A tech from the oil company is on his way, but in the mean time I can barely focus I am so cold. I'm sure there is simply a reset button on the furnace or something, and I am too dense to know where to find it.
Despite that my fingers are icy, I will try to write anyway. I should be getting on the bike, but I fear stripping to my shorts and top when it is so frigid in this house, and also I fear appearing half naked at the door and dripping with sweat when the tech person shows up. I have never come in contact with a female heating technician. Why is that?
In real time:
He arrived. The furnace has not been cleaned since 2007 and the boiler is all "clogged up". Oops.
I think it is in my wifely duties to schedule those cleanings? Oh dear...
Onward. I have been mired in "think" land for the last few weeks. I lack a sense of humor and I am generally a drudge to be around when I get especially thinky. I am repeatedly told by those close to me that I over-think anyway.
Recently even I see it. Sigh.
Here is what I have bee thinking about:
- Evolution and whether free will is a myth
- How our childhoods shape us in so many ways--expected and unexpected. I believe this, and yet I am also so taken with the idea that we are genetically predisposed to behave in certain ways (see bullet one)--that our being shaped is also a myth and we are simply a product of our genes.
- How I take intellectual short-cuts--always. How I can't help but take short-cuts, and I wonder if this is an attentional problem? For example, I rarely finish non-fiction texts. I begin something, became enamored by it, I gather the central premise of the book, and then I tire of it. I do not force myself to read and understand beyond the big picture, and so I never really understand things in depth. This makes me an excellent generalist, but not much of an expert on anything.
- How my running has been getting better, and why is that? What am I doing differently now? There are two things, I think: I am running more frequently (although my runs are usually not longer than 45 minutes) and also I have been adding bursts to every run. The bursts are only about 20 seconds each, and only a few in each run. Could they really be making such a difference? Is this purely a muscle memory thing? By running more frequently and by adding frequent bursts of speed my body rarely forgets what it is to run quickly ? Why does that translate into faster speed overall, though? Or is it simply that I have shed a couple pounds? (honestly, not more than 2.)
- I have an FTP test scheduled for Wednesday, and I am uneasy about it. I have been hitting the required watts for the intervals I have been assigned. They are not easy, but not so hard. I can manage. But I fear the 20 minute all out test. What if I can't muster the umph to push as hard as I can? What if I don't push as hard as last time and my watts are lower and it appears I am going backward?
We've never taken the family to Disney. I am excited.
If you have been with children between the ages of 5 and 9, and you have advice for me, I'm game.
I am quite sure I will snap out of think-ville and become vivacious and full of vim and humor soon. At least I hope so. Of course, to my credit, it is hard to be full of vim and humor when it is 52 degrees in your house and dropping.
Happy Training!
12 comments:
You had me at 'shed a couple pounds'. 2 pounds is more than my body is willing to shoff off nowadays and I could use all the help/advice I can get my grubby fingers on!
On the Disney front, have a blast! I've got 3 little sisters and a Mickey Mouse obsessed mother (so obsessed she got married in Disney World) and have been lots of times with young ones. Honestly, no matter what you do or where you go with them it will be magical. Seeing little kids in Disney is so heart warming and just cute. Definitely watch the shows and little street parades. Those are fun and full of songs, dances, and laughing.
If you and the family are into dining with music & a show there's a restaurant called the Hoop-De-Doo Musical Review and it's super cute. Just google it and it'll come up through the Disney site. Have fun! And stay warm!
as usual you are hysterical. When it comes to Disney, we went with the 4 kids two years ago is to make an agenda for everyday. What park your going to, what rides will be open or closed depending on the day could determine where you go, make dinner reservations now because you won't beable to when your down there and if you decide to go out to eat without reservations your kids will be so cranky and you will wait forever. WE've done this trip twice and have loved it I could certainly give you tons of tips but it would take to long. Let me know and I can email you.
The thing about nonfiction books? They generally say the same thing over and over, so really you don't HAVE to read the whole thing. I am struck by this every time I read a book that isn't telling a story (as opposed to nonfiction books like The Perfect Mile). I'm not saying this is bad--this is how people make their complicated points to simple readers like me--but it means a cover-to-cover read is in most cases not worth it. Better to put down the book and read a story. Or US Weekly.
YES YES the bursts -- striders, accelerations, pick-ups, whatever -- make a huge difference. Short fast reps make you more economical. This is every bit as important for marathoners as it is for milers.
I always feel I can write a book in response to your posts, WHY is that? (LOL)
OK, overthinking = need to control, but you already know that.
I do the same with many books.
I think it is hard to be an expert on the things you are interested in bc: 1) there are too many, and 2) you tend to be interested in ideas, thoughts, and things that are fluid and subjective and difficult, if not impossible to be an expert on. Why would you want to be an expert...think of the stress and weight of that!
About running improvement, several hypotheses:
1. You rested a lot.
2. After rest you were slower, but then your speed returned and that increased your confidence in your running, which in turn translated in better running.
3. You are running more days.
4. You are running on fresher legs - no more mega miles on the bike.
5. I think progress in a sport is not linear, rather, you can hit a plateau (your running last year), and now you are seeing the improvement of an entire year of running.
6. You are training differently - it a little like exercise and weight loss, sometimes changing something leads to improvement.
Nothing about Disney. Have never been, Petru is not asking, so I'll stay away for now. I hear is best to bring your bottle of water ($5 per piece).
One of the first nights we were in the new we had a heavy snowfall and the power went out. We have gas heat, but it requires electricity to run the blower. So the house got COLD. Luckily the power was back on when I got home the next day.
As far as thinking (or over thinking) I have come to the believe that it is a female thing. My wife does exactly the same thing. Overthinking EVERYTHING, coming to a negative conclusion, and then is typically wrong (she jumped to the worst case conclusion) and then gets upset she was wrong.
Hopefully, some heat in the house and The Happiest Place on Earth will cheer you up.
But how do you know how the book ends? Or do you not care? I am so Harry in When Harry Met Sally that I MUST know how a book ends and I always read the last bit once the characters are established. I hate surprises. Hahaha.
1) I enjoy your blog! Nice writing and a great balance of what your coping with and how you feel/think about it.
2) Re: your thoughts about nature-vs-nurture (or "genes vs free will") you might read "Please Understand Me" by Keirsey, one of several great books about personality types. You don't even need to read the whole book to get some great detail about yourself and others!
3) I am also a constant thinker and "big-picture" type (xNTx type on the Meyers-Briggs). It's a response to being a worrier, which is a response to harboring fears. What are we so afraid of? failing publicly? failing ourselves? being unhappy no matter what we do? Probably.
So, it turns out you are normal, and also part of a group. Welcome!
I have two things to say:
THINKY? I love that word. New to me.
I feel you your approach to non-fiction books exactly matches my approach to triathlon. I never really fully understand it in depth.
I think adding bursts or strides can help a lot with running speed. Also, supposedly for every pound you drop it's 2 - 3 seconds per mile, which adds up.
On Disney, we're junkies so here's our general tips:
1) We get up early and hit the park when it opens. It's cool outside and the lines are short. We make a plan for which rides we're going to hit first (generally ones with longer lines later). We also plan which rides we're going to use our fast passes on for that day.
2) At around noon when the park is really filling up, we go back to our hotel for lunch and pool time. We relax, let the kids unwind, maybe take a little siesta.
3) In the late afternoon when everyone in the park is burning out and their kids are turning into melting screaming puddles, we go back all refreshed and rested. We then stay in the park as late as possible. Again, it's not as hot and not as crowded. The later you stay, the more fun the park gets. Luckily, our kids are night owls who also can get up early so this plan works for us.
4) I pack lots of high protein snacks: nuts, jerky, etc. and water bottles in a small backpack. I keep us all hydrated and fed with even blood sugar. This helps keep the whole day on track and happy.
Enjoy!!!
I think adding bursts or strides can help a lot with running speed. Also, supposedly for every pound you drop it's 2 - 3 seconds per mile, which adds up.
On Disney, we're junkies so here's our general tips:
1) We get up early and hit the park when it opens. It's cool outside and the lines are short. We make a plan for which rides we're going to hit first (generally ones with longer lines later). We also plan which rides we're going to use our fast passes on for that day.
2) At around noon when the park is really filling up, we go back to our hotel for lunch and pool time. We relax, let the kids unwind, maybe take a little siesta.
3) In the late afternoon when everyone in the park is burning out and their kids are turning into melting screaming puddles, we go back all refreshed and rested. We then stay in the park as late as possible. Again, it's not as hot and not as crowded. The later you stay, the more fun the park gets. Luckily, our kids are night owls who also can get up early so this plan works for us.
4) I pack lots of high protein snacks: nuts, jerky, etc. and water bottles in a small backpack. I keep us all hydrated and fed with even blood sugar. This helps keep the whole day on track and happy.
Enjoy!!!
Post a Comment