Big Dreams

I turned out the lights and settled under the covers. It was my first night alone at the borrowed cabin, and I had brought our beagle along for company and security. He seemed content with the assignment. I felt hopeful about what would come of this trip, imagining how I would credit the owners of this place in the "special thanks" section of the novel I was about to write. The one that would lead to a satisfying career as a writer. Big dreams! Once all was quiet, the noises began. Little skittering sounds coming from the ceiling. I braved it for a while before getting completely freaked out. Turning the lights back on, I looked up to see tiny paws running across the top of the light fixture. Mice! After a sleepless night curled up, wide-eyed on the sofa, I checked into the nearest hotel.

I have a short attention span. I always have. This is why I lack follow-through on big goals - usually.

I am a big-time planner, and it goes way back to my childhood days. I remember planning parties that I knew I'd never have, just for the fun of making guest lists and imagining what party games we would play. I planned businesses, TV shows, backyard variety shows (which I invited the neighbors to once, according to my mom). I even filled an entire cassette tape with my own "radio show", which I actually mailed to the local radio station. (They never called.) My mom tried signing me up for dance lessons, gymnastics, and probably every other new "passion" I had, only to have me quit after one or two lessons. Oh, how I wish I had stuck with them! At least one of them!

Just the other day, I had an overwhelming desire to learn something new. Take some kind of lessons - something really cool like martial arts or hip hop dance.

I'll give you a second to finish laughing...

So anyway, I was worried that this short-attention span was about to start affecting my running. When I cut that long run short last week, I started wishing I had signed up for the same half marathon that Runna signed up for because it's only two weeks away and then I'd be done with this. Yesterday, I met KC and Paintbrush to run four miles and we canned it because of lightning. I was relieved I didn't have to run, and that feeling made me very uncomfortable. I don't want to lose momentum now!

KC said the best thing to me - do you think professional athletes feel like training every time? No way! Well, let me tell you, today is a different story. I didn't want to, since it's supposed to be a "rest day", but I answered a call to run this morning with JJ. She showed up for me 3 times when I would have otherwise run alone, so I felt like I owed her one. I went, and so did three other people. I could have stayed in my car. JJ even said I could take a nap and wait for ddip to start. But I know how regret feels so I joined them and it fired me up! Ever since that run, I have been on top of the world. I had an amazing ddip workout, and I don't think I've stopped smiling yet!

Funny how it's motivation week at ddip, just when I needed it most.