Which reminds me, I am reading Still Alice by Lisa Genova. Actually, more accurately, I am listening to it in my car on CD.
This is what is weird for me. Lisa and I went to Bates College together. We shared the same circle of friends. We weren't especially close, but we were friends enough to always be at the same small party or at the same table in Commons, (where we ate meals) or in the same section of the library. (Please note she was at the library many more hours than I was, of course, and also at the library at times I did not frequent it, like the morning.) Lisa was our valedictorian. This was especially amazing because the girl partied. She definitely partied. She was this combination of incredible discipline and also social savvy and hip. I digress. Anyway, the weird part is hearing HER voice on the CD, and losing myself in the story she wrote as she reads it. Every once in awhile I remember it's her.. and think, Weird. That's Lisa!
Here is a list of updates in Mary-ville:
- I actually did every yard of swimming I was scheduled to do this week. This hasn't happened for many moons, so I am pleased.
- I had an awesome run yesterday. It was one of those runs during which I thought, Wait, WHY do I do triathlon? I love just running!
- On Sunday I made it through a three hour trainer ride. I have friends who are on the trainer routinely for three or more hours at a time, but I find it painfully hard to do that. I have a hard time focusing on TV while I work out, but then... just sitting in the same place for three hours is incredibly boring without the TV. So I will watch TV during the easy parts of the ride, and then lose track of what I am watching when the hard parts kick in. I then have no clue what is happening when the easy parts of the ride return. I just want to get outside. Soon. It will be soon.
- On a totally non-training front, my son (age 7.5) was just diagnosed officially with ADHD. I am not shocked or upset about it, but I also don't exactly know what to DO about it. If you have a child with ADHD, or you have experience with it in any way I would love your input. Medication for someone so young? Diet? Resources? How should I deal with getting the services he needs in school? How can I help him control his emotional responses (explosive)? How can I help him make and keep friends? He is so sharp, cute, lovable, and funny. And I can see how his ADHD manifests -- it is a part of his funny, lovable, sharp nature! I totally accept the diagnosis. I just want to help him. I don't know how to help him.
- I'm convinced that hot, power yoga will be the next "essential" of triathlon training. It strengthens without worry of injury (unlike Cross Fit or even TRX), it balances, it stretches, it makes one more aware of her body and the way it moves and works, and it is peaceful , self-affirming, and rejuvenating. Most importantly, it helps to undo the inflexibility and the tightness that swim/bike/run inflicts. I know that more and more runners and triathletes are doing yoga. I also know there has been NO research that has shown that yoga helps triathlon or run performance. But I'm convinced it does help, and I think it is the next coming wave for us. I believe it has prevented me from becoming so tight in my calves/ankles and feet that I snap, even as my run and bike mileage have increased each week.
- Jesse just wrote a great post on what he describes as the "stress budget." I am your typical AG triathlete, spending outside of my budget when I have no business doing so. I've gotten better at this, but it remains a problem. It is also a problem for nearly EVERY athlete I coach. It takes a long time to drill into a driven AG triathlete that recovery is equally important to success as hard training. I frequently hear, "but I don't want to fall behind!" when a recovery week is assigned. I get this. I feel the same way about my own training. But after some hard lessons, I do understand the gold that recovery is, and so I take it. I am hoping next season will be all the better for it.
17 comments:
- I was one of those stubborn, no recovery week age groupers, till I blew up and had not gas left in the tank for the rest of the season, lesson learned, now I freaking love recovery weeks
- This season, I am the "cash only" age grouper, I have set aside, in a seperate account, money for gear and racing, when I run out, I either have to sell things or dont race one of those "your buddy calls up and wants you race too" races. I am sticking to this, I will see how it works
I just bought still alice! i am going to bring it with me to aruba!
oh yoga, i wish i could get into it... i really should just suck it up and try it.
Glad you are back a bit, Mary! GOOD.
I do not understand (as you know) why athletes do not rest...I think social media has ruined AG athletes...but I do find some athletes rest really well and have more to give for the next cycle for sure.
Sorry to hear about the ADHD DX...I do not know about that very much, but I know you will be super to your son on that front.
Spring is coming soon! We actually saw the sun today here in chicago! Soon outside for the rides! :)
send me an email, my 7 year old was diagnosed with ADHD, way too much info to write on the blog. He is doing great ( ups and downs mind you) but with no medication and just implementing good strategies at home and at school we see a big difference.
I totally do that forget-the-blog-post thing too. I started using the Notes feature on my phone to jot down ideas when they come to me. It's really helpful!
On the ADHD front, I understand what it's like to go through getting a Dx like that. My son was Dx'd with SDI (sensory integration dysfunction) at an early age.
The things that have helped him the most: Gluten and dairy free. I know, no one wants to hear that, it's so much trouble! But it's helped more people with kids with Dx like ADHD, Asperger's etc. than I can count. We eat mostly Paleo these days and it makes a HUGE difference. HUGE.
Also, mandatory outdoor time, the more the better. I notice that the more time my kid spends outdoors, the less his symptoms affect the rest of his life. He's 14 now, and I'm just about to drag him outside with me to walk the dogs! Best of luck to you as you navigate the maze of info and advice.
Hey Mary,
All three of my kids have ADHD, as well as a boatload of other diagnosis. They joke that they did not come from a gene pool but a cess pool :-) They are awesome, witty fun kids just trying to make their way in a society that does not tolerate their issues or just think we are bad parents :-( Donna had some great suggestions - all things we do at home as well. These kids march to different drummer. A lot of people just don't understand and somehow think that it's something we did to did not do for our children. DON"T ever think that - use your own parenting style that works best for you. One of our doctors recommends that we play "lets make a deal" if we want them to do something that they are resisting. It works great in my house. Many people say that it is bribery and you will have to up the ante. Not true for these kids, there brains are not wired to think like that - they want immediate gratification. If you get them to buy into the process of decision making, everyone wins. I think however you chose to parent is absolutely fine - just keep loving him and making reasonable accommodations - that does not mean bending over backwards to give the kids what they want - it is just a bargaining tool on your part to get the designated behavior. When I asked the doctor what I could do at home to help - he said "just be his mom" there are other professionals that will handle the other stuff :-) Get him on an IEP immediately at his school - then everyone has to treats him with respect and dignity - not anger and disappoint. Please free to contact me anytime. I consider myself somewhat of a professional with this stuff because I have been dealing with for about 15 years now amongst all three kids. I never thought my oldest would EVER be able to get her shit together - her type is ADHD - inattentive and is now on the Dean's list in college with a 3.6 cumulative average. The boys are ADHD - hyperactive - I think we are all to familiar with that behavior !!! Good luck - I am always here to vent or help if needed. - Nan
I've had the same thought several times, why not stick with running? Except my legs are super tired right now from all the races I have been doing this winter:) Glad your running is going so well, PR, here you come!
Loved Still Alice!
I can't watch movies on the trainer, either. But I can do TV shows. "Lost" is amazing for that, bc it makes me anxious and the adrenaline rush makes the rides easier.
I think the most important thing for your son will be to not feel bad about the ADHD. In fact, you should tell him that ADHD is the disorder of brilliant people (true!). I work with adult ADHD and the treatment of choice is meds and CBT, because it is a neurobiological condition. I am not familiar with studies on kids, though. I do know that many parents are scared to put their kids on meds, but I think media is creating a bias in this regard. Personally I think the diet stuff is crap, really no good studies have shown that diet has a causal effect in symptom improvement. This goes hand in hand with the sugar and kids myths...
I work at MGH and we have a Pediatric Psychology unit. I trained with one of the psychologists there so I can help if you want referrals or more info. Let me know!
I just read Left Neglected and it was great. Now I have to get myself to the library or Kindle myself Still Alice. Good luck with your son. I hope that you get some good advice and I know you and your hubby will help him in all the best ways you can.
Congrats on progress....
re yoga, I'd say yes to yoga for athletes but no to hot yoga
http://www.sagerountree.com/blog.php?id=7619143323514025421
Sage is a triathlete herself as well as coach, author and teacher of yoga for athletes (I use her DVD and book and had the pleasure of taking a live 90 min class, which was great).
He's such a cutie. Wish I could help. Can't wait to get outside! I love hot yoga. I can stretch like never before when I go.
HOT YOGA - YES YES and YES! good for recovery weeks. i dont believe it should replace lifting weights though.
on the adhd thing - every fucking kid seems to get dx'ed with this and i think its such bullshit. my friends kid also has it and the meds keep him up at night. hell, we used to crush ritlin up and shoot the shit cuz its straight up speed. i hope you find the right solutions. dominic still suffers from it, always has and always will. so many of my old addict friends also battled this as kids. good luck mary.
I never argue when you tell me to recover :)
I was sorry to read about the all-too predictable diagnosis of ADHD, the diagnosis of choice for any kid who doesn't meet some ill-defined definition and who may not be a model child in the classroom. I have no suggestions other than to keep him off the Rx that will more than likely be recommended by those who have to deal with him on a daily basis. Noah's imagination is incredible and backed by an equally astounding natural intelligence. He puts complex mental models together faster than his mouth can speak, often startling me with conclusions that are far more elegant than any experience-based conclusions I would have drawn from the same data set. Let the kid be Noah and love him all the more.
Thanks, Uncle Nick. xo
I really wish I could try that hot yoga!!
How cool that your classmate wrote a book!!!!
see you soon...
so how cool is it that Im reading runners world today and read the ? you answered.
i was like DANG! that's Mary!!
Every night when I go to bed and every morning in the shower I have plenty of things to write about. But when I sit in front of the key board they magically disappear. I feel your frustration.
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