I am back to running,
back to living on my own, and back to being overwhelmed by activities.
Running is going
well. I enjoy base training in the fall
when I just get to focus on working hard and getting fit, without worrying
about racing. The first couple weeks
were a quite a strain on my body, but I am not getting quite as sore, now that
I am a month into training. I made a
couple changes this fall – I am doing weight training 1-2x per week with Aaron
at FIT studio in St. Louis Park, and I am seeing Dr. Thuy Katzenberger at Chiropractic Healing Art Center
in Edina for help with my plantar fasciitis. Aaron is kicking my poor, out-of-shape
muscles into gear. I did a personal
lifting session with him to go over Olympic lifts and kettle bell exercises,
and now I am doing small group sessions.
He comes up with running-specific work-outs for Meghan Peyton and I,
sometimes using Olympic lifts, sometimes using medicine balls, kettle bells, stability
balls, lacrosse balls, bands, free weights or other crazy strengthening
equipment. Going to see him is expensive
– and I’m not used to having to pay to work-out, but I appreciate the feedback
I’m getting, as well as guidance in working strength and explosive systems that
I usually do not give enough attention to.
Dr. Thuy and her staff are being very generous by volunteering their
time with me. I love/dread my visits to
the office. Never have I been in such
pain in a doctor’s office (partially because three people are working on me at
once), but my legs feel amazing when I leave.
Dr. Thuy is working with me to modify my running stride, which I believe
needs to be done. I think it has fallen
apart over the past few years as I have bumped up my mileage without keeping
enough focus on my speed and form.
Another change – Elizabeth Yetzer and I are united again as home
mates. We are house-sitting in a
beautiful home in Bloomington, a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis. The homeowners care very much about energy
efficiency, which is inspiring, but can also make the appliances confusing. I managed to lock the stove while in the
middle of preparing dinner for a few people coming over. Elizabeth locked the oven when she was trying
to bake herself a dinner. This time
around we have a bird, Willow, to care for, as well as a snake. Thankfully Hyder is in hibernation; I do not
think I would enjoy feeding him his frozen mice.
Our new friend, Willow.
As for being
overwhelmed, I am back to normal. No
more days of exercising and napping, like I had this past spring and summer. I am back to trying to balancing running with
work and school. I am currently an
M.B.A. student and an assistant coach for the cross country and track programs
at Augsburg College. While I am enjoying
getting to know the student-athletes at Augsburg and challenge myself in the
classroom, I am not particularly passionate about my coaching responsibilities
(mostly recruiting) or the subject matter in my classes. This can make it difficult for me to stay
excited about my busy schedule, but I am trying to focus on the long-term
benefits.
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