A Week in the Life

This week, I thought I would try to capture an "easier" week of training while trying to balance work and family.

• Monday: Up at 5:10 am and in the pool at 5:55. I swim 2300 yards at Gunstock and get to work by 7:00 am. I always check email and realize I have 30+ emails to respond to. I am in the process of doing the master schedule for 800 students and 70 teachers. I learn through an email that the principal wants it done this week. Ouch! The day includes meeting with students, teachers, department heads, lunch duty and responding to a variety of requests. After school, I have to supervise a girl's lacrosse game until 6:00. I finally head home to pick up my daughter at a neighbors house. Finally home, it is a quick dinner and get the little one off to bed. A little down time, watch the Celtics before hitting the hay at 8:30. I see Tammy for about 45 minutes.
  
• Tuesday: I sleep in until 6:00 am and then it is off to work. Another typical day, still working on the master schedule and doing the day to day stuff. After work, I have a meeting but I am able to be home by 3:30. Jordan and Tammy are having a mother/daughter day so I head to the club. I lift weights for my upper body/core for 30 minutes and then ride the Expresso Bike for 1 hour inside. It is cold and rainy out. Home by 5:15 and get to hang out with the family. I pack up my workout bag for tomorrow because it is going to be a busy morning. After some dinner, snuggle time with Jordan, I give her a shower and put her to bed at 8:00. Time to watch "The Biggest Loser" with Tammy until 9:15. Tammy is the night owl so she stays up longer while I head to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.
  
• Wednesday: I am up at 4:40 and out the door at 4:55. Off to the Fitness Edge to get in a quick 30 minute lower body/core workout. At 5:35, I hop in the car and head to the pool and swim 2000 yards. At school by 7:00 am. I have to administer an AP Calculus exam for 4 hours during which I catch up on credit checks, meeting notes and emails. Lunch and meeting with teachers and students. I head out at 3:05 to get home. I do my 5 mile run to the baseball field where I can watch Jordan play t-ball while Tammy coaches her. We get home and Tammy has to go back to work so I make dinner for Jordan and I (baked haddock and corn). Tammy gets home around 7:00 and we put Jordan to bed at 7:45. By 8:15, I have hit the wall. Time for bed.
  
• Thursday: A nice long night of sleep and up at 6:00 am. For breakfast, i make a smoothie to take with me. At work by 6:50 and begin the day to day routine. The day is uneventful but filled with mini meetings again. Again, I leave around 3:15 and fly home to get my workout in. Today it is an 1:15 easy spin bike ride. Weather stinks so I do it at the Fitness Edge. The first half is alone while the other half is in a spin class. Home by 5:15 and head to the neighbors to grab their son to play with Jordan. Pizza for dinner, then fold and wash more clothes. Tammy is away at a local business meeting so it is Jordan and her dad tonight. However, Survivor is on and can't wait to see what happens!
  
• Friday: As far as training, it is a full day off. However, Tammy and some friends decide that they want to do the Big Lake 1/5 marathon at the last minute. I text message Suzan to see if it is worth it. We both decide to give it a go. With work, it is a bit different. I give a speech for a co-worker who wins an Unsung Hero Award. From 12:30-1:30 is a meeting to finalize plans for a 3 on 3 tournament to benefit a scholarship. Then I am part of 4 hours of interviews to hire a new Guidance Counselor for our school. What a long process. I leave work at 4:45 and meet Tammy to head over to Alton to register for the race. When we get home, I decide I will ride my bike to the race, meet Tammy and friends and run the 1/2. Time to pack up and get ready for Saturday.
  
• Saturday: Up at 4:45 so I can eat a little before I head out. Peanut Butter and Toast, Powerbar, some watered down Gatorade and a sip of coke. I bundle up and leave at 5:45. The ride over to Alton is nice. Roads are quiet, temperature is nice and I average 18.5 mph for the 22 miles. I arrive earlier than anticipated but get a chance up with fellow GSTC members and other runners I have met through the years. Tammy and the Fitness Edge posse arrive 20 minutes before the race and I quickly change into my running gear. Knowing it is chip time, I am not worried that the gun went off and I am still in the Porto Potty line.
• The Big Lake 1/2 Marathon: Seeing as I just registered last night, my initial plan was to run at a 8:00/mile pace. After doing a 6:38 first mile, I knew that was gone and I was going to "run" it. I planned my nutrition as if I were running in a triathlon and timed everything. No heart rate monitor, just running on feel. The course is challenging and I feel I have an outside chance to break 1:31:00. However, at mile 11, I can feel my legs starting to go. I struggle the last 2.1 miles and cross the finish line at 1:32:26. I am happy with the time and end up placing 3rd in my age group. However, my stomach is unhappy with the effort and I spend most of the afternoon with an upset stomach.
• Saturday, continued: After Big Lake, we head home and pick up Jordan from the neighbors. They are gracious enough to allow me to use the hot tub so I take advantage. When I get home, it is family nap time. Tammy snuggles with Jordan while I hit the bedroom. A quick nap and then I head off to get some groceries. Still struggling with an upset stomach, I get a frozen pizza and it actually helps. Tammy and I are going to a party for friends celebrating their 40th & 50th birthdays. Finally, we get home at 11:00 and it is time for bed. Long day, but worth it.
  
• Sunday: Mother's Day. As luck would have it, Jordan is up at 5:30 am. I would like to go lift but she is up and Tammy wants to sleep. The little one and I head to Dunkin Donuts to get mom a coffee and some munchkins for us. Jordan and I snuggle on the couch and hang out until Tammy gets up. At 10:30, we head to Lago for a huge brunch. I actually eat less, and more healthy than anticipated. We are going to the neighbors for a BBQ so we pick up the food. At home, we all "hit the wall" and take an afternoon nap. This never happens, so I take advantage of it. BBQ at 5:00. I decide that I need a break, mentally, and physically, from training. Mixed that in with the cold, windy weather, makes the decision easier.

So, there you have it. An "easy" week of training mixed in with a normal work week. I have a duathlon next weekend so I will really see where I am physically.

I'll let you know how it went!