I live in the Bay Area, where right now a week-long rainstorm is passing through. I\u2019m just getting to the point where I feel 100% recovered from a hospital stay. So I really wanted to go for a run.<\/p>\n
Part of the reason for this is Habitica<\/a>, a fun system to track \u00a0your daily and longer-term goals, which I\u2019ll have plenty more to say about. I\u2019ve always said I\u2019m easily motivated by artificial deadlines, for example NaNoWriMo<\/a>. So I track my goals by marking things done on a web site, and in the process leveling up my little pixel character. I needed to complete my 21-day streak!<\/p>\n Hey, whatever it takes to motivate myself is probably worth it.<\/p>\n So, when my alarm clock went off at the usual time this morning, I was so tired, and the pillow was so comfortable, and it was hardly raining outside. Maybe the storm will miss us? I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, an hour had passed, and a heavy downpour was in progress.<\/p>\n I put my running clothes and shoes on, and made it out. I stayed close to my house, snaking up and down neighborhood streets in case things got bad. The rain was coming down in squalls, so it wasn\u2019t too bad. Mostly. But I soon reached a completely saturated point, after which it wouldn\u2019t have made any difference to quit at that point. But I knew that if I stopped, the chances of powering through the resistance to make it out a second time that day were virtually nil. If I stopped, I\u2019d be done for the day.<\/p>\n I had several opportunities to turn back to the warmth of a dry home, but I checked my fitbit tracker and found I had gone 8.3km. As long as I was out, why not make it a 10k?<\/p>\n Afterward, I felt great. (And the shower was amazing.) I wouldn\u2019t have described myself as the kind of person who goes running in the rain, but somehow I made it happen.<\/p>\n More lifehacks and a\u00a0free\u00a0infographic: subscribe to my low-volume list:<\/p>\n\n
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