No Excuses - Just Do It!

I had been planning on going to the gym this morning. Yet, last night as I was reading through my students' imaginative writing essays and thinking about the tests and comments I wanted to complete today to get ready for report cards, I convinced myself that four days for the week was enough. After all my goal is to work out three to five days a week, preferably five, but knowing that even three would be an improvement over the lack of consistency I have had since joining a gym a little over a year ago.

Little did I know, something was brewing to counter that "good enough" attitude. Not long after I got home from Mass I got a call from Sole Sister #3.

"Are you on your computer?" she asked.

"No, do you need me to get on to see something?"

"Yes, I sent you and Sherri an assignment."

As I was booting up my computer I said, "By the way, I wanted to ask you about the blog because a lot of my training will be indoors at the gym for a while..."

Before I could continue, she broke in with, "Just read your email!"

I clicked into my inbox to see that my job for the day was to run a mile by noon and then blog about it.

"Is M at work?" she asked

"Yes, he just left, so there is no one to watch the girls."

"Can't you get your neighbor to watch them for a little bit or something?"

"No, oh wait. In about an hour I will be taking the girls to Sunday school. I could go in my running clothes and go for a run, rather than read while waiting for them. The only thing is I have to make sure to be back by 11:50."

As soon as I said it, it dawned on me, unless I was going to be running a 50 minute mile, I would have more than enough time to do my assignment, which was exactly Sara's point. It does not even take that much time out of the day to get the job done.

And so, we mapped out a mile and after dropping off the girls with their teachers, I wrapped one of the girls' scarfs around the top of my head and around my ears, a last minute fix since I had not thought of anything to keep my ears warm, and set off for my run. I was tentative at first; the sidewalks still had bits of ice and snow in spots. I had forgone my iPod for the morning, wanting to just embrace and enjoy being back outdoors running.

My nose was starting to run and my eyes were watering. I realized that I needed to pull my hands up into my sleeves since I had also neglected to bring gloves. As I reached the half mile mark the sun was shining on that patch of the road.

Turning back I could feel my body getting warmer. My eyes were no longer watering. The only reminders were the spots on my glasses. I was able to slip my hands out of my sleeves and enjoy the gentle downward slope leading back to my car.

As I was running I thought, out here in the chilly winter weather with my nose running, eyes watering, and my lungs receiving the cool air, I finally feel like I am back on track to becoming a runner again. Running outside has always had such a different feel than running on the treadmill. And to think, if it had not been for Sara's assignment I was planning on waiting for warmer weather before starting my outdoor runs.

 I spent the remaining time waiting for the girls by reading Run Like a Mother on my Kindle and thinking about how that one mile was so easy. I could have gone farther. Next week I will!