This is day 6 of my 30 day writing challenge, and day 6 has been, well, just a day. I slept in, which for mean means anything after 7 a.m. I rolled out of bed around 7:45 and headed out for an easy pre-race 4 miles with some strides at the end to wake up my legs. It was a little warmer this morning, high 30s versus the teens and 20s earlier this week, so if this is any indication of tomorrow’s weather, it should be pretty ideal for racing.
The rest of the day has been full of errands and chores. Grocery shopping was my biggest feat, and now that it’s out of the way, and the fridge is completely restocked, I’m ready to kick back and spend the rest of the night relaxing on my couch. Sometimes on days like today I catch myself thinking that I’ve “wasted” the day if I don’t get to the grocery store until the afternoon instead of the morning, or anything that feels like it’s pushed my day out of some imagined time frame. This, of course, is completely self-inflicted. This past Christmas, we were at my parents’ house and my dad also said something to this effect. It was a lazy day around the house, and he mentioned some unfulfilled task. My mom asked him what in the world he could mean over a holiday break, and he confessed that he usually wakes up with a daily plan in mind. I think there is no doubt in my mind that I also inherited this crazy planning gene. I don’t know, I just kind of like to know what I might do, or have some loose idea of what I want to accomplish, even if the answer is nothing.
Tonight my pre-race rituals will include my usual, bland pre-race dinner (chicken breast, rice, broccoli). If I’m doing a longer race, say half marathon or longer, there is more food involved, namely in the form of carbs/starch, but tonight this will do the trick. I’ll probably abstain from my usual wine in the name of hydration, or perhaps paranoia. I’m sure I’d be fine with one glass, but I don’t want to have a bad race and think “If only I hadn’t had that glass of wine!” Instead I’ll have to blame the chicken, or the fact that I ate my afternoon snack an hour later than usual.
Joining me on my couch currently are 2 out of 3 of my non-human housemates. We have two dogs and a cat, and they are hilariously gregarious. My cat has worked really, really hard over the years to win the favor of the dogs, and I think he’s finally succeeded. There is an established order they arrange themselves in on the couch, and if anyone gets out of line, sneaks too far over their established line, our female dog lets them know. Some days I think her personal bubble tends to swell a little, but hey. I appreciate her acknowledgement of her own boundaries. It’s okay to take a few extra inches when you need them.
I suppose this is just a short and sweet Saturday note, and I’ll have much more to say after my race tomorrow morning. Until then, I’m propping my feet up and soaking in the good vibes.
Cheers to slowing down for awhile,
Sarah
