Struggling & Recovering

 

The dual challenges of a) helping all my research students from morning to night all last week, and b) the breakdown of my treadmill have kept me in a state of perpetual motion ever since:

1.  Spending nearly every waking moment with helping to prepare the students last week means I did little to no grading/or preparing lectures/or preparing exams/or preparing labs last week...... for this week....... and so I have been very much trying to play catch-up all this week.  It is exhausting cutting everything so close to deadline right now, that is ramps up my stress.  

2.  Running has been a royal chore (meaning a "PITA") as well.  My routines are all discombobulated.  I up and immediately dress in exercise clothes, take out the dog, bring her back in and grab my lunch box, and my gym bag containing my work clothes and drive to the U to get there about 10 minutes before the indoor track opens.  I have been fortunate enough to on the four days so far this week..... had three of those days where I was the only soul on the indoor track for an hour or so.... so NO MASK.  One day I had only 15 minutes before someone else showed.  I had to run with the mask on when that person came.  Which is VERY DIFFICULT.  

3.  Unfortunately, an HOUR is not enough time to complete my typical 11 mile (18km) run.... but by the time an hour has passed, there is usually enough hazy light from the upcoming sunrise that I feel safe enough (meaning I will SEE the pavement well enough to (fingers crossed) NOT trip and fall) venturing outside onto the campus sidewalks to finish up the remaining miles.  I just hope it does not snow any more this season (sadly, it is likely only a pipe dream, we will likely have snow well into April). I am behind my normal standard for the week thus far.  I SHOULD be at ~44 miles (~70km) to feel comfortable in reaching my 55 mile (89 km) goal for the week.  Unfortunately, after my run this morning, I am currently only at 38 miles (61 km).

4.  Unfortunately, added to the above challenges, my wife and I had volunteered (a few weeks ago) to each be a "facilitator" at a discussion session/meeting held in our parish on Tuesday evening.  That meant on Tuesday, I got up at around 4:45am and did not get home until 9:30pm.

5.  Also unfortunately, on Wednesday, we had been scheduled several weeks ago to make and serve the meal this week at our Lenten Soup Supper.  This is an even that happens at the parish that occurs every Wednesday during Lent. So, my wife and I made a huge vat of chicken noodle soup and a huge vat of tomato bisque soup.  I gently spiced the soups as well because a lot of the folks at our parish tend to be plain "meat & potato" sorts who tend to think regular black pepper is a pretty damn exotic spice.  So, Wednesday also was a 4:45am day, with again getting home ~9:30pm.  

6.  Tomorrow looks potentially rough too.  I have three meetings that have overlap with each other tomorrow, so no real breaks for me. 

7.  Also, the track and outdoor running..... coming about so abruptly..... is making me awfully damn sore.  Do not get me wrong.... running outside is WONDERFUL, but typically I make a somewhat "gradual" transition each weather season..... WINTER vs ANYTHING ELSE.  The gradual transition is helpful, because in treadmill running you use your leg muscles somewhat differently when you run on that belt compared to the more natural running style that happens outside.  If you have to switch abruptly, you get a significant rise in muscle soreness and muscle aches.  And, because I had to switch very abruptly because of the damn treadmill failure, my leg muscles, especially the gastrocnemius, the soleus and my quadriceps femoris all are achy, sore, and my feet feel as if they are encased in lead.  With this abrupt change, I anticipate that feeling this level of soreness will likely begin to dissipate within the next day or two and potentially will be over perhaps by the middle of next week...... at least I sure as hell hope so.  

I hope I can get my life back in order soon.  I currently feel like a gerbil running on one of those wheels..... perpetually.... never stopping.  It is exhausting.  

PipeTobacco