30 Hours and Counting...
It is rare that my husband and I get 30 hours to ourselves; I thought of all the things I wanted to do with my 30 hours. As soon as I entered the highway for the return ride back to Akron, I could almost hear the clock ticking off the time. To extend my little vacation to the fullest, there was to be no domestic drudgery to fritter away my 30 hours of time into that vacuous wasteland of time just sucked away by boring stuff. My husband said something about going to the grocery store. "Oh, I'm not going to the grocery store!" We will eat out every meal. There is to be no doing laundry, picking up stuff, cleaning of any sort, or grocery shopping--definitely no grocery shopping. If this is the closest thing I get to a vacation, then you have to lay down some rules to make it at least look like a vacation! I want to spend my time with people I like and doing things I enjoy.
I think I made the most of my time. For the first hours, I swam myself silly at the inner-city pool, I had a very enjoyable dinner with my friend Melissa, had a nice evening with the hubby, but I went to bed embarrassing early since a 12 mile long run beckoned early tomorrow morning with Roger and Debi. Mr. Sensationally was going to accompany us for our run. We rarely get an opportunity to run together, cause one of us has to stay home with the kids. My husband, even though he is a very talented speedy runner, doesn't have the obsessive drive of his wife. He grumbled about getting up early, and I had to prod him endlessly to stay on task and not make us late for the run. "But they are always on time. We can't make them wait!" Finally, I got the man out the door. It was densely foggy and probably going to rain again today, but at least it was warm enough for shorts and short sleeves. We decided on the Sand Run area again. The smell of earthworms, peat, and Sand Run's outhouse filled the humid air! I'm sick to death of this area, but it offers several advantages when different members of the group are doing different distances, since we can plot out looped runs where people can bail when they hit their goal. Roger was going to do nine and follow that with his big 20 mile run tomorrow. Debi and I needed to just go a little farther than last week, so that would be at least 12 miles.
For the long winter months, my husband has been content to be a basement dwelling treadmill runner. He emerges riddled with sweat from the bowels of our dank depressing basement, cranking out his ritualistic 3 miles on the treadmill, before getting in the shower and started on the work day. I don't know how he bears it day after day--all winter long, staring at the concrete walls of our basement, with no scenery to distract him, or convivial conversation to make the miles amble by. He seemed out of context today standing next to Roger and Debi in the lot. I think this was the first time he's ever run with us. I was happy to share this part of my life with him. I tell him about Roger and Debi all the time, but nice he could finally be a part of the group. Debi's husband is runner as well, and we've never run with him, come to think of it. My husband only wanted to do six miles today.
We had a nice pace going on. We ran up to the Mustill Store and turned back towards Bally's where I suggested we stop, fill up the water bottles, and visit the Master Sean in the Chamber. He could meet Mr.Sensationally! Last time I was in, he was in the process of painting the main reception area. It was done and looking very snappy! The Princess was just finishing up her workout. I showed my hubby around the place. I took note that Master Sean and my husband shared a few male bonding moments commiserating over the inherent difficulties of dealing with me, especially the schizophrenic alternating bitching that the workout is too hard or not hard enough. My husband knew exactly what he was talking about: extended, of course, to other areas of marital life, rather than strength training. My hubby was rather impressed with the diversity of clientele, ranging from the young and very firm, to the old and trying like hell to stay firm.
The guys had done their requisite distance and Debi and I finished up our last two miles running on the Sand Run path. Not a great choice for the last few miles being that it's pretty hilly. It was the longest distance to date and we felt great! Great run!!
Our 30 hours were just about up, but I felt like we spent it well...and I was looking forward to picking up the kids and hanging around my sister's beautiful new home. And I'm sure she had something nice planned for the menu: nothing is better than visting my sister post long run, because she'll be sure to have a gourmet four course meal to help refuel our lost calories in style!
It is rare that my husband and I get 30 hours to ourselves; I thought of all the things I wanted to do with my 30 hours. As soon as I entered the highway for the return ride back to Akron, I could almost hear the clock ticking off the time. To extend my little vacation to the fullest, there was to be no domestic drudgery to fritter away my 30 hours of time into that vacuous wasteland of time just sucked away by boring stuff. My husband said something about going to the grocery store. "Oh, I'm not going to the grocery store!" We will eat out every meal. There is to be no doing laundry, picking up stuff, cleaning of any sort, or grocery shopping--definitely no grocery shopping. If this is the closest thing I get to a vacation, then you have to lay down some rules to make it at least look like a vacation! I want to spend my time with people I like and doing things I enjoy.
I think I made the most of my time. For the first hours, I swam myself silly at the inner-city pool, I had a very enjoyable dinner with my friend Melissa, had a nice evening with the hubby, but I went to bed embarrassing early since a 12 mile long run beckoned early tomorrow morning with Roger and Debi. Mr. Sensationally was going to accompany us for our run. We rarely get an opportunity to run together, cause one of us has to stay home with the kids. My husband, even though he is a very talented speedy runner, doesn't have the obsessive drive of his wife. He grumbled about getting up early, and I had to prod him endlessly to stay on task and not make us late for the run. "But they are always on time. We can't make them wait!" Finally, I got the man out the door. It was densely foggy and probably going to rain again today, but at least it was warm enough for shorts and short sleeves. We decided on the Sand Run area again. The smell of earthworms, peat, and Sand Run's outhouse filled the humid air! I'm sick to death of this area, but it offers several advantages when different members of the group are doing different distances, since we can plot out looped runs where people can bail when they hit their goal. Roger was going to do nine and follow that with his big 20 mile run tomorrow. Debi and I needed to just go a little farther than last week, so that would be at least 12 miles.
For the long winter months, my husband has been content to be a basement dwelling treadmill runner. He emerges riddled with sweat from the bowels of our dank depressing basement, cranking out his ritualistic 3 miles on the treadmill, before getting in the shower and started on the work day. I don't know how he bears it day after day--all winter long, staring at the concrete walls of our basement, with no scenery to distract him, or convivial conversation to make the miles amble by. He seemed out of context today standing next to Roger and Debi in the lot. I think this was the first time he's ever run with us. I was happy to share this part of my life with him. I tell him about Roger and Debi all the time, but nice he could finally be a part of the group. Debi's husband is runner as well, and we've never run with him, come to think of it. My husband only wanted to do six miles today.
We had a nice pace going on. We ran up to the Mustill Store and turned back towards Bally's where I suggested we stop, fill up the water bottles, and visit the Master Sean in the Chamber. He could meet Mr.Sensationally! Last time I was in, he was in the process of painting the main reception area. It was done and looking very snappy! The Princess was just finishing up her workout. I showed my hubby around the place. I took note that Master Sean and my husband shared a few male bonding moments commiserating over the inherent difficulties of dealing with me, especially the schizophrenic alternating bitching that the workout is too hard or not hard enough. My husband knew exactly what he was talking about: extended, of course, to other areas of marital life, rather than strength training. My hubby was rather impressed with the diversity of clientele, ranging from the young and very firm, to the old and trying like hell to stay firm.
The guys had done their requisite distance and Debi and I finished up our last two miles running on the Sand Run path. Not a great choice for the last few miles being that it's pretty hilly. It was the longest distance to date and we felt great! Great run!!
Our 30 hours were just about up, but I felt like we spent it well...and I was looking forward to picking up the kids and hanging around my sister's beautiful new home. And I'm sure she had something nice planned for the menu: nothing is better than visting my sister post long run, because she'll be sure to have a gourmet four course meal to help refuel our lost calories in style!