Really. I'm back.

It's July.

Crazy work thing is done, I'm slowly getting back to training and feeling not like a sloth, and ...ooh ooh! Look! I'm writing again! Now all I need to do is draw. Though I did kind of do that a couple weekends ago. More on that later.

I've missed writing and training and general absorption of life. It really did feel like I was stuck in a box from March - mid/end June. A 3 or 4 a.m. - 6 p.m. and then 10 - midnight kind of box. Miserable. A weird working prison. I do think it's important to jot down what I learned through that mess.

1. I really know what it's like to "not have time" now. I will never again say I don't have time for something. Because I do. But when I was in this crazy work thing, I absolutely faced the not enough minutes in the day kind of thing. It was terrible and surreal.

2. I met and got to work with some great people. Even through all the pain of the job, I must say that none of the challenges stemmed from those I was working with. I hope to continue the relationships.

3. I'm thankful for the clients that stuck with me. It's tough. How do you explain that you got yourself in over your head and there's no way out except to burn a huge bridge and ruin a bunch of stuff? I felt like I was constantly making excuses to people and it sucked. Every day I'd try so hard to get to things, and suddenly the day was over. I wasn't my working self. That was definitely the worst part of it all, even over the 4 hour average sleep. I enjoy what I do, and I really enjoy pleasing my clients. For that to have suffered meant all the work felt pointless.

So...it's time to put it behind me. I'll never get myself in that situation again. Lesson learned. Moving on.


I was eager to start working out again once I had the time. I have certainly lost a lot of fitness, but there's only one direction to move. I thought I could do the Mason Triathlon again at the end of June. It was my first triathlon I did last year and I wanted to own it this year. Easy-peasy short pool swim, easy bike, 5k at the end. But... I hadn't been swimming. I had to bag it.

But now that I've had a couple regular workout weeks, I'm happy to say I signed up for the Iron Girl Rocky Gap triathlon again! It's in September. It's such a great venue. Clear lake. That's the best part. I have time to get better and I'm planning to crush my time. The course is different this year, so I won't have a direct comparison, but I know how I did last year. And I think I can improve! :)

Some things I'm already doing different: I think I was trying to do too long of activities last year. I have been shortening my runs and swims but trying to do them more frequently and quicker. We'll see how it goes.

July is off to a good start. I ran and swam on Tuesday. Then I walked and did a 5K on Wednesday. Roncker's does a free 5K Wednesday nights on the trail. I was just going to make myself run, figuring it would be more enjoyable with people around. I've been sucking at running. Stiff, always hurting, and about a minute and half  2 minutes off my normal pace. But when we started, I just went. I don't know what got into me, but I held strong for the entire 3.1 miles at a 9:30 pace. That just seems unbelievable when all I've been able to do is struggle with is 11:00. So weird. Running is so mental.

Hoping to get some workouts in with my friend who's in town this weekend. Off to see them now!