Nothing Splendid.

“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance.” -Bruce Barton

Running is not easy for me.  Not that I think it is super easy for anyone… but I wouldn’t say I ENJOY it.  I love how I feel afterwards, but during?  Not so much.

The first 2 miles are almost TERRIBLE.  Torture.  I want to quit.  My shoes feel like they are made of lead.  I struggle to breathe.  I feel uncoordinated, and like my legs have no rhythm.  I am so tempted to just stop and walk back home.

However, after those first couple of miles, it becomes less torturous   It isn’t FUN (yet) by any means, but it gets a little easier. I get into a rhythm. My mind clears.  I just keep telling myself, “You can do this, you can do this,” as my feet strike the pavement.  I feel a little click in my brain and I know I will finish what I started.

I even seem to enjoy myself a little bit.  Ha!

I feel empowered! I feel healthy! I breathe in the fresh, clean air and imagine my feet taking me farther and farther with every step.  I know as I am running that I am getting closer towards the end of my run, and closer towards my goals… and I never want that feeling to end.

The same goes for starting a healthier lifestyle.  The first days, and even weeks can seem torturous.  You are out of your safety zone, and it isn’t fun.  You aren’t yet seeing the benefits of the hard work you have been doing.  You question yourself and your caaraaazy idea at the beginning that you could do it. It would be so easy to just quit.

But just keep going.  You will find a rhythm.  Believe in yourself and what you can do.  Take each step towards your goals.  Eat healthy, move, sleep more, be positive!  Tell yourself that you can do it, because you CAN!

Today, I ran six miles. For the first time in my LIFE.  If you would have told me four years ago that these two feet would travel six miles I would never have believed in my heart, and in myself that I could accomplish something like that.   If I can do that, then there is nothing that with a little determination cannot be done.

Promise to yourself that you will get beyond the tough first couple of miles, and I promise it will all be worth it.