Coping with being an unemployed runner
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On January 6th 2011 I became a statistic. I joined the 7.8% of Canadians who are unemployed. I was completely caught off guard when I was told I was being let go due to lack of work. I took the news kind of hard, I was almost waiting for my former boss to say, “Gotcha! now get back to work.” But she never did.
I took my final paycheck and left her office.
After I made my rounds of saying good bye and cleaning off my desk, I left the building where I was now formerly employed. My first stop was the bank to deposit my last check and thought about how I can break the news to my wife. I was going to call her, but thought it might be best to tell her in person. We already were having our financial struggles and figured this news would really stress her out. So I waited. I tried to call my dad to chat but he wasn’t available. Needing to speak with someone, I got a good friend of mine on the phone and we spoke about what happened for a bit. It felt good talking about it with someone.
I decided to walk around Toronto for a bit, not wanting to go home right away. I went into a few bookstores, etc then had lunch. I looked at my watch and saw it was now after 1. It was time to venture home. I caught a bus around 2 and started my long journey home. All I could think about on the bus ride was, “why me?” and “why didn’t I see this coming?” and “what am I going to do now?” and “how is my wife going to take this?”. I felt panic starting to set in.
Why didn’t I see this coming?
When I got home, I told my wife. She didn’t take the news well. Feeling really stressed out at this point, I decided to do something I love. I put on my running gear and went out for a run. During the run, all I could think about were the days events and how they transpired. I started to get a bit of a headache, so I stopped thinking and started listening. I tuned in on the wonderful sound of the “thump, thump, thump” my feet were making when they hit the pavement. I listened to that sound for the remainder of the run. It was music to my ears! My headache was gone when the run ended and my stress level went way down.
When I got back home, I checked a few emails and one was from my running buddy, Chris. He wanted to know if I was in for a few half marathon races that he was signing up for. My excitement turned into reality when I reminded myself I was now unemployed and paying $80.00 plus per race may not be the best thing to do right now. I sent him back an email and explained the situation letting him know I need to pass on the races.
So my days have turned into basically looking for work and running. I spend the morning trying to find a job and then run most afternoons getting home in time to pick up my daughter from school. While I hope to find a job very soon, I do enjoy being able to run in the early afternoon during weekdays. It has been very theraputic for me during this tough time.
I was logging my miles in the other day and realized that my running shoes have over 500 miles on them. Time for new shoes I thought, but the reality of being unemployed put a damper on that. I decided that I will not buy new shoes until I find a new job. That will be my treat to myself when I get a new job, I will buy new shoes and enter a few races. Right now feeding my family is the priority.
As much as I love running, my family comes first.
Always.
Sorry to hear of your situation. I went through the same experience last year, and tried to stick to my regular habit of running early in the morning so that I maintained the same kind of rigor and focus during the job search that I would eventually need to do again on the job. This is not to say that, like you, I didn’t enjoy the freedom (on occasion) to go out for a mid-day run, often the second of the day, to relieve stress. And, like you, new shoe purchases and race entries were postponed.
I wrote a post when I was laid off and tried to state the approaches I’d take to keeping positive in the job search. Maybe it will provide you some insights too – http://predawnrunner.com/2010/06/running-move/. Best of luck in pursuing new work, and I hope you are able to work something out soon.
Greg:
Thank you for the kind words. I read your post. Thank you! I hope all is well with you, my friend!
Lewis
being new to running I did not buy the whole “running to de-stress,” if anything I thought it would make me crazier having to find the time to do it and worry about how fast I was going…blah blah blah. I am so glad that after my very first run I was proved so very wrong!
I am no stranger to financial hardship either, my thoughts & prayers are with you in your hunt for a new job if you have not found one yet! (sorry, I just found your blog & am not entirely up to speed yet!)
Sorry to hear this (well, find this on Twitter). As it happens, I’ve been an unemployed runner long enough to become a self-employed runner. Wanna buy a book? (Visit my web site for more info).
I should have mentioned that it’s a book for runners – “Chasing the Runner’s High”.
Great column. I joined the ranks of the unemployed about a week after you did and took up running in June to help me occupy myself and try to keep from ballooning in weight. Good luck on your hunt.
I have been in the same position, which is unemployed, since late August. For the athlete who thrives on schedules and familiarity, lots of extra time is unsettling. I have never felt more useless that during this time.
I’m really sorry to hear of the hard times that you have fallen on but glad that you fell back on your running. It is always there when the chips are down, and when sometimes no one else is. I hope and pray that new opportunities become present to you and that you are back in the workforce soon. In the mean time, its really inspiring that you see the best in the situation and have peace with the situation and being able to run. Keep your head up and keep striving for what you are looking for. Don’t be afraid to go off the beaten path. If you want it bad enough, it will be within your grasp.