How many times did you run in December?
If you answered 20 or more stop reading. I’m not kidding. Bye.
If you answered 10 you can MAYBE keep reading but only if you usually run 20 or more.
If you answered 5 or less, congratulations, we can be best friends.
I have GREAT intentions in December. I want to stay on target and in my usual routine. And yes, I go in understanding that one or two times I might be derailed by too much to do and not enough time to do it in but not a big deal because hey, it’s the holidays and it’s fine.
Except for this didn’t happen one or two times it happened, um, every time but 3 times.
Yes, you read that correctly, in December I ran 3 times. And all 3 times I ran because if I didn’t somebody was going to get a sprig of holly stabbed through their heart (don’t blame me, that’s in a Christmas Carol. Violent, right?)
My only excuse is this – I WAS FREAKING EXHAUSTED FROM DOING EVERYTHING.
I will say no more about this (who am I kidding, of course I will) but as a mom of all boys and a wife of a pilot who was barely here the entire month, I had zero help. We also don’t live near family that pitch in so that left all the baking, all the cooking, all the gift buying, all the wrapping all the . . . everything to ME. And an extra hour of sleep was more important to me than running.
Gasp. I know. Sorry.
So, as I consider getting back on the wagon come Monday, I have a few tips for myself.
- You are not the runner you were in November when you ran that half marathon so understand that and don’t try to do 10 miles the first time you go out, you ridiculous nut job.
- Put the running time in that gorgeous new planner you bought and make it non-negotiable.
- Run with friends because friends are fun and will keep you accountable (btw if you’re not already in a running club now is a FANTASTIC time to join because there will be lots of other new people, too, so you won’t feel like a loner loser).
- Buy new gear. Or wear the new gear you hopefully got as a gift. Don’t save your gorgeous running stuff for races wear it every day. I run faster when I’m adorable. (btw, if you use discount code JL20 you’ll get 20% off your order at Skirt Sports and there is nothing cuter)
- Patience. Yes, you’ve only been off a month but you are 46 year old (or insert your age here) and you can’t expect it to come back as quickly anymore or you’ll get hurt.
These rules are very easy for me because I have to go over them every year. In fact, I should go back and see if I wrote this same exact post last year. If I did, nobody tell me. I’ve become the blogger version of your Great Aunt Sara who repeats every story 9 million times. You don’t correct her or tell her because that would be rude.
Let’s get out there and re-start! Because there’s one thing I know about this life – there is an unending supply of do-overs and it’s never too late to start again.
See you on the road!
Jen