Friday, July 30, 2010

Spent... and a Happy Birthday!

I had to describe the last week in one word, I choose the word spent. Last week's mileage increase + over-booking myself last week + a couple of bad nights of sleep caught up with me - big time. I actually ended up having to go home sick from work on Tuesday. I really did not want to go home sick as I hate wasting vacation days, but I was seriously deliriously exhausted. I was sort of like an over tired toddler - on the verge of tears and/or a breakdown for no reason whatsoever.

So I put myself in a drug induced coma on Tuesday and caught up on sleep. I'm starting to feel like my normal self again but I still feel pretty drained. I learned my lesson, though. 6 hours (or less) of sleep each night for mulitple nights in a row is not enough for me.

So this weekend, my goal is to get 8-9 hours of sleep each night. This will mean turning in early as I have to run 7 miles on Saturday morning & 15 on Sunday morning, so sleeping in past 7 is not going to be an option if I want to beat the heat....

Switching gears, I'd like to wish my nephew James a very happy Birthday. He turns 6 today and I am bummed that I don't get to spend his birthday with him! He is quite the little comedian. I have more than a few stories about James. A recent favorite happened last weekend. Us adults were asking the kids what they wanted to be when they 'grew up' and then we asked what they thought we did for a living. They had no idea what my older sister did (she's a teacher), but when I asked them what they thought I did, James turned to me and said with complete certainty, "You run." We all got a good laugh out of that. Yep, running has become such a big part of my life an obsession, it's all my nephews think I do....

Here are a couple of photos

Holding James just days after he was born. I can't believe how tiny he was!

Fishing on the dock a couple of weeks ago. James loves to fish - when you help him cast his rod, he asks: "Did you get it in the honey hole?"


I hope you all have a wonderful, restful weekend! Hopefully I will come back on Monday feeling rested and back to 100%. How many hours of sleep do you need each night?

20 comments:

abbi said...

Happy Birthday James! I'm with you on the sleep thing. It was last week that when I had to take a day off just because I was exhausted between work, extra miles and everything else. I tend to need 8 hours to feel good and try my best to get them! Good luck on your runs this weekend!

Charbelle said...

Happy Birthday James!! What a cutie pie!!! I try for 7-8 but with the 2 jobs it doesn't always work like that. How do your knees handle the consecutive days running? I know you use a foam roller do you have other excercises too?

Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

Aww, what cutie! I hope James has a great birthday and that you get some rest!!!! H

Kelly said...

He's adorable :) Is he going to be in Kindergarten this year or was he last year? The cut offs are different everywhere. Wish he was in my class :)

I hear you on being spent. I know I shouldn't be spent after a month of celebrations and vacation and barely any actual work, but sometimes I think that can be more exhausting haha

Emily Jane said...

I think I NEED 8 or 9 but I usually get 6 or 7 because otherwise there just aren't enough hours in the day! One time I hadn't slept a night through in literally 3 weeks (I have sleep trouble; now I take medication to stay asleep every night) and I came in to work and had a total breakdown at the reception desk, started bawling, ran into my boss's office exclaiming I needed to go to the doctor to get sleeping pills RIGHT NOW and ran off in a fit of tears LOL! Hope you get some rest this weekend!

Abby said...

Hapy Birthday James!! He is such a precocious guy - love it! Miss my nephews beyond words right now.

I am sooo glad you are rested up, Lisa! You needed it!

Uhm, so I always pride myself on being "really good about getting proper rest". Then yesterday I actually counted out how many hours I get each night - and I'm doing 5.

No wonder I am a scatter-brain.

I. Am. So. Ready. For. A. Weekend. I haven't had a one since the the
4th!

Marlys said...

So glad you took a reprieve and got some much needed rest! I was worried about you with all the "events" you had planned and the running and all! We celebrated with James last night at his first "friends" birthday party - it was a great success!

Nora said...

awww, that's a cute little story. Lisa The Runner. has a nice ring to it =)

I ideally need 8-9 hours of sleep a night but lately I've been getting 5 to 6 (as you already know!)

Enjoy your weekend; hope it's uber relaxing!

Leigh said...

Aw happy birthday to your nephew! I love the things that kids say.

I definitely need a lot of sleep each night. I think I get about 8-9 hours during the week. I can't function without less!

Unknown said...

Great post about James. It's hard to believe he is six already. I am so sorry to hear you were ill from exhaustion. Trying to keep a rigorous running schedule along with a busy work and social schedule must be exhausting! And, then to be running in this heat and humidity doesn't help either.

When people ask me what it is like to be retired, I often tell them the biggest difference in my life is that I no longer feel sleep deprived. "Burning the candle at both ends" is a way of life I do not miss.

Take care of yourself and get some rest. Being a professional runner is a big job!!!

RunToTheFinish said...

I have to sleep or I am a horrible person, so I get 8 hours every night

Amber said...

I LOVE the one of you holding your nephew! You're so pretty! Happy Birthday to your nephew!

I try to get AT LEAST 7 hours - bare minimum, but would prefer 8-9. Right now, 7 is barely cutting it. The last two days I've had to DRAG myself out of bed when the alarm goes off and usually I don't have that much of a problem getting up! I'm thinking with all the running we're doing I need to start getting closer to 8-9 on a regular basis. If only there were more hours...

Ally said...

I was so sorry to hear you were so exhausted! Good for you for taking the time you needed to feeling better.

Ideally I would get 8-9 hours of sleep a night. I've found that 7 isn't quite enough for me. Usually I get somewhere between 7 and 8 -- it varies :)

Have a great weekend running and resting up some more!

Oh said...

How great that you get time with your nephews, the baby to the bigger guys!

About sleep: I always feel I'm wasting time sleeping. Yet I know it helps lose weight and also makes the face seem kinder - but honestly, when the summer sun gets up, so do I - I can't help it.
OK, truth: I need 8 hours. That's all, though. Not a minute more. Because I don't get that at night, I steal naps (after work, just little ones) and sometimes on a weekend afternoon - for an hour or so.

J said...

You better be in bed now missy! Ok just kidding! Hope the long runs go well!! I have had those days where I just need to go home and get some extra sleep!

Shoshanah said...

I never feel like I get enough sleep. I try to get in bed around 11 and read for about 30 minutes, and then my alarm goes off just before 7. So I guess that's almost 8 hours, but it still doesn't feel like I get enough sleep!

Lisa-Marie said...

Happy birthday to James!

I nned 6 hours sleep to function, and 7 to function well. Unfortunately, I have a serious pulled muscle in my neck, so last night, I got about two hours :(. Hope your weekend is lovely and your runs successful! xx

Anais said...

Sleep is so necessary! I can't get less than 8 hours for a couple nights in a row or else I really start to feel it. So I go to bed around 9, 9:30. And get up at 6. But it's not so hard because I've had all my hours!

Good luck with the training! I'm going to try to catch up on all your posts this week-end :)

Erin said...

Your nephew is adorable!! Isn't being an aunt the best??? As for sleep--bottom line is I should TOTALLY get more!!! My downfall is that my fiance works far away AND works a late shift--so I find myself always waiting up to talk with him after work! Everything I read, though, tells me at least 8 hrs is necessary for good health--so I'm gonna try to improve my current sleep schedule! Thanks for the sweet comment about my parent's 47th anniversary!!! It really IS a blessing to see them stay strong despite the struggles this world places on marriages!!

Nicole said...

I totally understand you on the lack of sleep thing. I've been running on 5-6 hours average for the past few weeks. I have been on the verge of tears everyday. I've even broken down at work. Luckily I got caught up on sleep on Friday night/ Saturday morning. I accidentally slept in until 11:30am!! Hopefully I can get back on my needed 8-9 hours again soon. Good luck staying rested for your runs.