I’ve been so up and down in my running lately. Physical health, mental health, pressures of home, pressures at work. Pressures to spend time with the kids, with my wife, with myself for god’s sake - something this introvert cherishes. Like you, Paul, I am really just trying to get out when I can. It’s not what it was, but this is my first winter of running and I think I am just learning about the mental boundaries I was always to going face during this, the time of year I hate the most even when it isn’t also pandemic-ing outside. Whatever, prayers for spring!
My big change during this down season has been ditching social media, a choice which wrought all manner of positive outcomes, not least of which has been a freeing up of brain bandwidth for things like reading and actual conversations with my wife. It also has completely reinvigorated the sports fan in me. I’ve loved soccer since I was in high school and was passionate enough about it during my younger years that I have the initials of my club tattooed on my chest. But that interest foundered for a bunch of years after I got married, fathered some kids, and got into my career. Now, though, it seems like the main culprit responsible for my loss of interest was the attention I was wasting on Twitter and Instagram all those years. I don’t judge anyone who loves those platforms - I found this newsletter because I follow a person who retweeted a link to sign up! I just know it got to a point where I was overindulging and had to step back. It’s been wonderful to be able to watch all manner of soccer games from England, Italy, Germany, Spain, and France thanks to the array of streaming services that now carry these far-flung matches. And as I’ve reflected on that change I realized that loving European soccer was a version of escape for me then and it has resumed that role in this era of travel restrictions and COVID tests. It’s also motivating, watching these players run and run. Makes me want to get out there and pump my legs - just as soon as the (damn) snow melts!
The Kelly paragraph hits hard. REAL HARD. I've been there. You question your entire identity and who you really are. It makes you feel like you're a lie and that nothing will ever be good again. The trick is finding ways to make progress and recongnize it. During this rough time for me it was "oh man, I bent my leg to 80* today! What an improvement!" or "I'm only on one crutch now! I'll walk again on my own, I know it." Positivity is such a fickle creature but I'm sure that the more we try to look for it, the more we actually find it.
I was finally getting back into the swing of things, going for 2 runs in one week (!) and then... *ominous music* Texas got walloped. We finally have steady electricity and our water pressure is almost back, though we have to boil it. It's mighty hard to motivate yourself to go for a run when it's 18 degrees outside and only 55 degrees inside. But things are looking up, and I think I'll try and get out there on Sunday when it's supposed to be back in the 60s! One plus side of being without power for 3 days is that I actually read a book from start to finish. I used to devour books and got lazy about it, so I'm going to use this pandemic as an excuse to up my reading game again.
The snow and the cold have been a bit too much for me, but I signed up for a virtual run in March, so I have a goal to get to which will help.
As for pandemic pastimes, between my family, we have enough log ins to watch multiple shows on various streaming platforms so that has helped, but, as a family, we have enjoyed Parks and Rec, West Wing, Brooklyn 99, and are currently watching 30 Rock. My son is a bit older so these fit perfectly. But, I also make sure I end my day reading something that is not on a screen. I have enjoyed a series by Tana French about detectives in Ireland. Good mysteries and her writing takes you out of where you are and plops you down in Dublin.
Just curious have you fully removed running from roads? When trail access is available I definitely see the appeal but given conditions just wondering.
I’ve been so up and down in my running lately. Physical health, mental health, pressures of home, pressures at work. Pressures to spend time with the kids, with my wife, with myself for god’s sake - something this introvert cherishes. Like you, Paul, I am really just trying to get out when I can. It’s not what it was, but this is my first winter of running and I think I am just learning about the mental boundaries I was always to going face during this, the time of year I hate the most even when it isn’t also pandemic-ing outside. Whatever, prayers for spring!
My big change during this down season has been ditching social media, a choice which wrought all manner of positive outcomes, not least of which has been a freeing up of brain bandwidth for things like reading and actual conversations with my wife. It also has completely reinvigorated the sports fan in me. I’ve loved soccer since I was in high school and was passionate enough about it during my younger years that I have the initials of my club tattooed on my chest. But that interest foundered for a bunch of years after I got married, fathered some kids, and got into my career. Now, though, it seems like the main culprit responsible for my loss of interest was the attention I was wasting on Twitter and Instagram all those years. I don’t judge anyone who loves those platforms - I found this newsletter because I follow a person who retweeted a link to sign up! I just know it got to a point where I was overindulging and had to step back. It’s been wonderful to be able to watch all manner of soccer games from England, Italy, Germany, Spain, and France thanks to the array of streaming services that now carry these far-flung matches. And as I’ve reflected on that change I realized that loving European soccer was a version of escape for me then and it has resumed that role in this era of travel restrictions and COVID tests. It’s also motivating, watching these players run and run. Makes me want to get out there and pump my legs - just as soon as the (damn) snow melts!
Have a great weekend, everyone
very cool, thanks joe
The Kelly paragraph hits hard. REAL HARD. I've been there. You question your entire identity and who you really are. It makes you feel like you're a lie and that nothing will ever be good again. The trick is finding ways to make progress and recongnize it. During this rough time for me it was "oh man, I bent my leg to 80* today! What an improvement!" or "I'm only on one crutch now! I'll walk again on my own, I know it." Positivity is such a fickle creature but I'm sure that the more we try to look for it, the more we actually find it.
It's all around. Trying to tap into it as much as possible
Gamtoos Ganache
Limpopo Popover.
I was finally getting back into the swing of things, going for 2 runs in one week (!) and then... *ominous music* Texas got walloped. We finally have steady electricity and our water pressure is almost back, though we have to boil it. It's mighty hard to motivate yourself to go for a run when it's 18 degrees outside and only 55 degrees inside. But things are looking up, and I think I'll try and get out there on Sunday when it's supposed to be back in the 60s! One plus side of being without power for 3 days is that I actually read a book from start to finish. I used to devour books and got lazy about it, so I'm going to use this pandemic as an excuse to up my reading game again.
Hang in there, thinking about you guys. I read one too! I'm very proud
The snow and the cold have been a bit too much for me, but I signed up for a virtual run in March, so I have a goal to get to which will help.
As for pandemic pastimes, between my family, we have enough log ins to watch multiple shows on various streaming platforms so that has helped, but, as a family, we have enjoyed Parks and Rec, West Wing, Brooklyn 99, and are currently watching 30 Rock. My son is a bit older so these fit perfectly. But, I also make sure I end my day reading something that is not on a screen. I have enjoyed a series by Tana French about detectives in Ireland. Good mysteries and her writing takes you out of where you are and plops you down in Dublin.
In all the years we've been together, my wife and I found exactly one show (Madmen) we could watch together and both enjoy.
Just curious have you fully removed running from roads? When trail access is available I definitely see the appeal but given conditions just wondering.
short answer: yes. Longer answer, I may write about that. Thanks for the idea
"Scone on the Nile"
Brilliant