It’s a good thing I’m a runner because I have a sweet tooth.

I’m working on it. I have been for years. Age and wisdom are helping. But it still shows up from time to time like a monster under the bed.

Pop-Tarts are a weakness. Brown sugar. Strawberry. Blueberry. Anything frosted — the unfrosted ones feel like a waste.

I like Pop-Tarts before big workouts. I like Pop-Tarts before races. I like Pop-Tarts on Sunday mornings with the kids. Sometimes I even consider them for dinner if I’m not paying attention. I could build a whole case for why they make a decent pre-race meal. Quick sugar. Easy to digest. Predictable. Are there better options? Of course. But the point isn’t perfection. It’s sustainability.

Living forever on the strict and narrow rarely lasts. Maybe that works if you’re training for the Olympic Trials. Most of us aren’t. A better approach is eating well most of the time and allowing room for the occasional treat without guilt.

Which brings me to Valentine’s Day.

Tomorrow, if you have a chocolate — or two, or three — don’t beat yourself up. Running has a way of balancing things out. I burn roughly 100 calories per mile, and sometimes I do that math in my head and count myself lucky to be a runner.

Happy Valentine’s Day, and happy running.

George