Back to Basics

This past week has taught me quite a bit.

Most importantly: in order to keep my crazy life from overwhelming me, I need to focus on the simple things. The basics. Because worrying about whether or not I can reach an impossible deadline or run a marathon next November is not going to help me accomplish either. But making sure I get those 30 minutes of exercise in - that will help me do both.

I didn't get my long run in this week. In fact, the longest run I got in was only three miles. And calling it a run really does require quite a stretch of one's imagination. And its not because I'm not motivated. I am. I think a big part of it is that I haven't found a route I'm comfortable running. I recently moved and my new neighborhood is not nearly as well lit as my former one. I'm on a cul-de-sac with lots of wooded areas. The kids enjoy it. But it just freaks me out. We all know how well I deal with strange noises and shadowy figures. I'm a wuss. I really took for granted how I could walk out the front door of my old house and run for 1, 3, 5, or 8 miles without too much effort put into the thought of where to go. Any route I take from this house puts me on dark streets and past creepy woods, without a sidewalk in sight. And, oh yea, there's a cemetery too. Maybe its just because its Halloween and I HATE Halloween. Yep, I said it. I hate it. Its the worst time of the year for me. I can't wait until November 1st when I can start decorating for Thanksgiving and Christmas, planning menus, and enjoying much merriment without passing houses decked out in orange lights and spider webs.

Also, since I'm basically starting over after a long running hiatus, I'm more self-conscious about running. I miss the solitude of my old running trail. Running there really helped me focus on the run and not worry about who was peeking out their window and whether or not the tech fabric was doing its job of containing the jiggle. So that is the excuse I have for not putting as much effort into the "runs" this past week. I'm really not so far from that trail. I may just have to get in my car and drive there, at least for the longer runs.

So getting my 30 minutes of "other" exercise in each day has helped me feel a little better about the measly number of miles I've logged. And cutting up all those veggies instead of throwing them out at the end of the week - I feel good about that. I also realized I haven't been drinking the amount of water I should be. So I got back into the habit of filling up a half gallon container and drinking that each day. We forget about those little things once we've been running awhile. We get more concerned about the stats on the Garmin, or whether or not those compression socks come in the right color to match that cute running skirt, or if the awesome Bondi Band people will be at the next expo....and so on. But I had to remind myself that, when it comes right down to it, its the basics that really matter.

Move more, eat the right fuel, drink lots of water, and get enough rest.

I'll let the professional runners worry about negative splits right now. I just need to find a running route that keeps me safe from zombies, town gossips, and my overactive imagination.