Temper Tantrums & 5 Miles.

     So on Monday I was scheduled to run 7 miles.  The plan was to go meet the trainer for strength training. Run my 7 miles then return to the facility to get in a little pool time.  As I was packing my bag, I noticed my Garmin had not charged from Sunday's long run of 19 miles. So I checked all the connections and put the watch back on the charger. Decided to meet the trainer and return home to get in my 7 miler and nix the swim time.

     On return from the fitness facility I check the Garmin and surprise, surprise, surprise it still was not charging. Damn it!  Rechecked the connections and was going to let it charge just enough to get my run in. By 9:30 pm the watch still would not charge.  Decision was to do 5 miles in the morning and 5 miles after work to make up the 7 from Monday and the 3 for Tuesday.  So I put the Garmin to charge to a wall charger to see if that would make a difference.  Yay! Hip Hip Hooray it is charging!

     So in the morning at 3:45 am the alarm went off and I evidently reverted to my toddler years mentality.  I literally kicked the bed, hit snooze, cursed and said out loud I don't wanna!  Hit snooze again.  Cursed some more and got out of bed stomping my feet, cursing, slamming doors.  Let the dog out, made coffee, went to the bathroom, sat in bed with coffee and thought of all reasons why I should can this run.  I'm tired, it is to cold, it is to early and it is not fair.  Why should I have to get up at 4 stupid o'clock in the morning to go run in the cold. It is not fair and nobody else has to do this.  That's it F' it I am not doing it.  Reset the alarm, turned out the lights and pulled the covers over my head!

     Damn It I Can Not Go Back To Sleep! Kick the covers off and get out of bed cursing, stomping and slamming doors.  I guess I will go run! Put on my clothes, go outside, slam the door, lock it, curse some more and take off. 

     For the first mile literally I am cursing, kicking rocks and really just stomping my feet running!  Sometime after the first mile I start to settle down.  In mile 2 I start to notice the crispness in the still cold morning and how refreshing it is.  In mile 3 I notice the quiet and the full moon going down over the downtown skyline.  By mile 4, I am glad I got out and did my run.  By mile 5 I am grateful that I can run and give my Thanks and Praise to my Father in Heaven for blessing me with the ability to run.

     So every once in a while I guess I do a really good imitation of a teenager in the midst of a temper tantrum screaming about the unfairness of life.  Then I go outside and do the miles.  My mind clears, my stress abates, the beauty of my surroundings invades, peace seeps in and gratitude rises to the surface.

       Show up, do your best and be grateful for the ability.  I am always better for putting in the time.  I will strive to remember this the next time adolescent Michelle shows up.

Live Epic!

Michelle