Friday, March 4, 2011

In which running gets hind teat

I find myself in the unexpected position of trying to decide what sport to give up.  It's never been an issue before.

I was the most unathletic child you could imagine.  If I went outside on a beautiful day, you could be sure to find me under a shady tree, reading a book or comic book.  Probably with a soda and/or some candy by my side.  The books have served me well.  The candy not so much.

I've always been slow, ungraceful, and uninterested in sports.  *Actively* uninterested.  I never attended a pep rally.  I don't watch sports on tv.  I have no interest in Superbowl parties and view them as an excellent way to get the stores and parks to myself once a year.  I am that kid who was always picked last for teams.  I didn't mind, either.  I didn't want to play anyway.

So how do I find myself picking sports now?  It was an accident!  I didn't mean to pick up a sport.  It just kind of happened.  I eased into activities with no idea that they were considered sports.  And now I'd like to participate at a level that demands focus and training. 

I only got so much focus and training time to go around, folks.  This is a fact that was never apparent to me growing up.  I mean, I could read 24x7, given enough cans of Coke.  The idea that I would someday have a limited amount of energy to devote to any given task was as far from my reality as taxes and town ordinances.

However, now I have taxes, ordinances, and .. sports.  Go figure.

Some things are non-negotiable.  Pluto is a life responsibility.  If I absolutely can't be there, (like last year when I was geographically inconvenient) I have to find somebody else to look after him.  But he and I both prefer that I be there to do it myself.  And we have both made a lot of progress in dressage, and want to do more.  So no cutting back on the horseback riding.  In fact, I want to increase that.

Likewise, I don't want to cut back on hiking.  I love it, and it keeps me sane.  If I cut back, the hiking that I do will be more difficult and less enjoyable because I'll be less fit for it.  So the hiking stays.

Yoga is also non-negotiable.  I only do it one evening a week, which doesn't seem like a lot of time.  But 14% of evenings, in the long run, is kind of a lot.  Nonetheless, it keeps me limber and keeps my core strong.  These are Important Things.  The more so as one gets older.  Mom's current foray into the land of spinal surgery, titanium appliances, and occupational therapy really drive the point home.  I don't feel the need to increase my yoga time yet, but I do need to keep up the level I'm at.  Being able to walk upright and not having my back go out on me all the time are incredibly valuable benefits.

Going to the gym, while not super fun, is kind of important.  It's not really a sport I guess.  But it's a regular form of exercise that needs to happen.  Combined with yoga, it is meant to help me stay healthy enough for daily activities.  I lift weights there, stretch, strengthen my core muscles, and do bizarre exercises which are intended to help me to ride horses and hike.  So while going to the gym is not in itself a goal, it's pretty important to my other activities.

The only thing that really leaves is running.  Now, I love running.  I only started doing it last fall, but I find it to be fun and easy.  (The way I do it, anyway.. I'm not exactly a sprinter over here.)  However, it takes time.  Time that I can't spend doing all the other things.  And it involves its own recovery time.  Worse, it's using some of the same muscles I need for my other activities.  Every time I run, I'm using up energy that could have been used climbing a mountain or riding a horse, AND I'm delaying the next time that I'll be able to do either of those things.

So, sadly, it looks like I'm going to be giving up running for the time being.  If for some reason I should give up hiking (especially long distance hiking) I look forward to resuming my delightful little jogs through the woods.  But I'm giving up the idea of training for a 5k right now.  I just don't have the time and energy to do it all.

PS.. if you see me jogging in the woods?  It's just for funsies.  Not training.

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