Running & Drama

This week has been interesting.  I'm on the board of a soccer club and much drama has occurred this week at the club.  Without going into specifics, I've spent the week being called a liar, who is engaged in a witch hunt.  The name calling doesn't really bother me.  I've got a thick skin.  I'm an litigator.  My job is to deal with people in unpleasant circumstances.  Usually, people conduct themselves as professionals, occasionally they don't.  I can play either way.  I prefer dealing with professionals, but I'm just as good as dealing with people who like to throw mud.

In any event, I've spent hours, tens of hours dealing with a situation, at the same time, I have to work.  All this has left me really tired.  I crave sleep.  I dream about sleep.  All I want to do is sleep.  But I can't.   I have to work my job, then spend all my spare time dealing with what is such an obvious, no brainer situation that I cannot understand how anyone in their right mind could take a contrary position.

What does this have to do with running 50 miles a week?  Everything.  I have no energy to run.  My normal cycle is something like sleep, work, run, eat, walk dogs, watch kids play soccer, repeat.  Throw in countless telephone calls and meetings about nonsense and I have to take out running.  My body may be willing, but my mind isn't.  I just want sleep.

End conclusion?  Running is a physically and mentally challenging sport.  To run 50 miles a week, work and raise kids, one must be absolutely ruthless and focused with their use of time.  Throwing in constant board activities was too much for me this week.  That's okay.  Since I run so much, its okay to give my body an unforeseen break every now and then.

But for the professional runner and record chaser, one must make a decision to either live like a monk with a a singular pursuit of that record or not.  There is no middle ground.  Yes or no.  Black or white.  Drama or no drama.  So if you want to be the best, be ruthless with your time and focus on that single goal, otherwise you may as well get a position on a board and forget that record.

San Elijo Hills Running Club