A Rendezvous with Sneakers

I think there is a fine line between when you do something because you love it, and when it becomes a (healthy) addiction. And, I crossed that fine line last night at work (however, some would argue I crossed that line months ago).

I’ve joked about it before–my quote-en-quote “fascination” with races–which really only started in 2004 when I ran my first 5k and got third for my age group, although thinking about it, growing up I was always doing something competitive.

So, when is too much, too much? Is it,

• When you schedule all your weekends off work around races for the next year, including running races, triathlons, and duathlons–not only in the state you live in, but other states? “Oh, I know I cannot work the third weekend of September 2011 because there’s a tri Sunday morning at 0830”
• When in the middle of writing a nursing note at the end of a shift, after coding patients, physical and mental exhaustion, feet killing you after being on them for thirteen hours, you begin to wonder how long a certain run will take you when you get home from work?
• When you kindly decline people’s offers for incredibly delicious looking cookies at 0500 because you are getting back to your “peak racing weight”–and you actually have no idea what your racing weight should be, but know it’s just less than what the scale says.
• When co-workers at the hospital have nicknamed you “the TKH’s very own little ICU racer”?
• …And they cannot believe you spent two hours on a trainer before coming on to your third night in a row, or wonder how you can devour 5 hour old stale coffee black with no sugar or milk, or exist on three hours of sleep.
• …And they know not to mess with you if you only got a 3 miler in before work?
• …And when your fellow cycling buddy/ colleague talks about Graeme Brown after handing off report, you know exactly who he’s talking about?
• When you spend non-working hours studying past race results, and figure out how fast you need to be this year to beat other people in your age group–just incase they decide to partake in that particular race this year as well.
• …And, if your body can tolerate it, when you can visit family members (but really, are traveling to those places because there’s a certain race going on at that time…and it just so happens you have a family member who lives in that city)?
• …And are glad you are still young, because the majority of people racing in tri’s are ten or more years older than you, so you still have time to do well…And wonder, “Woah, what will I be like in ten years?” Now, that is a scary thought.
• When your doctor tells you it’s okay for you to exercise again, in hopes you will stop pestering him about when it’s okay for you to train?
• You see someone with an IM tattoo on the back of their calf at the gym, and wonder how his swimming skills are, and which IM he has completed (and you feel a pang of jealousy that he has such a tattoo, and even know what the IM stands for, when the majority of people at the gym probably have no idea)…And then wonder if he will marry you.
• You regret getting that tetanus shot in your deltoid the day before because it really messes up your stroke when swimming the next day.
• You know three weeks in advance you cannot do anything on a certain Friday night because you have a brick workout scheduled the next day?
• The majority of your clothes are either cycle wear or exercise attire, could cause blindness to people in the sunlight, and have special “sweat-wicking” properties?
• …And other than scrubs, that’s basically the only thing you ever wear?
• …But just found two boxes of high heeled boots and drop-dead gorgeous shoes this complete ex-shoe addict completely forgot existed, thinking, “Man, how did I ever walk in four inch heels?”
• …Then look down at your really pathetic looking feet, thinking purple/back toe nails falling off is really a turn-off–even to podiatrists.
• The only thing left in your kitchen is zero-calorie gatorade, powerbars, sports recovery drink powder, your newly discovered and favorite Honeystinger products, and decaf coffee (that you refuse to make, because it is decaffeinated)

Completely normal, right?