Even a Cheerleader Needs a Cheerleader
People ask me how I keep going. Whether it be referring to completing a 50 mile race, getting little sleep, or raising 4 kids, life can be exhausting. Kids bedtime is between 7-8pm and I’m usually out by 9p. I hear about other parents talking about dinner at 7p and being up until 9p just with their kids. I get that. Especially if both parents don’t get home from work until 6p.
So back to the question of how I keep moving forward. Well it changes. I normally can find a way to snap myself out of a funk and get back to me. Sometimes that means going for a long run on trails or others hanging out at Starbucks for a couple hours. Like the Borg (yup Star Trek reference) my body figures out the trick and sends me back into a tailspin.
One of the ways I keep motivated is through the people that reach out to me for advice. Even last week I had someone contact me that is the brother of someone I went to high school with! I don’t even think we ever talked in person in high school, but I know who he is … and he knows I run. At the same time, many people ignore me for fear the conversation will turn to running. Hard to complain to me about not having time to run. I have a wife, 4 kids, and work 9 hours a day, write/share on social media, and run 40 miles a week. What’s your excuse?
Still, that all takes a toll. Some weeks are easier than others while an hour in a day can feel like an eternity. There are days that are difficult to get through. By noon I may feel the urge to call the day over and give it another go tomorrow.
When it comes to running, my dog is always willing to head out for a run. He’ll take off sprinting the first 2 miles running ahead, to the side, and after any small animal he sees. The last 2 miles is a game. It’s the game where he runs to get in front of me and then slows down. When I try to go around him, he moves in front of me. Smart dog.
With all that going on in life, I have been invited back to be sponsored by SunRype and to be a 2013 Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon Ambassador. Plus I still cover Road Runner Sports events and will complete the Leadville 100 Mile Run this year. All of that is a full time role in itself, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I get down, I remind myself what it would be like to have nothing to do. Sure, that would be great for half a day. For weeks and weeks? No thanks. I choose to live life and not watch it.
