I am officially at the point in my training where I’m
running distances I’ve never run before.
This past weekend was sixteen miles.
Sixteen miles. Alone. No Andy a few feet {miles} in front of me. Just me, my thoughts, a little Lady
Antebellum mixed with Cee Lo Green on the iPod and laps around a familiar park.
Sometimes I hesitate to write about running because it seems
that all of the metaphors were emphasized long before I picked up a pencil, a pair of running shoes or pounded on a keyboard. But the
beauty of running is that it’s all about the relationship you have with
yourself. When you get past the familiar
distances - whether that is one mile or twenty - it’s time to listen to your mind,
body and heart on how to fuel yourself and when to take a break.
I am currently struggling with the concept of
motivation. I have long been a
self-motivated individual – ever since a teacher could check that
pre-determined description on a report card and declare it so. But at some point {typically around mile 12
in this metaphor} self-motivation isn’t enough.
So, I have been focusing on the outside factors that motivate me and
have started compiling a list of what I am running for during each mile of the
marathon.
I think this is a good exercise {how’s that pun?} for me because
it makes me realize that I am actually never running alone. I am always running with someone. Whether that someone is a friend who I know
is running miles away but at the exact same time that I am, a sister who always stops to check in
with me and really wants to know how my
run went or a particularly concerning issue or relationship close to me. These are the people and things that
motivate me on my runs and in my life.
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Ok, someone knows me well! |
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