Monotone

Sums up what my week was like

If this week was a singing voice, it would definitely be described as monotone. Boring, lonely, gloomy, drab, sedentary. Ugh. The main reasons for it were because it decided to snow too much, and I also worked 72 hours. I did it on purpose. I REALLY needed the extra money so that I could buy snow tires so I picked up the 24 hour shift on Thanksgiving, which actually meant a 48 hour shift here in North Conway. It wasn't that bad really. I got my workouts in and walked around the bay a lot, but it was just so boring. If I were still running, I normally would have run the Thanksgiving race at Purity Spring, so that was out. I had no one to hang out with and no nice dinner out like last year so it really made sense for me to just work instead. Christin Doneski did, however, invite me to join her family, but by then it was already too late. I would have actually joined them if I weren't working. So at least it turned out that I wouldn't have been sulking alone and feeling sorry for myself if I had been home.

John and the dogs went with Bryan to his family's in Marshfield, Ma like they always do, but they left earlier than usual on Monday. This meant a super lonely Tuesday without John or my dogs. I was also stuck at home the entire time for the second Tuesday snowstorm in a row. My "new' tires are SO bad in the snow so I literally can't go anywhere in that car when it's snowing until I get my snow tires. It honestly wasn't that bad really since I had to shovel twice which took over 3 hours total and gave me some good exercise. I did my regular workouts and then I snowshoed in fresh powder up Heavenly Hill. So as far as gloomy snow days, it ended up being alright. But it was seriously one of the most dull weeks I've had in awhile.

It didn't help that I was also in excruciating pain with the pinched nerve in my neck. Yes, that neck pain turned out to be a pinched nerve that was excruciating until Sunday. It was radiating from my neck to my shoulder, down my right arm and into my fingers. Saturday actually ended up being the worst day of all so I have no idea why I woke up on Sunday feeling so much better. I was constantly applying pressure to where the pain started to try to work out the tightness so I'm assuming it finally loosened up and released the nerve. It was crazy, though. I've never experienced anything like that. I could barely even think straight at work on Monday due to the pain. It turned out that sitting made it 100x worse so by Wednesday I'd figured out I needed to stand and walk around the bay to ease the pain. It's still tight and ever so slightly achy but nothing like it was this week.

Speaking of pain... I can't believe I completely forgot to mention this in the Lil' Rhody Runaround report. So just before we hit the pavement for the last 3/4 mile to the finish, the pain in my heel (plantar fasciitis still?) was all of a sudden searing pain. Like fucking excruciating sharp pain. I might have even said, "What the fuck?!" out loud. When I hit the road 20 yards later, it was all of a sudden bearable again to finish, but after, oh my god, so painful. Walking hurt so much. So basically, all week, my foot has been in a lot of pain. Pinpoint pain directly in the center of the bottom of my heel. The pain did decrease since the race, but it's far more painful than it was prior to it. I have been able to workout with it, but I have had to modify jumping on it. It hasn't been a big deal, but I've obviously done something to it. Funny that I'm more of a mess now than I was a month ago. The tendons are the least of my worries. My original plantar fasciitis pain that I've had for over 1.5 years was not on the bottom of the heel. The pain I had previously in the foot is completely gone. This pin point heel pain I thought could possibly be a stress fracture until I really stretched it out on Monday and felt the fascia pulling so I'm making an educated guess that it's a possible tear. The fact that it's slightly improving could mean it's minor. I don't know, but I'm pretty pissed about it. I can't catch a break with this shit. But oh well, I'm still getting my workouts in and sticking to the schedule I have set out. I have had a few days where I just wanted to go for a run, but for the most part, I'm doing ok with it. It would hurt so much right now anyway. Haha.

Workouts/Walks/Hikes for the Week

Monday, 11/19- Today was a scheduled rest day from Insanity. I was actually sore from the race and my foot was in excruciating pain. I couldn't even walk around the bay. Mainly just tried to stay off of it all day at work except for calls. I did get in the last 2 days of 21 Day Booty Core. I had done Day 20 already, but I decided to do it again and follow it with Day 21. This program was extremely useful. The change in my glute strength has been very noticeable. And not just that, but actually activating the glutes outside of the workouts is starting to become secondhand. I am focusing on it more while doing certain things if I find myself only using my quads. Before I wouldn't have noticed this, so it's progress for sure.

Tuesday, 11/20- Like I said before I was stuck at home all day due to yet another snowstorm. I couldn't even get up my hill again so I had to go over to Coleman's to have them send the plow guy back over. They did very quickly which was great. I still struggled up the hill so there was no more driving today. I'm so over this already, and it would just get worse. I can't wait to get paid again so I can get those snow tires.

Got in my workouts first thing. Did Booty Core Day 20...again. I have continued to do this just this workout since. It's definitely the most effective one, so I'll keep doing it until I get bored with it.
Insanity Max 30: Cardio Challenge. This one is getting too easy, so I'll go ahead and move onto Max Out Cardio next week (a week earlier than scheduled). Followed that with Max Out Abs for 15 minutes. I like this one, but not nearly as much as Ab Attack and 360 Abs.

Shoveled the driveway twice today. The snow was easy to push since it was nice fluffy snow. Still took hours.

The snowshoe hike up Heavenly Hill was actually really nice. I love breaking trail through powder snow. My 18 year old Tubbs snowshoes are still holding up despite a few missing screws.

Functional coat for winter and deer hunting season (the reason I chose the orange one)

Wednesday, 11/21- Woke up early to get in my Insanity workout. Tabata Strength today. Did Day 20 again of Booty Core at work. Mostly a quiet day.

Thursday, 11/22- Got up early to go ahead and get my workout in before the next 24 hours. Insanity Max 30: Sweat Fest. Old school Insanity that even had a lot of the people from the original workout videos. But wow. Crazy how easy it was. This was a bonus workout added to the program. It was fun, but I won't do it again. I need more of a workout than that. Did 360 Abs after for 15 minutes.

Did Booty Core Day 20 again midday and did three 30 minutes walks around the ambulance bay over the course of the shift because my neck was in agony trying to sit.

Very dull Thanksgiving which was kind of depressing after such a good Thanksgiving last year, but I need the reality check of what my life is right now. No more living with my head in the clouds. It will get better eventually. Just have to wait this out.

I did decide to eat a pie and a frozen pizza today instead of the healthy stuff I brought. It was fucking Thanksgiving. A day to eat stuff that tastes good...although I wished it was something much better. Haha.

The drive into work on Wednesday

During my first walk around the bay

Egg custard pie. I had to buy the least expensive pie at Hannaford. It was really good, but the apple pie would have been better.

Only ONE call the entire shift. It woke me up out of a deep sleep right around midnight. Took less than an hour. Easy peasy.

Friday, 11/23- I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there! Yay! Freedom. Worth it, though? Yes. I had 51 hours of overtime for this pay period.

Got in my workouts as soon as I got home. Day 20 of Booty Core and then Insanity Max 30: Tabata Strength again.

I followed that with a snowshoe hike in the Green Hills. I needed to be outside so badly! And it was finally a nice day! Cold but sunny. I hoped to find unbroken trail but a fat biker beat me to it for the first 1.5 miles. After getting to Spot's swimming hole, he veered left, and I finally got to break trail for about 2 miles before our paths coincided again for the last bit. It was so nice. I could have walked farther, but I thought John was going to be home by 2 and wanted to stop at Tuckerman Brewing for a beer before heading home. Still got in 4.8 miles of snowshoeing on mostly untouched trail. Took about 2 hours.

6288 Stout at Tuckerman

John didn't get home until almost 6pm! So I could have done more, but it was fine. I had a good day, and it was dark by 4pm anyway.

He came home wearing a Soviet Union hat that he got at the Army Barracks in Saugus on the way home. It was so nice to have him and the dogs home!

Saturday, 11/24- Same ole stuff. Day 20 of Booty Core. My workout band busted so I had to do half the workout without it. Haha.

Insanity Max 30: Friday Fight Round 1 for the 3rd time. Still pretty difficult. I consider myself to have strong arms...until I do this workout and realize just how weak my upper body is. Plus, this was the day my pinched nerve was the worst. The workout probably didn't do it any favors. I was in such agony until we went for a walk later.

John getting ready for our walk

Turned around to find Chill in the kitchen wearing a blanket. Haha.

I hadn't been able to get spring water due to the snow storms every day I was home so we had to get it today. It was sunny and on the warmer side so I planned a snowshoe hike for us with the dogs on the way down. Well, my crappy tires made it difficult to find a trailhead I wouldn't get stuck in. Got stuck at the Hammond Trail lot and then some woman with a leashed dog got out of her car to walk just as we were about to so I was like no way. I shoved dried leaves I found on the side of the road under my tires to get some traction, then moved on. Tried 4 other trailheads to no avail. Either unplowed or too crowded. I was flipping my lid at this point over it so we filled up the jugs and just decided to park at John's school and snowshoe the Jackman Pond Trail. It turned out to be perfect since we got to break trail. Yay! 2.1 miles around. Took almost 1.5 hours. John wore a pair of my Dions which dumped snow in his shoes, but he didn't seem to mind. Really nice walk.

Had wine tonight in the glass from the Wine Run...back when I was still fast. Wahhhh. 

Sunday, 11/25- Today is a recovery day for Insanity, but it still meant the 20 minute Pulse workout that was just low impact. Followed that with Ab Attack 10. Unlike the previous week, there was no real difference in my body after week 3. Not surprised. Often happens that you see results quickly and then it starts to slow. So no fake pose ab photo today. Instead. I took a REAL one of me just standing. No poses. Showing what I look like without turning and flexing, complete with old lady leg skin.

Interesting how much bigger my left quad is than my right. Obviously some sort of imbalance going on there.

Phoenix in the bed while I worked out

I went right from the Insanity stuff to my spin bike for 30 minutes of sprint intervals. This workout is tough, even at just 30 minutes.

John and I attempted to take a walk on the Mountain Division Trail, but the snow was such a sloppy mess that it wasn't fun at all so we turned around. Only walked .8 miles, but John was actually having fun playing with Phoenix that we were out there for 43 minutes.

Finally went to Walmart to get some things I needed on Friday, but there was no way in hell I was going in there on Black Friday. I refuse to participate in that crap. If I need something and I can find it online for Cyber Monday, then I might do that, but there wasn't anything I needed. John on the other hand needs XC ski boots so we stopped in at the Back 9 in Conway where you used to be able to find inexpensive used sports gear. Well, looks like locals now get price gouged there, too. They were selling really old boots for $50! And the place was so unorganized that we couldn't even find all of the shoes in John's size. They were in plastic bins and a lot of the boots had no match. I'm sure those boots were more than $50 new, but they were definitely not worth it now. We finally gave up and left. There were so many boots in there that they'll never sell them all. Maybe if they lowered their prices they would actually make more money. Unfortunately, that's not how local businesses think around here anymore. It's all about charging more than things are worth to get tourist money. Meanwhile, they're losing the local base. Oh well. I'll just take my money elsewhere.

The last night of the mostly uneventful dull week. Sat by the pellet stove for awhile with Phoenix. Had a beer that Muddy Puddin' gave me. Then watched some episodes of You. John decided to do his math homework just as I got into bed...so I got back up and helped him with that before finally going back to bed.

Sooooooo.....I finally heard back from Tin Mountain today. Although it was the response I hoped for and the response I pretty much forced her into, I'll admit I was still pretty surprised by it. I was also relieved by it as well. I was getting tired of waiting and just wanted to get the ball rolling on the race. Put this shit past me and have it be positive. I'm happy to say that's what's happening.

Her e-mail response...

Leslie,

I am sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I was out of town for the week.

First off I apologize that you never received a thank you from Tin Mountain. Until I took over as the director, I had not been involved in the race as you were working with first Susan and then Jotham. We value all of our donors for their support of Tin Mountain programs and you should have received a thank you every year that we received proceeds from the race. Your donations were always valued.

Thank you for attaching the logo from last year’s race. That is in fact not the logo that I was commenting on. It is the woman with the pose that you currently have silenced over on Facebook that is the logo I was mentioning. I was under the impression that this was the logo being used as it was on the Facebook page and registration page as your logo.

May 18, 2019 is the date available for the race. I will not be there as it is my son’s college graduation that weekend. Jotham will once again be available to help out that day, and we will do trail work prior to the race as has been done in the past. We can check in closer to the race date to discuss particular trail conditions.

I am willing to talk with you again if you would like to clarify any of the issues regarding the race.

Lori


Due to the Westfield 5K conflict that arose in the middle of this, I changed the date to May 19th, but other than that, time to move forward. I let the part about them helping out with trail work slide since they don't help, but whatever. I'm not going to be petty over that. I'm sure writing that response was a bit of a blow to her ego, especially after realizing she had the logo wrong the entire time. So I called it good. Glad for this to be done. The Event Page is now live on Facebook. Registration via Run Reg is all set. Just waiting for them to approve it which will happen tomorrow. Now I can be excited about the race again! Yay!