This marathon clinic that I am co-instructing is a huge, all-consuming commitment right now. I knew it would require a lot of my energy and attention, but it does even more so than I imagined. There is so much planning and coordination involved, from the schedule to the workouts to the routes (3 runs per week) to the info/discussion topics to the guest speakers to the brunches and so on. We have to manage a lot of people (60+) at widely varied levels, with widely varied abilities and goals. I am so grateful to our volunteer pace group leaders who have helped out tremendously in this regard, but a lot of it still falls on us.
Don’t get me wrong – I am enjoying the experience and find it very rewarding. It feels good to give back in what little way I can and I am also learning a lot in the process. My co-instructor is awesome and we are having a lot of fun. BUT it’s a lot of work.
Combine all of that with a heavy training load, evening commitments 4 nights a week until 9PM or later (Mon-Wed-Fri swim, Thursday clinic) and of course my actual full time job (which is busier than ever lately – go figure) and I have very little “spare” time. It’s a miracle that we can keep up with groceries and laundry and adequate food prep in the middle of all of that.
As a result, I have not been able to devote nearly as much time to the blog (and keeping up with your blogs) lately as I typically do. I often find myself scrambling to put a post together, lacking the thought, detail and photos that I usually aim to provide. I’m sure you can understand why I haven’t been remembering to take pictures of what I’m eating or what I look like after a workout (you know you love that), let alone writing actual content for this blog or reading/commenting on yours. I consider it a success if I leave the house wearing pants!
I often have good intentions to catch up over the weekend, but then I feel the need to turn my brain off and watch mindless TV or movies with hubs if we actually have a chance to sit on the couch. After staring at the computer and stringing words together all day long every day, sometimes that is the last thing I want to do on the weekend.
Of course I realise that blogging is not, in fact, a “job” and I am not obligated to anybody but myself, but I still feel the urge to apologize for my (sort of) absence. I have actually been tempted a few times to just shut it down for now, but I’d hate to miss the opportunity to document my journey to Boston, even if I am not documenting nearly as much as I’d like.
So, I will endeavour to do the best I can with the time I have for now. Thank you for being patient and understanding with me. Something tells me we have all felt like this at one time or another.
And–we all get it and understand. Blog guilt can get heavy some days! Just do what you can and keep that amazing schedule of yours going!
Totally understand. I seem to go in phases where sometimes it’s all I can do to find something to write about. Sometimes I have so much to say and no time to say it. Right now, I seem to be in the worst of both worlds where I have nothing to say and very little time to say it.
Just write when you have time. Your blog will still be here when life settles down. (Glad to hear you manage pants most days LOL)
No explanations needed! You’re giving back in a big way with the clinics for sure. Definitely document your journey to Boston. It’ll be something you’ll want to look back on for years to come.
as bloggers/runners/triathletes, we totally understand how it is …so no need to feel bad or guilty! just blog for the joy of blogging. my training schedule is no where near as tough as yours and some days, by the time i get home and finish dinner, it’s all i can do to make my way over to the couch and zone out in front of the tv, let alone blog (even though I love it!).
Your clinic and training are reaping the rewards of your dedication…and that is the important part!! Your blog posts are always great…quality over quantity if you have to choose!
Just do what you want and what you can with no guilt! It sounds like you are beyond busy and I have always thought you were busy! Take care.
Wow, I totally get where you are at right now. Hosting a clinic, especially a Marathon Clinic readying for the spring season is all consuming. I’ve done it for the RR so I do know what you are saying. Focus on Boston right now, the other “dark side” events will all fall into place. Right now, it is not about over training, it is about training properly for the event. You are going to just be great!!!
Hunker down for the blizzard, and I do know you are safely tucked away in the burbs, I use to live up there! (however, I am from T.O.) so I get to slag it! xoxoxo
Just chill…you deserve it! It is so easy to get into blog guilt…but it is supposed to a fun thing…right?
I can totally relate! I love reading you rblog and am not about to jump ship just because life gets busy! I have been there lately myself! Take care of yourself, too!
excuses excuses.
maybe if you didn’t workout 20 hours a day you’d have more time for us!!! :-p
i love you maurlene. don’t ever leave me.
I was wondering how you were doing. It’s funny how people don’t understand how much work the RR clinics actually are behind the scenes. Plus, if the instructors are actually trying to train seriously for something and work a full time job…Oy Vey, lady! I’m literally living your life in parallel right now. Difference is my clinic ends at Chilly.
Just know that we’re rooting for you, and since you have a co-instructor and pace group leaders, Use Them and say No to clinic runs sometimes if your body is putting the brakes on. Remember what your A goal is and don’t spread yourself too thin from enthusiasm (though I’m a HUGE hypocrite)
. Much love from Sykes to Sykes!
Thank you Sister Sykes! I don’t know how tyou do this back to back to back. I am exhausted and the clinic is not even close to half over. Kudos to all instructors, past & present. This gig is no joke!
Thanks for the advice, I will take that as permission not to give 100% ALL the time.
We all get it – it happens to all of us! I haven’t opened my reader in two days right now and am trying to catch up! So no blog guilt from you.
I totally understand – often work becomes so crazy that I am lucky I get my run in. Thanks for finding time to post on my blog! I appreciate it!
Can’t you cut out sleep? Now I’ll have to actually work at work!
Completely understand! You have a lot on your plate. I think you are doing a great job keeping the ends pulled together. I have let many things slip by with my busy schedule (which seems to only get crazier) and blogging is one place to cut from when time gets tight. Then I fret over missing things from all my imaginary friends days. Oh the guilt we put on ourselves!
Keep pulling at those strings. You can keep them together!
I’m seriously fine if you don’t comment on my blog – as long as you promise me that you’ll always leave the house wearing pants.
Marlene, I think you are an incedible young lady doing a fantastic job of enjoying life! Keeping the balance is a challenge at times and you do very well….you set high expectations and that’s the nature of a winner! Take care my friend!
Blogging when your busy is so difficult! It is nice though because it doesn’t seem you are too MIA on facebook in between posts!
I feel you on the blogging time crunch. I miss reading everyone’s blogs too. I think it is so cool that you are doing that marathon clinic.
You do have a lot on your plate! The blogging guilt is a funny thing… glad you can back off a little. You’ve got some great things to balance in life, more important than blogging!
this is how i’ve felt about blogging lately, with job, social life, husband, teaching college and what not, blogging comes last for the for the past few years. so no worries. go and do what you need to do! i can still stalk you on twitter and fitness pal anyway
and in the meantime have fun with your marathon clinic and all the training!
come on Maurlene more posts. I want 3-4 per day to make up for lost time….haha!
My friend do what you need to do and your journey to Boston is being documented….by you. When you get the time you can write with a clearer mind and we will all still be here reading what you write and laughing at pictures of you.
you can take a break anytime…I will always be waiting. How could I survive my rough days without your post work out pics!
Don’t worry about it Marlene. I’m still coming if you only would blog once a week for example. I understand that you’re busy, we all have weeks/months like that.
And I totally understand that you choose to spend time with hubs at the weekend instead of reading blogs. It’s Saturday afternoon here and I will spend 30 minutes to read my favorite blogs and that’s all I do in blogland this weekend. Last weekend I unplugged from blogs completely and I loved it, I even had time to do things I hadn’t done in a long time and enjoyed it.
i think i wrote this same exact post early last summer. i’ve cut back and told myself it’s ok to not keep up with everyone (esp b/c i can hardly keep up w/ myself). and it’s crazy how much time you can spend on blogging. i do it when i can now, no pressure to write or read and it’s working for me. i’m glad i’m not the only one who can’t keep up, i felt so bad in the beginning for falling behind on what everyone was doing.
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I love reading your journey and don’t think you should feel pressure to post everyday or even respond to every blog post. For me blogging comes in waves — and I am all about when I am inspired to write. But when I’m super busy and feel guilty about not writing or responding it makes me not want to even turn on my computer. Blogging should be fun!