Giving Up Control

Instead of focusing on all the things I can't control, I am enjoying the moments in front of me. The marathon is going to be an amazing journey and I get the chance to write the ending. 
--Shalene Flanagan, 2nd woman finisher at the 2010 NYC Marathon

I skipped a training run yesterday.

I was gone at a conference all day long.  Then I went for a quick dinner with the family.  Then I took Katherine to swimming lessons.  Then I went to band practice.  I got home just before 10pm but decided to not do my 4 mile training for the day.

I was feeling a bit guilty about it, but I've just been so tired lately that I couldn't do it.  I did 4 miles instead of the prescribed 3 miles for today to make up for it.  But I realized that I need to just learn to let some things go.  There might be days when I can't get my run in.  It doesn't mean that I've fallen off the wagon and my whole goal of running a marathon is over.  It just means that I didn't do a day of running.  

In case you don't know, I really, really like to be in control.  I like to know what's going on.  I like to make plans and stick with them.  I do not easily go with the flow.  (If I do go with the flow but don't really agree with it, it's only because I'm too shy to speak up and make a suggestion about changing the flow.  HA!)  

So when my marathon training guide says, "Run 4 miles on Wednesday, March 2nd," that's what I intend on doing.  I stick with the plan.

*sigh*

But sometimes other things in life get in the way. I cannot control everything, but I can control with I do with the things that get in the way.  My story is written however I let it be written.  So if it takes training for a marathon to help me learn that, well then, I guess it's time well spent.