Thursday, May 16, 2013

Pushing Through the HARD....

Have you ever felt like you just don't have any more in you to give? Whether it's with losing weight, getting to the gym, or tackeling another part of getting healthy? You're just tired, maybe you feel burnt out, or like nothing is working as you had planned?  I know this has been the case for me several times - last Thursday being one of them. (Click here for a Re-cap.) It was one of those days where I set out on a training run. I was scheduled 3 miles and couldn't even finish. It was hot, I felt de-pleated, and basically like I didn't have it in me. Somewhere just after I hit the 2-mile mark, my heart rate monitor went crazy high and I ended up having to slow it down to a walk in order to stay in my range. In some ways I didn't mind as it was one of those moments where I felt I had hit a wall and could go no more.

The next morning I was getting up at 5:00 am to run 9 miles. The thought entered my mind a few times, "If you can't even run three miles today, how in the world are you going to pull off 9 miles tomorrow morning?!" Needless to say, I got up and ran the 9 miles with no problem. It was easy! I could have just kept right on running. How crazy is that?!

Later that afternoon we spent 5 hours in the car headed to a dance competition for my daughter and it gave me time to really process and reflect on those two runs. What polar opposites they were yet they were less than 24 hours (more like 12) apart. Our bodies are amazing creatures and not every day will they perform the way we think they should. We can't let that get us down and discouraged. We've got to keep going. One foot in front of the other. Fight through those days. Here I was in a situation feeling very deflated and like I was not even cut out to run 3 miles until the next morning when I proved myself wrong and all those hopeless thoughts were dismissed. I was a runner! I could do it. I had just had a bad day. 

How often are we all in these situations with either eating, running, or what have you? One day goes bad, maybe two or three, and all of the sudden we have this feeling like we are not worthy? Wrong! I'm convinced we need those bad days to make us strong. To make us appreciate what we are doing. To make us understand and commit to something that will be a lifestyle not a diet. To make us learn sacrifice. To make us learn hard. To make us understand dedication. To make us learn to feel success. To teach us that giving up is never an option. Ever! Look how close I was to giving up, yet I got up and ran 9 miles the next morning. Surprise! 

Not every moment is always joyful. I am the first to admit that. In fact, I STILL struggle with my excuse button from time to time, but one thing I learned from all this and especially these two runs is that just because one day is "off" or seems to be out of balance, it will not determine your fate and/or what you are capable of accomplishing tomorrow.



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5 comments:

  1. So true! I'm terrible at keeping myself motivated, especially after I have a cheat meal or a cheat day.... You think it's over and you just want to indulge more, but you have to realize how far you have come and not give up because you made one mistake.

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  2. LOVE this! It's so true and so hard to make sure you don't play that mind game with yourself. You are an inspiration!

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  3. Way to go on your run! I love it when our bodies can do great things and really learned it's our minds that lead our bodies to achieve our goals and then some.

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  4. You're such an inspiration to me! I'm starting where you started and just hope I can be where you are eventually. Hoping that blogging helps keep me accountable.

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  5. Having a slightly "oh no! I'm not ready." moment about a race coming up tomorrow, and so needed to read this post. Thank you, Paige!

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