For The Runner Moms Out There

So first let me say Happy Mother's Day to any of my mom friends out there.  I give all of you runner moms special street cred.  Some people who know I run are always asking me how do I find the time.  I am like what are you talking about.  I have 1 job, a husband, six cats, and 1 home to take care of.  That's it.  It is nothing like some of you that have kids and all of that and still get out the door.  I mean if I did not do something productive with my time, like run, I might be the weirdo at work showing pics of her cats and husband wearing matching sweaters I knitted.  Though that is pretty unlikely considering in college I was moved from the costume shop to the scene shop because they said it was too dangerous for me to use a sewing machine and they preferred I work with the table saw so fewer people would get hurt.  You have to accept your shortcomings.

Back to my point...surprisingly I had one.  I was reading this book The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results.  In the book the author's premise is in every arena of life there is one pivotal thing that when done will make everything else come together.  It is an interesting premise, especially for a currently recovering multi-tasker like myself.  In discussing this issue he has a whole section on how will power is an outdated concept.  I am a lover of will power, in all of its iterations, probably not surprising if you have read any of my other posts.  Confession time! Most anal perfectionists, multi-taskers are also big fans of will power.  Well, Gary spends a good time dispelling this myth.  He actually says will power is a tool we use to convert a desire to establish something as a habit into a habit. It is a bridge and once we cross 69 days will power drops out of the picture and is replaced by a far more sustainable friend, habit.  I guess I can understand that.  He says if it truly were will power it would exhaust us because that takes so much energy.

Maybe all of that is true, for a slacker like me, with no children pulling at my leg or my time and the fact that I have never had to run while pushing a jogging stroller up the final hill at the end of my run.  BTW kudos to the Mom who passed me doing just that in a race last year.  Gary might be right about will power as a bridge to habit.  Maybe for me it is 69 days.  For the runner moms out there it may be a bridge to a habit but that bridge might also be 18 years long, because what I see from running mom bloggers and running mom friends is a consistent demonstration of commitment, dedication and a will power to get out the door, by any means necessary.  Gary may believe it is a habit, but unless he can outrun a mom pushing a jogging stroller I would not tell them that.  Enjoy your day ladies!  Make hubby watch the kids and enjoy a run!