Commitment People

Subtitled: People who should be committed

Today's post is going to be short because I'm already behind and it's only the second week of the semester.

On a side note, my last post was my 300th post! Here I was, feeling like it was the first. Time does fly when you're stressing about homework. But I digress...

I ended up not going to bed until after midnight last night. I was fully aware that I had committed to cross-training in the wee hours of the morning with Mica. Wednesdays are technically my off days. And man, when my alarm went off at 6 AM, I was tempted to make it one of those really quickly. Another hour or so of sleep and the chance to avoid taking a shower, all in the name of sanity and finishing up assignments. Yes, I was seriously considering this option for all of two minutes.

But I didn't. Because I promised to pick Mica up and drive to the gym. I made a commitment, however insignificant, and I was not about to bail due to sleepiness. There are ways around sleepiness: caffeine, sugar, methamphethamines...

I kid, I kid!

But seriously, I think this is another one of running's unsung wondrous side-effects: commitment to your friends and yourself in a very concrete, physical way. Would I have lost fitness if I'd taken a break today? No. Would I have gained weight? No (okay...maybe yes...I have big plans for pizza and Top Chef this evening). But I would have been a flaky friend if I'd bailed. And I might not feel what could be the only sense of accomplishment I'll feel all day for having gotten up and done a pretty moderate to hard workout this morning (cardio and core...still can't move legs or arms....DOMS). And I would have been trailed by that nagging feeling of guilt that it's only week two of marathon training and I'm already justifying and reasoning away my own good health. It was just not worth it in the end, those fantasy two extra hours of sleep. I'm glad I got up, and I'm glad I volunteered to drive.

Plus, it's good to run my car once a day, lest the battery dies from the cold. It's happened before.

So here's to the awesomeness of workout buddies!