Stops and Starts

Finally asleep after throwing up for several hours straight.  

For the last seven weeks, my sweet Tess has been sick with one thing or another, one after another.  First, she got hand, foot, and mouth disease (oral canker sores - she did NOT want to eat!), then strep, then a crazy rash from a reaction to the antibiotics, followed by a week of vomiting and a fever.  She was granted about a five-day reprieve and then she came down with a cold, complete with coughing that wakes her up.  UGH.  

After the cold hit, we took her in to the doctor's office (again).  My mind had already gone to a paranoid place where I was starting to feel sure that she had cancer or an immune disorder, or something else that would account for her weakened immune system.  Luckily, the sweet nurse practitioner assured us that Tess displays NO red flags that would indicate an underlying sinister disorder.  It's simply bad luck, and happens to most kids at least once in the first five or so years of their lives.  But she gave us the paperwork necessary to get blood work done if we need the peace of mind that that would give us.  I think we'll pass for now, as that would be traumatic for Tess, but it's nice to know we can do that at any time.  

Sleeping in Mom and Dad's bed after being diagnosed with strep.  

Needless to say, the last seven weeks have been L.O.N.G.  I have had my fill of crying and whining, and I can't remember the last time we were able to sleep through the night.  I am so dang tired.  Which isn't really anything new...it's just been worse during this ordeal.  I've still exercised during all of this sadness, but not quite as regularly as I usually do.  I really struggle mentally on the days that I don't exercise, so that didn't help.  But there were some days when I knew that I needed sleep much more than I needed to go running.  

Seeking comfort from the TV and her puppies.  

I designed a training plan for myself right after my coaching class at the beginning of the month, but I have had to make major adjustments to it, based on what Tess needed from me.  It's been frustrating.  I have my sights set on a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, and I wanted to be measurably faster and stronger by that time.  But life has intervened.  I feel like I've had to restart, over and over, as far as training for this race is concerned.  And, really, it's okay.  I can still have fun pushing myself over the next few weeks and during the race.  Plus, this helps me as I learn how to tailor training plans for possible future clients when life forces them to adjust their running goals.  

And now, a few random pictures of our life lately.  You're welcome.  :)

Maia is in the swim club at the gym we attend.  These pictures are from her most recent swim meet.  She won both of her events!  

Love this silly teenager.  :)

Maddie competed in her second Taekwondo tournament last weekend.  She got 3rd place in her division in Individual Poomsae, and also had a small part in the Demo team performance.  She did a great job!  

Maddie and her bronze medal.

Two of Maddie's cheerleaders.

Sister love!

Tess smelling Maddie's medal.  Toddlers are silly.  :)

A sick Tess being comforted by Grandpa.  

Post -11-mile run in the pouring rain.  You can't tell, but I am wet through in this picture.  It was rather unpleasant!  

Tess and I finally got out of the house today and spent time shopping with two of my best friends, Tina and Kayleen.  Tess loved all the Christmas decorations at Pier 1...

Thanks for reading!  Have a great weekend!

I did it!

My course book and homework assignment (after the first day of instruction): a marathon training plan for an imaginary runner.

On October 8th and 9th, I attended the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Coaching Certification Level 1 course in Seattle.  From 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. each day, I sat in a classroom on the University of Washington campus with 30 or so other running enthusiasts, and talked running.  It was awesome!  Our instructor, Randy Accetta, is a very accomplished runner and running coach, and the director of coaching education for RRCA.  He is also hilarious.  I was rather intimidated by some of the other class participants, despite everyone being friendly and kind.  There were Ironman finishers, Boston Marathon qualifiers, ultra-marathoners, and people that had been coaching athletes for years.  My insecurities were pleased that there were a few people there like me, too: middle-of-the-pack runners with no formal coaching experience.

At the end of Day 1, outside the building we met in.  

I loved how the building we spent two days in was nestled in the trees and surrounded by greenery.

In order to be certified, I had to take a 100 question multiple-choice test and get at least an 85% on it.  I took it a few days after I attended the course, and I was thrilled to get a grade of 96%!  Whoo-hoo!  So, I am now an official RRCA certified running coach!  

At the beginning of Day 2, leaving the parking garage to walk on campus.  The U of W stadium is behind me.  

 

Despite the rain, it was a beautiful Sunday morning.

Although attending this course taught me that I can trust my 25+ years of running experience more than I thought, it also showed me that in order to be the kind of coach I want to be, I have a lot to learn.  Most of that learning can only come with experience and through trial-and-error, but I also have a long list of recommended resources that I want to start reading in an effort to expand my knowledge base.  I'm thinking that I will take this time to focus on designing training plans for myself and a couple of other close friends that have requested help, while continuing to educate myself.  Once Tess is in preschool (next year, maybe?), then I will explore coaching as a career.  I'm wading into the coaching pool slowly, starting at the shallow end.  But if anyone reading this is interested in my help now, I'll be happy to at least talk to you about that!  :)

It was very difficult for me to spend the weekend away from my family and home.  For whatever reason, my anxiety was sky-high every second I wasn't in class.  I think my mental illnesses were angry that I was doing something SO out of my comfort zone and that they'd been telling me for a long time wasn't something I was good enough to do.  I wasn't obeying them and it really pissed them off.  Plus, my hotel (Travelodge University Seattle) was GROSS.  Seriously.  I had to kill a hobo spider in the bathroom, and I found a dead louse in the sheets.  It was a nightmare for the loud part of me that values cleanliness above almost everything else.  By the time I got home on Sunday night, I was mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted.  But I DID it.  At first I didn't see it this way (feeling that anxious only felt like a failure), but now I know (thank you, therapists!) that my experience that weekend was a massive, huge victory for me.  I can do really, really hard things.  

And if I can do hard things, you can too.  Especially as you pursue what you love.  I think it's telling that I wasn't very anxious when I was in class.  I think that's because I was engaged in something that I am passionately interested in.  When we follow our loves and interests, I think we tap into who we are at our very core.  The part of us that is complete and whole and perfect and powerful.  And that feels really, really good.  

Thanks for reading!