I’ve taken a couple of weeks off from posting a weekly adventure rundown, but picking up where I left off this Friday morning, I would say that this last week was as filled with reflection and planning as it was adventures. And there was a lot of adventure, so that’s a lot of reflecting and planning!
“Matilda” the Musical
My 9 yo son and I auditioned for our Regional Arts Council’s production of “Matilda” the musical back in May. He was cast as the chocolate cake eating “Bruce Bogtrotter” and I was cast as the villainous headmistress of Crunchem Hall “Agatha Trunchball”.
We had SO. MUCH. FUN.
We spent anywhere from 3 to 5 evenings a week at rehearsal. The shows were the first weekend of August, and the week leading up to our three live performances was intense. We spent six to eight hours a night at the theater during dress rehearsal week, and the performance days were equally long. But my oh my was it all completely worth it.
I am so thankful that my oldest has an innate love for performing. It has been nearly 20 years since I performed on stage – and seeing as I majored in music (voice) in college, the absence of performing in my life is wild.
My 9 yo got me back up on stage, and preparing for and performing in this show, surrounded by a group of insanely talented, kind, funny cast mates, I wondered how I ever left performing for so long. (The back stage nerves reminded me a little bit, ha!)
The experience brought back a lot more than just the memory of the nerves, though. It reminded me of the friendships, the camaraderie, the rigor in preparation and pride in a job well done. And finally, the exhaustion when it is over, followed quickly by a strong desire to do it all over again. Wrapping up a full length musical project like “Matilda” this summer is similar to childbirth or marathon running. Which leads me to….
Running and Soccer
There will be no more babies in our house, so disregard the childbirth analogy. But soccer season did start last week, which means four nights a week at the community youth soccer fields for our family.
Due to the mix of families on my older son’s team (coached by my husband), I find myself sitting on the sidelines and visiting with other parents who have each, at some point in my life, been a running friend/partner of mine. And so naturally, our conversations always turn to running at some point. And these conversations have left me with the deepest ache for the sport I love so much.
I signed up for a half marathon early in the summer. A group of moms tossed the idea around, and it seemed like a great way to get back at it. But I did not get back at it, and last Saturday, I did not race the 13.1.
I do still run. I go to the treadmill in the garage (yes, the treadmill, ewwww), set the machine to 10 min per mile and dog out three or four miles while watching “Virgin Creek” on Netflix.
That set up, the three or four times a week it happens, offers me a little respite from life. A little alone time. A little mindless Netflix time. But it isn’t reigniting my fire for running.
So two days ago I took to the dirt roads, and I pushed myself to run hard. My pace was not much better than 10 min per mile, but it included hills, and bugs, and sweat, and raw effort, and it felt amazing.
Both of my boys have expressed interest in running at different points, and my husband and I are always happy to run a lake lap with them (one mile). But I realized recently that my boys don’t know me as a runner – and “runner” was such a huge part of my identity before them, and for years after in the jogging stroller days.
So, I am making a commitment to get back. Unfortunately “getting back” isn’t as easy as just lacing up my running shoes and hitting the roads for an hour a day. (I mean, it is technically, but…) I don’t feel well. And when you don’t feel well, it takes effort just to get through the days, much less commit to “get back” to anything. Which leads me to…
Vitamins and Food and Water and Sleep
I know, I am far off track from a weekly adventure rundown at this point – whoops. But this week, I started taking vitamins, drinking more water (and a little less coffee), and eating more nutritious food and less junk.
Maybe it’s all in my head, but I genuinely feel happier, more energetic, and clearer minded than I did a week ago. So, I will continue to nurture myself with water and sunshine and healthy foods and ample sleep, and I will also lace those running shoes up every day (well – I’m aiming for 5 days a week because I am not 30 anymore, sigh), and hope that one day in the not too far distant future my soccer sideline conversations are focused on the now of running more than the memories of running.
YES DAY!
Enough about me – our family had a great adventure day on Monday this week. Looking at our calendar we realized that Monday was the LAST DAY of summer break that had nothing on the calendar. I decided we definitely needed to make the most of it!
Mike and I tossed around ideas – head to NYC for a Broadway show?! And amusement park day? A family bike ride, hike, picnic day? We decided to ask the boys how they would like to spend a completely free day, and they were full of good ideas. So full of good ideas that we went with an impromptu “yes day” which included:
Animal Adventure Park (a local attraction made famous years ago as the nation waited for “April” the giraffe to have her baby!)
Barnes and Noble – the boys LOVE it there.
Dicks Sporting Goods – a new location just opened up recently near us and it is amazing with two stories, a climbing wall, and a big outside sports field.
Papa Johns – pizza lunch that we ate picnic style out of the back of our Subaru.
Spirit of Halloween – our first (of what will no doubt be SO. MANY. TRIPS.) of the season. The boys were ecstatic that it was open on August 14th!
Guitar Center – the boys have been interested in guitar lessons (9 yo) and drum lessons (6 yo). We got them signed up, and they start next week!
A Movie – in a theater. With popcorn, and candy, and slushies, and arcade games in the lobby after!
It was a really great day. Such a great day, I am going to aim to make a “yes day” a quarterly event for our family.
Looking Ahead
Mike goes back to school on Monday. Our 9 yo starts 4th grade on Thursday. I start a new job (yikes and yay and so many things!) with a training Tuesday – Thursday. Our 6 yo will spend some time with family before embarking on his 1st grade home school journey after Labor Day.
Whoa. It’s a wild time around here. But nothing that good food, water, sunshine, sleep, vitamins, and lacing up those running shoes regularly can’t get us through!
I’m working on trying to fit fun and meaningful family time into our wildly busy fall season. If you have ideas from your own busy home, I would LOVE to hear them. I’m also happily accepting running inspiration from fellow runners! Hope to hear from you.
