Busy busy busy

Life happens. Since my last post, there's been wedding invitations mailed (and a pile of acceptances sent back), a birth in the family, a dinner club formed, good career days, and a hive of real estate activity (one friend moved, one friend bought, and another couple are looking -- potentially next door -- and all have peppered me with questions about property. For some reason they think I'm like the Donald. I'm not.)

But, this isn't a list of life milestones that I'm using to say it's getting in the way of running. Life is always going to happen and if running is to be a part of it, I have to make it so. My last few posts, though few and far between, have had a decidely negative flavor. I haven't been recording the mileage that I want. I haven't had very many super running days this winter. Chalk it up to laziness? Disinterest? Mild case of the "winter blues"? I'm not sure.

Most of my running hasn't been based on distance this month, and more on getting what I can get done in 30 minutes. Because anything more than 30minutes is driving me crazy on the treadmill. So, I've reincorporated yoga into the mix, some weight training, and found cardio in the stationary bike and rowing machine.

But spring always brings renewal. Turning over of a new leaf and other such cliches may soon apply. My sister arranged for another family run for this weekend. Then she cancelled, citing leg soreness. Then our cousin arrived with her stuff, after two arduous exams, and it was decided that a run was in store -- though the decision to actually go took much longer than that. One reason was because I was going to be left out -- I didn't have my shoes. I told them to go without me.

I drove home. Without hesitation, I immediately changed shoes, found my Garmin and yellow running cap. Out the door within 5 minutes. I briefly wondered if I could run fast enough to head off the girls (I designed their route after all), but figured they had too much lead time on me (and who am I kidding? It's not like I run like a cheetah). In my haste to get out the door, before I had the chance to change my mind, I realized that I had no idea how far I was going, where I was going. All I knew was that I had to be outside. And this non-commital always turns out to be one of the better outings for some reason. I explored the neighborhood to the west of home. And 4.6 miles later, I was at my sister's looking for a Gatorade break. And peanut butter. Life's good.