Moms get to know their children pretty well as they are growing up. Just as the children get to know how to push their Mom’s buttons, the Mom’s come to know just what the perfect thing to restrict their child from for the ultimate punishment. For me this thing was running. My Mom knew it and she would actually ground me from it.
Years later, restricting me from running is still the ultimate punishment. My Mom, who reads my blog regularly, is no longer what keeps me from running. She has since taken up cycling and now knows the value of having an outlet from the regular stressors of life. She knows that my running is getting me through the hard times, and allowing me to do something just for me. There are just times when there just isn’t any room in the day for a run, or perhaps the runs are cut short, or restricted in some other way. These past couple of weeks have been filled with restrictions to my running schedule.
I was feeling the pressure at work again today. The time off to interview has negatively impacted my work load. I need to catch up. I could try to make time to run after work, or I could take some work home to do after work. It wasn’t a hard decision.
Instead of working through lunch, I decided to head out again with Mark. I quickly rubbed on my sunscreen, pulled my hair up into a bun and made for the door. With little 3-4 mile runs all week, it hardly feels like I am running at all. Mark didn’t run at all on his 3-week African safari. I guess they don’t want the tourists getting eaten by the wildlife. Mark didn’t want to push distance or pace too quickly and I can’t say that I blame him. Besides, it is hot, hot, HOT outside. It’s another “spare the air” day and the temperature is due to get up to 92 degrees today. Still it is hard to not run longer than 4 miles for days on end.