I'm Back

After a fall, winter, and spring of extensive non-running, I'm trying, once again, to get running again. My goals are modest right now--run 3x a week and get up to 15 miles/week.

Work & family presented huge challenges the last 9 months (do NOT read anything into that time frame). My wife and youngest daughter started school two hours away last August. They came home every weekend. My oldest daughter then started school there in December.

I was at home, pretty bummed, alone during the week for most of December through mid-February. At that time, they switched apartments and I started spending 3ish nights a week there with them.

Sidenote: I have an AWESOME employer who has supported me tremendously the last few years. If you need and GIS work done or need a website please give us a chance to compete for your work. The owners started the company because they wanted to work someplace that treated both the clients and workers right and I believe they've over-achieved on that. In the 8 years I've worked there, I've never had to ask for a raise--they've proactively taken care of me. Even more valuable, though, is that they've been tremendously flexible about allowing me to work the hours I've needed. I spent a few years working mostly nights so I could stay home with our youngest and my employer has always been supportive. They also treat their clients with the same respect.

One thing I've learned through this last year is how important my family is to me. My wife and two girls are everything. It hasn't been easy being away from them and I missed them terribly. I never want to be away from them again.

As far as running, I had a little momentum early in the year==think I did a 15-miler in Feb but once I started telecommuting, I stopped running. I ran a race on 3/8, after not running for nearly a month, because it was my birthday and I have not run since. But now that the family is mostly home for the summer, I'm going to start again.

One thing I've never brought to my running is a sense of balance. I tend to be either all-in or not in at all. I need to change that. I can not continue the roll-coaster ride of starting and stopping.

Just one more *smile*.