The Two Week Challenge....

Two weeks? Yes that's right. Fourteen days. Non stop. No breaks. I wonder if I'm up to it. Someone asked me today if I was taking the two week challenge. Today was our first day of 'back-tos'. Everything in the house was strange this morning, like the calm before the storm. Insomniac baby 3 (who is actually venturing into dream land of late and therefore deserves a new name), decided to get up at five. Now I"m a morning person, I like mornings. I like the way the air smells. I like the way the world is politely quiet even if not actually sleeping. I love the darkness that holds little of the same fear that a few hours previous had. I love watching the steam raise off my morning cup of joe and hearing the first bird songs drift across the yard. Now pause and breathe that in, because once baby 3 is up, it's over. There is no quiet, there is no sitting still and the house or porch is filled with the sounds of pitter pattering little feet. These sounds I love too.... just more or less AFTER the cup of joe. Besides which, knowing that I was leaving him for hours meant that he needed a similar routine. So I hastened to help him back to slumber land. By six I was so full of nervous energy that my mind was racing and in no condition to settle down. So I left the now sleeping baby 3 with dad and went out for my third attempt at this running business.

Third attempts are like icing on the cake. You like the cake, it looks good on the plate. You scrap the icing off to eat last. You eat the first half of the piece and feel great - unstoppable even. During the second half you begin to have doubts; it feels too heavy, too rich, your tummy starts to turn... what have you gotten yourself into? But then after a break and some excellent cuppa, you brave the icing.... and the smooth creamy chocolaty sugar slides around your tongue. At that moment you know - it was all worth it. It is glorious!

Then later you hit your bathroom scale and jump into your favourite jeans. Both of which are a bit disappointing. Now translate back to running. My shins ache, my ankle is throbbing, my body says 'what were you thinking you dumb silly cookie monster' (colourful adjectives removed of course). Still when all is said and done, run three is over. And our total distance is up to 8.5 km. Not bad for a lazy butt like me.

I've got to pick my way back to the path I was laying. The two week challenge. Right ok so here's how it works; for two weeks you stay positive. No negative postures, thoughts, opinions, behaviours etc. No negative energy. No pessimism, no back talk, whatever. And the kicker? If you find yourself slipping - you have to hit the restart button.

TWO WEEKS?

Lets try one day. We've got to gear up to these things now. Besides, there are a lot of plates with a lot of cake and icings that need attention.

Tomorrow is the second day of back to's in our house. The dawn will find me jogging again with Achilles in town. Those brave souls getting up so early for me. And of course baby 3 will need to be reassured that life goes on - even without mommy.

Watch out.... as the Beatles say "here comes the sun"!