So, the kids and I leave for our epic x-country 44 day road trip tomorrow, Thursday. Being healthy, fit, and strong for the 7 day high elevation backpacking part of the trip was my motivation to begin running last August. I feel ready.
I am so much stronger, fitter, and more fun than I was a year ago. I'm not worried at all about packing in my 40# pack 8 miles up a canyon at 10,000+ feet. It'll be work, of course, but I know I'll be ready for hiking again by the next day, no problem. A year ago, I was completely terrified thinking of it!
Packing, and planning. . . and looking at my $400 Garmin. . . I think. . .
I am going to. . . leave it at home.
I am going to run when I get a chance, when I feel like it, when I don't have some hiking, biking, surfing, or tubing to do. . . and when I run. . . I won't know how fast, how far, and will only approximately know how long since I don't have any other watches. If I don't run all summer, I don't want to care. I know I can start anew in September and be right back at it in no time. No worries.
So, about all those running goals for July? About that Marathon in October? Forget them.
I'm going to Disneyland . . . and Big Sur. . . and Yosemite . . . and Lake Tahoe. . . and the Uintas High Wilderness . . . and the Gulf of Mexico . . . and the Badlands . . . and the Rockies . . . and the Painted Desert . . . and the Grand Canyon . . . and Sedona . . . and. . . and. . .
I began running so I could be a fun, healthy mom. The next 44 days, I'm gonna be that mom, and not worry about finding a place to run in Texas's 110 degree heat, or getting on some ugly treadmill. . . or making time and energy to run on a day when I want to hike all day or float down a river. . .
I'm going to eat ice cream in every state we cross. I'm going to run without a Garmin. Mostly, I'm going to have fun with my family and friends.
I'll be back to my Garmin in September, and hopefully I'll be stronger than ever.
No matter what, my kids and I will have 44 days of memories, and none of them will include trying to wedge in a long run on a day that offered us a family hike or a river tube. . . and there won't be a single treadmill in any of those memories either.
HAPPY RUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
