Saturday, December 27, 2008

New Year's Resolution, Part I: Be Flexible

The more you run, the better you get at running. But, because running doesn’t pay the bills in my house, sometimes life gets in the way and prevents me from running. Frustrating as this is, I need not try to squeeze in a five-mile run at 11:00 p.m. just because I had planned a five-miler before whatever life threw at me got in the way. My predominant curve balls from life are: weather, work schedule, illness/injury, and child illnesses. But hey, all of these inconveniences can be overcome. Relax. Be flexible.

Weather: I have absolutely no control over the weather, and while I kind of enjoy running in the muck and the mud, sometimes I should just stay at home. There is nothing wrong with running in what may appear to be miserable conditions so long as it serves a purpose and does not pose an undue risk of injury. Relax. Run tomorrow if necessary. Be flexible.

Work Schedule: I have direct control over my efficiency at work, but I do not always have control over the tasks assigned to me or the expected completion date of those tasks. I need to realize that I will have to work late at times, or over the occasional weekend. I was supposed to be on vacation all of last week, but ended up working on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. It happens. I am just glad to have a job. Be flexible.

Illness/Injury: Catching a cold or the flu is a fact of life. All I can do is try my best to minimize my chances of getting sick by washing my hands often, and getting a good night’s sleep. Generally, I am good about taking it easy when I don’t feel well. Injuries are another issue. Although I did much better this year than past years, there were still days I should not have been running due to soreness. A day off from running to adequately heal is better than a week off, a week off from running is better than a month off. Be flexible.

Child Illnesses: Most first-time parents probably learn early on that little kids seem to get sick often. Sometimes, in addition to increasing our own exposure to the sickly germs, this requires staying up most of the night. This is a case of “what’s really more important:” running a few miles, or my kid’s well-being. Be flexible.

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