Homage to the Hubs

As some of the Southern Sole Sisters embark upon the annual trip to run Seaside, I think it is a cause to pause for an homage to our husbands. It is a joint decision but Seaside is a financial investment. Noted, for what we get out of the trip, it is a fairly economical escapade but still each family must evaluate their finances and make the decision to put some resources towards our registration, lodging, food, etc.

Then there is this....between the ten of us making this trip, there are 20 beloved children in the care of our husbands for four days/three nights. Our children vary in ages. Some husbands will be the chauffeurs and audience for our children's activities while others will be full on 24 hour care for our younger highly active offspring. Some husbands will have help from family members but will also be acting as host to that visiting family member. Driving, Monitoring, Chaperoning, Feeding, Playing, Cheering, Cleaning (okay that might be a stretch for some spouses..). As we well know as many of our husbands work travel, our husbands that have their own athletic dedication must often shelve exercise plans until we return. Or in the case of my family, my twins will be slightly unwilling fans for two of my husband's ice hockey games.

But this is really the culmination of the role our husbands have played in this Seaside story. Seaside is also about the journey and preparation for that nice long run on 30A. For those who are running the half marathon, our husband's have supported the runs during the week and the weekend long runs. As we run early in the morning, this support may have just involved sleeping but nonetheless the sleeping spouse is the one who is ready to respond to the crying or ill child. And we all know that just spotting us during the long run is only part of the story. Sometimes the effects of a long run can carry on throughout the day. Smelly, Sore, Tired, Napping, Icebathing, Hangry/Hungry are just a few of the words that describe what could be happening post long run.

Our husbands willingly step forward so that we can run, enjoy each other's company, renew and re-energize at the beach.

Thus, as we pack and then head out as the sun rises to Florida, we do so with love and appreciation in our hearts to our husbands who support our journey every day and made this experience possible.

Hearts to the Hubs,

Sadie

P.S. - Everlasting hugs and kisses to those wonderful 20 children who never leave our hearts and souls. Perhaps a future post subject.

What I Think About When I'm Doing Yoga...

Ever read Huraki Murakami's What I Talk When I Talk About Running....? Well strangely enough this book popped into my head during yoga this morning which underscores the theme of this blog and perhaps continues with my Turning Japanese mentality/persona as of late.

I will be very honest here. Try as I may, try as I might, I do not love yoga. Progress has been made in that I don't dislike it or dread it as before. However, Not ready to say like yet. It's green beans, I know it is good for me, consumption and toleration mode. And I do it now more than ever with a modified EG HM training plan which calls for at least weekly yoga.

Needless to say I don't get zen and have a very hard time staying mentally focused on just yoga or even as having yoga as the primary thing on my mind. It actually has the opposite effect. As yoga is generally not pain inducing (like stellar) or leaving me breathless(like a run or spin class), I have too much free space on my brain and it goes into hyper thought. Thus, among the what-seems-like-a-thousand-thoughts, up popped the idea for the blog.

Before I dive in and overshare, let me ask you. What do you think about during yoga? My perception is that those other yoga attendees are really listening, focusing on their breath, sensing their bodies and feeling some zone of enlightenment ...or chi (see even talking about chi, gives me thoughts about Kung Fu Panda 3 chi!)

Other than this blog idea, here is the catalog of the thoughts I remember during today's yoga session:

• I am so tired, why can't I wake up, even after stellar. Maybe the coffee I drank did not have caffeine.
• Why do I keep wearing these capris when they make me look so chunky.
• If you can hold in your stomach the rest of class, it looks much better.
• OMG, we are going to plank again. My shoulders hurt from stellar. Losing feeling in my hands.
• Wow, that Zelda, tries all the advanced poses and moves as suggested by the instructor. Lift my knee? No way. But go, Zelda,! I am cheering you on across the room!
• Ugghh I feel terrible. I have been feeling better not drinking wine. I was on a 4 day no wine streak prior to last night and feeling groovy. One glass last night...I am miserable. Or maybe I am getting what Zelda's daughter had.
• If wine makes me feel miserable, what should I drink instead in Seaside? Beer, okay some of the time but so heavy. Light cocktail but what can one really drink in quantities and not be sick or stupid. Might have to ask the girls.
• Stare, stare, stare at the same spot so you do not fall over in this tree pose.
• When can I go grocery shopping today? Also need gas in the PT.
• Downward dogging again. I wonder if this is supposed to be comfortable or provide some benefit. No matter how I move my feet, I am just not enjoying the 20th DD. Oh thank goodness, she gave us the child's pose option this round.
• I really need to find ways to be more engaged and present with my kids. Make every minute count.
• Ujjayi breathing makes me thirsty.
• I cannot wait to get a pedicure, in desperate need.
• Thought she said the left leg but now I am confused. Half the class is folding their left leg under and have the class right, how am I supposed to figure out what leg we are on?
• Turn this way, yoga class member so I can see your watch and determining how many minutes are left of this class.
• Ughh, I hope I can feel energetic and Spark Joy in the rest of my closet. It is going to so slow but meanwhile I have to clean out that garage, it's bugging me.
• Oh yes! In comes, Betty with our cold lavender towels. Getting close to the end. Betty is in such good shape!
• This corpse pose is my favorite in the class. Do you think they will mind if I take a nap?

Is this just me in YTH (Yoga Thought Hyperdrive)? Maybe a few more sessions and I will find my focus, chi and zen. Guess, worse case scenario is that it gives me time to think of more blog posts.

Yours in Yoga,
Sadie

Looking Forward to Fall?

Saw a facebook post with a new date for the Athens Half Marathon. October 9th. If you are not familiar with this half, it has been occurring in the October 20s for some time now. Originally I thought this was a good thing, moving the half forward earlier but then I was advised this is in the middle Columbus Day weekend which is not good for those with typical holiday travel plans.

And just like that in the middle of February, dreaming of Fall Half Marathon season. Albeit I am down to that last Winter/Spring ones being completed in less than two months and might be suffering a little bit of longrunitis..especially when it is so windy and cold.  But I know I ultimately love runs of 8 miles or greater on the weekends and my long run love will resurface even if I am in the "like" stage right now.  Note, I did not say hate stage. The only time I think I ever am in that zone is in the second to last mile of long runs..and that is only sometimes.

I digress. At coffee this morning, Zelda, Hazel and I pondered fall half marathon choices. What is out there? Since the Atlanta 13.1 keeps moving and there are no positive reports from any of their locations...ZAP, not in the "running". (editorial note: no amount of surfing produced a 2016 date). Atlanta Thanksgiving? maybe but after a 2nd run of it last year  feeling like "been there, done that". My only mark in the Pro category is the calorie deficit guilt free holiday meal that follows. Plus a lot of you travel on Thanksgiving. I was quite blessed to have our Texan, Nell, make an unexpected appearance....halves are more fun with sole sisters.

Here is the brainstorm, from this morning...(with me adding in the research done during swim practice)

• Georgetown Bridge2Bridge -Saturday October 8, 2016 HM-Georgetown, SC-Current Registration price: $65. Pro: Out/back.  Con: Out/back. Got some would not do again reports plus holiday weekend.
• 4 Bridges Half Marathon-Chattanooga, TN - Sunday, October 16, 2016. Current Registration: $90. Marathon & HM Relay options. Pros: Good feedback on course, 90 minutes away. Cons: 90 minutes away, Kinda pricey.
• Atlanta 10 Miler, Sunday, October 23, 2016
• Silver Comet Halloween Half-Saturday, October 29, 2016, Current registration price: $60. See Scarlett's review in earlier blog post. Pro: Out/back. Pre-Hween Candy deficit. Con: Out/back
• Savannah Rock N Roll- Saturday November 5, 2016. Current registration price: $70. Can also do a 2 person HM Relay. Pros: long run training not in hot months. Savannah is cool. Road trip. Cons: RNR does not have best event record of providing available & clean water.

What cha' got? Any Fall ideas?

Yeah, I know this is many months away but sharing the musings and dreaming of Fall,

Sadie

Joy!

A few of us Southern Sole Sisters have been up to a little blogworthy project. Have you heard about this book? This book is the impetus of our efforts to Spark More Joy in our households and lives.

Over the past few years, although I love my house and the beings in it, I have had this shadow hanging over me about the stuff in our house, how much there is, where it is, how it is organized and stored. Full disclosure, BK (before kids) I was a self aware compulsive neatnik which, of course, I had to let go with pregnancy bedrest and resulting children. My favorite saying used to be "A place for everything and everything in its place"-Benjamin Franklin. This shadowy burden got a little lift after we attended a dinner party at our German neighbors house (not our current German neighbors, the family before).  There house was decorated lovely but was sparse and clutter free. In particular, their counters were so spacious and free of STUFF. This probably was partly due to their planned few year stint here such that they did not have all their possessions but also they kept it looking this way after several years in the US. After this dinner party, I ran around our house taking everything off our counters and ledges (stuffing it in drawers and cabinets) and declaring we needed to live a more German counter clutter free clean lifestyle. My family shook their heads and waited for it to pass.

With the new found free time for a few of us and desire to address our households that our previous roles would not allow, we decided to collectively read this book (as recommended to me by a swim team mom) and see if it would change our lives. We are on Chapter 3 of 5 and have started making great dents in our stuff, organization and I would dare say we changed our perspective on managing our household stuff going forward.  My husband has shaken his head at this project, laughed and hummed this little ditty. Click to here the song. ..Turning Japanese  Wildly popular song of our high school years (remember I'm 50, y'all).

From our reading, we have learned a lot but here are some highlights:

• A tidy room, not only can be cleaner and fresher but if only filled with things that bring you joy, you will be more joyful.
• If done properly, tidying will be a special event, not a daily chore.
• Before one can tidy, you must discard first. "Take each item in one's hand and ask: "Does this spark joy?"  For the hard to discard items but ones that do not bring you joy, thank the item for the joy it brought you in the past and let it go!
• Proceed with as categories recommended.
• Learning about methods to fold, organize, store belongings that are not only tidy but functionally better.

Our Petunia is leading the pack, just like she does on the runs with Zelda and I following on her heels. I share below some of the before and after photos from all of us. I wince as I show you my socks even after because I later learned that folding my socks this way is unkind to my socks.

Here's a few comments from our weekly virtual book club meetings and other dialogue.

• "I've officially caught the bug. It does feel freeing to give away so much stuff. After tidying my closet my spouse said I gave away too much because I have less than him. Lol. After tackling the pantry he said we needed to go buy some stuff! I think he needs to read the book simultaneously or this may be an uphill battle in my house."
• "I will say the down side to doing all of this is that my tolerance for clutter has significantly decreased."
• "My spouse said, when I asked him to pull out all his socks, that he needed all his socks. However, I begged for just a review with all socks out on the counter. I explained the exact process for review. Later that day, he gave me a pile of over 10 pairs. The next day, I found a pile of shirts that no longer brought him joy. Making progress!"

We have only just begun. I would never have gotten this far without the encouragement and accountability of sole sisters.

Here's to more JOY,

Sadie