Attitude Adjustment Run

I needed a big attitude adjustment this weekend. By that I mean, I needed an adjustment for my big, somewhat bad, attitude.

Although it may not have been evident to everyone I interacted with, my snarly attitude was most certainly brewing just below the surface.

I was feeling a little more than overwhelmed with a variety of thing in the present and future -- three weekends in a row with work obligations, an impending move (which means hours of dreaded cleaning, sorting and packing) and a lot of uncertainty as I look to fly solo in my office for a bit in the very near future. (Just typing that last part sends my stress-level sky-rocketing.)

That, on top of the fact that I'd neglected running for an entire week added up to one exhausting week.

And one lady in desperate need of an Attitude Adjustment Run.

This weekend brought sunny skies spring-like temperatures - you know, the kind where us New Englanders jump at the chance to do anything outdoors after suffering through cold, dark winters. As a self-proclaimed outdoors-person, it pained me -- at least mentally jabbed me -- to spend the almost the entire weekend inside.

First, a couple of work events trapped me inside buildings. Work obligations were followed in rapid succession by an enjoyable (but perhaps ill-timed, for me) 50th anniversary dinner for TC's parents. (Perhaps I should offer a "public" apology here to TC for my near-silence during our trip to dinner while I tried to give myself a little pep talk to drag my exhausted self through the rest of the day.)

That was Saturday. Sunday required another work event - where I spent most of the time hoping I could wrap it up early enough to get in a run.

The sunny skies teased me through the windows as I tried to concentrate on the event in front of me. And almost everyone, most not knowing that I'd dedicated nearly every hour of my weekend to being inside and doing things that I "had to" do, taunted me with theirs comments about the "beautiful weather" and stories of their outdoor escapades.

I rushed home after the "final bell" of Sunday's event. A run was guaranteed. I opted for running shorts -- the first Shorts Run of 2010! -- and gladly released my legs from those restricting running tights.

I purposefully left the watch at home. I didn't care how fast I ran. I didn't really even care how far I went. I chose a route that would be "about" six miles and headed out for the best dose of "medicine" that I could get -- a head-clearing, relaxing, full hour of Me Time.

I didn't think about work. I didn't think about moving. In fact, I'm not sure I really thought about much of anything at all. I just enjoyed being outside, hearing my footsteps on the pavement, seeing children playing in their yards, feeling the warm sun on my face.

I returned home a new person -- re-energized, happy and feeling like I actually accomplished something productive.

Attitude Adjustment? Most certainly mission accomplished.

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