So Eric and I are doing The Love Dare. (Cue the “awwwww” noises or gagging sounds.) Here’s the thing: what with work, kid activities, and our own other involvements, he and I had reached the point where we were barely getting any time just to ourselves, and it was taking a toll on us. I started doing my runs earlier in the morning so that I could be done and showered by 6 AM, giving us time to eat breakfast alone together before he got ready for work, but we still found ourselves distracted by our own thoughts and whatnot during even that time. Not good.
I heard about the book through MOPS, and I ran across it at the bookstore and decided to get it. I’m not sure it’s supposed to be done simultaneously by both members of a couple, but so far, it’s working for us. We eat, and then I read each little chapter out loud (since I usually finish eating before he does). Each topic is followed by a “dare,” which is really just an exercise in putting the topic into practice that day. We’re only on day ten (there are forty in all), but the exercises have been pretty simple through now. Today’s confused both of us a little, though:
Do something out of the ordinary today for your spouse—something that proves (to you and to them) that your love is based on your choice and nothing else. Wash her car. Clean the kitchen. Buy his favorite dessert. Fold the laundry. Demonstrate love to them for the sheer joy of being their partner in marriage.
It’s the “out of the ordinary” part that’s throwing us. We do things like the ones mentioned on a regular basis, and it’s difficult to think of something that would be atypical for this. The chapter specifically called out the topic as being about agape love, not eros (sexual) or philea (friendship), so that rules out some of the ideas we initially brainstormed together. So I’m still pondering, and it’s only 10:30, so I guess I still have time to come up with something. He’s out with friends for their weekly Scrabble night tonight, so whatever I do will need to be worked around that. I may have a few ideas brewing…
(For the record, if you didn’t follow the link, the book is a Christianity-based one. If that’s not your cup of tea, you’ll probably want to know that before buying it.)
Still tapering. (Duh.) Here’s a fun issue: I’ve gotten so used to eating to fuel those big mileage weeks that it’s hard to stop now that I don’t really need to eat quite so much. I’m not hungry, per se; I’m just used to the feeling of being famished and then eating the appropriate amounts to satisfy that. Add to that the Easter candy around here, and…yeah. My stomach isn’t happy right now, with the excess sugar I’ve given it just sitting there, not being burned off. It’s a yucky feeling, and it makes me jittery. I need carbs, sure, but Cadbury eggs are probably not the way to go right now.
So I made awesome oatmeal pancakes this morning, as a way of stepping down gently from Mount Sucrose. 
Hidden wheat germ, for the win! And I need to work extra hard to make sure I’m getting all my water; I’ve been a bit slack on that the past few days.
Eighteen more days!
I’m doing this race as my first 50K/ultra in July 2012. I’m so tardy to the party but...
I work at a Christian bookstore. We sold that book by the dozens around Valentine’s Day. — Hope you had some success with that tricky day 10!
My aunt (a couch-to-5k-to-10k-er) and I are both using the BodyBugg — a little pricy, but this seems to help keep an accurate picture of what can and cannot be eaten. — I know there are some less expensive knock-off brands that you could investigate as well. — It’s definitely something to put on a wish list. We both are obsessed with ours and are constantly text messaging each other our burn rate or total calories burned.
that is exciting that your goal is so near
I can only relate pregnancy to this. . .and it’s not quite the same thing as I wasn’t so much training, but gestating.