So I got a new bike. And then I rode it a whole lot while I was in St. George for the long weekend. I ran and swam some also and was loving it. All I needed to take care of was myself. It was a nice break.

Karl and the kids stayed home. Without a car. Because we are a one-car-family. They rode their bikes the places they wanted to go. For four days. And had a great time with friends who came to visit on Monday. My boys are studs.

I rolled off of my inflatable mattress at the Hotel De Rue (best hosts and friends ever!) very early on Tuesday morning. Sore throat and tired body. Tempted to stay on the freeway and keep going, I forced myself to take the exit to the pool to get in a swim before the 5-hour drive home. Decent swim, good decision.

Made it home just in time to throw the bags and new bike into the house and head to school. Time to volunteer in Max’s class. I wasn’t going to ditch out on this. 100 days of Kindergarten! Except when I arrived – tired and hungry – the classroom was empty. Turns out I was a day early. The party was Wednesday! Craptastic. I gave up two hours of precious sleep for nothing! Oh well. I was too tired to get upset. I found Max and gave him a big hug instead. He was thrilled. About my hug and about the 100 nails he brought to school that day.

Went back home. Attempted to unpack my stuff which ended up with me lying on the floor for 20 minutes and then heading back to school. Snacks in the car. Soccer practice on the other side of town. Home to a super messy house and empty kitchen. About to lose it. I don’t think I can do this. But it’s my job and I want this apartment to feel like a home. Stained carpets and bikes in living room and all.

Caffeine and Sharpies to the rescue.

Now, I don’t drink coffee. Or anything else containing caffeine. I don’t want to need caffeine. Not a fan. But this was an EMERGENCY. Basically. And I knew exactly what was going to get me off my chair and to work:

Against all of my rules, I ate a gel at home, not about to train, containing 100mg of caffeine. Yikes! Those things should be illegal except during Ironman racing. Me thinks Karl should hide the rest of these until racing season starts!

Then I remembered the gold and silver Sharpies I had bought a while ago. Plus black paper. Max was entertained.

I cleaned, cooked, unpacked, had dinner with the kids while Karl was running with Ryan Hall*, read this awesome book

to the boys before bed, vacuumed, and felt like super woman. Except that I cheated. And I realized how easy it would be to make this a habit. I mean: Who doesn’t like to have a lot of energy between the hours of 4 and 9pm? Which is usually when I am in some sort of slump desperately trying to pull myself out of it and being the mom and wife I want to be. I do realize there is absolutely nothing wrong with having some caffeine every afternoon but it’s not for me. I want to know exactly how I naturally feel and figure out a way to deal with it.

I also realized (again) how much I love to train all day. With no distractions. Even all by myself. But it’s not my reality and I am grateful for that. Because after a few days it gets old for me. And I miss my kids and Karl and I start to feel selfish. And then I get to go home and be a wife, a mom, and a triathlete. And that’s a pretty dang good combination if you ask me.

*No. Ryan Hall and Karl aren’t best buds. But our running community here in Flagstaff is so awesome that even top level runners come to our Tuesday night track practices. How cool is that?