Work And Play

It's All About Planning

Figure 1: Probably the most famous work related burn-out
in movie history. Jack Nicholson, The Shining.

I'm pretty sure that Jack (played by Jack Nicholson) would not have lost his mind in the movie the Shining if he'd just planned his stay better. All work and no play is not the way go. Or at least if he would've been a runner would've caught his wife before entering the labyrinth, or if that's not convincing, he would've had a better chance of surviving in the labyrinth: running creates tremendous amount of heat. As long as you are running, you don't freeze to death! Been there, done that (Finnish military in Winter).

The number one excuse that I hear is "I don't have time". People waste their time on complaining that they don't have time. And then there are some that have figured it out that if you don't have the time, you just make the time. Prioritize again your life. We should be out there chasing our dreams. The big dreams are not materialistic. They are deep inside every one of us. They are about what you do and just being the person that you want to be. I want to be an athlete. Fine. Now I just have to act like one. Work hard on your dream and life will reward you generously. There's no greater satisfaction than knowing that you've given your best.

The reason I write this post is not to criticize anyone nor am I trying to tell anyone how to live their life. The reason I write this is to show that it is possible and in your own control to take charge of your life. To do what I love I had to give up on sitting in cars in traffic jams and standing in crowded public transportation every morning and afternoon, and use that (extra) time to chase my dreams. Sounds like a bargain to me. They will call you crazy at first and when they see that it actually works they will still call you crazy. And it is true, you certainly stand out of line with this kind of weird behavior. It is not normal. Or maybe it is in Kenya, but not in the West. But I can go to work and still train like professional if I just plan it right.

Everyone of us is at their unique situation and there are quite a few variables to think about when putting together the puzzle. Some of the most important and fundamental things to consider:

• The type of job you have
• The working hours
• Do you need to carry things to and from work
• The distance from home to work
• Do you have a shower at your disposal
• Where can you keep your things
• Traveling

All of these things have a major influence on how to resolve the puzzle. But neither one of these things will prevent you from running (for example). They are just part of the equation at hand and will vary from case to case. I am not going to explain how to cope with each one these variables. Just get creative. The style is free, but mandatory. I guarantee you that there is always a way.

My Way To Do It

Here's how I do it. Monday is my rest day, meaning that I only run very easy home from work. Monday mornings I bring to work all the clean clothes that I plan to use that week in work. I have my locker where I keep my things. Friday is another easy day and that's when I bring back the work clothes in the afternoon. From Tuesday to Thursday I run to and from work according to Figure 2 depending how many times per week I am going to practice (running). I work often weekends, especially on Sundays, but the hours are not carved in stone so creativity has it's use again.

Figure 2: Weekly schedule. AM: Run to work, PM: Run from work,
Evening: Run after work. Low intensity (green), moderate intensity (yellow),
high intensity (red), long run (light blue).

The shortest route to work for me is 8 km. But I often run much longer and do it in the park that is in between my work and home. The only things I'm carrying while running are my keys to home and work and my Sony Walkman. Cell phones, well, I don't like them. If I really need to move my cell phone I do it like this: I remove the sim card, put it in a small plastic bag or sleeve and bring it home (or work) in a small pocket in my shorts. I have an old cell phone at home. But this is just for special occasions. I prefer the De La Soul approach. One of the best things about running is that you get to disconnect from the stressful world.

Traveling

When I have to travel for work (or vacation) I try to make use of that time as recovering from recent exercise. I might do double practice dose right before traveling and then try to relax and put the traveling time in good use. You can not follow too strictly your plans, but you can make the best out of your time, and that's enough. Traveling is not just a distraction, it presents positive things as well: you might get to train at different climate, altitude, temperature, landscape and routes. Take it as a gift, not a distraction and you will be fine. Some of us crazy guys (and gals) run at the airports and airport parking lots. Yes, that's one way to do it.

"In an insane world a sane man must appear insane." -C. William King