Tuesday, February 02, 2010

I Am Not Worried, I Am Not Overly Concerned

Here was part of my walk to work today.

Hey, if you ever want to read a bunch of ridiculous texts, here's what you do: Just be an idiot and leave your phone at work overnight and then post a Facebook status update alerting people to that fact, so they don't worry if they don't hear back from you. Next thing you know, you're entering your cubicle at 8 in the morning to a phone full of silliness. Actually, not a bad way to start your day. One of my favorites? "A kitten will die every hour until you text me back...Or until I run out of kittens." No pressure, I'm sure.

Here are my snow covered lilac bushes. I can't until they're flower covered lilac bushes.

Well, kids. It's official. I'm sick of Winter. I've decided to give it one more week, before I start defying it. Starting next Monday, I'm going to stop walking on eggshells around Winter and begin riding my bike to work again and running outside on a more regular basis. I bet I was lucky if I ran 20 miles every week for the last month. Yeah. Bad.

So, it's back to triathlon training again for me. I'm also planning on entering some road races this Spring and Summer. I stayed away from them after I ran The Bix when I was 29 and my legs felt so shredded. I just got scared that I would injure myself and not be able to run again. A friend of mine helped me to see that it was kind of flawed thinking. So, I ran with Coadster in a race this Fall and remembered how much I loved it. I do like having something to train for, I was surprised at how much I missed competing and as that friend pointed out, I run much differently and more varied routes when I'm training too. I'm very thankful for that little lesson in getting over my fears. So, with that in mind, I'm going to try a couple of other things that I've been a little afraid of. My friend M. said she would teach me how to kayak when she comes back to town the next time to visit, and G. and I have been kicking around the idea of riding the last couple of days of RAGBRAI this Summer. That might take some planning, but I think we can manage to make it happen. Now, all I need is warm weather...

13 comments:

Mrs. Hairy Woman said...

I don't envy the snow you have.. I kinda wished we had enough.. LHM loves playing in it and I think he has been ripped off so far this winter.. As for your running.. it is good to keep it up.. it is something that you are really good at .. You CAN DO IT!

rel said...

Churlita,
Winter is the planning and conditioning phase. Soon enough, will we Spring into the execution phase. :)
Maybe some day we'll run in a race together.
rel

Tara said...

I'm sick of Winter too and I'm anxious to see your lilac trees in full bloom!

Yesterday was surprisingly cold in the afternoon, and while I stopped to get gas, I saw a guy wearing shorts. I shouldn't be surprised by that, but if he had turned, he would've noticed me giving him a strange look.

Brando said...

LOL at the texts.

February is always the worst. It's the Thursday morning of the seasons--you can see the weekend but it still feels like a long way away.

Pamela said...

warm weather will come...

SkylersDad said...

My wife does tri's, but I can't swim very well so I don't do them.

booda baby said...

Your training plans are great - they sound more like lots of fun than pain-loaded workouts! Do you need kayaking for your races or is it just a part of the training regimen (like ... I don't know ... dance?)

Sigh. I think Iowa is THE perfect place to train - assuming you're starting in February and aiming for being in real real shape by April. It's like the whole world celebrates every little victory.

j-dub said...

yeah for winter biking! okay, some days it absolutely sucks, but today was National Winter Bike to Work day! And here it was kinda sunny and snowing giant, fat flakes. Really fun, except for the ones that sploosh onto your glasses. I did manage to catch a few in my mouth, which was nice.

Oh, and if you have fenders, they make winter biking a million times better.

Mnmom said...

There's a bumper sticker up here in MN that reads "40 below keeps out the riff-raff". But it doesn't.

One of many things I will miss about my old house is the lilac bushes. I love me some lilacs!!

laura b. said...

I agree that it is fun to have something to work towards. I like the idea of defying winter too!

Ananda girl said...

Good for you getting past that fear. When I wrecked my ankle, it was so hard to push myself. I babied it for so long that I messed the other one up compensating. And look how much you love it. Cool beans.

The one thing I like about this time of year are the little surprises... finding a sheltered cluster of wood violets already blooming or the green shoots of the first bulbs as they squeeze out. Never fails to make me gasp a bit and feel the hope of spring around the corner.

Churlita said...

Mrs.,

Thanks. I've just been afraid racing might cut short my running. I guess we'll see.

Rel,

That would be cool. I'm sure you'd kick my butt though.

Tara, Me too. And what's with people wearing shorts in the Winter. I don't get it.

Brando, Exactly. So close and yet so far.

Pamela, I hope sooner rather than later.

Skyler's, I'm a little worried about the swimming...And bike racing. I've never raced a bike before.

Booda Baby,

The kayaking isn't for training purposes. It's just a thing I've wanted to do but was too scared to try it in the past.

JWilliams, I have a bike rack in the back, that kind of works like a fender...Kinda.

MnMom,

That bumper sticker is funny. It at least keeps some of the riff raff out.

LauraB., It's true. It's always good to have a goal.

Ananda,

In Iowa, we have to wait a couple more months to find those kinds of surprises. But I can't wait for them.

MrManuel said...

Your friends are too funny with the texts.

I am SO glad we get no snow here. I couldn't handle it.

You are awesome doing a triathlon. I wish I could do even one part of those!