Skip to main content

My hairy armpits


I found myself in a bit of a bind last Sunday, in what started as a mad spiral downward in my attempt to stay afloat. Issues and roadblocks kept cropping up to cause incredible frustration and uncertainty on an evening when I should have been trying to mentally relax and prepare myself for the week ahead. Let me explain…

Last week, in a nutshell, was the second of six weeks I am house sitting for a lady with two old cats. An easy job, really, except for the fact I’m living with two of the most obnoxious old men with whom I’ve ever had the pleasure of sharing a house. If I had enough room to write out everything their owner asked me to do for them, it would fill up this page. I simply confided to them the next six weeks were going to be the longest weeks of their long hairy lives, because this girl didn’t have time to do half of the unnecessary things their momma swore was pertinent to their existence.

For those of you who live out of a gym bag, you know there is nothing quite as ridiculous as having to pack all your shower paraphernalia, clothes for the workday, and extra workout clothes for the second training session after work. My week (and those weeks to follow) was further complicated by the fact that I’m driving back and forth between school, said house, my home, physical therapy, gym, and social workouts (trainer rides and group runs). The odds of forgetting some crucial undergarment or pair of socks are compounded significantly. If remembering all my clothes wasn’t hard enough, I’ve been hauling my bike, trainer, swimming bag, and running gear everywhere I go. If you thought living out of a gym bag was hard, try living out of the trunk of your car! I have sports bras and underwear sprawled across my trunk with wet clothes and towels hanging over my bike to dry.

Midweek, I finally resorted to making lists of everything I had to accomplish and needed to remember so I wouldn’t forget. I confided to a friend during one of my social runs that I actually have to write out what I’m doing, where I’m going, and what I’m taking every hour of every day. The problem was that each time I erased something off my To-do list, I remembered three more tasks I needed to complete. It looked something like this:
Write integumentary paper
Complete pediatric project
Read knee anatomy
Review patient case
Look over cardiac rehab virtual case
Study pediatric notes
Grocery shopping
Make food for next week

In an effort to make a difficult week and turn it into something more positive, I leave you with a song my good friend and DPT soon-to-be, Caleb Foss, shared with me when he sensed my stress level spiraling steadily upward. Which reminds me why I titled this post Hairy Armpits. You’ll notice on my list above I failed to include Shave your armpits. A few days ago I happened to look down after my morning swim to notice considerable undergrowth where it should be clean-shaven. It’s funny how, when I’m completely overwhelmed by life, some of the smallest daily hygiene tasks pass me by.

Somehow, I remembered to shave my legs midweek in preparation for my musculoskeletal lab, much to the appreciation (I’m sure) of my lab partner. Yet looking down to see what I’d forgotten made me remember the time I’d witnessed my first hairy arm-pitted lady swimming in the pool. I can only recommend that you not do what I did and open your mouth in complete surprise while you’re in the middle of a stroke. You’ll swallow more pool water in that one moment than you ever wanted to taste in your entire lifetime. I didn’t want to cause anyone the same disbelief that lady afforded me, so I told myself I’d remember to shave when I went home the next day, where I knew I had a razor. See, living away from home makes you realize how much you forget to pack when you need it most midweek. As I write this, I can proudly say I remembered a couple nights ago (before masters swim yesterday). Seeing as it's already two days out, and hair don't quit growing, I better write it on my To do list after I’m done listening to Little Secrets by Passion Pit. Enjoy :)

http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/Little+Secrets/3DBVx3?src=5

Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 25, 2014 at 7:49 AM

    Some men like women natural. Just sayin'.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My opinion...For what it's worth

My first Half Ironman 70.3 turned into Boise 29.3. I may be the only one to say that I respect the officials' judgment call on this one, because apparently, a few of my triathlete comrades lack sufficient brains themselves. The comments I'm reading on Facebook leave me pretty disturbed. Let me just put this out there: I entered this sport because it looked tough and challenging. It pushes anyone who enters these races to their ultimate limits and requires a demanding amount of time to complete the training necessary to succeed. I entered this sport because of the people. Healthy, smart, fit, inspiring, motivating. I can't think of a single person who has questioned my ability to participate in this sport. I entered this sport because anyone can do it. I passed people younger and older than me, some as old as 74. I watched one woman hobble along the run course, surely just on her first lap. She looked like her knees were going to cave in. Yet she was running. I did not ent
2 comments
Read more

How strong are your feet?

Who knew my first post in 2020 would be about the work I'm doing on my feet. Not just any work, but the work required to make them strong enough to propel me to faster running paces, the work to make them durable enough to heal up some old injuries and prevent new ones from taking hold. Jay Dicharry , a Physical Therapist and researcher in Bend, OR, says that almost all ankle, foot, and lower leg injuries can be attributed to faulty foot mechanics and a weak foot core.  I listened to him speak on a podcast called Trail Runner Nation today, and all the advice he provided me during my two personal visits with him last year rushed back in a torrent of memory. It seems fitting that his reminders would hit me like a hammer over my head when I consider the nagging foot pain that has cropped up again over the past couple of weeks. I'm going back to my toe yoga, short foot exercises, and working hard to build up the strength in my foot intrinsic muscles. Meanwhile, here's a b
Post a Comment
Read more

It is finished

As with everything in life, nothing stays the same. Change is inevitable. It does not always mean it's a turn for the worst. In my case, I think this is a change for the better. As of 2021, I am closing the door on racing triathlon and rekindling my investment in the doctorate degree I worked for in Physical therapy. Thankfully, making money again has felt much more productive than losing it in the pursuit of professional triathlon. Thankfully, my body has responded positively to a slackened training schedule. Thankfully, my head is clearer for the release in pressure to perform.  I needed a new pursuit, a new challenge, a new endeavor. Raising and showing my dogs has helped me slow down, challenged me to learn and communicate differently, and taught me that physical fitness can still be achieved to a lesser, healthier extent.  It has worked so well that I'm also going back to doing what I loved to do 10 years ago. Pursuing a more simple lifestyle (outside of work, of course) a
Post a Comment
Read more