Having a crush on Hamlet, or Learning to Relax

Joy here…In 2010/2011 I ran 6 running races in 12 months, with a good 6 of those months being the depth of a Canadian winter.  I then layered in some bike riding and had a great "summer of the sisterhood" of riding with some great women cyclists near where I live.

Then I thought I'd get back into the running over that 2011/2012 winter and train for my first ever full marathon.  I was full of dreams and aspirations.

My broken pinkie toe in the spring of 2012.

Then I broke my toe.

No big deal, I recouped, changed directions and started riding my bike.

Then in the 2012 season, I raced the heck outta my bike, competing in 2 gran fondos, 1 road race, and a whole bunch of time trials, including the Ontario provincial time trials.

Then I was kinda burnt out.

I didn't really feel like riding my bike in my basement in the cold, dark winter of 2012/2013, but I was out of shape from not running so much.

So I essentially got a bit lazy and a bit out of shape.  I was neither running nor cycling consistently, and it took me many months to get back into the swing of things.

Now it's almost fall, and in 2013/2014 I've only done 2 running races so far.  I'm sure I'll sign up for more, but at the moment I'm still just working on being consistent…getting back in the game, so to speak.

I'm also working on not being so hard on myself and giving myself permission to put my feet up and relax every now and then.

Relax by an infinity pool...

Why don't you join me? Put your feet up and take it easy.

Because everyone says trite things like "carpe diem" and "stop and smell the roses," but what do those things really mean?  How does one live authentically and meaningfully in the present without sacrificing one's future presents?  I mean, if I just sat around and totally enjoyed myself today, not thinking about tomorrow, I'd probably have Type 2 Diabetes from all the chocolate that I'd consume.  I'd probably also have my house repossessed when I wasn't able to pay my mortgage because I was so busy doing nothing but relaxing.

…relaxing in a nice, warm bath!

Now, obviously, that's not what I'm suggesting.  What I am suggesting, though, is something that Aristotle would have recognized as moderation - which is NOT what The Man always says it is that place he passes through between two extremes - but rather moderation is about finding that balance between desires and rationality.

Moderation, for me, is the Hamlet of life (if you think of Hamlet as needing to find his balance between Horatio as rationality personified and Laertes as emotionality personified).  And since I've always kind of had a crush on Hamlet, I figure that it's a-okay for me to try to pursue moderation in my life.

And so, for now, moderation will take the form of relaxation, and then when I feel like I've relaxed and recharged, I'll show up for another running race, but for now I'm going to run a bath, pour a glass of wine, and take it easy.

Over and out,
Joy