The Lonely Path Ahead

Running can be is therapeutic.

When I found myself with a lot more time in the day for myself I made the mistake of thinking I needed to stop running. My thought was that if the activity wasn’t helping me find gainful employment then I should stop doing it. After all, how could I be so selfish when I can’t even support my family? That turned out to be the wrong decision. Running, for years, was my escape and my release. Some of my non running friends say they don’t like the boredom of the sport and that’s why they can’t even imagine spending hours a day doing it. The fact is,  the boredom is what I’m after, it is my holy grail. Sometimes, when I’m running, I can sense my mind fading away, slipping into another state.  A state of lowering stress.  By stopping my running I increased the stress in my life and the job search suffered.  Something had to change.

Luckily, I was able to get support from my family, specifically my wife.  She emphasized the fact that I was my most creative and happy when I was running.  To stop running was to stop everything else, like the flow of ideas and the natural enthusiasm and pleasure that comes with athletic exhaustion.  Running for me is a solitary exercise.  It might seem natural to think that you don’t want to be alone at a time like this but that is exactly what I want.  I read a quote a few months ago that said “Sometimes you have to be your own hero.”  That pretty much sums it up. I have to look for “a win” anywhere I can get it. I have a lot going for me. I am truly blessed and if I believe that then I will be able to project a confident, winning attitude and attract people to me not push them away.

The last few months have been tough. The next few months don’t look any better but with a positive mindset and the realization that if I want to make a change I will. This is no time for excuses no matter how plausible they sound…

So, What happens when a runner loses his job?  He runs.