The Plan, The Execution, and The Bright Side

This was my plan for the day: Get shit done. Run six miles.

I've been spending many, many hours in front of my computer reading, and researching, and connecting with people about some new business ventures. And while its all very exciting and mentally stimulating, I'm finding myself frustrated with how little is actually done at the end of the day.

So today was less about planning and more about executing. Hence, my declaration - twitter style.

This morning I was aflutter with activity. Crossing off check-boxes; tackling actual, real-life projects; opening actual, real-life mail with envelopes and everything....it was all quite productive. Then, in one of my whirlwind trips down the stairs, I stepped on my foot all funky. Ouch! My initial thought was: I knew I should've gotten those miles in first thing this morning!

Its not a major injury or anything. Mostly it feels fine. But at certain times it just lets me know its mad by shooting a sharp little pain up to my brain. So my brain decided that I would continue working on the plan and just move the run to later in the evening after my foot felt better.

I did end up logging some miles, but only 4.2 miles. And I had to walk them. The foot didn't hurt too bad until after the first mile. Then I would just get these sharp pains every now and again. Not constant - just intermittently. But it bothered me enough to call it quits before I reached the 6 miles originally on the books.

However, in my effort to silence the negative self-talk that lives inside my head, I've decided to look at the glittery lining of my little scenario.

1. Sometimes the plan needs to adapt to changes in the situation. That doesn't mean its a fail.

2. While 4.2 miles of walking is no 6 miles of running - at least its not a big, fat zero!

3. Even though my plan was not perfectly executed, I didn't abandon it completely. (This is a win for me since I would normally have relished the excuse to sit on the couch and watch old Disney movies all day while my poor, little tootsie was resting.)

4. I got uncomfortable and didn't die.

I just can't help but think that if the plan for the day had been:
Run six miles. Get shit done....this all may have turned out differently!

Not Giving Up

I'm not a very good blogger.

I get that.

I seriously don't know how some of you other bloggers manage to get your posts up here every day, looking all perfect, and saying just what I want to read. I truly admire your dedication and the hard work you put into your posts.

I won't beat myself up too badly about my lack of posting. This blog is meant to be about running. And, frankly, I haven't been. So there's not much to write. I have had a mighty productive couple of weeks plotting out the course for the rest of my life. You know....little things like that. Its this sort of cathartic chaos that calms me.

And today I stopped long enough to realize that the Wine and Dine half marathon in 80 days away.  OhGeezOhMan. And Mr. Jeff Galloway says I should've had a long run of 6.5 miles on the handy dandy training calendar. Oops.

I kind of thought of giving up on the whole running thing for awhile since I have so much going on. Which, in essence, would mean I would be giving up on this blog too. Don't worry - those naughty thoughts didn't last too long. So since I wasn't finding inspiration in myself of late, I decided to go find it where everyone else goes to look for it.....YouTube.

And sure enough. The YouTube Gods worked their magic and I was presented with this little number.

Good grief! To paraquote Humphery Bogart in Casablana: I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that my problems don’t amount to a hill of beans in comparison.

I don't know where competitors get this kind of mental toughness. It is definitely my weak spot. I'm just too much of a princess. And when things hurt - I stop. I need to learn to get uncomfortable. So, that is what I will be doing. I will try not to whine too much in the process.

But I've learned that there is absolutely no reason why I can't see this through. And even on days when I feel like giving up - I'm not gonna. I'm scheduling that long run for Thursday next week since I will be out of town again over the weekend. You hear that? Thursday! If you don't hear from me, its because I'm avoiding you and I don't want to fess up that I didn't git 'er done.

No excuses.

Unless I tear a hamstring. Because, seriously, I just can't take that kind of hurt.