Week Six

We are in full ‘build’ mode.  This week has truly been an epic one.

I wake up feeling late.  There is just so much to do.  Renovating a house is one full time project.  Add to that two jobs, and creating a business.  I am truly knackered.

I am trying desperately to stay present, and true to who I am.   Getting lost a bit is a bad trait of mine that I am trying to break. I like to day-dream, enjoy celebrating little achievements and being in places of beauty.  It’s a bit hard to keep those qualities going with no time and amongst the general chaos of a build.

There are a lot of men around.  Everyone we have been dealing with on this project is a man.  Builders, electricians, plumbers, architects, linen suppliers…all men.  My time in London is saving me, as I know when tea time is and how to make a ‘builders’ version, so I try ,when home, to shuttle a few cups and biscuits up the stairs.

Due to all the testosterone flowing around, I was delighted to start working with an interior designer, and a fellow woman.  I went to her studio one night after work and had tons of girly fun with heaps of sample books.  I loaded it into my car and literally had tears of joy as I got so excited thinking of what it will truly look like when finished.  Living in a build site and with the long days we are putting in, it’s sometimes hard to remember that we will be living in a gorgeous home, and that it will truly be beautiful.

Today, I am supposed to be running in the Auckland marathon – what would have been my 13th.  I have been running in races for 13 years now starting with the epic one in Nashville where the love of the distance and challenge started.  I have never, ever…not even once, signed up for a race in these past 13 years and not run it.  Never.  Ever.  I try to do what I say I’m going to.  But with all that has been going on, the thought of time away for a weekend spent not on the business, but on a marathon course, was quickly distinguished.

Running one marathon or now ultra, a year is my thing.  It’s my little way of reminding myself that if I work hard and put my mind to something, I can literally achieve anything I aspire to.  It reminds me to put one foot in front of another, literally and figuratively, and of the joy and beauty in hard work and effort.

Once we found out we got Hosking House, the timing was brilliant as we were driving to spend a weekend away for my birthday.  I celebrated by running a 1/2 marathon on a gorgeous trail course.  I LOVED it and it felt like my best race ever. Maybe it was a bit of foreshadowing as  in the past weeks since. my running has been one of the biggest things to change.  I still try and get up and put the gear of first – but by the time the morning rushes by, I have quite often had to break my rule of not getting of the gear unless I’ve gone for a run – and I am frantically peeling it off, jumping in the shower to hurry off to work.  I can’t even remember the last run I’ve done with my running club.

So here I sit, on a rainy Sunday with perfect running weather, not celebrating my achievement of 26.2 miles with a cold beverage and big meal. I didn’t do what I said I was going to. I am sad to even look at the ‘did not finish’ status or even ‘did not start’ on the marathon website.

As I look around me at this gorgeous house of a build site and all that we’ve done so far, I realize, I may have my marathon right here at 1 Victoria.  I am in the midst of running it right now…finish is just in site.  With just a little hard work, determination and sacrifice….bring it!