  I find my moods going south.  Last Friday night was our middle school all nighter which is always a good time.  It is very good for the kids to spend that much time together--relationships are strengthened and the barriers get broken down a bit.  They also get to know me better and trust me as a result.  The problem is I am 37 years old and my body doesn't handle the lack of sleep like it used to.  I managed to sleep off and on from about midnight to 6:45 on the couch in the ETM room.  But I was up several times...a full hour between 2:45 AM and 3:45 AM.  I didn't feel tired on Saturday.  I only took a 45 minute nap around 2:45 PM.  But by 10:30 PM I was done and I slept all the way until 8 AM.  I did a short 4 mile run Saturday afternoon, but I skipped the Sunday long run.

On Monday the kids were off school, but I did had four here for child care starting at 8:30 going all the way until right before 5 PM.  I managed to get a run in around 7 AM, but it was a very busy day. Busy doesn't mean bad--just lots of activity and running from one thing to the next.  Again I was really tired by 10 PM.  On Tuesday the kids were off school and I had no child care.  You think I would feel relaxed and at peace, but I felt "off" most of the day.  I felt overly emotional too.  I love having the kids home, but I did not feel relaxed.  I went to the South Salem track and did a track workout totaling 5 miles in the late afternoon.  That helped and I felt better the rest of the evening.

I managed to get to swimming yesterday morning and it felt great to be in the pool.  I pushed myself pretty hard.  I got a lot done during the day especially because I had no child care in the afternoon.  Hailey, Derek and I ran 2 miles in the afternoon.

This morning I did not go to the gym because I felt overly tired again and we had an ice storm.  The schools were delayed by two hours and the roads were not good.  Our neighbors across the street lost  a tree that almost fell on their house.  Now the kids are home until 10:15 AM and don't really know what to do with themselves. I can't go to the gym later this afternoon or evening because Rob and I have meetings/Bible Study that conflict with one another.

 I just continue to feel "off."  My child care schedule has had no routine this week...it's been a lot of kids for a super busy day or one or no one for a day or part of the day.  The kid's school routine has been different.  My exercise routine has been all over the place.  My sleep is still all over the place since the all nighter.  I am sleeping good, but I am waking up in the morning anytime from 5 AM to 8:30 AM and that does not work for me.  I need consistency.  I think routine is something that helps tremendously with my anxiety and moods.

Eating

The inconsistency has affected my eating.  I have not been eating great again.  I have been craving sweets and chips again. Tuesday was awful...I just kept wanting to get into the Halloween candy.  It doesn't help we don't have much fresh stuff in the house right now.  I bought some bananas and pears last night.

Sleep

I sleep great at night and wake up very little.  The problem is not going to bed at the same time and not waking up at the same time and I hope to get that back on track very soon.

Friday, November 7, 2014

October 30 - November 7: Yay for good exercise

Exercise:  It has been going so well that I can't remember a time like this when I have been this motivated.  The alarm goes off and it takes me a minute or so to wake up...there have been a couple times I have almost fallen back asleep.  I know if I don't work out in the morning then I can't work at all--my schedule does not allow afternoons or evenings anymore.  Last week Thursday (the 30th) I went to early morning Power. Going to Power after a break like the week prior is painful, but this time was better.  I did not feel as sore afterwards.  Friday (the 31st) I went to Group Ride which I have only managed to go to once since school started.  Of the swim, bike, run--biking is my weakness.  I want to focus on biking more after the new year, but I want to get to Ride at least once a week while I can.  The indoor biking helps the outdoor biking.  On Saturday (the 1st) we had a full day.  We had a workday at church in the morning and I did some heavy duty weeding from 8:30 to 10:30.  Then I worked at the MOPS bazaar (which was not as much physical labor) from 11 to 2.  I got home and ran 4 miles.  The weather was perfect--clear and not too cool.  On Sunday (the 2nd) I did my long run and got 13 miles in.  I started out in the neighborhood behind Roths which is quite hilly (and dark!) but I felt safer than running on Battlecreek which is even darker with so little of a shoulder.  It was a really great run, but I was 10 minutes later than I hoped as I had to stop at Mc Donalds and use the bathroom.  Monday (the 3rd) was a well deserved rest day.  Tuesday (the 4th) was another track run totaling seven miles again...very similar to last week except more 800's and miles.  The track was busier which I liked...would rather be around other people than solo.  There were like fifty seagulls on the field.  Wednesday (the 5th) was another swim workout.  I can't think of anything significant about it other than I felt stronger than the week before.  Thursday (the 6th) was Power again.  I increased my weight on two tracks and could probably increase it a little more.  Friday (today the 7th) was Ride.  I didn't push myself very hard...at times I was zoning out and going through the motions.  I was really tired and not as into it this morning.  I am not looking forward to the junior high all nighter and it has nothing to do with the kids.  They are great and I don't mind spending that long a time with them at all.  It's just the sleep deprivation and it messing up my sleep schedule.  I've been so rigid in my sleep lately and it has helped with my anxiety and moods.  I just don't want this to throw it off and take days to get caught up.  I guess I have some anxiety about it.  Rob and I were talking about specific things that trigger anxiety that might seem peculiar to someone else.  One of mine is sleep or lack thereof.  Another one is falling off my bike or getting a flat tire hence the need to focus more on biking.  Because I do like to ride my bike.

Eating:  I must be doing something right because I lost another pound and someone said out of the blue today in the locker room that they see I have lost weight.  So go fruits and veggies because that is the only major change I have made...and not eating as much brown sugar on the oatmeal.  I used to have it almost every day and now I think I've had it twice since school started.  I do have ice cream, small candy bars, a cookie, but it is much less than before.  I really crave it around that time of the month which makes it quite challenging especially if I am irritable too.

Sleep:  I had one small bout of insomnia a couple nights ago and I'm almost positive it is related to that time of the month.  The app on my ipad where I track it helps.  I managed to calm my brain down so I could fall asleep, but it took a little longer than I would have liked.  My mind was racing with stuff I had to do...which really isn't much...but seems bigger than it really is.