On my quest to enjoy running again, I signed up for the Ragnar relay race in June. Nothing like FORCING yourself to run because others are counting on you, right? And I'll tell you, after 2 months of consistent running: I am getting back to loving it again. After I decided a couple of things about running, the "fun" factor clicked again.
1st, I decided that while I AM running to lose weight and get healthier, it is not the PRIMARY reason I'm running. I am running because it makes me feel good. I feel like, "Hey, if I can run this distance, I can tackle those other hard things in my life." It feels good to accomplish a goal. It helps my self-esteem and self-image. It's one of those things where I can see my efforts and realize I am improving. To quote Oprah,
"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it."
2nd, I decided that it really doesn't matter how fast I run. A couple of months ago, I would dread my running days because I felt so slow. Then I realized, "Who CARES?!" Isn't the point of a race, to finish the race? It's not always the goal to be the fastest. It's not like I'm an olympian. (YET! ;)) My mantra has been "Progress...not perfection." And with that mantra in mind, I've shaved 1 minute + off my miles in only 2 weeks, not to mention that I also doubled my miles from last month. It's amazing how much we psych ourselves out. Or at least I do. (did.)
What keeps you motivated to run? I would love to hear!
And, as a side note, I updated my sidebar to include the races I'm doing this year. Wanna join me for any of them? I would love some company!
What keeps you motivated to run? I would love to hear!
And, as a side note, I updated my sidebar to include the races I'm doing this year. Wanna join me for any of them? I would love some company!
2 comments:
My husband and I ran the Ragnar last year! Super fun and painful! You will love it. I like always having a race to look forward to because then there is a reason for me waking up at 5 am every morning to workout! I think racing makes getting in shape fun because you just compete against yourself! Good luck with your racing this summer1
Thanks for the unintentional shared motivation. I'm not built to be a runner, but I try. Something is boring about running around a track for that long (yeah RIGHT am I going outside in this weather). Something tells me when it gets warmer and beautiful, I'll have an equal excuse.
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