"...In the end, people either have excuses or experiences; reasons or results; buts or
brilliance. They either have what they wanted or they have a detailed list of all the rational reasons why not."

~ Anonymous
(taken from Matt Erbele's, It Takes Time to Get Good)

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Free time = A little introspection...

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:57
Free time = A little introspection...

Took today as a rest day. My legs are actually feeling ok, but our track workout was going to focus on hill practice. I was worried that it would be too much for my knees. I really can’t get injured at this point in my training. So I used today to do some self-reflection (translate: I loafed around and did nothing).

When I was running yesterday (during the first 7 miles, before it got ugly) I was looking around the trail I run on and I was struck by how relaxed and happy I felt. Sure my legs hurt and I was tired, but I was really happy. I even remarked to, my run buddy how I never felt like this during the school year. Now don’t get me wrong, I really love my job, but last year was pretty hard on me. I also know that I have a pattern of working out and getting somewhat healthy during the summer and completely abandoning a healthy lifestyle once school starts. Once September hits, all of the choices I make are centered on the school I teach at, my students, my masters’ classes, everything but my health (emotional and physical) and my family. I routinely forget my family members’ birthdays, and special occasions. I decline invitations to just about everything because I have too much work to do or have a school related commitment. I want to change this. This pledge, similar to all of my past pledges to lose weight, has been made before, but I feel that I need to make a public declaration of my goal to put my health and family first this year. This is not to say that I will abandon my job or responsibilities, rather that I will not take on new responsibilities or commitments that add to my workload unnecessarily. I am going to continue to post my weight loss and training progress and I will add my progress on occupational and emotional health.

My first success in this arena is that I have not volunteered to teach a second section of microbiology. The professor is looking to cover a recently opened section for fall. I decided last semester I would only teach one section of microbiology at State and that the courses I taught and the courses I take for my masters would all fall on the same nights so that I am not out every night after work at State.

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