Means To An End

Well the weekend was a blur but here is your update since you fret as if you can’t manage your day without news from me:

How can it take a woman a full four minutes to order from a Dunkin Donuts drive thru and why would pointing at the outside menu help her in anyway? “I want the munchkins, right there [points at drive-thru menu board as if DD employee inside donning an audio headset can see], right there!” She was in no way responsible for me being late to class. No way.

Made a full-fledged gumbo complete with an authentic roux. So many inauthentic rouxs [note to self – learn how to make roux plural – probably some inane French grammar rule] out there and you know me, the existentialist, authentic is important. Anywhoo, the gumbo was much earthier in taste than I thought it would be…much different from a jambalaya. I followed a Cook’s Illustrated recipe for the roux and riffed a bit. For me, the highlight was the andouille sausage. And per the usual it tasted better the next day after the flavors had a chance to meld. In the future I will substitute chicken thighs for shrimp and whowouldathunk that my two year old would gobble up andouille like it was his job. 

An important run for me on Sunday - I ran for an hour at an 8 minute pace.  I knew I didn’t have all day to run as I had my little guy in child care and other domestic responsibilities on tap so I got on the treadmill and dialed her up to 7.5. Right off the bat the lungs were working harder than usual though my heartrate was only near 200bpm so I knew I was teetering on capable. About 4 miles in I was starting to feel it in my legs, feet, back, and will to live. But I pressed on and realized that this mere hour of running was important because if I want to do a half in the spring I will need to be ready to run for two hours and some of that will have to be at a decent clip – like an 8 minute pace. Why? Because I know I can’t train like I am single as the little guys are swimming, running track, and busting chops all over so I have to run faster if I am going to even get close to the training miles necessary for a half.

I got through it (the run) but I have to say I was more than a little disappointed in myself when I didn’t jump with my toddler at the trampoline park later that day. First time I have ever said no to a physical activity with him and I hope it is the last. Sure I want to run a half but it is merely a means to an end that is overall fitness and health and my overall fitness and health is compatible with jumping on trampoline’s with my son.

Lesson learned.