This week, I got to it. I started revising a long writing project I've been working on, and I started running. With both things, I was nervous. With the writing, I'll say it, I'm fairly terrified. With the running, I just expect to disappoint myself sooner or later, and by disappoint myself I mean stop running instead of cultivating a thrice-weekly habit. But with both running and writing I have this idea that I shouldn't have to start. That is, I imagine people who run or write have always done it and so always do it and so they never had to begin. They had access to some kind of fairy dust that got them off the ground and plopped them in the middle of these activities which require not a small amount of attention. Then when I went running on Friday (for the second time this week but at the expense of doing any writing), I realized these are the kind of things that you just have to get yourself up and out to do. There's not magic fairy dust, there's just getting the proverbial rubber to hit the road.
I thought of this again when I read this article about saving money in today's Times. Saving, running, writing, these are all things that seem like very reasonable activities that other people do. So, why not you? Why not me? Why not try? Maybe tomorrow? Where's that fairy dust?
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6 comments:
I'm just going to come right out and admit this. When you blogged about the Dreyers' ChiRunning book, I was so inspired I ordered a copy of ChiWalking (realizing that running, for me, would be utterly unrealistic.) It arrived so quickly (how many months ago?). Since then it's been sitting on my coffee table unopened, in silent reproach. I feel like a New Year's resolution stereotype! I'm trying to keep my self-image afloat by reminding myself I can save money, and write, sort of. I can walk, too, but I don't know how much chi there is in it. So, any running you manage to do impresses me! And maybe even will kickstart me.
Lizi
You know, I seriously contemplated Chi Walking, but I'd already bought Chi Running! And I tried the couch-to-5K plan (recommended by Sue Dickman right here), and twice I was felled by injuries.....so I wasn't going to run on Wed which was when I was going to start running again and my brother the insane exerciser yelled at me via email to just get off my bottom and run for 20 minutes and for maybe the second time in my life I listened to him. I've read some of Chi Running, but most of it so far has been a discussion of how great Chi Running is! I wasn't going to start running until I read the whole thing, but, like you, I've got to wonder what I'm losing when I'm sitting and trying to find the Chi. In any case -- GOOD LUCK LIZI!!!
i was an avid runner from the age of 14 and it wasn't until having kids that running stopped being a regular part of my life. now i find myself more of an 'off and on' runner which i blame on time but is probably a matter of prioritization. i could spend less time on the internet for one thing. to make matters worse, i hate running on treadmills and now that it's cold i'm using that as an excuse not to get up and go. oh- and the baby needs to eat is always convenient. i think one thing that might help is not looking (disparagingly) at the recent on-off nature of my running, but rather taking things day by day - starting each day with a new vision and seeing how i can work a run into the horizon ;)
I think nursing a baby -- along with having twins -- makes doing anything with any kind of regularity that's not absolutely essential hard. My kids are 4, so I can see some kind of schedule on the horizon that would allow for 3 runs/wk, 30 min at a shot -- which for someone who's run since 14 probably isn't so much running! But it's better than nothing. Still, there's a time and a place for all kinds of commitments -- I think you're right, though, that the day by day approach is the way to go for everything- -and the reason I went running last week is because I had an indoor track option. I really didn't like treadmills At All.
I think nursing a baby -- along with having twins -- makes doing anything with any kind of regularity that's not absolutely essential hard. My kids are 4, so I can see some kind of schedule on the horizon that would allow for 3 runs/wk, 30 min at a shot -- not so much, but something -- and still i know it will be hard to do...And still, there's a time and a place for all kinds of commitments -- I think you're right, though, that the day by day approach is the way to go for everything- -and the reason I went running last week is because I had an indoor track option. I really didn't like treadmills At All.
Oh! That bit about running 3xwk not seeming like a lot for someone who's run since 14 to sound so snarky!! I'm sorry! I just meant that it's not so much to aspire to and yet it seems like a mountain to me -- and I bet (jealously) that when you run, you run with ease for longer stretches...SORRY!!!
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