Some Things That Happened This Summer
Where shall I begin?
July and August have been incredibly restorative and healing months for me. I have been away from this blog because I have been away from electronic communications in general. I am still debating whether or not I have missed it.
I read and read and read.
I have finished a long list of books that have been piled up on my desk and nightstand. And a few more that I picked up in the homes of friends and family members during our summer travels. Here are the books I have managed to complete thus far...
Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, by Donnie Eichar
Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman
Both Flesh and Not, essays by David Foster Wallace
Attempting Normal, by Marc Maron
Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel
Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe
I'm currently working on I, Claudius, by Robert Graves, with vague plans to watch at least part of the old BBC series after I'm finished the book.
I dropped my running mileage substantially.
Blessings and curses. All of the pain and inflammation in my body subsided, and I feel healed. I have ten toenails again for the first time in years. I gained muscle and got stronger. I learned new coping skills for the everyday stresses of work and home life. I avoided logging substantial mileage during the doggiest hot days of Alabama summer. Although I have slowed down somewhat, I still feel like running fitness is within my grasp, and I am no more than +/- eight weeks out from racing shape. I saved a huge amount of money in the running shoe budget.
I missed out on training cycles for two of my favorite local races. I moved "down" two pace groups at track club events, and can no longer keep up with some of my faster friends. I dealt with some depression and feelings of purposelessness as the long days dragged on without a refreshing run. I had trouble sleeping. I lost my appetite for some of my favorite foods.
All the changes to my running life were undertaken for a purpose, and I feel I have learned a lot. I am ready now to build mileage back up and enjoy some true fall running conditions.
I got completely addicted to Pokemon Go.
Can't stop. Won't stop.
I quit drinking alcohol.
As it turns out, alcohol is one of those favorite foods I have no desire to consume unless I am running regularly and for extended periods of time.
I drove to New York in a car with a recently potty trained toddler.
Ask me how it went. I now have access to a huge and previously unexplored reservoir of patience and self-control in my inner psyche. So there's that.
I had emergent dental surgery.
Followed by four weeks of daily medication that turned me into a clumsy, scatterbrained mess with an extreme dislike for bright light and sudden movements. I bought myself a few new teeth as a consolation prize.
So, how have things been for everyone else?
July and August have been incredibly restorative and healing months for me. I have been away from this blog because I have been away from electronic communications in general. I am still debating whether or not I have missed it.
I read and read and read.
I have finished a long list of books that have been piled up on my desk and nightstand. And a few more that I picked up in the homes of friends and family members during our summer travels. Here are the books I have managed to complete thus far...
Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, by Donnie Eichar
Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman
Both Flesh and Not, essays by David Foster Wallace
Attempting Normal, by Marc Maron
Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel
Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe
I'm currently working on I, Claudius, by Robert Graves, with vague plans to watch at least part of the old BBC series after I'm finished the book.
I dropped my running mileage substantially.
Blessings and curses. All of the pain and inflammation in my body subsided, and I feel healed. I have ten toenails again for the first time in years. I gained muscle and got stronger. I learned new coping skills for the everyday stresses of work and home life. I avoided logging substantial mileage during the doggiest hot days of Alabama summer. Although I have slowed down somewhat, I still feel like running fitness is within my grasp, and I am no more than +/- eight weeks out from racing shape. I saved a huge amount of money in the running shoe budget.
I missed out on training cycles for two of my favorite local races. I moved "down" two pace groups at track club events, and can no longer keep up with some of my faster friends. I dealt with some depression and feelings of purposelessness as the long days dragged on without a refreshing run. I had trouble sleeping. I lost my appetite for some of my favorite foods.
All the changes to my running life were undertaken for a purpose, and I feel I have learned a lot. I am ready now to build mileage back up and enjoy some true fall running conditions.
I got completely addicted to Pokemon Go.
Can't stop. Won't stop.
I quit drinking alcohol.
As it turns out, alcohol is one of those favorite foods I have no desire to consume unless I am running regularly and for extended periods of time.
I drove to New York in a car with a recently potty trained toddler.
Ask me how it went. I now have access to a huge and previously unexplored reservoir of patience and self-control in my inner psyche. So there's that.
I had emergent dental surgery.
Followed by four weeks of daily medication that turned me into a clumsy, scatterbrained mess with an extreme dislike for bright light and sudden movements. I bought myself a few new teeth as a consolation prize.
So, how have things been for everyone else?
Comments