Tag Archives: gratitude

A small stretch…..

Running exacerbated the back, hip and knee pain yesterday and I have 17 mosquito bites, for these reasons I did not run this morning. Instead I doubled my yoga and added a guided meditation from the Meditation Oasis on Body Balance to my morning routine. Plan to run tomorrow. Also my goal is to get out and play with my bike until I can ride it this week. Like a kid does.

That is one piece of news that happened during my birthday radio silence. My friends from Tucson brought me a wonderful Mountain Bike for the race for my birthday and my baby gave me the basic, no speeds beach cruiser I kept fondling at Tempe Bike. This is perfect because I have a bike at my son and DIL’s and I have one out here in the badlands. Of course, I am just finally balancing a bit and still haven’t mastered the pedals, yet.  But I am amazed at the magic that shows up when I (or anyone else) set a goal and then work for it with all my (or their) might. The universe makes magic.

Anyway, these are my goals this week, to get my run groove back. I had a 12 minute mile, I can again.  To actually swim 75 meters without break (3 lengths) and to pedal my bike for at least a block.

Now I must get ready for work. My kiddos greeting yesterday was all the reward any pediatric home nurse needs. (AND Today I am not forgetting my lunch again!)

Sometimes I am speechless

Shocking I know, but two amazing blogs in a day from my son and my DIL both referencing me has rendered me speechless so go on over and check them out at www.TheBartlemans.com and I will go sleep so I can be back to work at 0700.

Will write again Monday night, between now and then my priorities are sleep, nutrition, training and of course most importantly, my patients.

Namaste.

PS. Pushing myself to run a whole mile (doubled my distance this morning) means REALLY sore quads today, and I get to bend, squat and otherwise keep them talking to me ALL day. On the other hand, I need stronger quads so I can gracefully leap into jeeps like a coordinated human, or better yet, a superhero.

The amazing 12 minute mile…

Yup.

The title says it all.

And it’s 90 degrees here before the sun is up, so that is when I run.

And now to work my eighth day in a row.

My day began with an hour of gratitude meditation because that is the fuel I will need to safely navigate this day.

Namaste to all other SOFT and able athletes, may you train well today!

 

Just keep swimming…

Thank goodness for Dora’s advice. May just have to pop in Nemo tomorrow while at work. The boys I take care of like the movie and that does seem to be my motto these days, "Just keep swimming." 

 
I kept telling myself that tonight, because I sooooo felt like quitting. I was there by myself, and tired and swallowing water trying to get the breathing down and a couple of buff and beered up guys were laughing at me from their chairs by the pool and I just wanted to grab my kick-board and goggles and go to my car and cry. 

I want to post something meaningful to somehow convey the highs and lows of the past four days, but just toooooo exhausted today in every way so no meaningful artsy writing, just a sketch of this weeks events . 

Besides the twenty-something testosterone bullies at pool side, the pool itself  was full of noisy children, with big blow up toys and no concept of space sharing or swim lanes so it was frustrating and inconvenient to do my laps (probably got a couple in just going around the kids).  I did however complete my assignment, barely.

I have been on the verge of tears off and on all week. The universe has surrounded me with lots of love and evidence that I am loved even as I plod along through my issues of too little money, too little time, and old, out of shape body. The emotional grief may be effecting my physical performance but I am certain that the physical exertion is mitigating this current emotional high tide, so that is one positive. There are a lot of others, most of them external.

 
On Tuesday night I had a lovely dinner with son, Rick, his wife Dawn and her dad; walked 4.5 miles with Rick and Dawn and then swam with Dawn, her mom and Rick. Barely finished my swim assignment that night. The Man threatened to lock me inside for the night. (I missed the last call, apparently cause I was in the water swimming laps). Rick also loaded Ubuntu on my laptop, and Rick and Dawn gave me an awesome Droid phone. I am a lucky mom and mom-in-law. 
 
Then  Wednesday at my house friendship was highlighted. I threw a Fusion Belly Dance themed party, including Stone Soup style food, a book discussion and an amazingly wonderful game of Truth and Dare. (I drank two glasses of wine that night and my weak liver hasn’t yet forgiven me, I won’t repeat that again for awhile)
 
Then Thursday morning was the training session. I was hung over from two glasses of wine (yes, I AM a weenie) AND a new participant joined the triath training session who can swim well. So not only was I sucking more than usual at swimming cause every time the panic started to rise with my face in the water, so did my stomach contents, but now I was doing it along side a stranger who really could swim.
 
Today was work. I love my job and the family that I work for as much as usual but even there it seemed I was batting like I belonged on the Diamondbacks not the Yankees.
 
Sometimes I am brilliant and inspired. Sometimes, I just breathe. This week my biggest accomplishments seem to be not quitting and not throwing up in the pool, and I guess all in all, that is something. 
 
So now I will go sleep so I can just keep swimming again tomorrow. I am grateful to still be able to at least do that.
 
Namaste World