Yesterday I decided to finally play pickup basketball with some of my coworkers. They had been begging me for more than a year to come play. Since I’m not training for anything right now, I decided it was a great time to go.

I hadn’t played for two years, and it was pretty ugly at first. I couldn’t make any shots, I made some bad passes, and in general flailed around. I was finally starting to settle in and play better in the second game when reality hit me in the face. Okay, gravity, momentum, and terrible timing actually slammed into my ankle.

I went up for an open layup, and as I came down, I landed on another player’s foot. I tried to save it, but I felt a stomach-turning wet pop as my ankle took the brunt of my weight and collapsed underneath me. The pain was excruciating. I went from thinking that I would sit out for a minute to writhing in pain in a matter of seconds. The kind of can’t-get-enough-oxygen don’t-really-know-where-I-am pain.

While sitting on the bench holding my massively swollen (and rapidly getting larger) ankle, I blathered on to my poor coworker about how I couldn’t be hurt and this couldn’t be happening because I am in great running shape right now, the best ever, and I have a race coming up in February and I can’t run with a hurt ankle which means I’m going to lose all of that and possibly not even be able to do the race and MY WORLD IS OVER!

You know, just a casual chat. No dramatics.

While waiting for x-rays I realized it doesn’t matter. Of course I’m sad and I’m frustrated and this isn’t what I wanted. But that doesn’t mean I have to give up on everything. I had limiting tendonitis for the better part of year, and look at how this year turned out. I got through two training cycles without any problems. I got faster. I had fun. I felt great.

And I’ll do it again.

Last night I lay awake thinking about all of the decisions I had to make. Should I hire a running coach? Do I want to jump into another big trip? What do I really want in a gym? Should I return that shirt? What am I going to wear the rest of the week?

It dawned on me that I was starting to stress myself out. Over mostly trivial things that have been weighing on my mind for days or weeks.

And I’m not the only one. A recent article in The Guardian decried the amount of choice we face daily. From 28 different ketchups on the grocery store shelf to retirement plans, there are too many options. We frequently end up paralyzed, and when we do make a decision, we are much less satisfied with it than if we had hardly any choice at all according to the article.

I’m a fan of “keeping my options open” and “seeing what’s out there,” but at some point there are too many things out there.

I wonder how much time we spend in the grocery store staring at ketchup trying to just choose one. Or which gas station to go to. What to have for lunch. What to read next. Or what we really want.

Decision fatigue is real. From a self-designed uniform to President Obama not choosing what he wears or eats, we are willing to go to extremes to try to avoid it. I constantly joke at work that I suffer from decision fatigue in the afternoons, but it’s painfully true.

So how am I going to fix it? Stop overthinking things. Sometimes a decision is better than no decision. I am also going to make a conscious effort to not re-assess my decisions. Once it’s made, it’s done. Mornings when no one else is in the office is when I do my best thinking and decision making. I’m fresh and ready to go, which means I need to take advantage of this time to make big decisions, not to decide what I want to eat or what I should read next. I have also been cutting the clutter out of my life so I’m not sorting through clothes that don’t fit when I’m trying to decide what to wear. Or food I don’t like or isn’t good for me.

Every choice I can cut out is one less thing to stress about and one more decision I have brain power for later.

I recently moved into a place with hardwood floors. When I rolled up with my car full of my stuff, the house was dirty. I don’t mean lightly dusty, I mean clean-the-floor-three-times-before-the mop-comes-away-clean dirty. I made hardwood floor cleaner to make the task easier, and it was so great I ended up using it for everything from washing my walls to taking the residue from a sticker off a window.

Hello magic cleaner.

I used so much of it that I had to run out and buy more ingredients the first day.

The recipe is simple, inexpensive, and safe for real wood floors and every other surface that can be mopped or whipped.

Homemade hardwood floor cleaner recipe

1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
1 cup rubbing alcohol
2-3 drops castile or dish soap
5 drops of essential oil (optional)

Pour all of your ingredients into a spray bottle (or two if they are small), give it a gentle shake to incorporate, and have at it.

For best results, wet a microfiber cloth or mop head with hot water and wring out until it’s just damp. Lightly spray the floor every few feet to keep the mop moist and moving easily. A little goes a long way.

Looking for other great uses? Windows, counters, fridges, coffee tables, stubborn stickers… you can use it for just about anything. The only thing I don’t recommend is showering with it (or accidentally breathing it in deeply).

I went into this race prepared to give it everything. I knew it would hurt. I knew I would have to fight every mile to stick to my goal pace. I knew I had to face hills that made me (and the grown men next to me) want to cry.

I gave this race damn near everything I had.

I went into the race thinking I would aim to run a 10 minute per mile pace throughout the entire race (no easy feat given the amount of killer hills along the course. Over 13.1 miles we did over 1,500 ft. of elevation change). But when I got to my start corral and I saw that a 2:10 was a 9:55 per mile, I went all in on it.

And let me tell you. My legs hated me for it.

I spent most of the run not really seeing what was around me. It was just me, my watch, and my killer playlist against the (hilly) world. (Have a mentioned there were a lot of hills?) It was by far the most mentally challenging race I’ve had. That morning I had written out on my hand what time I should be at when I got to major miles (3, 6, 9, 11, 12). Every time I hit one of those goal times, I would start to freak out and tear up. I could actually do this crazy thing.

Spoiler alert. I made it.

The five a.m. wake-up. The near vomit fest at the finish line (keeping that in was a win in and of itself. They should make medals). The pain of the mile long hill at mile 10. The tears when I saw my family. It was all worth it.

I crossed the finish line in 2:12:19. Nearly three minutes faster than I’d hoped for and seven minutes more than my previous PR.

I’m so happy that I hit my goal. Those hills were hell, but it made me wonder what I can do on a flat course. I’m coming for you 2:00.

Oh, and without further ado, this year’s necklace:

Wait, so tapering isn’t for trying new things and attempting to cross everything off your months-long to-do list?

This week I’ve been throwing all of my energy into everything that’s been nagging me. One more closet clean out? Oh yes. Finally making granola bars? Why not? Riding my bike to work? So fun!

I’m going to miss biking home in 80 degree weather soon. I will not miss the spider that hid on my helmet and touched my face. Not cool bro! #bike #biketowork #tapertantrums

A photo posted by Mandy Ferreira (@treading_lightly) on Oct 13, 2015 at 5:59pm PDT

There is a downside. It turns out that tapering is for resting, both mentally and physically, and I’ve been doing a pretty terrible job at both. Cycling to work doesn’t sound like a big deal, but my tendency to go all out and try to keep up with the cars leaves my legs shaky… not rested. Stressing myself out about not getting all of the crazy things on my list done is counterproductive to going into the race relaxed and ready.

After not really understanding how I should be tapering and putting all of my excess energy into everything but resting, I think I’m finally starting to figure it out. Instead of running around trying to clean every inch of my house, I’ve been reading. I put away the list, and I decided that once the race is over I would prioritize a few things on it and finally make them happen. I’ve been eating well, reducing my sugar intake, and being really careful with my diet so I don’t go into the weekend with an irritated stomach.

I’ve struggled with really tapering this time around more so than in the past, and I think it has to do with my nerves about the race. I’m excited and nervous and overwhelmed and feeling totally ready and feeling not ready at all. This is the first time I have a real goal in mind, and I’m planning on giving it everything I have to get it. Which leaves me constantly thinking about what I have to do to get there and the what ifs of 13.1 miles.

But I have two more days to keep doing the right things. More reading and napping. More putting my feet up. More laughing. Less thinking.

Running in Spain wasn’t quite the leisurely stroll I saw in my dreams. Two of my long runs for my upcoming half marathon were scheduled for the two weeks I was traveling, which put a little extra pressure on making them happen. I didn’t have high expectations performance-wise for these runs – I was off my usual sleep schedule (ha! understatement) and weighed down by ice cream. A lot of ice cream. I was also buzzing with excitement about exploring a new place on my feet. Turns out running on my trip was easier than I expected… and much harder.

Parque del Retiro, Madrid

My mom kept telling me that running would help with jet-lag. I didn’t really get to try out that theory, because the days it was hitting me the hardest, I was nauseated and zombified. But on my second full day in Spain, I headed out to the Parque del Retiro in Madrid.

It felt so good to be outside, enjoying the stunning park that I didn’t care all that much that my “run” was about 60 percent running and 40 percent walking/ “stopping to take a picture” (also known as “I feel like I’m dying and I want to stand here”). And to think that I told myself that if I felt good I might try for a long run. HA! The 4.25 miles I ran were plenty.

Jardí del Túria, Valencia

By the time we got to Valencia, I was ready for a long run. We stayed in a hotel close to the science park/ the Jardí del Túria, an amazing park that used to be a river running through the city. As soon as we digested lunch a bit on the first day, I grabbed my running shoes, convinced my travel companion to join me on the world’s heaviest bike (sorry!), and set off to conquer my first long run in Spain.

I have never run in such an inspiring place before. Sure the Embarcadero in San Francisco is amazing and I love seeing all of the runners, but it’s nothing compared to the amount of people who were out running in Valencia. The park was packed! There is a special runners’ trail that goes straight down the middle of the park for most of it (9km in each direction).

The best part? Constant distraction! I watched ping pong, roller blading, soccer, boot camp workouts, old men chatting while pretending to work out, adorable dogs, near bike collisions… I didn’t even miss listening to music or a podcast.

Camí de Cavalls, Menorca

This was my big run, and I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it. I didn’t want to run alone, which meant I had to find a place to run that was close to a bike rental. I also had to figure out where, on a tiny island, I could 10 run miles without constantly feeling like I was going to be run over on the narrow roads.

I did some research (on Internet from 1998), and I stumbled across the insane ultra marathon that has participants do a loop around the entire island. The race is focused around the Camí de Cavalls, an old trail that was used as a lookout/defense route. I figured if they could run on it for that long, surely I could do a 10 mile run.

And for the most part that was true. I had some trouble finding the trail… and staying on it. I’m pretty sure at one point I was scrambling through people’s backyards, up against a sheer cliff into the ocean. To be honest, I started to get frustrated. I hadn’t been running regularly during the trip, this was way out of my comfort zone, and 10 miles by itself is challenging enough. Ten miles while trying to figure out where the hell you are and how the hell you get back to where you started was maddening. I was constantly having to stop to try to figure out where the trail was, which sucked all of my motivation and energy. On top of that, the trail was incredibly rough and rocky at some points (and on paved streets on others), which exhausted my unprepared feet an ankles.

(I’m making this face because it’s beautiful and I’m on vacation on an incredible island and part of me is having fun… the rest of me thinks I’m going to die right here.)

Now that I’m not feeling the pain of the run (or the heat!), I’m so glad I did it. I saw some incredible things (The beaches! The color of the water! All of the food I couldn’t eat!). It wasn’t exactly a confidence booster for running a fast half, but it sure was for the budding explorer inside of me.

Hands down one of my favorite things about vacation is the time I have to read! Exploring and seeing new things were definitely a priority for most of my trip, but I was beyond excited to load up my Kindle (a luxury for me, since I usually borrow books from the library) and tear through books. I was gone for 15 days, so naturally I brought four books (five would have been better).

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo: Reading this on the plane from San Francisco to Madrid was equal parts inspiration and frustration. I had packed a small backpack of things that brought me joy for the trip, which meant I could clearly follow these rules. I also couldn’t wait to try my hand at yet another attempt to reduce the amount of things I own. Which leads us to frustration. Turns out being on a plane without access to my closet when I was ready to organize is not a good idea. The whole trip I had pent up organization motivation that was mostly obliterated by jet-lag when I got home. Overall, not a life-changer for me and I think Marie and I likely disagree on quite a few things, but I’m glad I read it and it will factor in to how I think about my possessions.

The Martian by Andy Weir: I devoured this book. By far the best book I read on the trip. Bonus, it will always remind me of taking the train from Barcelona to Valencia. Read it if you haven’t already!

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull: This was one of those cases where expectations completely alter your experience. I went into this book expecting inspiration for fostering personal creativity. Instead I discovered it was about leading a team or a company in a creative pursuit. Don’t get me wrong, it was fascinating and I loved the stories about the challenges Pixar has faced, but I was slightly disappointed that it wasn’t 100 percent applicable to me right now (turns out I don’t manage an incredible animation studio… or… well anyone). It did however change the way I thought about how I liked to be managed and what I look for in a company.

The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz: I got on the plane for my eight hour flight from Madrid to Toronto about a fifth of the way through the book. When I landed in Toronto it was over and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It doesn’t matter that Stieg Larsson didn’t write this book – the characters felt the same and the plot took off like Larsson was in charge. A real toss up if you should read this or The Martian first.

I spent weeks figuring out what to pack for my two week trip to Spain in a carry on. I had bought a great backpack that I knew fit all of the requirements for carry on luggage (even the crazy rules for Ryanair), and some packing cubes. About a week before my trip I had a comprehensive list of everything that I thought I would like to bring, and I had been slowly crossing things off it. Too bad that when I packed the weekend before my trip, the list was safely in my desk at work. The good news, I didn’t forget anything.

For 15 days in Spain, I used a 46 liter backpack and my crossbody purse. I never had a check a bag, and walking around cities with my stuff was a breeze!

What I packed in my backpack:

Clothes:

We went to Spain in the middle of September when the weather couldn’t make up it’s mind if it was summer or fall. This meant that I had to bring a few extra things that I wouldn’t have if every city could have gotten on the same page about the weather. I dressed like it was fall in some places, and wore summer dresses in others. We had planned on doing laundry every 5 days (so twice while traveling), which worked out great! The Airbnb’s we stayed in all had a washing machine and a drying rack.

I used packing bags, which were a life savor! My bag would have been a disaster without them, and I definitely would not have been able to fit as much. I put my underwear and socks in the smallest bag, my athletic clothing (running stuff, crops, sports bras, etc.) in the medium bag, and everything else in the large bag. I rolled all of my clothes to save space.

• 3 t-shirts (one made out of technical fabric that can be worn as a nice shirt, or to hike)
• 2 dresses (I could have easily cut to one, but I did wear them both multiple times)
• Slip (worn under both dresses)
• Yoga pants (worn on the plane and in just about every place we stayed at night)
• Cropped leggings (for hiking, lounging, and layering)
• Sweatshirt (worn on the plane, hiking, and at night)
• 3/4 sleeve shirt (worn on the plane)
• Denim shirt
• Navy shorts (never worn, should have left them at home)
• Mary Jane Sneakers (worn on the plane and everywhere else. Loved traveling in these.)
• Flip flops (beach and a gross shower I don’t want to talk about.)
• 7 pairs of underwear
• 1 bra (worn on the plane. I had sports bras if I had some sort of catastrophic spill that required laundering.)
• 6 pairs of socks for my Mary Janes
• A pair of thick socks (for lounging around)
• A pair of black jeans
• White camisole
• Light rain coat (it rained the day we landed in Madrid, and I was so happy I had it for an extra layer on cool, windy nights. It folded up so small I often stashed it in my purse.)
• Comfy sleep shirt
• Drawstring bag for dirty clothes

Running/exercise stuff:

While I was in Spain I had to keep training for my upcoming half marathon. I tried not to bring an entire gym with me, but there are a few things I wouldn’t leave home without.

• Running shoes (I could have worn them on the plane, but I wanted to be able to slip my shoes on and off quickly. Instead I made sure I had enough room in my bag for them.)
• 2 pairs of running shorts (I could have gotten by with one)
• 3 sports bras (two would have been plenty)
• 1 running tank
• 2 technical shirts (one would have been enough)
• 4-5 pairs of running socks (at least two too many)
• Snacks
• GPS watch (+ charger)
• Arm band (never used)
• Tiger Tail (used a lot! Never had a problem carry it on in my backpack. I went through five security checkpoints, not one even asked me about it or took it out of my bag.)
• Lacrosse ball (A.K.A. my feet’s best friend.)
• Yoga towel (clipped to the outside of my pack. Perfect for lounging on the beach, a couple down dogs wherever we were staying, an extra towel, etc.)
• Goggles (totally swam in the ocean… once. Worth it!)
• Nuun (one half-empty tube)
• Hat (for running, hiking, and beach lounging)

Toiletries:

• Vitamins
• Natural Calm Magnesium (a gift from the heavens while training so much. A packet a day)
• Small hair brush + 3 hair ties (probably too many… I didn’t lose any)
• 4 different hair clips
• Tooth brush
• Travel-sized tooth paste
• Floss
• Shampoo + conditioner (two 3 ounce containers each. Turned out to be too much. I used one and a half bottles of each.)
• Bar of soap (my all time favorite)
• Bug bite spray (unfortunately used)
• Sunscreen
• Face cloth
• 3 ounce glass jar of body butter
• Face oil
• Aloe vera
• Laundry soap (enough for two loads)
• Diva cup
• Crystal deodorant
• Dry shampoo
• Razor
• Band aids (of the many, I only used one)
• Ibuprofen

What I packed in my purse:

• Water bottle (always.)
• Two magazines
• Kindle
• Wallet
• Hand sanitizer
• Lip balm
• Travel sized tissue
• Snacks!
• Adapter
• iPhone charger
• Headphones
• Sunglasses
• Journal
• Empty bag for groceries, etc.
• Pattern + materials for a friendship bracelet (completed in route)

PS. For more on what I did in Spain, check out this post.