two for two

this is the second sunday in a row that kristin & i have enjoyed dinner at casa de luz (http://www.casadeluz.org/). while i'm excited about eating at casa, what's really awesome is that kristin & i are able to cash in on our weekends early now. in the past, almost every sunday night for 6+ years, we (especially me) have run around like crazy people finishing those last minute weekend chores that should have been taken care of saturday morning. you know what i'm talking about --- take out the trash, clean the cat's litter box, make BIG dinner & clean BIG dinner mess, vacuum, wrap up laundry, finish those proposals & e-mails for work, do the checkbook, mow the lawn (actually, i haven't had to do this one for 3 years now - lawn care, what a waste of time), pack your bags for monday, etc...

it's not like our weekends have turned from 48 - 72 hours & we sure don't have less to do. with me beginning to gear up for next year's triathlon season, kristin & i both preparing for the 1/2 marathon in january, both of us biking, & our expanded (for kristin new) job responsibilities we have anything but time to just sit around. did i mention it's football season too :) bears suck this year, nothing new i know, so i've given up on caring about the season.

so how have we've been able to enjoy a stress free sunday night? by both sharing the responsibilities, communicating more, & more importantly focusing on those "to-dos" that really matter vs. the ones that don't.

another two for two - each visit now to casa i've enjoyed 3 plates of food & each of us have enjoyed a dessert. maybe last week i didn't need that 3rd plate, but this week after running 13 miles i could have used a 4th plate. to note i've eaten vegan all day today. also, 13 miles is the most i've run since i did my first 1/2 marathon (the 3M) in january of '05. the afternoon & three days following the 3M race i could barely walk. today, i'm feeling great & expecting to have nothing more than "tired" legs tomorrow. given that i biked 49 miles yesterday & followed that up with a brick workout of 3 miles (of which i bonked on), & then got out there today & did a 1/2 marathon rocks for me mentally. now only 13.2 to go, 112 on the bike, & 2.4 in the water :) tomorrow i'm planning on some yoga, swimming, & maybe some upper body weights.

obviously something to be said about good training. back in '05 i didn't prepare in any way for the 3M. my buddy greg called me up in mid-november after i just returned from italy & was like hey you want to do a 1/2 marathon in january. i figured if greg could do it, then why not. by the end of november greg had twisted his ankle & bowed out of the race. i had already paid my entry fee & figured what the hell. i ran a max of two 7 miles runs during the next two months. no wonder why i could barely walk afterwards. seriously, i was pitiful. i recall kristin making me a bath after returning home & me just feeling like crap.

i will fill you all in following the upcoming 3M race for which i plan to rock. i finished just under (by like 3 seconds) 1 hour & 58 minutes in '05. next year, i hope to finish between one hour & 30 & 1 hour & 40 minutes. i am expecting kristin to do really well too. this will be her first 1/2 marathon & she's been putting in the training time which i failed to do for my first one. if she can manage those nasty shin splints that have been bothering her then she is going to totally rock too. i'm looking forward to drawing her a bath like she did for me after my first 1/2 marathon.

now the best thing about being able to take it easy on a sunday night - getting to bed early!

BK