Saturday, December 17, 2011

High-Low

Stolen with thanks from Liz.

High-Low is a quick way update friends on your life and I like this idea so much that it might become a regular feature on this blog.  It also gives me a reason to keep posting until I get back into a regular training routine.

High workout: Getting back to the gym after a disastrous race performance the week prior. It wasn't anything special, a solid slow three miles, but it shook out some cobwebs and I needed it.

Low workout: Three miles on the treadmill last night. Shortly after the first mile that pre-marathon leg pain was back in full force.  Sharp and intense, I had to stop briefly to stretch but it didn't help. I almost stopped, probably should have, once I toughed it out to the second mile but my ego could not take it. Two miles? Too pathetic. Instead I decided to finish the three but up the speed to a sub-8 mile so it would be over faster. I do not recommend this strategy.

High emotional moment: This is actually a tie and they both happened in the last 24 hours. Last night I got home after a long week at work and that terrible workout to find a box from home waiting for me. Opening it up, my mom had sent a GIANT tub of home-baked Christmas cookies. The kind we usually bake together when I'm home for the holidays.  Secondly, in the aftermath of the week's low emotional moment, there was a knock on my front door. The postman was there with a blogger Secret Santa present for me! I haven't opened it yet, which is taking a lot of willpower, but just the idea that someone else had been thinking about me and made an effort to do something kind for me was what I really needed in that moment.  My thanks in advance, dearest Secret Santa, come Christmas morning I'll be sending you a personal note as well.

Low emotional moment: This week has been a low one in general, thanks to work. I even brought home the office laptop to continue digging myself out over the weekend. Today however, I hit my limit and work had nothing to do with it. It was really a two-fer. I pulled on a pair of jeans to wear out tonight (an occasion in itself) and because I've gained weight post-marathon the jeans ripped in a huge and irreparable way. Shortly afterward someone dear to me spontaneously thought they had time to see me today and then just as suddenly had to cancel. Not unusual or a big deal but I was already frustrated about the jeans incident so I just fell apart. Cried for a half hour about being fat and alone. Normally I'd just eat my feelings away (thanks again for the cookies, Mom) but the idea of that made me cry harder because I have such a disfunctional relationship with food.

Several tissues and a pot of coffee later, I'm wearing pants I could actually zip up (for now) and writing this post. I feel better just getting some of this out of me and having to think of a high note reminds me that things aren't as bad as they feel. Tomorrow begins a new week where I hope to have a hard time choosing between the best high moment.  Right now my house smells like nutmeg and Christmas tree, I get to celebrate a dear friend's happiness tonight, and the cats have been feeling snuggly so all is really okay. 

Do you have a high or low that you'd like to share? I hope you're all having a great weekend in every way!  Happy Holidays :)

2 comments:

  1. I think I'm going to regularly blog high-low, so you should too :)

    Sorry about your rough work week and jeans incident. I feel your pain - I've gained weight post-marathon and the holidays is pretty much the hardest time to try to lose it.

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  2. High = receiving a gift from my secret santa. Peaked at the packing slip, but am waiting to fully unwrap until xmas. Not many surprises the last several years. Thankfully this year I shamelessly played santa for myself. Thank you!

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