Master of None

OK, so it took three weeks of my being back to work to figure out how exactly to fit running into my new life in any vaguely serious manner, but I think I've finally got it!

Here is my plan for completing a minimum of 5 runs a week, while working 45+ hours, continuing to provide breast milk to my daughter, maintaining some semblance of a connection to Hellgate, my social life, my marriage, and most importantly of course - spending quality time with Kyla.

Monday: Day Off. Bring extra set of work clothes/towel etc to work
Tuesday: Nanny arrives by 8am. Leave immediately for run to office
Wednesday: Evening - up to the track for workout with the club (hubby babysitting)
Thursday: Day off. Bring extra set of work clothes/towel etc. to work
Friday: Nanny arrives by 8am. Leave immediately for run to office
Saturday: Longer run - morning
Sunday: Run whenever

If I want to add a run to that schedule, it has to be Monday morning, requiring me to bring two extra sets of clothes to work on the Thursday. Alternatively, I could test out my 'milk will turn to butter' hypothesis, and run home from the office with the backpack containing the day's supply. However, if I must be home by 6pm to relieve the nanny, that's tough. And that would require my having a full running outfit in my desk permanently. If I want to run longer on weekday mornings, Matt will have to be willing to wait for the nanny at 8am while I get out of the apartment by 7 or 7:30.

Doing the whole week's worth of grocery shopping and meal preparation on Sunday (which I'm so impressed that we're actually managing), eliminates that chore from during the week, leaving just baby baths, play time, blogging, laundry, tidying, phone calls, general cleaning, next day's lunch making, bottle sterilizing and random other chores...

My apologies for turning a blog post into an incredibly boring calendar entry, but it's helping me a lot to write it all down. Structure, discipline, ROUTINE. It's the only way I stand a chance in hell of making it to the New York City Marathon this year.

I think I might have persuaded my mum to pair with me and run the More Half Marathon when she's visiting in March. Having this possible race on the horizon is lighting a fire under my arse, and having a positive effect on my training. My goal is to cross the line no slower than 15 minutes behind her. That's a very tall order, looking at my speed and mileage right now, but where there's a will...

Preeminence

Starting back to work this week was even more taxing than expected. I had project upon project thrown at me almost immediately, giving me barely a second to catch my breath. Pumping milk three or four times a day when I'm that busy is a challenge let me tell you. But continuing to provide breastmilk to Kyla is very important to me, so I'll persevere. I can already feel the benefit of being back however; using my brain, interacting with adults, sticking to a tight daily schedule. I've yet to figure out the logistics of adding a run to the workday frenzy. I believe it can be done, but know it will involve my being extraordinarily organized and disciplined - more so than I've ever been in my life.

I'm probably the last runner out there to know this, or to have seen this movie, but in case I'm not, I'll tell you Without Limits, a movie about the life of Steve Prefontaine is on HBO OD right now. I killed a pleasant couple of hours yesterday watching and really enjoying it. The relationship stuff was a yawn, but the running stuff was exhilarating. I didn't know much about this legend before watching this movie. What an enormous waste!

Running this week:
Tuesday: 46 mins, QBB. Very slow.
Wednesday: 40 mins, Astoria streets.
Saturday: 46 mins, QBB route & Honeywell. Surprisingly strong & fast. Inaugural trip for new Brooks (pulled my left calf muscle a little bit.)

In With The New

Happy New Year all.

Thanks again for all of your encouraging comments. I feel bad that I am often not able to better keep up with and comment on all of your blogs lately. But time is a premium for me now, as I've recently lamented. I hereby make it one of my new year's resolutions to read and comment more.

A wave of Hogmanay optimism swept over me yesterday as I waddled my way up and over the Queensborough Bridge. Suddenly I just knew that everything will work out this year; that I will squeeze running into my changed life, I will waddle on persistently back and forth to my office, I will lose the baby weight, I will complete the New York Marathon, I will grow professionally in my work, all the while enjoying seeing my daughter grow and blossom into a toddler.

My optimism was compounded this morning when the CEO of my company called to wish me Happy New Year, and claimed "everyone is very excited" to have me back (I wasn't aware she even knew who I was!) What's more, she insisted I find a good "life/work balance" in 2007" (!) It doesn't get much better than that for morale building.

Running last week:
Wednesday: 60 minutes, Astoria Park
Sunday: 48 minutes, QBB route (I'm still sick, but what the heck, it felt good)