Don't Like It? Get Better.

Week 17: Did Icarus Have a Nice View While He Fell?

Welcome to Thanksgiving Week in the US.

Be that as it may, this editions rings pretty negative in some respects. When those feelings pop up, zooming out and reminding ourselves of our blessings is always the answer.

After all, gratitude is the antidote to fear.

Then again, don’t like it, get better right?

My wife’s family rolls deep for this holiday, so it’s about to go down for a 5-day beating.

See you on the other side!

Philosophical Dad Stuff & Leadership Double Feature!

By Saturday morning I’d had it.

My wife had been traveling for work for a week and I’d been relying on I-pads and television to give me cover while I got the kids ready for school, or made dinner, or just got a minute to myself.

Being completely fair, I realize I was part of the problem here.

But after some backtalk regarding some silly show on YouTube, I’d had it.

I get up on my high horse every week and write about leadership, usually in the workplace setting.

What about self-leadership? What about being a leader at home? Being the father? Not being a buddy, but being a parent?

That’s when it hit me.

We live in a world where lots of people talk about how “Someone should do something about this.”

I remembered that “someone” could be me. It should be me.

No. It must be me.

Because who the hell else is it going to be?

“YouTube Kids is now a thing of HISTORY!” I suddenly announced to my bewildered children.

I work all day with my eyes glued to screens. I get off work and attach my eyes to different screens, all promising the same things.

I’m not naïve to think they won’t grow up in a work surrounded by technology, it’s ubiquitous. But I only don’t have to relinquish some of the best years of my children’s creativity to fucking YouTube either.

It’s starting to feel like the evolving existential crisis of our generation; how to raise well-adjusted children in a world that wants them to be craven, docile, and utterly self-centered.

I remembered I love my kids far too much than to allow them to turn into shitty humans.

Because what the world needs is fewer shitty humans.

That’s fighting the good fight.

That’s the ultimate expression of being a parent.

And I’m absolutely here for all of it.

Couch to UItramarathon

Hubris finally caught up.

For months, I’d downplayed the distance involved in running 50 kilometers, or 31 miles.

“Eh, I’ve run marathons (when I was in my 20’s), I’m not worried about it that much.”

I thought I could just run and get it done.

Lolz. I wonder if Icarus had a great view as he fell to Earth.

I’ve been great about strapping on my shoes and going to run. I’ve been terrible when it comes to getting stronger and recovering effectively.

As such, it’s caught up to me.

My foot hurt from the start on Saturday night as I set out to run 14 miles, culminating a 44-mile week.

Thinking it would go away, I pressed on. The next morning, not only did my foot still hurt, but so did my knees, back, and hips from changing my running gait to accommodate my hurting foot.

A strength and stamina imbalance caused me pain, so I literally and physiologically tried to run around it, which doesn’t work.

Our heart and lungs can push us a long way, but not on weak legs. So it goes.

Setbacks are discouraging, by nature.

An earlier, less-evolved version of myself would have let it defeat me. It would have been the “out.” The excuse. The reason to not worry about failing because I’d never have to try. The arena could wait.

Not now though. My mind immediately went to “How can I solve for this problem?”

And after soliciting some advice from wise friends, playing for the long game was the obvious answer.

I didn’t like it, but it was a better decision to pack it in, rest and recover.

However, from time-to-time fool’s luck saves us all.

I miscounted my training timetable. I started an 18-week training plan 19-weeks out. Turns out I’ve got an extra full week.

Maybe just enough time to recover and stay on the path…

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

“Do not despise the bottom rungs in the ascent to greatness.“ - Publilius Syrus

Live triumphantly. See you next week.