Running Gear, Thoughts from the Road, Wine and Beer (some other things too...)

Running Gear, Thoughts from the Road, Wine and Beer (some other things too...)

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Why I Run: There's Always a Lesson

I fit the bill of the average blogger.

I get inspired, I collect some thoughts, and I write them down.  I know that very few people have the opportunity to earn a living doing what they are truly passionate about, and I also know that when people have the chance to do what they are passionate about, those passion areas of life can help to inform and give a wider context to circumstances.

This is the place I found myself today during my morning run.  I have a group of friends of different skill levels  and speeds that I take the opportunity to run with as often as I can.  Generally, the meeting spot is about 2.5 miles from my house, so I leave my house early enough to meet up with the gang, get the group run in, and head the 2-2.5 miles home.  All things being equal, my training pace is faster than we usually run while together but there are too many opportunities to experience life and conversation on the 5ish miles in between my runs too and from to stop running with these folks.

Like other bloggers I am also gainfully employed elsewhere.  While I dream dreams of running, writing, writing music, and making red wine for my vocation, I still sit in my home office staffing/recruiting and fitting runs and writing around my job.

Some days I feel great - some weeks I feel great about my quality of work.  Some days I don't feel so great, and some weeks I don't feel great about my quality of work.

I'm currently coming off of a dud.

My amazing wife can always tell when I'm in need of quick check in.  She sent me a quick email today, and it just simply said, "How are you doing today?  I can tell you're a little bummed with your recent performance at work..."  I told her that things were getting better, but I need to do a better job of dusting myself off.  Then I thought about this morning's run - an 8 miler that had a little bit of everything in it.

  • Mile 1 - 7:45" my favorite, my 'Garmin' mile, and it's always slower than I feel like I'm running.
  • Mile 2 - 7:10" - had to bust  out another quick mile out to meet the group on time
  • Miles 3-6 - 8:46", 8:58", 9:05", 8:38" - slower than normal, but nice for a run with friends :)
  • Mile 7 - 7:46" - picked it back up to get home
  • Mile 8 - 7:38" - cruised into the driveway.
  • Overall pace - 8:11/mile
In my email response I said, "It's a lot like this morning's run.  I saw glimpses of my best and my not-so-good, but if I take the time to look at things overall, across the span of time, my "goods" have outweighed my "not-so-goods"...

...and there are always more miles to run...

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