The Bargaining Begins!

Wow, that didn't take long!  The bargaining began even earlier than expected this time around...when my alarm went off this morning, I looked at my phone - 23 degrees....while moderate for some, I'm a native Texan and that is just flipping cold in my book....maybe I should run later in the day, surely it will warm up?  Turn on the news and hear "highs in the 30s"....so much for that idea.  So, the weather was one reason I should not hit the trail today, I am sure there are some other really good reasons...let's see, my husband is in balmy South America hunting, so I need to get three kids up, dressed, fed, lunches packed and all to school in time (he usually handles the drop off in the mornings) for the first day back after a two week break (they will be fun to wake up), I have several work deadlines looming, I know my phone will be ringing off the hook since it's the first full week of the new year, I need to go to the bank and again, it's really, really, really cold.  Those all seem like well thought out reasons to bail today.  I'm still running through this list as I go through the motions this morning and finally decide to at least put my running clothes on for school drop off.  On the way to school, in my super warm car, drinking my super warm coffee, my 7 year old daughter says, "Mom, do you think I should go to riding lessons tonight since it's so cold?"  Secretly I want her to say she doesn't want to go, then I don't have to sit outside in the cold for 2 hours and also manage two 8 year old boys who are complaining for 2 hours about the cold and having to watch their sister ride horses...but I say, "That's up to you, what do you think?"  "Yeah, I'm going to go.  You know, I'm addicted to riding, Mom."  In that instant it seemed clear...of course I was going to go get my run in this morning regardless of all the other reason why I shouldn't.  In a split second, my daughter reminded me that you have to not only be committed to do something, but passionate about what you are committed to do.  I spent most of 2009 doing marathon training in the cold and rain - it never once occurred to me to skip a workout.  So, with a windshield of between 9-15 degrees this morning, I slowly made my way around the 7 mile loop and tried to rekindle my passion.