practice, practice, practice

OK, I'll admit it. I've lacked discipline lately when it comes to running. I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person. I have to be very rigid in my routines and not vary. (Many of you don't know this, but they originally wanted me to be the Rain Man; doggone that ol' Dustin Hoffman and all his fancy Oscars....) I'm still walking, but I actually enjoy running much better.

It's the same old thing - I stop running, feel the need to start up again, and have to get back into it a little at a time. I included a partial run during my walk Sunday morning. It was just 1/4 mile, but it was a start. Within a few weeks, if I stick to it, I'll get back to being able to run 2 or 3 miles. It's just a matter of getting back in the rhythm.

I've got a friend who, during high school, would practice smiling and laughing in front of a mirror before going out on a date. She'd go in the bathroom and work on different smiles and laughs for different situations during the date. It's not unlike what Coach Fulmer does before a football game, working with his players, setting up different game situations. Guys, did you know that girls did such things? We always thought they were putting on makeup and brushing their hair. Turns out that we misunderstood the word "prepping" and thought they were saying "primping".

My point is this - if I want to succeed at something, I've got to practice at it. They say practice makes perfect. I don't know about that, but my pants sure won't feel as tight around the waist if I'd just get back into the practice of running every night. Well, that, and lay off the Moose Tracks ice cream....