Avid reader/runner

I have a TV that sits in the corner of my living room. I don’t like it there and I never watch it. I try to watch TV sometimes…mostly at other people’s houses where it seems to be the center attraction or, if not, a drone in the background that no one notices unless someone turns it off. I sometimes wonder if I should make a point to watch it occasionally just to get a drift of where society is, so I do try. But it is so dumb…

I love to read. My eyes don’t generally cooperate for too long these days so my reading is in spats, like driving some car with a bad clutch. This is dangerous for an ADD type such as myself, for I generally have 2 or 3 books going at the same time. They are often totally unrelated and it is a surprise each time I pick a new one up!

Ok, moving right along…

Despite being sick this week and having my first five mile run this morning, I was, and still need to be, in my base building phase. I am not yet ready for any quality work. This has been a bone of contention for me as I kinda like doing what every one else is doing (uh, except when it comes to TV watching!!)

So I became a little disgruntled about being the oddball. (I think some of my buddies may have even noticed, despite my quiet and demure manner.) I got somewhat of a bad attitude. That’s when Steve told me that I needed to stick some Led Zepplin (the greatest rock group EVER) or some disco (oh, like you never listened to it) on the CD player on the way to my workouts. “Get pumped!” he said, “Stop worrying about stupid stuff.” So I did. But it didn’t work. I just could not shake being the “one who is still behind.”

Back to the books. I decided that I could add one more book to my several in progress and got one that Steve had recommended (about getting your head…well, ya know.) So now I had 4 books that I was carrying about, to be read at any break possible. But wait a minute!! What was I thinking??? For someone with yucky eyesight for reading AND who rides around in a car more than a NASCAR driver, what about (drum roll) audio books??? I am not completely in the dark ages. I have had audio books for long drives. Then I thought…everything I do is a long drive! So I hit Barnes & Noble and I bought one.

I listened to my new book on the way home. And, I listened to my new book on the way to the workout this morning. I thought about how it could be bad to get all involved in my book and how it might make me think about it and disassociate from my running. (What can I say? I’m an idiot.) But, I did it anyway and arrived to my workout totally unstressed. No worrying about running. No freaking out about issues on NPR. Just relaxed and interested. Very interesting!!!! Yes, the car turned off, the book turned off, and I hopped out just in time to join my group as we ambled off from the Rock.

So how cool is that? How could I have forgotten the best method for clamoring into another mystery world when I needed it pre-workout as much as I needed it as a crazy teenager? I didn’t think about my run (or lack of running) as I listened to my audio story. And, just as when I put my books down and get up from the couch to make dinner, I was able to leave my storybook land as soon as the car shut off and go off to play (run) with my friends. Gee, great way to start the day! De-stress, fun run. Whatever works, huh???