There's Always Time!

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, then you know I had an epic DNF on my first & only full marathon attempt at the 2011 Venice Marathon. Since getting healthy & fit, I’ve been waffling back & forth about committing again to a full marathon. Having tried this before, I respect the time involved with training for such a huge race. I also know how difficult finding time can be when you’ve got a deployed spouse. 

I’ve got 2 weeks before I have to start “formal” training, so I’m using this time to experiment with my schedule. I’ve spent this week going to bed & waking up early to see if I can readjust my body to a morning run schedule. Today, & for the first time ever, I’m going to attempt 2-3 miles during my lunch break to maximize my time.

I need to fit in runs where I can… mostly because I enjoy my 2 mile walks with the dogs after work. I don’t want to give those up. They need the exercise & I need the stress relief. It’s great quality time with my pups. If I can manage running before work or during my lunch break, my home life will be a lot happier. And when Penny comes into running age, I can adjust for that by running with her before work.

This is a big deal for me. I love lunch breaks… but I spend most of them eating in 10 minutes & napping or reading a book. There are more productive ways to spend that hour. Since I eat at my desk all the time anyway, I might as well hit the track & knock out some miles. The challenge will be cleaning up to go back to work. This is the major reason I’ve never tried this before: I sweat. A lot… And there’s not a great deal of time to shower, get my hair back in order, apply makeup, & be presentable for my job. But I’m going to try very hard today to make this work. It might just mean wearing my hair up more than I do right now.

My scheduling issues are fairly uninteresting, I know. But the point of this post is that there’s always time. You can find time in your schedule to work full time, take college courses, practice piano, play video games, or even watch 3 hours of TV, & still manage time for fitness. It’s possible, but you have to be “on it.” You have to analyze your schedule & figure out what makes sense for you. It means being organized: packing a gym bag, bringing lunch to work, etc. I decided a long time ago to have two sets of facial wash/kit for this exact reason (less to pack over & over again). You can absolutely make it happen, but you have to plan for it. Planning makes everything easy & effortless.

And remember: there’s always time.