Friday, September 25, 2009

iloveyoufall.

Fall is here, and it's my favorite season BY FAR!

I love the nice cool nights, am SO done with hot weather (and hot for me is 80 degrees...I know...I would never last a day in the south, fo' sho'). Football games and bonfires and pumpkin stuff. Although this year I must admit I'm missing the beer. Especially a nice pumpkin ale. During a football game.

Sigh.

But, it'll all be worth it, and I'm halfway to baby this week (holy crap, how did THAT happen?!), so YOWZA.

The nice thing about not training my butt off this fall is that I actually have time to do stuff I don't usually get to do. Like, sleep. Or, get work done at work. And even some fun stuff, like taking Bug to Miller's Apple Hill to go apple picking with some of his buddies!




We had a blast. And then tonight, because I had time and don't have to worry about a 3 hour ride tomorrow or a 2 hour run at 6am, I took said apples and made some really tasty apple crisp out of them.

With ice cream. Because the baby needs calcium, people.

Anyways, another great thing about fall is riding and running. Which, I must say, I miss even more than a nice cold beer during a football game. I get jealous every time I see a cyclist out on a crisp, sunny day. I know, I know...I'll have time next year. But fall is my favorite season to ride, and I sort of feel like I'm missing out on that.

I'm thinking about next year, too. Now, here's the deal: I have never had 2 kids before. So I don't know how it's going to be, or how it's going to work. I know professionally I'm in a much better spot now with 3 years of AP US History under my belt and taking the RIGHT half of the year off, so I feel really good about that. When I go back to school next year, I don't think it will be quite as hard as it was the first time around, nor will I have as many battles. So, the next thing I'm thinking about is training.

Because that's how I operate. I'm a triathlete. Planning is what we do best, right?

So FOR SURE I'm in for the Rev3 Cedar Point half, and I am SO STOKED for this. It's going to be a blast to show off the NEO to all my teammates. And, I firmly believe September is the most gorgeous month here, too, so it will all around rock. I will also have March, April, and May to recover and just get a base back, and then June, July, and August to ramp up the training--which is perfect because I'll be off school and can (try to!) time up workouts with naps and stuff.

However, I need to recognize that this little bean might not be as easy as The Bug. And that's not anyone's fault...it might just be the way it is. So, here's me OFFICIALLY giving myself permission to LET THINGS SLIDE and deal with that.

Remind me of that, K?

The next thing I'm thinking about (because that's how I roll) is a nice fall running race. I love me the fall marathons. I do best running in the fall. So, ideally, I'd like to do a fall full, and most likely Columbus again. I know the course, I have tons of buddies in Cbus, and it is a course that was really good to me last time around. REALLY good.

And of course, if I'm going to run the full, then I might as well try to BQ.

Right?

But part of me thinks that's a lot to bank on for now. Again, I've never had 2 kids before AND worked full time while marathon training. So, here we go again: this is officially me GIVING MYSELF PERMISSION to do a half in the fall if it's too crazy. Marathons come and go. There's plenty in the spring I could do. And sanity is really quite important.

So, in my perfect world, here's what I'd do next year:

February 17th: have a happy, healthy little bean
April-ish: start working out and dropping the pounds/building the base
July: be in full training mode for Rev3
September: kick butt at Rev3 and PR
October: Run a 3:40:59 or better in Columbus

That's the perfect scenario. And dreaming about that makes me happy, as my butt gets bigger and this baby is bound and determined to give me MORE ZITS THAN AN 8TH GRADE BOY.

But logical me is saying it one more time here (which makes three, if you're counting): I need to be FLEXIBLE and ROLL WITH WHAT LIFE GIVES ME. It's not just about me. I need to make my goals work with my life, not dominate and frustrate my life. So I'll remember that.

And if I don't, then you will, right?

Because that's easier written than done.

7 comments:

Jennifer P said...

Your son is adorable! I also love fall and am glad the cooler weather is here.
I'm a little freaked out by 2 as well. It really only hit me the other day that it's not just A baby, it's ANOTHER baby. And Newt is a great kid and I hear the the 2nd is opposite ---
Hope the ultrasound went well. Post pics soon!

KC said...

One great thing about the second, imo, is that it's like "What was so hard about THIS?" the newborn stage is easier and not so freak-outable.

The plan sounds great, and if you find out mid-way through that it's the plan for 2011 instead of 2010, then no big deal.

I am doing TCMarathon next week! My second is 16 months. My first is 5, and this is my first marathon since they were born!! I don't know why I shared all of that. We don't even know each other. ;)

Mnowac said...

Such a cute picture and your plan for next year sounds totally doable! Good luck and enjoy this lovely weather.

Alili said...

Ahh, I love and miss fall. Not so chilly down here in GA...

Sounds like a great plan with realistic alternatives. I'm working on my plan all the time and find that dreaming about trails makes me smile. A lot.

Hope bean #2 is doing great.

Janet Edwards said...

Glad to hear it sounds like you are having some time to enjoy life! Bug is so cute...can't wait to see Bean!

I am so stoked that you will be up at Rev 3 too!

Michelle said...

"Now, here's the deal: I've never had 2 kids before." That made me laugh!

Go with the BQ idea. A huge goal is the way to go! (with permission to take pride in your accomplishment no matter which way it turns out)

Nat said...

Great pics! I love fall and apple crisp too! So great, especially here in MN where winter seems to last FOREVER!