At risk of being Dooced, let me talk about work for a minute. I love what I do. But will you understand if I am sometimes frustrated? With third period (juniors), I keep having conversations like this one:
Kid: How long until break?
Me: Two weeks.
Kid: So, like, next week?
Me: No, you go to school next week, then vacation is after that.
Kid: Wait, I thought we had ten days?
Me: Right. Each school week is five days, and there are two weeks left.
Kid: What day do we get out?
Me: The 18th is the last day of school.
Kid: So vacation is next week?
Me: Look, you stay at school today until 3:15, then go home and sleep. Come back tomorrow. Go home and sleep. School. Sleep. School. Sleep. School, then enjoy a nice weekend. Then come back. There are five more days of that, and then vacation.
Or...
Me: Okay, we're on page 40, the "Change of Heart" article. Please turn to page 40.
Kid: What page are we on?
Me: 40.
Another kid: What page?
Me: 40. Everyone please turn to page 40, the "Change of Heart" article. We're going to read the article "A Change of Heart" on page 40.
Kid: Is it two?
Me: Huh?
Kid: Is it, like, two articles?
Me: Let me see what you're looking at. (I look.) No, those are the letters to the editor. We're on page 40.
Anyway, on to running. I have really been enjoying running. I feel like I have a goal, and I am keeping a schedule. I am challenged, but not overwhelmed. I have a really positive feeling about sticking with it, and I feel like I can reach my goal. I have a happy vision of myself back at a healthy weight. I am providing a good example for my baby, who now declares "I'm exercising!" and "I want to run like Mommy!" In short, it is really good for me. Except for one thing -- I think my knees are about to give out. I'm serious. When I get off the treadmill, I have to hold the handles in order to step to the ground, and after I drive home, I can barely make it up the two steps into the house. And they don't just hurt during or immediately after a workout, either. They pretty much hurt all day, every day. If I sit still for a few minutes, then try to walk, I limp and struggle.
I'd love to know why. Is it because I have bad running form and could fix it with a different stride? Is it because I'm just too damn heavy and am putting too much stress on my joints (I'm not insulting myself -- I am genuinely obese)? Am I just prone to bad joints? (I haven't complained about it in a long time, but I have fairly constant joint pain, just not as bad as the knees.)
Sweetie suggested swimming, which is great low-impact exercise, but for some reason, I don't love it. You can't read a book. You can't listen to music. It's just you and the two ends of the pool and the long stretch in the middle. And cold, wet hair before bed.
Lastly, when Z decided to sleep in the big bed, she also wanted to nurse in there. And then she nursed to sleep, and I didn't see the ENORMOUS problem that was going to cause. She ended up wanting to nurse and stay awake longer and longer until I was spending a couple hours in there every night, falling asleep out of exhaustion, and then sneaking back to my own bed, only to go back in to comfort her when she woke up and I wasn't there. Ugh. I never got anything done in the evening, and neither of us was sleeping very well.
So last week, I decided to change that. I re-read the Sleep Lady book, then re-decided it wouldn't work for us. I decided to institute a bedtime routine, then just let her lie in there and go to sleep by herself. For three nights, she cried like the dickens, though less each night. On the fourth night (and fifth through seventh), she has quietly gone to sleep with no crying and slept all night long. So we're both happy -- she's getting more sleep and I'm getting more time to myself.
If you're interested, out bedtime routine is as follows: I change her diaper. I brush her teeth and recount her day (we play a little game where she purses her lips and I poke them to get the toothbrush in, and she laughs). Then we read "I Love You As Much." Then I give her and Sweetpea (her doll) both a hug and kiss. Then I tell her the little rhyme my grandparents used to say to me: "I love you little. I love you big. I love you like a little pig." Finally, I tell her to sleep well and have sweet dreams, and I tuck her in and remind her to help Sweetpea get to sleep.
5 comments:
May I suggest a trip to Fleet Feet? You may be wearing the wrong shoes. They will observe your gait and make sure you get a great pair of shoes. My knees hurt like hell when I run too. I'm trying a few things this time around: stretching, staying off the pavement as much as possible, glucosamine, arnica, ice, and motrin. I think my body just needs to adjust to all the movement ;)
Fleet Feet also has wonderful running clinics for all different levels if you think your form needs coaching!
Ditto what Kimberly said. I was going to ask if you've got good shoes. I weighed 236 when I started (and I'm 5'5") so it's not likely that you're too heavy to run.
Make sure to stretch before and after. I had a friend who is an exercise physiologist give me some exercises but honestly, yoga a couple of times a week does just as well for me. Also, do some strengthening exercises for your legs to support your knees.
Hang in there! Running has been the best thing in the world for me - the only exercise I've stuck with for any length of time and it makes me feel strong and awesome.
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I love running, too, and I recently started to try and run more often. I find it is a great way to relieve stress.
As for your knees, I think you can do some exercises to help with the stress of running. I use this weights machine in which I sit on the seat and press my knees together. I'll try and find out what it is called. It definitely makes a big difference.
Also, and this is not something I know for a fact but have instead heard tell of it, I do not think that swimming provides weight loss in a way that you might hope for. It will help you get your heart rate up, and will help your lung capacity, and strength, but it does not help with weight loss the way that other kinds of activities (like biking or running) can do.
I agree to make sure your shoes are right for your foot and how you run, and if you can go to a store where they'll watch you run, they may be able to help you figure out if you're doing something really wrong. I also love running like whoa and it has made my winter blues that I normally get this time of year just a blip.
Thanks all. I actually did get observed and fitted at Fleet Feet, and that's where I got my shoes. I think I have to quit, though. I can barely walk for days after any workout, and my knees are popping, clicking, hyperextending, sore to the touch -- I am seriously afraid I'm going to blow them out.
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