[31] Loss Time

April has turned out to be a bit of a Lion, and I’m the gourmet lamb chop dinner. I have not run nearly as much as I should (including bailing on the Scotland 10K due to lack of recovery time), and I have felt incredibly guilty for not maintaining my blogging pace, too. Over the last three weeks, I have had one and a half vacations and one and a half business trips. Allow me to explain. I went to Washington DC for the Cherry Blossom 5K with my mom the first weekend in April, and had an outstanding time. Got to meet old T.J. (Thomas Jefferson) and Honest Abe (Lincoln), see the beautiful cherry blossom trimmed tidal basin, and run my best 5K to date.  Additionally, I had one of the most decadent desserts I have ever tasted at SOCCi (in the Renaissance Inn Capitol View), but I won’t order wine from the bar again.

The following week, I went back to DC for the National Japan Bowl, a language competition for American high school students. I chaperoned a delegation of student helpers from my school, and enjoyed my time with them. However, the relay race of taxis-train-subways-and-buses completely wiped me out. It takes a lot for me to bail on something, or to admit I am not ready to tackle it. After a week or so of traveling to and from DC, the thought of dragging my aching bones to Central Park for a 10K just felt wrong. I know my body’s limits, and sometimes it is just better to say no. I chose to sleep in and have a satisfying lunch the next morning. My body thanked me profusely for making the difficult choice. This does mean I have to be more stringent about my NYC races, if I want to complete the 9+1 for the NYC Marathon. Yet, in the name of injury prevention, sometimes I need to also budget my energy or simply say ‘no’.

After the second trip to DC, came school festival in which I had additional duties and last minute tasks to complete for the big day. Having three jobs simultaneously overlapping on the same day is nothing short of exhausting. I was firm about my boundaries and prioritization of workload, but the day flashed by me. Before I knew it, it was 11:30 at night, and I was completely knackered. On top of that, I would be leaving for the senior class trip to Florida at 3AM on Monday. The following morning, I had to help the cultural festival committee clean up, but I was done and off campus by 10:30AM. The sunshine felt perfect for running, but I opted to explore some of the local culture. I enjoyed a fantastic brunch at The Red Hat in Irvington-on-Hudson, and later a tremendous lamb chop dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Tarrytown.

These fine meals aside, I realized that part of my lackadaisical attitude toward running lately was in part to my less-than-stellar (read: horrifying) diet. I hadn’t cooked in weeks, resulting in countless trips to the school cafeteria and fast food. Though I love dining out, sometimes I pick items which are comforting and easy, especially when my stress levels are through the roof. I’ll come clean. I’ve gained four pounds since my last post in March (currently holding at 150.4 pounds). Try as I may, sometimes weight gain is inevitable. I am trying my best not to feel disgusted and disappointed with myself, but it is a little hard. With all the madness behind me, I am ready to get back on track with my running and dieting. Summer is rapidly approaching, and I need to buy a new bathing suit soon!