A Lady of Leisure

My sister called this afternoon to find out how the "lady of leisure" spent her day. Yes, that's right, I am now a lady of leisure. Last Friday I became the casualty of budget cuts and job consolidations, a member of the government's statistics on unemployment. While I was surprised by the news, I really wasn't. A year ago when my old company was acquired, I made the choice to work from home instead of moving to North Carolina. This is a decision I never regretted but it left me vulnerable; working from home is not part of the company culture.

So now it is time to rediscover myself, time to find a new job. From my sister's point of view, trading her class of 3rd graders for hours at home is probably a nice leisurely thought. I, on the other hand, would gladly trade the anxiety of unemployment for a nice position in the classroom.

Today was another incredible day, sunny and 70's. Got out around 11:00 AM for a run on Cherokee Blvd. I discovered what the stay at home moms and retired folks do on pretty days in Knoxville....walk and run on Cherokee Blvd. Since I am having a bit of trouble with my right foot , the run was not as long and fast as I initially planned. The problem is not planters (I know that pain well) but related to my insoles. I did not replace them when I replaced the shoes. My bad....

This evening, John and I returned to Cherokee Blvd with our bikes. Lots of traffic, outfits (bicyclists) and runners out. I seem to have trouble picking up speed on the boulevard, not sure if it is traffic related, the rolling hills or mental. We looped the lower 3.2-mile section 4 times, avoiding the big hills on upper section. John rides along patiently, offering encouragement while I try to build power and speed. He rode 18-miles with me on Saturday, 30-miles by himself on Sunday and tonight's 12.6-miles.

Run: 4-miles, 47.0 minutes, 11:45 min mile
Bicycle: 12.6-miles, 56 minutes, 13.5 mph