I have ALWAYS hated running. It hurts, it is not fun for me, and I could never understand why people actually enjoyed it. When I was in better shape, I could run an 8-minute mile, but that was literally because I hated running so much I just wanted it to be done as quickly as possible.
But funny story: Going for a run was sort of my first date with my now-husband. We had a mutual friend, David, and we were all going to be working at the same camp for the summer. As David and I road-tripped from his home state of TN to the camp in NJ, he told me how well I would get along with this friend of his, and among other things, he mentioned he was a runner. So when I met him and we totally hit it off right away, I suggested we go for a run together (WHYYY!?). Alas, my cute workout clothes did not magically transform me into a great runner, so this run didn’t last very long. Ha.
Fast-forward to now, where I decide I want to give running another shot! Let me just say…I’m not a good runner [yet]. I still don’t like it. But I WANT to get better, and I WANT to love it, so you gotta start somewhere, right!? I like running first thing in the morning because I can roll right out of bed and not even brush my teeth. I don’t have to get ready or interact with people or drive to a gym. It leaves very little room for my usual lame excuses.
I truly believe that your motivation for doing something makes all the difference in whether you stick with it or not. Of course I would love to lose some pounds, but that’s not why I’m doing it. I’m not running to become the best runner of all time, or to run a 6-minute mile.
I’m running because I want to feel proud of myself, and I do feel proud every single morning when I get up and accomplish something that is super hard for me. I’m running because I’m trying to get better at something I’m terrible at, which gives me a lot to work on. I’m running because I’m trying to get stronger. I’m running because I’ve always told myself I can’t…but I CAN! It’s okay if I’m suuuuper slow. It’s okay if I can’t go very far. It’s okay if I only have 15 minutes. Doing it for a short time is better than not doing it at all.
Running is simply my personal example at the moment. Whatever your goals may be, make your plans realistic. Dream big, but make tangible steps in achieving them. Set yourself up for success. I had it in mind when I first started thinking about running, “I’m going to run 5 miles a day.” Why 5 miles? Because I thought it sounded good, that’s why. Y’all, I can barely run the entirety of one mile at this point. That was an incredibly unrealistic plan and it was not something I would be able to commit to. So, my goal right now is simply to get out the door every single morning and try to get better at running. Some days that is a power walk because something hurts. I take the slower days to focus on my breathing, or think about how my feet are hitting the ground.
Bottom line: Find what motivates you and make sustainable plans for yourself to reach your goals. You are worth it. You are worth the time and effort. You deserve to be the very best version of yourself. Start right now!
