I think it's safe to say we are all riding the worst rollercoaster ever. I won't get political on here but let's be honest, we're fricked. We're in the midst of a pandemic, which I feel like many people have already forgotten about. Over 100,000 people are dead and cases are still on the rise. I can't even type that without getting upset and sad. I won't even go into the problem of police brutality. Everything is just as bad in every way. I can't be out there with everyone but Lord knows I stand here with them.
One subject matter that has come up quite often these past few months is mental health and how there has been a rise in those seeking help. I've never publically talked about this and just recently came out about it to my running coach but anxiety is something I've been dealing with for a while now. Due to recent events, it's pretty much been much more prominent in my life than not. Usually, I'm pretty good at making it subside or preventing it from coming on at all. I don't take medications or anything as I like to take a holistic approach to everything. It was suggested I take a gander at the application Headspace and it's been awesome. They are even offering a free year subscription to those who are unemployed, otherwise, you can try out a 14-day trial by clicking here. It might feel weird at first. Sitting still for 5-10 minutes is actually a lot harder than it may seem but after a few days, I've looked forward to it so much. Whenever I want just to sit and have a guided meditation has been wonderful and a big aid at emptying my thoughts. Mental health in the form of telemedicine is something that is slowly becoming more widely available but I still think the accessibility can be improved and the cost. Either way, it's okay to ask for help, even if you think whatever you may have going on isn't "as bad" as someone else. Just talking with someone can be such a huge weight off your shoulders. I've been journaling every morning for the past 21 days. I even set a "Digital Wellbeing" block on all of my social media apps from 5am-12pm though I'm considering making it longer. I absolutely love my Instagram family but sometimes, it's too much. It's too much to take in on everything being posted. It's too much to consistently try to seek validation so people can be like HEY LOOK WHAT I DID I'M THE BEST. I'm guilty of this and I know some of you that read this are too. We all are at some point. There is tons of positivity radiating on there but sometimes it's equally met with negativity. I've connected with a lot of people I wish lived closer to me and I've also become annoyed with those I wish would take a break and find out who they really are. Either way, remember everything else around you. Sometimes when you put the screens down and take a moment to look around, you do realize there is more to life than just scrolling your feed for 15 hours a day. It's been a wonderful choice I've made.
Phew, okay. That was a lot to get out. Should we talk about running? We haven't since I finished my ultra. The good news is that I'm still doing it. I took a week off after my race and just did yoga every day. My body felt fully recovered probably 2 days after but it's good to have that reset period. My coach had me start back up with some light work and cycling. I told her I wanted to incorporate more cycling into my training since I've really enjoyed it and it's really been a great help to my cardiac fitness and endurance. The NordiTrack is still amazing. One day I'll have a road bike but until then, I'm enjoying rides all over the world. Last week I rode in Tokyo. Tomorrow I'll hit up Colorado. My first attack was the McKirdy Mile. I wasn't setting big expectations on my time since I had only run twice and was only two weeks post-race.
Yeah, needless to say, I was quite surprised when I looked down after I hit the 1-mile mark. I told my coach that I'd be happy with an 8:30, even an 8:15. It was a great accomplishment. It also lit a fire under me wanting to work more towards becoming more efficient. Becoming faster is one thing but doing it in the most efficient way is important. I started looking at races coming up for the fall and winter. To be honest, I am not comfortable being around people and I highly doubt that will subside for the rest of the year. Sure, maybe I'm being too cautious but it only takes one person. I'm okay with riding the virtual race train for a bit. I registered for the SeaWheeze virtual half marathon and will attempt that in August. I guess you could say I'm currently in week 2 of training for that and my coach just started implementing speedwork in today. Have I mentioned how thankful I am for her? Because I am.
Let's see if I keep up with an actual consistent schedule with this thing again. I'm trying to play around with the layout again since I got bored with the purple. I want it to look cleaner. I'm kind of OCD when it comes to graphic design. What can ya do? I hope you all stay safe. Stand up for yourself. Be grateful for what you have and pray.
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