sidebar | life and training 1.16 – 1.22

One of the best parts of early-bird runs is watching port the huge yet oddly quiet cruise ships.

Happy Monday, kids. I feel invigorated today. Last week had many cacophonous notes, including a bout of pseudo-sickness wrought by high stress levels. Such happens with me sometimes: when my cortisol overinflates, I come down with cold-like symptoms that feel like a virus but pass relatively quickly with no change in my resting heart rate or overall functionality. This was Friday. So, I took a step back, left work early, napped, and enjoyed time with J and a friend, which ultimately brought me back to a decent equilibrium.

I think a lot about how folks overglamorize grinding through every day, barely making enough time for leisure or sleep. It’s a bunch of bullshit. I understand the need to work hard to provide for oneself and family, and I too put in long hours working my way through the nuances of FMG, but over a long period those habits are quite destructive. I watch it on the daily at my normal job, and not only does it tear the individual in question to pieces, but the effects trickle down into the workforce so that everyone feels bogged down.

I see a need amongst most to slow up and make time for rest. I emphasize this a lot. Unless some extenuating circumstance demands otherwise, I usually finish up with my day work and FMG work by 5 pm. Granted, some days that means I’m going from 7:30-5, including a 4 am wakeup call to get some movement in, and usually then I take an idiotic nap at 7 pm. Ha. At any rate, by the time I shut my laptop, I’m useless and plopped in my corner chair like a Snorlax.

I’m learning more about myself and what my mind and body enjoy and demand when it comes to self-care. I love my Tree Hut body scrub (I have one of the holiday scents, but this one is yummy too) a couple times a week to make morning showers extra luxurious. I almost always burn candles now, am enjoying fresh flowers, and make time to be a little fancier in my bullet journal. I’m also ripping through a couple books. The importance of good wake up and wind down routines is unmatched for me.

Anywho – just a few thoughts. Aside from what I described above, I had a couple nice things happen. J and I checked out a new coffee shop down the road, and the space was shockingly adorable. Must go there sometime with my computer to work. Maybe today? On Friday we met up with a pal at Ava for their happy hour, which is definitely one of the best in town. The cabernet was excellent and their funghi pizza pretty much perfect. Delegating more time for friends is definitely on my list of goals this year. I always feel way better after such fulfilling interactions.

And drinking two glasses of wine – which is unheard of for me. Usually, J has to finish my first one!

Hope ya’ll are well. A few of you said you weren’t doing great and could use a hug. Well, here’s a virtual one for you. (>*_*)>

Lots of love from me to you, friends.

The Fuck We Eating This Week?

A simple and delicious creamy pasta…

A big, healthy taco salad…

Some colorful shrimp noodle bowls…

A Few Things I’m Digging

Frozen veggies…Probably a weird thing to dig, but I find myself kinda lazy lately with preparing veggies outside of my recipe development. I often just buy the simple steam-in-bag fixtures from Target when I go, or Trader Joe’s. Been loving especially butternut squash, sweet potato, and of course cauliflower rice.

Salmon…Seriously, so much salmon lately. I’ve been craving the fatty goodness and inspired by how much I can do with it, too. This week’s shawarma salmon is definitely a big time mainstay.

Shops & Wish List

Fashion

Target…Liking these extended shoulder tees, think the cut would be very flattering for me. This cut out dress is lovely, though I worry about the length since things dropping below my knee sometimes make my legs look even stumpier than they already are.

Kitchen & Dining

Pottery Barn…These lily of the valley tumblers are gorgeous and would be perfect for spring cocktails. Love the matching stoneware salad plates as well.

Crate and Barrel…The boozy brunch set would be great for Galentine’s Day and flinging out a nice refreshing cocktail or mocktail pitcher. In love with KitchenAid’s white studded mixing bowl, maybe add to my collection?

Home

Pottery Barn…Holy shit, I want this sherpa bunny pillow. It looks so soft, much like their autumn pumpkin pillows, and THAT LITTLE TAIL!

Week in Training

Monday, 1.16: 7.2 miles, 11:49 pace + 20 minute upper body

Well that run was embarrassingly slow even for me. Reaffirms that I have a pretty hard time in the cold nowadays! It was kinda cool wandering around and seeing the setup for ESPN’s First Take at the Convention Center. Some people were already huddled outside waiting for the doors to open – this was at 5 am, and people aren’t let in until 8:45. Brave souls.

Strength:

• 3 x 15 pullover 30#
• 3 x 10 ea. balanced side raise SS 10 side raise 15#
• 3 x 10 triceps extension 30#
• 3 x 15 bent front raise 30#
• Core work

Tuesday, 1.17: 7.03 miles, 10:56 pace

Another chilly morning, decent run, but nothing special.

Wednesday, 1.18: 7.03 miles, 10:40 pace + 35 minute full body

I think for awhile I’m going to harbor bitterness towards to 2021 Chicago Marathon. Ever since then, running has felt so taxing (ironically, excepting when I did Big Sur 6 months later). This pace used to be pretty standard easy pace, and today it felt more challenging. Wild how bodies change so rapidly over time.

Strength:

• 3 x 15 RDL 50#
• 3 x 15 waiter curl 25#
• 3 x 15 ea. row 25#
• 3 x 11 ea. single leg squat 25#
• 3 x 15 diamond pushup
• 3 x 12 quad things (no idea what they are)
• Core work

Thursday, 1.19: 4.05 mile walk (1:05:00)

Friday, 1.20: 6.4 miles, 10:57 pace + 20 minute full body

Felt really crappy in the morning. A lot of fatigue and some cold symptoms were cropping up, and running probably wasn’t my best strategy. Later in the day I took a big nap and relaxed, after which I felt largely better.

Strength:

• 3 x 8 ea. hammer curl to curl 15#
• 3 x 10 ea. upright row 25#
• 3 x 12 front squat 50#
• 3 x 14 T raise 15#

Saturday, 1.21: 8.04 miles, 11:11 pace + 30 minute full body

The sidewalk was a bit of an obstacle course as crews prepared for the two upcoming parade weekends. At one point I was almost blocked in a certain segment as they brought out a fence to cut it off, but thankfully I was close enough to yell at them to keep the path open so I could pass. A very pleasant morning overall, wonderful breeze and a good temp.

Strength:

• 3 x 15 kickback 15#
• 3 x 15 close press 50#
• 3 x 12 ea. sldl 50#
• 3 x 12 ea. OH press SS side raise 15#
• 3 x 12 diamond squat 50#
• Core work

Sunday, 1.22: 4.08 mile walk (1:04:00)

Total running mileage: 35.7