I don't have running shoes!

A poem on pivoting

Fridays are for poetry and exploring a creative side of writing about my training experiences in sport. I hope you enjoy

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It’s one of those mornings

You know the type, I don’t even need to say

Things aren’t as smooth today

Everyone in this house is a bit off

I’m so glad I get to go trail running later today

But wait a second, where did I leave those trail runners

OH CRAP, their in the front seat of the car that just pulled out of the driveway

“I’m sorry things are going your way dad, looks like it’s just not going to be a good day.”

Words from my daughter’s lips reframe the entire morning.

Just because a few breaks haven’t gone my way doesn’t mean I automatically surrender the day

“No it doesn’t my girl”

Does it matter that I didn’t finish the morning’s work because the little ones jumped out of bed WAY EARY? NO

Does it matter that I now have no shoes to run trails, my seeming salvation for the day? Also NO.

“I can finish the work later, after I drop you off at school”

“I can go run at the beach, I don’t even NEED shoes”

Pause, take a second, take stock of what’s happening

In the moment, you turn it around.

Resourceful, creative, imaginative.

Experienced, hardened, indomitable.

Just because you’re down, never count yourself out.

I don’t need shoes to go running.

I just need a spirit that can aim me towards a place where I don’t need them to run

Willpower to turn whatever is in my way into an opportunity to experience a different side of the same outcome

Come to think of it

Shoes are overrated a lot of the time anyways

Even for running