Glitches

Things don’t always go as planned, do they?

Many of you know I’m a runner. I’ve been running for pleasure for over 36 years and have run hundreds of races. You’d think these races would be old hat by now, right? WRONG! If only it could be that easy!

I still stress over every run, no matter the distance, which is why I rely on my pre-race routine and checklist. I have my gear checklist and a timeline to adhere to. Glitches in my plan cause … STRESS!

One sunny Saturday morning, I was getting dressed for a 5k at our lake house. I felt great … right on schedule … until I realized that one rather important piece of gear was missing. I FORGOT MY RUNNING SHOES! Oh, dear!

I started to panic until I remembered my most recently retired pair of running shoes were in my truck. Went to get them … NOT THERE! Oh, dear!

I returned to panic mode until I remembered my old, old pair of running shoes were at the lake house. Whew! 

Not the best option, but it could have been worse. 

By now, I’m running wicked late and am stressing about getting to the race in time to get a decent parking space. I rushed out the door, and as I got into the truck, I dropped my Airpod case. Under the truck, it went. Oh, dear! 

I crawled under the truck, grabbed the case, got into the truck, and am FINALLY on my way!

Managed to get to the race and nabbed an excellent parking space. Whew! Now I can relax. All crises have been averted … until I opened the Airpod case and realized it was EMPTY! Oh, dear!

I sat in my truck, and after a few (ten) deep breaths, I decided I wouldn’t let these negative events affect my run or my day. 

I ran with no music in old, old running shoes and still had a great run (only 27 seconds off last year’s pace, mind you). 

My conscious decision not to let negative events get the best of me led to a positive outcome. 

The bottom line? Even the best plans sometimes have glitches, so it’s best to be prepared for the challenge. 

I’m running the Manchester City Half Marathon in Manchester, NH, in a few weeks. Rest assured, my most recently retired running shoes are back in my truck (where they belong), and my backup headphones are in my jump kit. 

What about you? I’d love to hear how you’ve overcome a challenge or obstacle in your plan.

Take care,
Bonnie