What to Do When Life DOESN’T Get in the Way
One of my most valuable training tools is my logbook. A quick peek at my tired scribbles gives a very thorough and accurate view of who I am as a runner — how I feel, what kind of running I’m doing, ebbs and flows of a training cycle displayed beautifully by the English language.
Once I pick it up, it’s hard for me to put down.
Yesterday, as I studied the bevy of runs logged over the last 12 months, I made a surprising realization:
Life rarely gets in my way.
Life rarely gets in my way!!!
You know what I’m talking about. I’m talking about that cliche oft heard by runners of all abilities: “Sometimes life gets in the way.”
Wife. Kids. Job.
I have a job, but it requires zero stress. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nothing more, nothing less. No late nights for me. No taking work home. No last minute business dinners. No trips, no conference calls.
I do not have kids. I don’t have a significant other. My closest family member lives four hours away by car.
I live alone. I do what I want to do, when I want to do it. And I don’t stress.
In fact, in the last year, life has only gotten in the way of my training twice: once due to a death in the family which required an entire day of driving, and once so I could go to Games 1 and 2 of the 2011 World Series in St. Louis (I know, rough life, cry me a river, etc.). Those were the only two times I had to shelf a run. That’s it! Twice.
Meanwhile, most of my running buddies find themselves having to adapt to the barrage of life-shit thrown at them. Some have to deal with such hiccups on a daily basis!
So why have I not taken more advantage of this near-perfect training environment? Good question. And it’s one that I aim to address through reversal.
Go big or go home.
That’s another one of those cliches favored by the running community. Well, my friends, since life has been kind to my running addiction, my ass is going BIG.
TheRunFactory.com 
I find myself in a similar state. Though I live with my soon-to-be wife, I don’t have kids yet, which is largely why I decided to tackle as many states in my 50-states quest now. I figure, later when I’m more tethered, I won’t want to leave town as much. But now, it’s a good feeling to be able to have such freedom and flexibility.
April 14, 2012 at 19:35
In some ways I have the exact opposite. Life is ALWAYS in my way. Albeit single, I work two jobs, which means days-nights-weekends-holidays; often 60-80 hours a week. I might go 36 hours straight without any sleep or a meal other than gas station potato chips. In the lucky hours I am home, I have a 5-acre farm with two horses, a dog, and 4 cats to attempt to keep in working order. I also log significant volunteer hours with my trail running group. And because of my location, I have to drive at least an hour, one way, to get to any quality trails. And yet, somewhere in there, I find the time to support a fairly time-consuming running habit as well.
I hear it all the time: “I envy you. I just don’t have the time to run.”
You know what? We ALL have the time. It’s just what we choose to make of it. I do not go to the bar in the evening. I don’t own a television. I don’t play Farmville or Bejeweled Blitz (although I am guilty of a few games of Solitaire). No, I do not have much lesiure time. But I schedule those runs into my calendar, week after week, and so they happen. And they keep me sane.
I hear it all the time: “You are so dedicated. I could never do what you do.”
Yes, you could. Stop making excuses. If you want something, go out and get it. It’s achievable — I promise you. And if you don’t really want to make the effort, that’s fine too – just quit whining about how strong *I* am.
Sorry to hijack your blog, Jeff. Rant over.
April 22, 2012 at 00:06
Dan — Freedom is bliss! So glad to see you take advantage of it while you have it!
Kirsten — Hijacking approved. All good! And we’re in agreement!
April 23, 2012 at 19:19