Time is a big factor in my life. I know it is a factor with everyone, but right now I'm talking about ME.
Today I had off. I will have every Tuesday off this year. My kids are in school for six straight hours, and I will have that six hours every single Tuesday until June.
Today, this panicked me. I have been so starved for time for so long, I didn't know what to do. Should I do laundry? Should I clean? no no. It's supposed to be Me time to unwind and get just a few things done, right? But won't I hate myself if I am busy later because I wasn't totally efficient now? Oh, the angst. It's going to take me awhile to figure this one out. I am happy about the problem, of course. Having time is good.
Here's what I did:
changed and made doctor's appointments for the kids.
changed the sheets on the mattresses on the floor.
worked out for 1.5 hours.
laundry
folding
ate a peanut butter sandwich and read blogs.
Stared at the wall.
Stared at the lawn through the window (it's pouring) and tried to figure out what plants to dig and save and what plants to leave in the ground for the landscapers, who hopefully we will hire and will come someday, to bulldoze away.
Pet my dogs.
Tried to clean the bathroom. That was stupid b/c the construction people came in and got it all sawdusty and dirty again 10 minutes later.
Made reservations for a weekend away with Andy in January.
Thought about all the people I should be in contact with, and that I am not.
Made a list of all the things I need to get done.
That was my day. I must get the kids in 15 minutes.
I need to contemplate whether this was a well spent day,or not.
I had high hopes for it, and it seems I have fallen short.
In other news. I have a race this weekend and I am UNEASY. I have been working on speed in the pool and the run. My bike? Well, I'm not so sure how that will go. Today I was to do an hour ride with a fast 20 min at the end of it. Unfortunately, I kept forgetting I was supposed to be working hard. This is a problem. I would crank! And then start thinking about how I had to call to change my dentist appt or how it would be nice to get a massage, and the next thing you know I am in loaf city. Mental note: work on this, Mary.
In still other news. Everyone that did the PumpkinMan Half Iron this weekend (that I know) did AWESOME. This should make me feel good. Okay. Well, it doesn't. It makes me jealous. I have heard *rumors* that perhaps the bike and the run were both short at PumpkinMan. This could explain why most people I know bettered their Timberman times by like a HALF FUCKING HOUR.
But I'm not bitter or anything. Really. I am a very kind, rational, giving person who wants everyone to do well and feel great. Not all course are the same. That's just the way it is. Doing Bay State Marathon is not like doing Mt Desert, for example.
But okay, it does just piss me right off that in Triathlon World many race directors can't seem to measure! How fucking hard is it to take your Garmin out and just measure the right mileage? I understand it's hard for the swim. But for the bike and run? Road race directors are nearly always dead on. They have to be. USATF will not certify an event unless it has been measured accurately. So what's up with USAT? Why do they certify fucking everything, even if it is clearly, clearly, OFF--by like MILES?
And that's my beef of the day.
Now that I have some time off, I have a feeling I will be beefing more often.
11 comments:
I'm dealing with the SAME THING!!! So funny. Talk about it more with you later...
re: P'man race. Yup. Short. 2 miles on the bike and 3/4 mi on run. Annoying huh. Had the same thoughts...
~A
I wish I was dealing with 6 hours alone ... I am quite jealous!! I know I would be feeling the same angst however, you want to be efficient but yet we spend all our waking hours being as fucking efficient as possible so we should just sit on the couch right? Of course we don't. Get a massage next week, you'll deserve it after your race.
Your comment just came in... thank you more than you know...! I have enjoyed reading your mommy posts too, they help me all too much! Maybe just knowing others go through the SAME stuff makes it more doable!
Okay, give me tips how to survive when the child is NOT in school for 6 hrs a day... I have 3 more years till I get my 6 hours...! Enjoy yours and get er' done!!
Hey - you got a lot done today!! Sadly, with me, the more time I have, the more time I waste and procrastinate. I hope we'll get to read more Tuesday posts from you now...even if you're beefing more ;-)
YES MARY! I think alot of us struggle with this same thing!!! Oh boy. And, I have the same beef about courses - I MEAN COME ON!!!! I hear ya! Mary, you have had a great year thus far and 09 will be even better - no worries! I laughed out loud at your post! :) JEN H.
I am just crackin' up. I love your comments about Pumpkin Man. Trust me..when I crossed the finish line i was like.. geesh 5:04 with a freakin' flat? I know I'm guuuuud at changing a tubular but..... I'll take it!!!That lasted for about 5 seconds only to be DEFLATED again by the chit chat at the finish about what everyone's Garmin was reading. GRRRRREAT!
So much for that one in the books.
I agree that race directors should made it someone's job the morning of AFTER the cones are put out to validate the distances with a motorcycle/car and a Garmin. Sooo easy.
That said, I've found in most cases it's actually the volunteers who accidentally move cones or change the course unknowingly at some point in the morning. I had this happen to me during a half-marathon, where the finish was 1/2 mile further because someone thought it should go a different way around an area. Purely accidental move.
Yea, USAT will ceritfy any race even if it's clearly not the right distance. I don't get it. WTFE.
You are lucky to have that time off! Enjoy it! Sounds like you got lots done.
even though i don't have the 3 kids -- i can relate to this post -- taking time to do something not necessarily on a To Do list just for YOU! It's important! Tuesdays should be Mary day - do something "frivolous" after your workouts like go to a movie by yourself - it will do wonders for you and you'll find how you will quickly become comfortable with your Mary time -- and the laundry will still be, and magically it will all still get done.
As for the race distances - totally agree. It really aggravates me when the distance on my bike computer or garmin do not match up with the mile markers when racing and then you try to compare times from previous races.
I think it was a GREAT day! Nice job!
Well, if the jury comes in and decides it was a waste of a day, thank goodness you have like, what? 30 more tries to get it right before June? Phew.
And don't get me started on USAT certification standards! If it's styrofoam and it clips onto your head, it's a helmet, isn't it? Anyway, those people are just cheating themselves if they let themselves call it a PR. They will be disappointed for the rest of their lives when they just can't seem to better their times from Pumpkinman. Hopefully that's revenge enough.
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