Sensory Overload

Today is a rest day as far as my half marathon training.  Rest days are fantastic not only because you don't have to worry about getting up before work to run or finding a time to run after work, but it feels well earned. It is an accomplishment.

Last night the first thing I had to do was run. Yes, it was part of the training plan, but it was for me to let the stress sweat away.  Starting a new job and all of the logistics that have to happen before you can actually work with kids is a little draining for me.  OK, very draining for me. SO, I run to release stress, yet I think about 8,000 things while doing so. By the way, 8,000 is the number I use for EVERYTHING when exaggerating. We have a bond.

Curious George is a favorite show in our house.  Cooper and Collin came downstairs to watch me run. What that really means is, turn up the TV to drown out the treadmill and run around like crazy taking out EVERY toy known to man. So here I am with my ipod playing loudly, the sound of the treadmill, Curious George as loud as possible, and children trying to talk to me as if I can hear every word they are saying. It is amazing how with all of that going on how clear the feeling of dying while running can seem.  I decided to add one more component to this situation and that was to watch Curious George. You see, Professor Wiseman was training for a marathon and Curious George was helping her. For some reason it was nice watching her struggle. It looked similar to how I was feeling at the time. During this time I was able to switch songs often on my ipod and when I found something I liked, really listened to the words and musicality.

All of a sudden with every step there was a SUPER bright light that flashed into my eyes. It started to make me feel like I was having a stroke. Was it happening? Was I going to be one of those people who DIES while running? Then I focused and saw Collin staring at the TV with his mouth hanging open and an LED flashlight drooping in his hand pointed right at me.  Of course I tried to shout at him, but that required breath I didn't have! I finally got his attention and he turned it off.

Soon Professor Wiseman was crossing the finish line and I realized I had hit the 3 mile mark so I hit stop and stood there looking like a sweaty mess.  How was it that through ALL of that sensory input was I still able to feel like my stress was washed away?! And I honestly felt great!  The human race is capable of processing so much more than we can even realize. 

The last thought that crossed my mind..."Is Professor Wiseman the girlfriend of the man with the yellow hat or not?!" They never really say!