On the Road Again . . .

876 miles driven; four hotels in four nights and capped off with a three hour flight delay turned cancelled flight that killed my Friday night return and my early Saturday morning training plans.  Another night in another hotel. Challenges to resiliency can take many forms. Travel in the post 9/11, the post airline consolidation environment and the impacts of whether are one such basket of possible experiences that can challenge the unprepared.

I built the itinerary to maximize the value of time away from the office, so the mileage and frequent hotel changes were an accepted part of the trip plan from the start.  No issues with control, challenge or commitment from me for those first four days.  I had to deal with and adjust to the last.  Over the trip, I was able propel myself fifteen miles on inclined treadmills and ellipticals and burn around 3240 calories with 255 minutes of effort over four days which offset a suboptimal travel diet (although it was all good) that included Tex-Mex, Big Red, and Shiner Bock - Hey I am in Texas!

The loss of personal time and the delayed return home is a very infrequent experience - twice in the last 6 years, yet both having to do with Houston? While unfortunate, is not the first or last time in will happen in my life. I have been traveling for work almost from the start of my career, and spent countless hours idling in airports from planned and unplanned connection delays.  Sanctuary comes from jumping in to your favorite music. With the right airline, sanctuary also comes from an airline club room these days too.

I view all as an assumed risk.  You need to travel to where you are going whether physically or metaphorically, and what happens from A to B and back falls under that broad category drawn from liability waivers.  Perhaps it is Fear of Death / Embrace Death from High Altitude Leadership - knowledge and acceptance that things can go very badly.  Attitude and how you treat others in these instances can be clear indications of whether your hardi-house (my own addition to the hardiness and resiliency lexicon) is in order.  The cumulative experiences of my past, and what I draw from them better prepares me for the future.