Challenge Accepted! Sort of...

I have set up a 5k challenge in June with some family/friends. The only problem, I cannot currently run. I have been exercising regularly the last couple weeks, but my workouts have all been static rather than dynamic. (Apparently, it's a thing.) In other words, I am limiting my cardio to occasional walks and it seems to be working. I have gotten out of breath and utterly exhausted far less often. I am hoping I'll be able to pick it up in the next month, but right now whether or not I'll be able to run any of the 5k
remains to be seen. But that is tomorrow's worry. For the moment I am going to try live in the moment and ENJOY that I have found a maintainable, consistent, exercise routine. 

Light Yoke, Easy Burden

Restless yet at peace. Not sure how it works, but it seems to be one of the themes of 2020. The trick is to find ways to expend energy without overdoing it. Can’t say I’m there yet, but some moments I’m closer.

Reverting to Childhood

Since the extended down time, we've picked up a variety of projects at the old Home Stead. My personal projects have included updating this blog and starting some seeds to plant in the garden. I've even been creating simple videos to encourage a friend to exercise every day! (These quality films basically consist of my voice rattling off exercises with an image of something like the dogs, or my little sister smiling.)

But not all the projects have been individually driven. The seeds have become more of a group project and we've played several board games over the past weeks.  One of my sisters even dug out a 3D Cinderella puzzle I bought for her years ago. Turns out, I'm really, really, extra bad at 3D puzzles. I spent an hour staring at the pieces and put about two together. My sister meanwhile put together the foundation to build the castle on. A couple days after we broke the puzzle out of its hibernation, sister number two sits down and starts putting pieces together during a study break. In those 10 minutes she connected  a bunch of the pieces I had stared at for over an hour!

Suffice to say, between work/school, reading ('cause who doesn't love books), photosynthesizing, and other random activities we've stayed pretty occupied. However, you can never have too much to do when you're sitting at home with time on your hands. Or so my family seems to think, which is why on Wednesday night I came in from a walk to discover that one of my brothers had brought over a giant, awesome, Lego pirate ship. After dinner the box was opened and building commenced. It is interesting, some things have remained the same while other aspects have changed from the Lego pirates of my childhood. The faces, shirts and even the Jolly Roger are different, while the muskets, cutlasses, and rowboat have remained the same. Oddly enough the most disturbing change so far (other than the pastel base) is the palm-tree trunks. I don't know why, I love the fronds, but the trunks are so foreign to what I remember it weirds me out.

I must add, Lego has gotten very kind in recent years and numbers the bags to make finding pieces for each section easier. Perhaps this isn't a new development and I just ignored such fantastic organization as a child; but I absolutely love it as an adult. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that if I had children I might be the devil parent who mixes all the pieces up in a bowl and makes the kids go fishing to find what they need...

Now that you know how we're maintaining shreds of sanity, what toys or games did you enjoy playing with as a kid? Do you have any fun projects in the works? If not I challenge you consider digging through the attic and revisiting some of those old joys. While we can't fully go back to our childhood (to the relief of some) there's nothing wrong with occasionally embracing childlike joy and innocence.

Speaking of children, this blog post (#grownup-homework?) is done which means, I get to go play in the Legos!!!

Respiratory Attrition

Anyone who has gotten injured or sick will tell you the road to recovery can be exasperating. After catching bronchitis multiple times this last year I finally find myself inching along toward the much-coveted goal of healthy. The breaking point that launched my yearlong battle with the bronchial tubes probably started with the decision to do a Spartan Sprint sick last June (2019). Note to everyone, if you have a fever and feel like death, stay home. No matter how much you hate heights and don’t want to be left out.

As the summer progressed the coughing waxed and waned depending on chill factor and activity. An overnight camping trip in Capitola, horrendous coughing. Backpacking in Catalina, not too bad until day 3. Training for a tri sprint in the summer in the Central Valley, unhappy lungs. Doing the tri sprint with a used-up inhaler, bad news bears. By September an ultimatum was given to me by my boss, two weeks to make a doctor’s appointment or else she was taking me to a doctor herself. (Apparently even before Covid-19 people coughing in the office all day was annoying.) 

Since that initial doctor visit it’s been an up and down journey of lungs looking and sounding better, only to get unhappy again. Looking better, unhappy, better, unhappy. And then January hit. I don’t know what I had, maybe the flu, maybe something else. About four prescriptions later I was less miserable but down for the 10 count for all practical purposes. Which is when I was temporarily moved into my parents. Months later, I am still here partly due to the lockdown that has swept through California and I find myself champing at the bit, wanting to start working out again. 

 

The weather is lovely, the sun is out, and I don’t want to be cooped up. The problem, whenever I push too much my body protests and I find myself back in bed. So, I’m trying to take it slowly, five sit-ups here, ten squats there, an occasional ¼ - ½ mile walk. Patience is not my virtue and there will definitely be future vents posts about workouts/exercise. Today’s purpose, however, is to set the stage so when these posts come around y’all aren’t all puzzled at the slow nature of my progress. 

For everyone who hasn’t been working out recently and wants to start it up again, good news, you can join me on the less intimidating, snail paced progress train! For those who miss their gyms and normal routines, I feel you bro. Having an active life cut off at the knee’s sucks. It takes some adjustment, but I’m holding out hope that no matter where you’re starting from, progress can still be made. Otherwise, I might as well just go back to bed now.