arthur_p_dent

It feels like it's been a few weeks... oh wait, it has. Lots of days to be sure, but almost all of that time has revolved around race 2 - so that's what you'll get to read about today.

The week leading up to the race was fairly chill. I cut back on training to conserve my energy, and didn't do too much at the gym either. I did go to run club, but kept it light and easy. All in all it was a good approach to the weekend.

Since the race was out of town, my SO and I made a long weekend mini-vacation out of it. We drove up on the Friday, and I picked up all my race swag before dinner. On Saturday we took the train into Toronto, had lunch at our favourite restaurant, explored the Ripley's aquarium, and went to see the Blue Jays play (Jays won!). And after all that we were still back at the hotel before 9, leaving me lots of time to get a good night's sleep. 

Sunday was race day. I was up on time, got ready and ate, and walked to the starting area with plenty of time to warm up. It was a beautiful morning for running, and everything started out decently. I was keeping the pace I wanted to, and enjoying the course. About half way through we came to a section that was mostly downhill, and knowing that I would be turning around and climbing that hill at some point, I decided to let gravity help me make up a little time. That was the beginning of my undoing.

Somewhere in that downhill section I must have landed heavily or awkwardly without realizing it, and on the climb back up the hill I started getting a pain in my shin. I chalked it up to muscle soreness from the climb, and kept going. A little bit further on, the pain was getting worse. I probably should have stopped at a medical tent when I saw one, but no, on I went. Almost 7km to the finish line, limping all the way. But I finished, and happily received my medal.

Now, remember how I said that I should have sought medical attention? Well. After the adrenaline of the race wore off, that's when the pain really kicked in. And I still had another km to walk back to the hotel (roads were still closed, so there was no way to get a ride). I did make it back, and after getting cleaned up and packed we were out the door. We found a really nice little place for lunch, and then headed for home.

Waking up the next morning to the same pain, I called and was able to get in to see my doctor in the afternoon. And so began a two week barrage of tests to see just what was going on. An x-ray, then an MRI, another x-ray, an ultrasound, and finally a bone scan. The last test was the definitive one - I had suffered a stress fracture in my shin bone. My doc called me Sunday night to tell me to head in to the fracture clinic at the hospital first thing in the morning. And now here I sit today in a walking boot for the next six weeks. After that, physiotherapy and rehab, and a very slow return to exercise while the bone continues to heal.

What does this mean for my upcoming races? The July 5K, I'll probably be a volunteer. The September half marathon, I'll switch that one to the 5K (second year in a row - that race may be a jinx for me). And for my October half marathon I'll drop to either the 5K or 10K as well. No long distances for the rest of this year, unfortunately, but healing properly is far more important.

So that's my tale. Now that things are sorted I'm hopeful that I can get back to a mostly normal routine, although I do have to be mindful that I need to take breaks and rest from time to time (as I notice the ache in my leg starting to grow a bit). For sure, I will keep you posted on how things are going. But for now it's time to get back to the office. Have a good week - I'll see you soon. =]

Back to normal timing - for this week at least. I feel like next week will be delayed again, but we'll see. 

I ended up spending much of last week working through how I was feeling about race 1. I got the normal kind of encouraging messages from some running friends - you'll bounce back, it was only one race, you finished and that's amazing... that kind of stuff. But I also had one friend reach out with a voice message, and basically scold me about not feeling proud of what I had done. She reminded me of how far I've come in the past two years, and all the things I've accomplished. It was something I definitely needed to hear, and I've been listening to the message almost every day as a reminder, and to help keep me in the right frame of mind for race 2 this coming weekend.

I tapered back on run training last week, so that I'm not overdoing it. But, I also got back in the gym on a regular schedule, which I'm happy about. I can't do any upper body exercises yet because of my shoulder (seeing the doctor in a couple weeks), but legs and cardio are kind of a priority right now anyway. Also, with curling done for the season I was able to get out to the Friday run club - it's nice to get out twice a week again.

Friday I had lunch with my good friend, and since it was pleasant weather we also went for a walk at a nearby park afterward. Saturday evening the family went out for dinner to celebrate mine and my MIL's birthdays, which were both last week. It was a nice restaurant, and the food and company were wonderful. And yesterday was a catch-up day, with a bit of relax time as well. All in all it was a good weekend. 

Well, time to head back to work. I've got a meeting in a bit, which I'm not sure whether I'm nervous about or not. If anything weird comes of it, I'll let you know. Otherwise, have a good week, and I'll see you soon, hopefully with news of a good race result.  =]

I wasn't able to get to this yesterday, but that's fine. A couple things came up during the day and I went to bed very early, so instead, here I am today.

Well, it became official on Tuesday - those three plants did end up being sold off. For the short term I'll continue to support those plants, doing the exact work I've been doing. Considering how widespread my knowledge and involvement is, and the fact that nobody else in the company has ever done any of it, it makes sense to keep things status quo. Eventually though, the new owners will change those plants over to a different computer system and train people in the plants on those functions, and my support will no longer be needed. I already know that there won't be any opportunity to stay where I am after that, so that'll be the end of it. I should be good until the fall, which gives me time to prepare.

After that I had to deal with month end, which actually went very smoothly for a change. For me at least - other accounting people had to deal with their new ownership, and leading into the long weekend that had to have been a heavy load. Luckily that part didn't involve me at all, so I was able to enjoy the time off.

Friday I didn't have curling, and thanks to fortunate alignment of our schedules I was able to hang out with my good friend. We had more time than usual, which was nice, and her BF joined us later too, which is great since we all don't get to hang out together too often. On Saturday I had my last long run before my upcoming race, and that went quite well. I have a plan for this first one, which is to keep is simple and steady and complete the whole distance with no walking breaks (that last one is something I have yet to accomplish). Sunday I was supposed to run again but I put it off a day since my legs were more tired than usual. Instead I did a small grocery trip and some food prep, and then relaxed for the afternoon - something I rarely allow myself to do. Overall it was a good weekend.

At some point I still need to post how I did with my goals for March (late again), but I feel like that might not happen until Sunday since I have a pretty busy week ahead of me. That should give me lots to talk about next time too. For today I'll say adieu, as it's time to make my way back to the office. Have a good week everyone!  =]

I get an hour for lunch each day. Rather than doom-scroll on my phone and waste five hours a week, I like to use that time a bit better. Mondays are for DW posts from the coffee shop. Fridays are usually lunch with my good friend. And one day in between I'll go for either a coffee or a beer, and sit and read my book. That leaves a couple days open for different things.

Now that spring is here, I can get back to doing some walking. And that's what I did today. Our city has a Provincial nature reserve, and it never dawned on me until today just how close it is to the office. After a quick five minute drive I was strolling down a trail through the park, and most of the road noise was quickly left behind.

I know there's lots of wildlife there, but for today I only really saw and heard birds. Several different finches, red winged blackbirds, blue jays, and one handsome cardinal that took a moment from his busy day to pose for a picture...



This is definitely going to become part of my weekly routine.

Anyway, just thought I'd share. =]

There are days when I wish I had the bliss of ignorance.

Today is one of those days. =/

First post coming from my brand new phone. Switching is always frustrating, and I can see I still have some setup items to set up, but those little bugs will get worked out eventually.

We've had some wild weather swings around here lately - hot, cold, super windy, snow and rain. Every day seems to be drastically different from the last. Running has been a challenge, especially since the indoor track I've been using has been closed. I got some good miles in over the weekend, but now one foot is a bit sore so I'm going to take an extra day off. Less than four weeks until race #1 - don't want to get hurt now.

Much of the week was pretty boring. I haven't had much motivation for anything for a while now. I couldn't even muster up the effort to catch up on my February recap post (now two weeks overdue). With any luck I can turn that around soon.

Saturday after my long run we (me, SO, MIL) bustled off on a day trip to a nearby city. There was some shopping at a few unique shops, and then we had dinner at a favourite restaurant, which was the main reason for going. Unfortunately the restaurant is being sold, so we wanted to get there one last time. The food was delicious as always, plus we got to spend a few minutes talking with the owners and reminiscing about the years they were in business. We'll go again later in the year to check it out, but my fear is that it just won't be the same.

Other than that, like I said it's been fairly quiet. I have a few things that I'm looking forward to this week, so I should have more to talk about next time around. Until then, have a wonderful week. See you again soon. =]

 ... Wondering if you're the only one not in on the joke (and if that means you're the butt of it)?

I'm starting to think that posting on Mondays may end up being a rare occurrence, if things continue the way they have. Yesterday was the beginning of month end, and a really bad day overall, and by the time I finally got to sit and get myself together I had no energy left to even think about the past week. So here I am on a Tuesday, again.

Much of the week was a writeoff again. I let my goals slip even worse than I had before, and that's part of what has me feeling down. The only thing I managed to stick to was my running plan. I didn't even feel like going to the gym at all, with late nights turning into mornings where I overslept. And, now that I think about it, today is the 3rd and I won't get my monthly post done, so that's another thing missed. Not ideal, to say the least.

I was right about the running plan stepping up the intensity. Saturday's long run was set for 17km, and then an 8km run the next day. I was certainly sore afterward, but it was also a good mental reset - I had gotten comfortable with the training, and this reminded me that I still have more work to do in order to meet my goals. Unfortunately, with all that running I got myself behind on my weekend chores, which is another thing that has been a burden lately. The part of me that always has to do the responsible things is really getting overwhelmed by the time I'm taking for myself, and I'm having a terrible time finding a balance.

I did finish my shawl, and took a pic, but no post yet (maybe I can get to it tomorrow). I got a new tattoo, and discussed some plans with the artist about a large coverup of an old piece that I want to do in a couple months after my races. I got to have lunch with my good friend and her BF - I always enjoy when we can all get together. Curling was a win but I played terribly, probably due to being exhausted by the end of the day. And, some other stuff that's still eating my brain, but I don't feel like getting into today.

So that's about it. Time to get back to the office and see if anything fell apart while I was gone. Take care, and I'll see you here again soon. =]

I can't recall for sure, but I think I've mentioned over the past few months that I've been getting new tattoos. Three new ones so far, and I'll be going next week for number four. I'm quite happy with how they're turning out, and while my overall vision is still a bit fluid, I know I'm going to be happy with the end result.

So here's what's bugging me. The last one I got covers much of my forearm. And, I realized yesterday that I've been wearing long sleeves in public ever since I got it. Well, not everywhere in public, just the places where I know the people I'm around - work, run club, out with friends. Even with my good (best) friend, I had to take off a pullover to show them to her, but then put it right back on.

I don't know, I guess maybe I feel like they aren't really a part of me yet. Like, those who know me know me as a fairly "normal, quiet guy", not someone with an arm full of ink. I'm not a different person, but I think I might be worried that they'll start seeing me differently.

Eventually I will have to get past this. The ink isn't going to disappear - in fact, by the end of the year I'm planning for my entire arm to be covered. And I can't wear long sleeves all summer. But for the time being, I still feel kinda weird.

=/

Getting started a bit later than I normally do today. I thought I had found a new coffee shop to sit and enjoy a quiet coffee while doing my post, however....

First, it was a further drive, so I was already going to be shorter on time. Then, I walk in and the place is empty - like, not even any employees empty. I waited a few minutes, read through the menu a couple times, and still nothing, not even any sounds from the back. So I left, and won't go back (first impressions are everything). So for today I'm at the nearest《overpriced national chain coffee shop》and next week I'll figure out something else.

Obviously, I did move out from my old office and back to the one in the city. Took only 20 minutes to pack, but 1.5 hours to settle in and get organized. Thankfully there were no other people around, since I was making a fair bit of noise rearranging things. The office is full today, and it's certainly noisier than I had gotten used to over the past couple years. But that I can get used to - and it's worth it to save half an hour of commute every day.

Coming out of Dry January, I'm starting to realize how accustomed I had gotten to the effects of alcohol. Even from just a couple drinks at home, I had a couple restless nights of poor sleep and groggy mornings to follow. I skipped the gym both days, although I did make one up in the afternoon. I found a few decent non-alcoholic beers during the past month and I'm going to keep those at home for now rather than the normal stuff. With my training I really should be keeping it to a minimum anyway, and that will help.

Speaking of my HM training, the plan I'm following is starting to ramp up the intensity. The easy runs are getting harder, and the long runs are getting longer. Soon I'm expecting to see faster paces, and some variety in the types of runs. The first race is a scant 2 months away, and there's still lots of progress to be made. I'm so glad I found a place to do this training indoors - without that I wouldn't even be close to being prepared.

And that's about all I have time for this week. Wherever I come to you from next time, I'll see you then. =]