Friday Ramble 08/19/22

This week: The 3 Rs - Rest, recovery, and rejuvenation. 

A confession. Instead of working on a piece for this newsletter, I spent most of the week having fun with my 8-year-old. Between playing baseball, riding bikes around the neighborhood, going swimming, and sneaking out for ice cream, there hasn’t been a lot of time to focus on work. 

To be honest, I don’t have any regrets. 

Every summer, the two of us visit his grandparents in New Jersey for a few weeks at the end of August, and every summer I convince myself that I can turn these trips into a working vacation. Once again I am reminded that no, I really can’t do both. 

It’s not just that there’s so many fun things to do outside. (I mean, it’s mostly that.) Coming down here plays havoc with the routines I rely on to get through the days.

As runners, we know how important our routines are in establishing rituals and reinforcing our commitment. Just as important is adapting to disruptions and making the most of what we have.

So, while my regular writing process has been reduced to stealing an hour or two in between activities, this feels like an opportunity to reframe and reset. In the spirit of a run that’s not going the way it should, here are a few loosely connected thoughts about rest, recovery, and rejuvenation.