2/08/2010
Domestique Diaries - Athlete Suck Attack
2/03/2010
January Update
1/24/2010
Domestique Diaries - Bedtime Routine/ Workout #4
In our household we have renamed Brent’s wild bedtime routine to Workout #4. He takes it as strict as a workout, it’s nearly as long, and we have a good laugh about it all the time!
Let me demonstrate through a comparison list. To the “average person” my bedtime routine is moderately lengthy, and consists of:
-floss teeth (3 min)
-brush teeth (3min)
-wash face, tone face and apply two different moisturizing creams (5 min)
-moisturizing cream to hands, Blistex on lips and i’m set and in bed! (2 min)
TOTAL TIME: 13 minutes
Brent’s Workout #4 has grown since he’s been getting back into training, it wasn’t always this complex, but here’s what it is these days
-quick stretch (7 min)
-apply BioFreeze to legs and let soak in (7 min)
-put on heart rate monitor and watch (2 min)
-get into compression gear (6 min)
-look at himself in the mirror while flexing (5 min)
-brush teeth (3 minutes)
-drink one glass of water refill and place full glass on bedside table (4 min)
-set alarm for some unseen early hour of the morning and recheck at least once to make sure it’s still set (2 min)
TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES!!!
Finally, 40 minutes later in strolls Brent looking completely different in his compression gear. He looks somewhat uncomfortable with a slight waddle in his gait, yet the minute he hits the pillow he’s out cold.
Brent is sound asleep and i’m left with a sore stomach from so much laughter and burning nostrils from all the inhaled BioFreeze. Finally, after I calm myself down and I’m just about to fall asleep Brent’s legs start to twitch. Sometimes I think his whole body clears the mattress by at least an inch and I assume that must have woke him up however he doesn’t even seem to notice.
He tells me Workout #4 helps him to wake up and feel like a million bucks. Workout #4 causes me to regardless of my day go to bed with a smile on my face and therefore i’m waking up “feeling like a million bucks” too!
You know you’re living with a triathlete when:
-Workout #4 starts promptly @ 7pm
-you’ve grown accustom to restless leg syndrome and can sleep through it
Happy Dreaming,
Carley
1/17/2010
Domestique Diaries - There are benefits!
1/10/2010
Domestique Diaries - Errands
“ Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed,
Overall, I’m thinking it might be more productive to leave Brent at home during the errands.
You know you’re living with a triathlete when:
-The word hydration has taken on a whole new meaning, “to supply a triathlete with a diaper due to excess fluid balance to avoid constant stops at all bathrooms”
Be hydrated,
1/06/2010
2009 Summary & 2010 New Adventures
12/06/2009
Domestique Diaries – Workout Chores
Athletes have an innate determination to push themselves to the limit, both physically and mentally in key workouts and during a race. They have the ability to push through the hardest circumstances and constantly test their athletic ability. They strive for excellence, and hit every workout to the tee regardless of external circumstances. These are personalities that make not just an athlete, but a world class athlete. These personalities carry over into the athlete’s life and other pursuits and if wise enough into household chores; here’s how I found the link.
Household Chores/ Workout
Brent, having that personality ploughs through it and when I go to check it out it’s done just a little sub par. I’m not saying it’s bad, it’s just different from my way. I don’t want to tell him it’s a little sub par, so I grin and bear it. Later in the week I start to question his process during conversations and I find him answering things like “you don’t need to wash the shower because the soap from showering cleans it every time you shower”, and “the floor didn’t look dirty so it didn’t need to be washed this week”. So inside I’m having a little anxiety attack, the next day when I’m home before Brent I re-clean the bathrooms. Mentally all week I rack my brain about how to approach this minute dilemma, I don’t want to turn Brent off of chores so soon by telling him about his sub par performance, especially since he was so happy about it.
Then it hits me, a workout chore with all the steps written out for Brent to follow and plough trough just like he does his workouts.
So I buy a chore checklist and write out the following for Brent:
Focus: Clean bathrooms
WU: remove and shake/vacuum all carpets from bathroom and kitchen
MS: 1 x shower and tub scrub
2 x toilet bowl, seat scrub (1’)
300 m vacuum- all floors
CD: 2 x Windex mirrors (1’)
2 x wash floors in bathroom (1’)
Fold laundry in laundry room
The result was a magnificently cleaned bathroom. Just as suspected Brent hammered through this as accurately as he does a workout. I realized later if you don’t put a date on the top Brent wants to hammer it out right away. So as long as the date is there, on that day no matter what else he has going on, he will hammer through that workout chore and with sufficient detail on the workout he will do it exactly as it appears on the workout. I have to admit its a little fun for me to write out a new workout chore every week. I change it up all the time so it never gets boring for either of us. And that athlete determination shines through even in weekly chores. What a household!
-your chores are written out in workout form and are hammered out with determination and mad skills.
Live laughing,
Carley J