The Numbers Game

I have a love hate relationship with numbers. Math has never been my thing so numbers have always been a bit vexing to me. Yet, as an avid home chef I use numbers every single day when cooking. To get the results I want I have to nail the numbers (measurements/cooking temp & time/timing of when each dish is finished so they hit the table at the same time). Don't even get me started on the numbers game runners play!

A lot of life is measured by numbers. Everything from how many minutes a day of play your tot needs, how many days of vacation you have, square footage of your home, how quickly your car goes from 0 to 60, how much is in the 401K, to what size jeans you wear.

Numbers, numbers everywhere.

(Numbers on the track)! Michelle and I hit the track to do a portion of our Saturday long run. I don't love track running, but I have to admit it felt really good on my body. I may be a convert. 

I've been blogging/reading blogs for a long time and a when it comes to fashion and running blogs in particular numbers are a big deal. It's how you convey the progress of your training plans and if you reached your goals or not (something readers feel invested in if they have been following for a while). It's also how you give people a reference point for knowing what size they should order if they like the fashion you are posting links to.

Numbers can be an important tool, and provide helpful information. Except when they don't.

I'm pretty confident and comfortable with who I am, and what sort of runner I am. But, I'm not going to lie it gets hard reading blog posts from (non professional) runners talking about how they had a bad race, and had to run so slow that they almost DNF'd (did not finish) because what was the point. 9 times out of 10 they are running my pace, or a pace that is fast for me. Most of the time I skim right over that part and don't care, but after years and years of reading blogs it gets old.

After a while it's hard not to think "man I wish I ran like so and so"..."I wish I was this or that like so and so"..."I wish I could wear that size"...you get the idea.

The Pilates group I'm part of has a self care theme every month and this month it's "Be Kind to Yourself". Strive for a state of grace, not perfection...and for sure don't strive for another persons idea of perfection, or in this case numbers.

While I'm not arrogant enough to think anyone reads my blog or posts to try and be like me, or strive for the "numbers" I post, more and more I've been struggling with contributing to the numbers game on social media. While I can't be held responsible for others personal struggles/issues, I also don't want to contribute to them.

I can't change the numbers driven world, but I can change how numbers driven my part of the world is. To that end I will no longer be posting here/ FB/IG, my running stats. The numbers don't matter, they just don't. I may mention the distance here or there, but specifics about pace, finish times etc. will go unmentioned.

Instead I am going to try and share photos from runs (like the track photo above from Satruday's, wet, cold, windy long run), the highlights, and not highlights of a run, but the numbers of the run will be left out. I'm not ashamed of my numbers at all, and if anyone wants to know email/message me and I'll share.

I just don't want to be caught up in measuring my life or worth in numbers. And, I don't want to contribute to others doing so either.

Trail run Sunday with my munchkin.

It's all about how much fun I have along the run, not how long it took me to finish. :) 

Total side note, Sky is the wrong person to run with when the training plan calls for a slow, easy run. We'd be running along and all of a sudden she yells "run faster" and takes off. Then 10 second later, "run slower", then "walk" over and over and over. Intervals are not my idea of a slow easy run!

If you need an interval coach she takes payment in princess dresses and pixie dust. 

P.S. This is not criticism or judgment towards those that do share such info on blogs/social media. I totally get the why behind it, and sometimes numbers are the only way to share the reference points...I get it! Keep doing your thing, and I'll keep doing mine, and we can all be happy together! :)

 

You Go Girl Recap

What is there to say really.  I went, I ran, I finished.  10K 58:53 only 2'ish min slower than my 10K pr pace, which I guess is a good thing given the lack of training, injury recovery, and the fact I went into it with one goal...to start the race.

I wanted to start, have fun running, not get caught up in numbers, not set myself back at all, and just run according to feel.  Mission accomplished!  The only time I looked at the watch was to see what the pace was compared to how I was feeling.  I have a pretty good idea now of what pace I can run before pain sets in, (the not good kind of pain, not the "normal" running related pain), and now feel like I can still run a bit and not do damage.  

It felt really good to get out there and just run, enjoy my music, not think about goal pace etc.  And, while 13.1 is my jam, and I would choose that distance over any other every time, I can't tell you how nice it was to turn off at the 6.2 mark and not have to think about the out and back the 1/2 marathoners were doing!

You know what's nice about a 10K though...it doesn't rule your day.  For me 1/2's still require recovery and kindness to my body the rest of the day, but with a 10K, it's life as normal whatever that may be.

It just so happened that this Sunday it meant a sick kiddo, and husband when I got home.  Blah.  I have it now too...so nice of them to share their germs with me!  First things first though...

Before I took care of them I took care of myself first!  Peach Fusion champagne is a pretty great recover drink!  If you have not tried this, do so asap!  If you can find it!  The local liqueur store ordered it because I requested it (awesome!), but it was back ordered for over a week...so good luck getting your hands on it!

Sky was sick for days which = lot's of cuddles, laundry, and mopping of floors.  Sadly Mark gets every bug that Sky does, so it's been lot's of fun around here.  Actually, to be honest, they both just want extra cuddles and love...them being sick isn't the worst thing in the world...for me anyway.

This was after vomiting all morning.  She was really miserable. 

So after vomiting all morning, and sleeping for 4.5 hours she asked to go to the park and play.  We get there and she decided she needed to rest because she was tired.  All that sleep and rest must have paid off because she was back to normal today and able to go to school!  Thank goodness because that's all she talks about.  She LOVES school!

 Watching a movie while we watched Monday Night Football. 

Sneak peak of a home project I will be sharing in the blog soon...Sky loves being outside with Daddy "helping" him with projects.  I would venture to say most of her help is not all that helpful, but this time she actually helped haul and shovel a lot of sand...while sick!  She really wanted to be out there with Daddy.

Not so sure helping place all those pavers was brilliant for my back, but our project is looking amazing!  :)

Anyone else race last weekend?

"I Run, Run"

I think Sky may be more of a runner than I am.  She is constantly asking to "run, run".  She was not happy Saturday night when we left Grace's race, because she was having the time of her life running around the park while we waited.  Pretty sure she ran at least a mile.  All the way back to the car she kept saying, "no car, I run, run, no car".    

I'm going to use her love of running to my advantage this week!  She climbed out of her crib for the first time yesterday which means it's big girl bed time.  My plan is to tire her out with running so that bed time in the big girl bed = sleeping!  I do not want to deal with her emptying her dresser, closet and toy bin because she can get out of bed and play in the middle of the night. 

BTW - I almost wish someone had been hear to take a picture of the look on our faces when Sky walked into the living room after having been put in her crib.  I was sort of shocked even though we knew this day was coming.

No running today.  Plank challenge bumps up to 3 minutes today, and I was already struggling with 2.5, plus it doesn't help that Sky sits on my back while I'm planking.  I should get extra credit for that right?!  Anyway...plank challenge, foam rolling/trigger pointing for the hip, and some house cleaning on the schedule today. 

A few cute, mostly Sky pics, from the weekend. 

Cinnamon hard apple cider...it's the best! 

 

 Practicing her chopstick skills.

 

 

I'm really thankful that Sky is a good eater.  No matter where we take her she tries whatever we put in front of her.  She doesn't always end up liking it, but she always gives it at try.  And, if we are using chopsticks, then so must she!  

 

 

Bishop hugs.

 

 

Lastly check out one of my favorite blogs for a change to win a cool bracelet giveaway!  SkinnyChick Blog

 

Good Luck!