On paper, it sounds like a dream for a guy with three kids who’s been married for 13 years. I have two weeks home alone. It’s been five days so far. Tiff and the kids are back in California. I went with them, but came back because I have to work. They’re just having an extended summer vacation with the family.
So it seems like a great break for a guy. I don’t have to ask to go to the gym after work. I can leave my clothes on the ground for a few days and nobody complains. I don’t have to listen to the kids fight with each other. I don’t have to worry about Tiff drinking all the coffee. I also don’t have to worry about her putting my favorite water cup in the sink and I can re-use it over and over. I can go to bed however early I want without waiting for her Real Housewives of Wherever to end.
I don’t have to turn off the baseball game so the kids can watch some cartoon instead.
But I’ve learned a few things.
– Dishes don’t do themselves.
– Clothes don’t get clean unless you wash them. And they don’t get up to the closet unless you take them out of the dryer and hang them up/fold them.
– Lunches don’t make themselves.
– The fridge doesn’t magically replenish.
– Making coffee is a catch-22. If you haven’t made it, how can you be alert enough to make it?
– Once I leave the office, I don’t say a single word out loud except when I talk to my wife on the phone.
I miss the chaos. I miss my kids misbehaving. I miss my wife nagging me for leaving the coat closet door open.
I miss my life. Can’t wait until I get it back.
I’m A Geek
I saw this on my odometer and had to post a picture on Facebook and Twitter! If it doesn’t make any sense to you, be glad. If it does, then obviously you’re a geek like me.
I’m Running A Lot And Losing Weight
I never really talk about my running on here. I’m not sure if I should. My running is different than what most people can relate to, so I feel like it would be really boring for anybody to read about. But what the heck, I’ll give an update for the two of you who might be interested.
I love running the Boston Marathon, but I don’t have a qualifier for next year and I’m in danger of not going back. I’ve run it the past five years and I can’t imagine not making it six. But I really only have one more crack at it with a race on September 1 in Idaho. So, I’ve been training hard and making good progress.
Through yesterday, I’m in the midst of a streak of 25 consecutive days of running, which for me is a lot. I’m averaging 14.4 miles/day during those 25 days and something like 93 miles/week the past four weeks. I’ve been watching what I eat and I’m down 12 pounds over the past six weeks, close to 10 pounds lighter than I’ve ever run a marathon. And I’ve still got, what, six weeks to go? Five?
My endurance is pretty good right now and I’m gradually going to start working on speed. I lost some fitness after not taking my training seriously for about a year, but it’s fun to pound away and start feeling like my old self again. I ran 102 miles last week, the first time I’ve hit the century mark in about 14 months, and it felt good. It feels like I’m me again. Almost.
Don’t Try This At Home … Like I Did
I had a tough run on Saturday. Went out for 28 miles, but had to cut it down to 26.25. I bonked about halfway through and it got warm, into the 80s. I really started to fade and eventually ran out of water. It was just a bad, bad experience. When I got home, I weighed myself and I lost eight pounds during the run. Clearly, I was dehydrated and not in good shape.
I was beyond thirsty and I chugged 64 ounces of water and then my stomach hurt pretty bad. I went and laid down on the ground for about 20 minutes waiting for it to feel better. I went upstairs and thought, I might actually have my first-ever experience throwing up after a run and I did. I won’t get too descriptive other than to say none of that water stayed with me. It was intensely painful and I thought I was going to black out.
And as I sat there, unable to keep anything down, I thought I was in big trouble. I was obviously dehydrated. And the water I needed wasn’t staying down. Physically, I felt like I was going to pass out. I was concerned because if anything happened to me, it would probably be a dozen hours before anybody realized it. I had no plans with anybody that day. And if Tiff couldn’t get a hold of me by phone, she probably wouldn’t be immediately alarmed.
But I start to feel a little better, showered up, then went downstairs and replenished. Of all the runs I’ve had — 101 marathons, four ultramarathons and probably 80-100 training runs of at least 26.2 miles, I don’t think I’ve ever been more concerned after a run. As reckless as this sounds, though, long-distance running is taxing on the body, and I’ll just use this as a learning experience. I feel like I know my body pretty well, and from the start of my run I told myself that my only mission was to manage my body. That’s what I did, as well as I could. Sometimes, you destroy yourself while training. It’s just part of the game.
But don’t try this at home. Especially if you’re alone!
That’s all for today. Can you handle being alone? You training for anything this summer? What’s your worst post-run experience?
Have a great start to your week!
Jeremy sale says
Sam, where you able to find lodging for your next marathon? Marriott point donation is still on the table!
Aj says
My wife travels a lot and it is always when she is gone that I do something stupid. I can think of a dozen times I wanted to call her to drive and pick me up then realize I am xx miles from home with no extraction team! That sounded gut wrenchingly painful.
Amy says
I had to look up 65,563. You learn something new every day.
Though not running-caused, I’ve had a few of those pre-passing out episodes (including one time in the security line at Reagan Airport). Definitely not fun. Glad nothing bad actually happened.
Kate says
Oh my goodness! What an awful experience. So glad you’re ok.
And I love that you wrote abut your running. Your my top mileage man on Daily Mile, and I cannot believe how much running you get done!
danielle says
yeah kate, doesnt it make you mad? hes always on the top of my dm runners, give someone else a chance 😉
danielle says
right on hereford, left on boylston…