Running, or rather, any form of exercise, has become a necessity in my life. I don’t always enjoy the blood, sweat and tears of it all. Sometimes, I downright despise it. But, when all is done and I am standing there wiping away the sweat from my eyes, I realize how important it all is to me.
I have never had a workout I regretted. Yes, there have been many times when I wanted to throw up or fall to my knees and beg for mercy. But, and this is a big BUT, every single time I finish my workout I look in the mirror and I am always proud of the person staring back at me. Whether I am running 5 miles or desperately trying to get through the Spartacus Workout (this workout is insane), I know that when it’s all over I’ve accomplished something great. It’s not even really about being healthy or looking fit, it’s about overcoming my own doubts and fears. It’s proving to myself, almost daily, that I am capable of anything.
What some people don’t appreciate is that working out is really a personal journey, whether you do it alone or with a group of people. In the end, it’s you that decides if you will keep going. It is you, and only, that overcomes the obstacle. I have noticed that in all my workouts it’s often more difficult to keep my mind moving, then it is to keep my body moving. It has helped me realize that everything in our lives begins and ends with belief. We must first believe that we can accomplish something, before we even attempt to do it. Would you even try running if you thought it was impossible? You run, or attempt to, because you believe you can. But, it’s hard to grasp the reality of that fact until you are actually doing it. It’s not until I want to quit that I realize how I have grown to believe in myself and that gives me the motivation to keep going. It is in that moment that I actually realize I am doing (or even trying) something I once thought I never could do and that is always empowering. Every single workout, both good and bad, become memories that are locked in place and serve to fuel me in my weakest moments. They are my confidence and my belief.
Working out does not consume my life. It has just become an essential part of it. It is a time when I am most proud of who I am and when I realize how much I truly believe in me. In actuality, I am really no different from anyone else. There are days when I have no desire to work out. There are even days when I don’t see the point in pushing myself to my limits. But, put simply, every single time I do, I am grateful I did.
Running On Empty 
Great post!
Reblogged this on Daily Ramblings.
It’s true. Exercise begins and ends in your mind….if you don’t htink you can do it, you can’t.
Exactly!!! The mind is so powerful!
Amen. I’m working ridiculous hours right now (8am-midnight) through March and I joined a gym short-term that’s real close to work. I can only get in for like half an hour, and not every day. But it’s making everything else possible.
Great post.
I am tired just looking at your hours. 😦 But, I think it’s great that you are making time to make working out a priority. That is extremely difficult to do, especially with a schedule like yours!!! Are you Super Mom? A half an hour of working out is great and can change so many things in your life. It opens doors that might have otherwise been left closed. 🙂
Hey Raul- haven’t checked out your site for a while! This is a great post – many times during my long runs I feel tempted to lop off a little bit of my route. I never do, though, because I know how good I’ll feel if I go the distance.
What race is up next for you? I have the Toronto Womens Half-Marathon on May 27th.
~ Kirsten ~
Hey Kirsten!! I have been out of the loop the past couple of weeks. Rachel’s mother’s passed away a couple of weeks ago and we have been busy getting things back into place. As far as races we have a 5K we would like to run soon to ease us back into the long long runs. I think it’s great you have a half marathon coming up soon!! We are definitely looking to run another one soon. A half marathon is just such a great distance!!
I am so sorry to hear about Rachel’s loss. Losing a parent is really rough – my dad (also a runner!) died of cancer seven years ago. My heart goes out to you both. BTW, I followed you on Twitter this morning!
Thank you! Brenda was Rachel’s best friend and it’s hard to imagine her not being in our lives anymore. I am sorry to hear about your father. I am sure he runs with you every single time. 🙂