5 Very Easy Miles and Dealing with Variation

On Monday I ran five easy miles around the neighborhood.  I had wanted to run more but when all was said and done I was not able to get out of the house much before 6 and I ended up with just enough time to do 5 miles at at 8:30 pace.  Nothing spectacular.  A 5 mile course I've been running since I came back to running and could go five miles.  Just easy.  Just to keep the legs moving and log the miles.  

That put me at 386.5 miles total.  That puts me on Royalton Rd headed out of Lancaster, Ohio just a bit west us US 33.

On Sunday morning it was not bitterly cold.  
On Sunday afternoon it was very cold standing out at my nine year old's lacrosse practice.

Over the weekend I ran 7 harder miles on Saturday morning.
On Sunday and Monday I did easier runs.

For the rest of the year other than Lent we can sing Alleluia.  
During Lent the word does not appear in song.  (Although we did say Hallelujah a lot during the celebration of life on Saturday.

Most weeks we have Sunday school class.  I am teacher.
On Sunday we had a Lenten family day instead.  I was parent.

There are so many things that vary from one day to the next.  From one moment to the next sometimes.

God has Blessed me with an ability to handle--and even to enjoy--change.  

Not everyone does.

I virtually experience a wide variety of terrains.  A wide variety of how urban things are.  A wide variety of virtual temperatures.  A wide variety of temperaments toward my running.  A wide variety of solitary and running with friends experiences.  A wide variety of paces.  A wide variety of courses.  As much variety of my running as in the rest of my life.  Variation is good.  It is challenging.  It is fulfilling.  It keeps me mentally nimble as well.  

Thank you, God.  

Why Do I Run? A Story of Five Outings

Yesterday's blog entry did not meet my goal of 100 words per day, but, despite the small number of words, I found it very useful.  And, I spent a good bit of my short run thinking about it.  So, I think it is still in the spirit of writing each day with spiritual and well-being reflections.

In any case, my next entry won't be reflecting back on Sunday's homily but will also be about running.  My last five runs nicely capture why I do this.

Friday--8 miles that were only a means to an end.  Each goal is like a project.  Especially going into a business school in which people discuss operations, I think of completing each race like completing a project.  The 8 miles I ran last Friday were simply an input into "project completion".  Nothing more. Nothing less.

Saturday--variation and socialization.  I ran at three very different paces.  And the middle stretch was over conversation with friends.  Combining socializing and exercise--always a winner.

Sunday--how far can I push myself and exploring new routes.  This was the last 14 of 40 miles in three days.  Could I do it?  Could I do it at the same pace I'd run Friday and Saturday?  And could I do it on a course I'd never run exactly before?  All fun things.

Wednesday--after two days off it was all about reawakening.  Using my legs again.  Getting up and getting out and letting my legs stretch and push and feel the ground beneath them making contact over and over again.  Just the joy and wonder of running.

Today--speed.  My fastest 4x1600 in a long, long time.  Just how fast can I push myself.  Can I get faster?  How many times can I do it over and over again?

I know that some people think that running is a boring sport.  I think that running offers such a wide variety of great experiences that I could never consider it boring.

These are the reasons I run. 

A Day in the Life

This is not a Beatles song.  This is a short entry about a day in my life.

Tried to wake up early.
Went back to sleep.
Got up close to regular time.
Decided that after being awake an extra hour last night hacking that I should sleep more.
Still up early enough to make cornbread before work.
Ate breakfast and packed lunch and packed some cornbread for dinner.
Walked the dog.
Worked on a project to do a cost-benefit analysis tying post-jail services to health.
Talked to colleagues at our School of Business.
Talked to my department chair.
Prepared for a meeting in Philly Friday and Saturday.
Prepared for a meeting that will include the university President tomorrow.
Worked on some old grading.
Evaluated some work a student had done.
Went to see perspective drawing done by my seventh grader and his class.
Noticed that one child had mimicked a St. Sebastian picture when they visited the local art museum and showed off my tattoo.
Read to my eight year old.
Snoozed a bit.
Washed dishes
Pondered a colleague's recent loss.

Such varied activities.
Such an interesting mix.
Not perfect, but a very rewarding way to live.
I count myself lucky!