I promised you just two short posts ago that this blog would NOT turn into a workout blog, and I promise I’m not going back on that promise.
That said, I had a bit of a lightbulb moment late last week on a run, and it felt like something I want to share because it so encouraged me. I hope it will encourage you as well.
To set the stage, I was doing a 3.5 mile run, and when I started down the boulevard to enjoy the beach views along the way I knew immediately this was going to be a great run. A slight wind was at my back, the sun was shining- but in that perfect way where you aren’t sweating profusely; just glistening- know what I mean? My new playlist on shuffle was doing me all kinds of favors; allowing me to hum/sing along which helps me keep my cadence in a good place.
I was feeling like the champion of the world; silently wishing a camera crew was following me to document such an olympic-worthy workout.
AND THEN I TURNED AROUND TO HEAD BACK.
That ‘slight wind’ at my back was now a gale force hurricane-like gust of air that began literally pressing against me as if to say, “oh no girl. You’re gonna have to work for this run home…” My headphones died leaving me without my motivational, fun playlist. (I am not one of those graceful athletes who just likes to run listening to the sounds of her footsteps. Ya girl NEEDS a beat to which I can run.) The humidity almost immediately rose to a scientifically measured 693% and if I’m being honest- I just wanted to phone a friend to come get me.
I didn’t do that.
I can’t tell you why, but all of a sudden my mind raced to other things I’ve done in the last several months that were- well, they were hard. It’s so easy to want to call it in- to encourage yourself to try again later; to say out loud “It’s just not your day.”
I was going through that very argument with myself when I realized I didn’t really have that long to go until I was home. I’d already come the majority of the way, and I’d probably need to try to run into the wind in case race day isn’t perfect weather. So, I decided to just do it.
For crying out loud, hadn’t I JUST written a blog post about the fact that I was choosing to do this to try to make better decisions for my physical well-being? It was time to put my money where my mouth had just been.
Once I made the decision to finish, I kind of got mad. I was mad at the wind for getting in my way. I was ticked my headphones died. I remembered WHY I was doing this and decided I wasn’t just gonna finish the run, I was gonna finish it with the most effort I could possibly muster. I turned a corner with the realization I had about .75 miles till I made it back home, so I decided I was gonna go ALL OUT for the last half mile before cooling down. Wind be damned.
I ran mad. This was not my normal “If i’m shuffling my feet in a jogging motion it still counts as running” pace. I. Was. Bolting. And the further I went it felt like the faster I got. I didn’t care about the heat, I dared the wind to blow; and I was listening to the pounding of my feed on the pavement. Each step seemed to drive me harder.
I glanced down at my watch to check my pace as I got to the point it was time to cool down, and there it was. My pace was 7:19.
SEVEN-NINETEEN, Y’all.
I had run a half mile at the fastest pace I’ve ever measured myself running. And I wasn’t passed out on the sidewalk. No, I was pumped. I’d kept a promise to myself. I’d thrived in the face of a challenge that made me want to give up, and I’d not only met my goal, but I’d done something I previously didn’t even realize was physically possible for me to do. I may never run anything in a 7:19 pace again (and that’s not even a goal, by the way) but the lesson was simply this:
When I changed my mindset from focusing on all the reasons I couldn’t do something, and instead focused on WHY it was important for me to do it, I not only met my goal; I found out I was capable of far more than I’d even imagined I could do.
So I did what anyone would do; I took a screen shot of my phone which recorded the 7:19 moments and text it to my husband for an appropriate pat on the back. Don’t lie. You’d have done it too. :)
So here’s my hope: If you’re going through a tough time in your life- and it may not have anything to do a workout; It could be anything- TRY HARD to remember your “why”. Know that the wind is gonna blow. The dumb headphones are going to die at some point leaving you without your music. Things are going to heat up- but your WHY is what’s important. If you let that drive you, it’s possible you’ll not only meet the goal you set for yourself, but you’ll find yourself stronger and more capable than you ever thought you could be.
We are all more powerful than we give ourselves credit for, and I hope you remember that about yourself today.
