One of the problems that I've faced, heck, everyone I know has faced, is figuring out how to squeeze in the time of the day to run.
Work is a complicating issue (we have to do it). Families are a complicating issue (we love our spouses and children and want to spend time with them). Other activities (friends, bars, football, shopping) are complicating issues.
And yet, we run. And that's a good thing.
Today's 7-mile outing took place during an extended lunch break. Happily I'm near Central Park, which gives me a good place to go running in Manhattan (and I'm also on the East Side, which gives me options north and south, as well as the Queensboro Bridge into Queens). The route I chose: Nothing fancy - a run to the park, a loop around, and a run back.
The orchestration, however, took some planning in advance:
*Laying out the clothes, the gu, the deodorant the night before (I've tried setting that up the morning of, that's why one year I ran the JP Morgan Challenge in work socks)
*Remembering you have an extra gym bag with you on the subway. (Yeah, I've forgotten - got two new pairs of shorts this year at the Atlantic Antic - now they're somewhere else)
*Carve out time during your work day ... and stick to it. If you pass up an opportunity to run in the AM, and then work intervenes ... you're hosed unless you can come up with a PM plan
*Figuring out where you're going to ... freshen up. Most work places don't have a shower. So you have choice: Join a local gym with a shower, or pack a good amount of baby wipes and Secret.
*If you're running to work (which I do): where is your change of clothes?
*If you're running from work (which I do): how do you include the important documents you want to take home (it's a lot easier now with e-mail and VPN access)
*Bring that MetroCard. Sometimes emergencies happen, and you need to get back to work/back home/etc.
And at what point do you leave your wallet somewhere? And where do your glasses reside?
A few tips/thoughts: Know where the closest drugstore/running store is. Be flexible with your running schedule (those days where work prevents you from running ...)
And stay committed. It takes planning and perseverance to pull this off.
Day 1: 7+ miles, 54:40. Three days until Sunday's 5K at Van Cortlandt
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