Git-R-Done

My slow pace is one of the reasons I've struggled with training so far. Last year I made a hitting a 15 minute mile stride my goal, but over the course of 17 weeks, I was able to move from 18 to 17 minutes per mile...quite far off the mark. So this time I decided to eliminate the pace as a goal and focus on better conditioning so I don't die after this race. During our first training meeting, I learned that last year's walking coach cannot train with us due to arthritis, so the back-up coach (who is normally one of the running coaches) is leading this group. His natural pace is about a 12-13 minute mile. Seriously.

No joke, it discouraged me. The next two training days were lucky for me--due to scheduled events, I trained on my own with the treadmill. But when I had a migraine one day, I flaked on the walking group, and then last week I had a doctor's appointment scheduled during training. I know why I'm avoiding it, but I didn't know what to do about it. So this morning I responded to both coaches in email and told them how I felt. I explained that the pace is going to be an issue for me until I am either more conditioned or in better shape, and I felt like I was caught between doing the things that are necessary to get into shape yet not hitting my minimum training assignments if I couldn't keep up the pace with the group. I told them I would show up tonight (I have to travel for work on Wednesday), but I needed them to tell me if the slower pace would be a problem for the group. If so, they'd need to help me put together an individual plan I could do to meet what I need, too.

So. Tonight was okay. Sara (my normal coach) wasn't there, but Dale the super-walker was, and he acknowledged my email. He said that above all else, the most important thing is for each of us to meet our individual training needs, not the needs of the team. There is a new woman in the group nursing an ankle injury, so he paired us together, and then he made an effort to keep circling back from the front of the pack to the end to make sure we stayed connected.

I feel better now. Of course having to travel for work means one more chance for me to disrupt a very sensitive habit right now. SIGH.

In unrelated news, the ice cream was a hit at work. The boys loved it. Guinness-Chocolate ice cream is a guy magnet. I must perfect this recipe...add to my bag of tricks. It was a bit too soft, but that could be the beer.

My training tomorrow is called "Getting Things Done." It was kinda both my request and a requirement from my boss. When I get caught up in my suppliers' crises, I struggle to get the mundane stuff done because I over-prioritize the urgent stuff. This is partially why I end up staying late at work, but it also happens when I have a long work to-do list and nothing to really leave work for. The never-ending battle I face...and I tend to create it for myself, too. Another reason I'm reading "Never Check E-Mail in the Morning" which, believe me, is nearly impossible to do right now. If I can master this, I can reclaim my job. (:

I'm obsessed with Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann. I can barely wait for each Monday night, even though Bruno over-performs his surprise each time. Too bad it conflicts with Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles. I was beginning to like that show.