Whilst I find it easier to recognise when I'm doing too much it can often be illness that slows you down or makes you stop and take stock. Generally speaking we have a knack of pushing at work, in training and in our social life. It is not often that we sit back and chill in order to balance our lives.
So following a couple of chores this morning I spent an hour down at the beach. It isn't summer yet, but the water is a "refreshing" temperature and clears the head for the day. I have to admit I still think I am going to get bitten by a shark every time I swim in the sea. This is not because surfers and swimmers are bitten every year, because they are still a tiny percentage when compared to all the people that go into the ocean. But it is more to do with watching Jaws as child. It is ludicrous, but the best way to overcome these thoughts is to jump in. I just don't go in at sunrise, sunset or when any fish are jumping about ;)
Catherine has been suffering with headaches recently as a result of overdoing it. She has suffered through them for the last 15 years or more, often silently and just gets on with life. I don't know how she produces such great work with headaches that last a week though, I am a wet fish when I get a headache. Naturally I am the person that tells her to relax, sit and take it easy. After years of experience doing this myself I know that it is the best thing to balance out all the running about and worrying. Obviously I appreciate it isn't as easy for her as she is a super organised worrier, but that's why we work so well as a team. I am the sloth; relaxed, patient and slow to move. She is the squirrel; rushing about, smart and organising everything for the future (I was going to say collecting nuts, but that may have been misconstrued). At the end of the day we bring out the best in each other and balance out the worst.
With Catherine not been feeling great recently it has made me think about what I am doing. I don't want her suffering and I know that if I am around more I can get her to chill out. Mainly this is achieved by doing the washing up and cleaning so there is very little at home she can do but sit and relax. Unfortunately whilst I have been working lots of hours I haven't been on top of these chores and so C has added them to her already manic schedule. "No more!" I cry. I am now limiting myself to 48 hour weeks, so that I have time off to support the little one (Catherine, not a secret baby FYI), whilst still earning enough to live and save in this incredibly expensive place we call home.
I have stopped writing on my "run sloth run" blog for the time being as I am not running. The marathon season is over as it is too hot to run a good road race and the road events are over until next year now. This means that I have returned to the gym to do some weights and get strong for the wedding in January. As I mentioned before I am supposed to carry C across the threshold after we are married. I fear that this could be dangerous in my current state of "runner fitness" and even more so after a few Jaeger bombs, which I believe may be consumed after speeches have been made. I'm happy to say I've thrown myself back into the weights (all be it gradually) and am currently unable to fully extend my right arm after yesterday's session. I consider this an example of how I have neglected strength training over the last few- ahem - months. No matter though as I will be visiting the gym 4-5 times a week to gradually ease back into Olympic lifting and some more serious training. I'll let you know how I go when I am able to type more than a sentence.
Until then,
Tom :)
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