Running for Pancakes

The last few weeks have been interesting, Mother Nature is going through menopause I think, it’s been really warm and it’s been really cold, we have had rain, freezing rain and snow.  I have a love/hate relationship with running in the winter.  I love running in the cold crisp conditions, the feeling you get running on a snow packed sidewalk but I hate running on ice and feeling insecure underfoot.   November 22, I went running along the canal with a friend in capri’s and a t-shirt, six days later I ran with a different friend in long tights and all my winter running gear.  Four days later, on Sunday it was raining and freezing rain and I had to cut my run short as I was afraid I would slip.  Yesterday it was +10 and today it feels like -10, this is crazy. 

Generally I do not run outside between Jan and Mar, it’s me and my treadmill. Some runners hate the treadmill, like my husband, but I do not mind it.  It’s warm inside, the footing is secure and I can have a bathroom stop or water break whenever I need it.  I have a  vivid imagination and I pass the time writing movies or TV shows in my head, where I am the beautiful star of the feature and some handsome man is my love interest, sorry Neale.  I also have time to sort out problems and work through stuff that is happening.  I get to argue both sides of the argument, look at the pros and cons and have a complete plan by the time I finish my run.  Poor Neale hates it when I get off the treadmill and say “Honey, I’ve been thinking”, he knows what is coming and I am sure he hides when I finish my run to avoid this.   

Lately I have been having some work problems, owning your own business has its pluses and minuses and November was definitely a minus month.  In the past I would have eaten my stress, drank too much wine and had too many treats.  Now I hop on the treadmill and go for a run and run until my stress is gone and I have formulated a plan.  December is a new month, I have a plan for my business for the New Year and I am happy with the new way I choose to deal with my stress.

Studies show that the average person puts on 10 lbs during the holiday season, yikes!  I have a plan for December so that I end up the month they way I went into it, a loss would be great but holding even will be a victory.  If I want to eat something extra, I find out how much extra running I would need to do to burn it off and then decide if it is worth the effort, if it is, I eat it, if not I do not but I do the run FIRST.  I have a recipe for Gingerbread pancakes that I want to try.  This means a 16K run and when I do that long run, probably Dec 22^rd that is what I am making.  Whatever you eat during the holidays, enjoy it, really really enjoy it…you deserve it.