Running in November

Running in November generally requires gloves and long sleeves and a retreat to mindless miles on the treadmill, trying to find something suitably distracting on TV. 

So Saturday, when the weather beckoned me outside in short sleeves, there was something intoxicating about my run, short and careful in case my tailbone decided to protest halfway through my route. Gingerly setting one foot in front of the other, familiar music flooded my ears, and my feet carried me along without thought, letting my thoughts drift into rhythm with my increasing pace.

Scenes to be written for my National Novel Writing Month unfurl smoothly in my head, and I give a belated moment of thanks for the extra time I’ve had the past few days to write with Ryan at home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Knowing the kids are soaking up the extra time at home with Daddy, I let my feet keep time with the beat without guilt about leaving them at home.

I’ve given myself a free pass for the weekend, keeping my list of things to do minimal and focusing on writing and time with family and friends.

In this moment I feel balanced; I feel content.

Still, there are miles stretching in front of me, and balance is not the only thing I am trying to find as wind blows my hair from my forehead. Goals hover in front of me, priorities and dreams shifting depending on the day. 

I delicately toe the line between being grateful for the contentment I feel and the aspiration to tweak and improve myself in so many areas of my life.

Warm air pulls me to go farther than I had planned, but I turn and begin to run home. I know staying uninjured after a running hiatus means slowing down even when I want to speed up.

Finding balance step by step means returning home with a clearer head, resolving to set small goals for myself in parenting, in writing, in health and fitness.

Running gives me a place to let my dreams soar and the peace to allow myself to reach for those dreams, knowing that the most important ones have already come true.

Have you heard of Striiv?  Do you want one?

 

Visit Just.Be.Enough. this week for the chance to win one of two Striivs that they will be giving away this week.

 

For your first chance to win, link up a Be Enough Me post.  This week's prompt was: What are you striving for?

 

For your second chance, come join us for our first Twitter Party!

(11/29 at 8 pm EST)

We’ll be discussing getting moving and putting ourselves first as we strive to live healthy lives full of movement.

And giving away awesome prizes!

Every MONDAY join us…
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Next week’s prompt: The best present...

(Remember you can also write on a topic of your choice.)