Lost stuff

Has anyone seen it?  I can't remember where I put it.  I've looked everywhere for it but am at a total loss.  I've lost my stuff.  What does that mean?  Well, as a runner you have 'stuff'.  This 'stuff' is what makes you move further and faster.  This 'stuff' motivates you to keep pushing the envelope and shoves you out the door.

I started writing for the Examiner over a year ago mostly just to keep myself motivated and inspire myself to keep up my running. It worked for a very long time and my running greatly improved.  I went from believing I was locked into a 10-minute mile for the rest of my life to nearly breaking a 7-minute mile in a 5K.

Not only did my running improve with my writing, but my knowledge about the sport, races, and the people involved, whether they be celebrity runners or inside contacts to companies and races.  Was I a local force to be reckoned within the running community?  No, but I did create a name for myself and I am proud to say I did it all by myself.

Now, make a list of all the stresses one can deal with in their life.  Take that list, cross of a death and a birth, and you come up with all that I am dealing with.  My running has always been a source of solace to help me cope with the stresses of life.  Just slap on a pair of shoes, head out the door, and solve the problems that stare you in the face.

These days, like looking for a lost contact lens, I find myself walking in circles feeling the ground in search of my 'stuff'.  Time is a big issue.  I get it now.  Working full time and training is an incredibly difficult feat to pull off. I still firmly believe that if you want to do something you will find a way to make it happen.  But, there are only so many hours in the day.  You can sacrifice sleep, but you running is going to pay for it.

How do you get your stuff back?  What else can be put on the back burner to get your miles in?  Nine hours of work + 7 hours of sleep + eating + bathing + time with family and or friends leaves you with little more than 30 minutes, or so it seems.  How do you find the time to train?  What sacrifices do YOU make to get your workouts in?  Who pays, what pays, so that you can get your sanity fix?  The price is steep; are you worth it?