Life after unemployment

You want to know how to make yourself get up at 5:30 a.m.on a Saturday morning and run 11 miles? Tell one of your new colleagues at your new job that's what you're going to do when asked what weekend plans you have. It worked, last weekend. There was no way I could go into work that following Monday and tell her that I wussed out.

I've just completed three weeks now on  the new job. The nearly 10 months of unemployment are rapidly fading in my mind already -- it's kind of surreal how far away it seems, so quickly. Part of it is that the job I took is insanely busy -- I haven't been this busy professionally in a really long time, like since the fall of 2009. It's fantastic to be this busy. The other day I popped into the post office on Lawrence, located next to my hood's unemployment office. There was a line out the door, with folks waiting for it to open. I felt guilty, really guilty, all of a sudden that I had a job and they didn't. Friday's unemployment report was so grim, too. There are so many people hurting out there. A friend of mine lost her house to the bank and has has to move her and her two daughters. Things are just a mess. I hope I never forget how freaking lucky I am. I sure took a lot for granted before my layoff.

OK, enough of that. Let's talk running. I am a month away from my first half marathon since Baby C was born. I know I can certainly finish a half and do decently, though probably nowhere near a PR (personal record). Two weeks ago I began adding in speedwork during a weekday run and I'm hoping it will help. my idea of speedwork is run a block fast, and run the next couple of blocks at a more moderate pace, repeat. Even that kicks my 43-year-old butt. There are no easy comebacks after baby!

Yesterday I ran 6 with friends doing the Chicago Half next weekend and I pushed us to do a little faster than the 11 minute/mile pace we've been doing. I'm tired of being so damn slow. So, we'll see.

Baby C is hollering now, gotta go.