Going, going, going

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I blogged. I've been pretty busy, but I just haven't felt like getting on the computer after work.

Last week seemed to go by more slowly than usual, so I was glad to see it end. After several nights of trying, I finally made it to bed early last Wednesday night -- at 11 p.m. I really needed it.

I realized Thursday afternoon that I hadn't felt like myself in over a week. In fact, I felt like I'd been a bit of a bitch, and it was frustrating. I was rushing to run some errands that afternoon, and it was in the middle of them that I realized the reason I'd felt so off: I was insanely stressed. I realized I was pretty much on the verge of a breakdown, one of those times I'd just need to stop and cry my eyes out for a few hours, only I didn't have time. I decided I'd give myself Sunday after church through the rest of the day to relax, rest and cry if I needed to.

Since it was still just Thursday, I needed to vent somehow. I started to write a blog about my light bulb moment, and I thought about rattling off the list of things I was stressed about -- everything from the fact my washing machine decided to stop working properly to the fact I hadn't heard from K all week (and had only talked to him once a week the previous two weeks as well). Go figure, though, there was no time to write it.

Then, that afternoon, K called. I immediately felt so much better just to hear from him. We were able to talk for about 45 minutes, and the conversation actually overlapped the time I was supposed to join some friends for a workout. I wound up skipping so I could talk to K longer. It wound up being an additional blessing because it meant I wasn't rushing to the workout. I was able to run a couple errands I hadn't had time to do, and I got to relax a little bit. I met up with Jeremy and a friend at 9 that night, and we ran 4 miles, so I still even got my workout in.

I was able to put an Easter care package together for K that night after the run. It meant I was up late, but I didn't mind.

Friday was a standard day, but that night after work, I met Heather for Mexican food and margaritas. It was so much fun! We talked about work, the guys, bloggers, wedding planning and a billion other things. I really needed that.

We called it a night at a little after 9, since I had to get up before 6 a.m. on Saturday. I ran a 5k that morning. It was my first running event. I started off in the run more quickly than I meant to because I was just trying to get past the people who were walking or had strollers and dogs with them. There was no staggered start, and the people who weren't in it to run didn't worry about sticking to one side of the road. I weaved through them and tried to find a spot where there was more space to just run. After a while of that optimistic attempt, I realized it wasn't going to happen.

And then I realized I'd worn myself out. And then I came to a hill I'd forgotten that I'd been warned about. (Oops.) After the hill, I slowed quite a bit. I'm pretty sure I was at less than a 10-minute mile pace. I really wanted to stop running and just start walking, but at the same time, it was just 3 miles. I had run 4 miles TWICE that week. I could tough it out a bit longer. I did, and I wound up finishing in just over 27 minutes. Without the hill (and the smaller one at the very end of the route), I know I'd have done a lot better (along with everyone else in the run). I was still pretty proud of myself, though -- especially considering I couldn't even run a block in December.

Sunday, I went to church and then pretty much took the rest of the day easy, like I'd planned. K called me, so I was able to talk to him for a little bit. Hopefully we're back on our twice-a-week schedule now.

Things today have been pretty uneventful. I feel like I'm in a bit of a funk again, but I'm hoping it's just because I haven't been to the gym since Wednesday night. I did run on Thursday and Saturday, but running just doesn't give me the boost I get from the gym. I'm supposed to head that way in about 30 minutes, so hopefully that helps. Guess I've gotten used to those endorphins!