Thank you everyone for your kind comments and wishes. Although this is not the first time my wife or I have faced unemployment, it is the first time we have faced this with a large mortgage payment due every month. The current economic situation in Germany is not so rosy and with my wife fast approaching the half-century mileage marker she is a bit nervous. But my wife is a fighter and skilled in what she does, she only needs a chance to show a business what she can do.
Last night I made it a point to spent some time with my wife when I got home, patiently listening as she bad-mouthed the German unemployment office personnel (easy to do, they are so incompetent), then met my running club at 6 p.m. for a run.
It was a rather chilly (5C/41F) first day of spring as we huddled together at the trailhead. Usually the groups stand around and talk until the running club leader has to kick us out onto the trail, but this time the groups didn’t need much motivation.
I started with the mid-pack for the first 10 minutes or so, but the front runners were taking their time so a broke off with another runner and we eventually caught up with the faster group (who were running slower than normal too). I felt pretty good so fell right into pace, but after awhile they started speeding up and before long we were flying along (for me) at a 5:00/K (8:00/M) pace. Now my mind was totally against this exerted effort, but the body was willing, so this turned into quite the battle of wills. Luckily my body won and I again settled into a groove and chained myself to the taskmasters setting the pace. But these dudes must have been suffering from spring fever or something, because as we neared the last kilometer they again accelerated, leaving half the group behind and me gasping for breath by the time we got back to the trailhead – but I hung with them!
All in all it was a good workout, not the fastest 11K loop that I have made with the club due to the slow start, but definitely a good workout towards the end.
Jack, I hope all gets solved eventually - in fact, everything gets sold eventually, doesn't it? but living through it always seems like a torture. Good offer on walking club to the wife! As for running - it is a great thing, but it is NOT a whole life, right? We are all there unless we are single and young:)