SAME RUN. DIFFERENT AGENDA.

Back when my kids were little, like 2 and 4 years old, I needed a babysitter for just about anything that didn't involve them.  Getting out for a run was always tricky.  In addition to needing help just to keep an eye on them while I was gone, both of my girls (my youngest in particular) would cry the minute they saw me pulling out my running shoes and act as though I was leaving and never coming back.  Every.  Single.  Time.  When I finally did get out the door, I'd feel a combination of stress, anger and guilt for the first mile or so.  But it would all slowly wash out of my system with each step and by the time I got home I'd be momentarily cleansed, if you will, and ready to put my mom hat back on for the rest of the day.  Back then, an hour on the road was precious and I never took it for granted.  I'd set out my stuff the night before (clothes, shoes, watch, iPod, etc.) and set my alarm.  Then I'd pop out of bed and get going before anyone could protest.  I'd start running the second I got outside and wouldn't stop until I was back in my driveway.  Warm-up?  Nope.  No time for that.  Stretching.  Ha!  Only if you call reaching for my kids to pick them up when I got home 'stretching'.  So, basically, no again.  Life was all about working around my kids' schedule and if I could sneak some time in for a run or anything else that I wanted to do I considered myself lucky.  Today my girls are 9 and 11 and while they still need me for various things they're pretty independent for most of the day and thus I have a hell of a lot more time to myself than I used to.  Yesterday morning, I had a 14 miler on my schedule.  As I got myself ready to leave I had a little chuckle as I thought about the difference between the way it is now versus the way it used to be.  I woke up at 6:50am and didn't leave for my run until 8:30.  That, in and of itself, would never have happened 9 years ago.  Curious to know what I was doing in that almost two hour window before I finally took off?  I was.  As I laced up, I gave it some thought....

HEADING OUT...FINALLY

6:50 Woke up

6:52 Made & drank coffee

6:55 Took Clover out & fed her

7:00 Ate banana

7:05 Drank second coffee

7:10 Played quick round of frisbee w/ Clover

7:15 Drank a NUUN

7:20 Checked email

7:25 Got dressed to run

7:30 Went on a mad search for hair ties

7:35 Cursed several times bc I forgot to charge my Garmin (plugged it back in to try and eek out enough for the run)

7:40 Made Snapchat video w/ Grace, age 9 (my buds Mac & Heather just introduced me to it.  My daughter, Grace is teaching me what to do.)

7:45 Changed my outfit (it was hotter than I thought)

7:50 Applied sunscreen

7:55 Checked in w/ my girls to let them know I was leaving.  Big mistake.  Got delayed as they threw out random questions like:

~ Mom, can I get my ears pierced? (um, no)

~ Mom, can I go over to the Sweet's house (it's 8:00am, so not yet)

~ Mom, we go to town and buy candy today? (if I say maybe will you stop asking?)

8:15 Did multiple laps around the house trying to find my running shoes.  Grrrr.

8:20 Made a quick stop in the bathroom.

8:30 Left for run

And that was all before the run even started.  When I finally got on the road, I gave the whole thing (old process vs new process) some more thought.  Back when my time was more limited, not only would I be up and at 'em with everything already 100% prepared, but the run itself would also be efficient.  It had to be.  I'd head off, get in the zone and crank out the miles.  No dawdling, no distractions; nothing would set me off course.   Nowadays, I find myself walking or shuffle jogging the first half mile or so, stopping mid-run to chat with friends if I see them, pausing to pick out a new playlist, even finishing down at Starbucks and walking the extra mile home.  Don't get me wrong, my time is still precious.  It's just not quite as critical to have a plan and stick to it anymore.  So, instead of the head down, forge ahead manner that I used to apply to my running, it's now more of an experience that I like to dive into and take full advantage of.  Sure, the whole thing - start to finish -  takes a lot longer.  And, yes, I do need significantly more caffeine before I get started.  But, the net result is the same.  When I get home, I'm refreshed and ready to start my day.  I'm guessing that will never change.  Thank goodness.

Listen to this:
Ghosts - Alagoas