I’ve been running like a headless chicken, and at a certain point, I was in denial about it. I could sense it: my to-do list was getting longer, I had three project lists in different places, my days started earlier and ended later & suddenly, work was more important than triathlon. I could sense it but didn’t know what to do about it.

I couldn’t get my groove and rhythm with the many things happening. More importantly I noticed I was more reactive to things that needed to get done.

Thinking about these things as I ran in the rain made me feel better. It also hit me that I could think about these things a little better while running. Before I ran, I thought people who ran were running away from problems. And for a short while, before I went out the door, I thought going out was a waste of time — time that might be better spent getting on top of work.

But tonight in the rain, it hit me that runners don’t run away from their problems. I suspect that sometimes we go out and lace our shoes so that we can run into the things that bug us rather than run away from them, to engage them more fully rather than avoid them.

Runner’s World used to do one-page profiles of everyday runners. CEOs and those who lead, often said that running gave them time to think of solutions and would often have insights after a run. I guess this is the same experience.

I like the way another runner describes it, “You can’t run away from your demons, but you can tire them out.”