The Procrastinator

I'm a creature of habit. I usually have my best weeks of training when I'm working the full five days of work. When the Holidays roll around, or I just have a day off here or there, it usually spells trouble for my running. I'll sit in bed and talk myself out of running in the morning, reasoning that I have all day to do it. Then I'll eat breakfast, play with the kids, putz around here and there. Next thing I know, half the day is gone and I don't feel like running. I need to be in my rhythm. Wake up at 5:30, get in the miles, get into work, run at lunch if I need to, get home and relax with the family. Without that structure, I'm lost.

I often wonder what would have happened had I trained like I am right now when I was 25 years old. The problem with that line of thinking is that it was darned near impossible for me to train like I am right now when I was 25. It's just the way that I'm wired. I'm a bit of a procrastinator. Tell me something needs to be done by the end of the month, and I sit on it until, well, the end of the month. Christmas Shopping? That's what Christmas Eve was made for. If you ever need to find me before a race, the best place to look would probably be at the race day registration table. Yep, I'm a procrastinator, which is usually not the best of qualities to have, but it's working for me now.

I think most people agree that generally a distance runner can improve into his mid-30's. With me celebrating my 33rd birthday a few weeks ago, I would say that puts me squarely into that range, where I don't have a whole lot of time left. It's time to move. It's time to find out how good I can be. It's what driving me these days. It's working for me.

All of which brings me back to this week. I can deal with a race on Saturday or Sunday. I usually train hard right up until Thursday or Friday, take a relatively easy day the day before and then race. I'm used to that. That fits into my routine. But a Tuesday race? I can honestly say that I haven't run a Tuesday race since, well, ever. It's kind of throwing off my week. With a measely 7 on Monday, 10 yesterday, and another 10 today, it's getting to the point, where I may just have to write the week off and break my string of 100 mile weeks at 4. But I'm not willing to admit defeat quite yet. With a couple of solid days here to close out the work week there are still some scenarios where I could get the mileage in. If not, I know it's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It's just this 100 mile week thing, it's kind of habit I've been enjoying, and one that I'd rather not break.