Of course I do but I'm starting to wonder if training for an IM is compatible with parenting younger kids.
Twice in the last few days my workout has been cut short because of my kids and normally that would be no big deal....I like to think that I'm a typical mom who adores her kids and who puts her kids' needs first, who would gladly stay home and read Green Eggs and Ham for the 50th time instead of going for a leisurely ride or run.....but once you send off that big fat check to North American Sports for an Ironman.....you become just a little bit greedy with your time.
Case in point: Sunday morning I really wanted to ride my trainer for 45 mins, maybe even 60 minutes. I felt really good and ready to go. I quickly got breakfast for the kids, cleaned up the kitchen, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, threw a load of laundry in the washer, listened to my son tell me all about his birthday presents for oh, maybe the 10th time, grabbed my water bottle and ran downstairs. We had to leave for church at 10 so I needed to get going.
But nooooo....my kids have not acquired "conflict resolution skills" in any way, shape, or form. They chose this morning to argue and fight over EVERYTHING and to come tell me in great detail what the other one did. After the third round of "Mommy, she/he won't share the computer" (or whatever), I get off the bike and have a heart-to-heart conversation with them. I tell them in my kind-but-don't-mess-with-me voice to please stop fighting and to get ready for church. I would be done riding soon and we need to get going.
But noooooo.....they are intent on tormenting each other. After getting back into a good pace, I hear a scream....then a wail....then a "Mommy, he/she hit me!!!!" For a split second, I considered ignoring the noise and pedealing on but the screams got louder and louder so I got off the bike AGAIN. By the time I got them settled down, it was too late to finish the ride. Fuming, I took a shower and went to church (I had to teach Sunday School that day so I was committed).
This is the point when all parents, I believe, fantasize about saying to their kids what Bill Cosby said so very well: "I brought you into this world and I can take you out!"
Ok, fine, I thought to myself. We're going to Winter Park this afternoon to ski for a few days, I'll go for a good run tomorrow morning since Kurt will be there to manage the kids. Great, can't wait.
But noooooooo......at 2:00 AM on Monday morning, I'm wakened from a deep sleep by a little girl saying "mommy, I had a bad dream" in my ear. I know from past experience that telling her to go back to bed doesn't work so I lay down with her in her bed, which happens to be a twin bed in the condo we're staying in.
Oh lovely. I'm wide awake at 2:00 AM and squished into a twin bed with a squirmy kid. Nice! She falls asleep quickly but I lay awake for an entire hour.....causing me to oversleep in the morning, meaning that I didn't have time to run. ARRRRGGGHHH!!!
Finally, on Tuesday, the kids slept through the night and I did too, making it easy to get up at 5:30 and out the door for my run at 7:00. I ran for a good, long hour (in heavy snow and ice, mind you, but I didn't care!) and felt great. Thank you, God!
I do love my kids but I also like my time away from them. I just keep reminding myself that training makes me a better mom. Somehow I don't think they'll buy it.
2 comments:
Welcome to my world, Cindy. I refuse to believe that being a parent precludes me from setting life goals, but then again, my kids are why I'm not running a marathon. The only thing I'd say is you did get some riding in. And you've been pretty good. I think you are going to be able to train for this, but I don't think the training will be ideal, and that's the problem because in the past you've been able to do that.
But you're going to have to be realistic now. I know you can do this, and I know you can train for it, but it won't be ideal training all the time, and you might just barely get by to just barely finish. I know you're mentally tough, so at least that won't be the issue.
Take what I do. I run four days a week, and I'm lucky to get 25 miles in a week. Is it ideal? Hell no, and yet, I'm a decent runner.
Venting, as always, is open for me.
Hey Dan,
I knew you'd chime in because you have it "worse" than me! I think we're both doing pretty darn good. I haven't started the full-blown IM training plan yet...will start in April so right now I'm ok with hit-and-miss training (but it worries me a little about whether I'll be able to pull this IM off!). Anyway, thanks for your .02!
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