sidebar | life and training 12.19 – 12.25

The last babbly wabbly sidebar of 2022, WOW.

How was your Christmas, good people? The older I get, the harder a time I have letting go of the holidays – ironic, considering adults are often more than ready to move on from the gift giving, hosting, and expectation tied to the day(s). For me, though, the close of the year oft feels solemn, like I didn’t enjoy the presence of the slower days as much as I should’ve.

I was considering my sentiments on my run this morning and came to the conclusion that what goes missing in adulthood is a bit of magic. The everyday is more mundane, faster-paced, and we don’t usually get to stop and simply appreciate what surrounds us. Our minds are wired to travel three directions at once, instead of focusing on a single sight or occurrence. The milestones of Christmas, too, are absent: no long break from school, no searching the house for the stash of presents.

Now, this isn’t to say my Christmas Eve and Day were miserable. Far from. Christmas Eve was pretty relaxed. We finished wrapping gifts, I made soup to stay the 30 degree chill (it was cold here, the perfect cozy weather) and watched Harry Potter in the background. In the evening we trekked over to my mom’s for our annual Christmas soiree, which felt even more lowkey this year than before. My sister and her boyfriend were up since 5:30 that morning and they are certainly not made for those early days like I am, so the energy was a bit lower. Regardless, we enjoyed a couple good dance-offs, lots of snacks, and finished the night with our traditional Christmas PJs. My mom got me the cutest little gnome set!

Christmas morning I embarked on a frigid one hour run only to realize Garmin jipped us out of the usual Christmas badge! Rude. I heated up a couple cinnamon rolls and a big pot of hot chocolate while we opened presents, first from J’s parents and then from one another. I refused to open my big gift in the morning and told J to wake me up once he got home from his folks’ to finish off the festivities.

Then, over to mom’s for our gift exchange. Somehow one of my sister’s stocking stuffers went MIA and showed up a bit later buried in the couch. Weird. I don’t do well with receiving presents anymore but I really loved the creativity my mom put into our goodies. The one I’m most excited for is the spa kit she made up – definitely using those things on my birthday Friday! My sister gave me a framed photo of J and me that touched my heart so deeply I cried. It was from our Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania, and I vaguely remember the photo being taken – but she edited it in black and white and somehow seeing it in solid form, framed, gave me feels I wasn’t expecting. Once of the most wonderful presents I’ve received, perhaps because it lent a reminder of what’s really important this time of year – and always.

Oh yeah, my birthday is Friday. I might make a cake for it, I might not, and I have no plans other than lie in the bathtub with some of the pamper products mom gifted me. Again, a holiday that should have some joy but only feels disappointing, not because no one makes an effort but because I cannot pull out any sort of enthusiasm as I get older.

So, how do I find the magic again? I’m not sure. I’m starting up another bullet journal this week and hopefully I can find a creative way to express my hunt for everyday magic. I’m sure such will be a journey rather than a big revelation that smacks me all at once, but hopefully 2023 will allow me to bring back my joy of the present.

Since it was such a busy week, there’s not a lot of interesting shit below as far as my shopping and wellness asides. I’m sure that’ll resume next week! In the meantime, let’s all think of some points of gratitude to carry us through this final week on 2022 and into the start of 2023. A little positivity will give us a good direction, I think.

The Fuck We Eating This Week?

The coziest, richest meatball soup…

A delicious and warming curry…

A decadent birthday cake (because my birthday is Friday)…

A gooey grilled cheese…

A Few Things I’m Digging

Peanut butter…Recently picked up a jar of Peanut Butter & Co’s Dark Chocolate Dreams. I used to buy this shit all the timebut refrained for awhile (no particular reason) but now that it’s in my house again it might never leave.

Popcorn…J’s dad got us a bag of Popcorn, Indiana’s Black & White Fudge Drizzle and I am hooked. More salty than sweet but still a good balance of both. I pretty much swipe a pinch every time I pass the pantry.

Tea…Tried out Celestial’s Gingerbread Spice tea, it’s so cozy and nicely flavored, honestly tastes like a cookie in a mug! I always make my teas with a bit of honey and I think it brings out the flavors more in this particular satchet.

Shops & Wish List

Fashion

Target…For some reason I’m really into the idea of corduroy pants. This black flare style is cute, but I’m also into the straighter bootcut and brown hue of this one. Really nice with a simple turtleneck sweater.

Kitchen & Dining

Target…Love these salad bento boxes and the divided boxes, they seem to pop up every year but I might pick a few up for to-go lunches.

Week in Training

Monday, 12.19: 8.47 miles, 11:13 pace + 30 minute back & biceps

Still keeping up with my gym routine despite the gym not being open. For the run, it was chilly and I was all bundled up, yet the wind seemed to cut right through my gloves and whipped my face like a sonofagun. Not comfy.

Strength:

• 3 x 10 cross curl to curl 15#
• 3 x 10 reverse fly 25#
• 3 x 12 ea. balanced rotating curl 15#
• 3 x 8 single-single-double row 25#
• 3 x 10 ea. balanced row 25#
• Core work
• 4 x :20 on/:10 off punches 8#

Tuesday, 12.20: 6.32 miles, 11:05 pace + 22 minute chest & tris

Really wasn’t feeling this run from the get-go. I dunno, a lot of my trots have felt forced, but I like exercising in the morning and don’t have much of an alternative. Lower mileage should do me some good. Our gym is still closed up so kept it to my dumbbells at home – still effective, though!

Strength:

• 3 x 15 balanced extensions 30#
• 3 x 8 pull aparts 25#
• 3 x 12 pullover to narrow press 30#
• 2 x 9/1 x 16 single arm skullcrusher/double skullcrusher 15/30#
• 3 x 10 close grip bench press 50#

Wednesday, 12.21: 8.02 miles, 11:13 pace + 40 minute legs and shoulders

Absolutely hate windy runs. Drizzly and blustery overall and the return trip on my path was very unpleasant. Somehow runs feel lonelier when weather conditions are poor. I’m also real sick of our gym being closed!

Strength:

• 3 x 10 ea. lateral lunge to sumo squat 50#
• 3 x 15 diamong squat 50#
• 3 x 12 ea. balanced front raise 15#
• 3 x 10 ea. single leg deadlift 50#
• 3 x 12 Y press 15#
• 3 x 10 ea. standing hydrant
• 3 x 10 reverse squat 30#

Thursday, 12.22: 4.03 mile walk (1:03:00)

Friday, 12.23: 8.52 miles, 11:05 pace

The temperature dropped five degrees between the end of this run and when I left for work an hour or so later, and continued dropping through the day. The run itself was pretty toasty, but I felt good, so decided to extend the duration since I wasn’t sure how I’d handle the cold expected Saturday.

Saturday, 12.24 (MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!) 8.02 miles, 11:26 pace + 35 minute lower body

Phew! Not the most pleasant run. It was crazy quiet outside and very windy. I was mostly okay except a frozen face and I somehow dislodged my pinky from the glove so it was sticking out the whole time! Poor pinky. I wore leggings, a long sleeve shirt, and my thermal top as well as gloves and a headband and stayed pretty toasty as a result. Not sad that it was over, though it was nice to run beneath the Christmas light arrangement down the street. Very festive.

Strength:

• 3 x 12 front squat 50#
• 3 x 24 calf raise 50#
• 3 x 12 sumo squat 50#
• 2 x 24 fire hydrant band
• 3 x 12 curl to press 15#
• 3 x 12 ea. single leg calf raise SS 12 squat 30#

See a trend there?

Sunday, 12.25 (MERRY CHRISTMAS!) 5.4 miles, 11:13 pace

Wanted to get in a run to receive my Garmin “Christmas” badge and enjoy a few more galivants around lighted houses – and there was no Christmas badge! Wtf. Aside from some cars here and there, it was a total ghost town – I was the only pedestrian out. Not even a single cyclist! Felt a bit isolated because it was SO cold – 30* with a real feel of 23 and 10+ mph winds – but my hot coffee and cookie snack inside afterwards felt really special.

Total running mileage: 44.8