2 years ago I was driving around town and saw several people in my neighborhood out running. I have to be honest. I have NEVER been a runner. In fact, I hadn't really done much running since my PE days back in high school. But there was something about seeing those people out enjoying an afternoon run.
It got me thinking. At that point I had been on my journey to become healthier for about 7 months. I had lost quite a bit of weight and found a lot of self confidence in the process. So in that moment I decided....I had 2 good legs, and figured, that was really all I needed to start running. I set a goals to run my first 5K by the 4th of July. I worked so hard and got sooo incredibly frustrated on more than one occasion....but I did it. (In fact, if I remember right, I was EXTREMELY sore the next day).
Over the next year I set my sights a little higher and during the summer I was able to complete my 1st 10K and my 1st 10 mile race.
Then this year I figured...If I can complete 10 miles, then I should be able to do a 1/2 Marathon.
Well, last weekend that is exactly what I did.
With the company of an amazing friend, I completed my 1st 1/2 marathon. This is something that if someone would have told me 2 years ago that I would be doing this, I would have looked at them and told them there was a better chance of me growing a 3rd arm.
It's AMAZING what a person can do if they decide and commit to it.
I was not the fastest runner, in fact there were a couple times that I had to stop running and walk for a little while. My asthma kicked in a little around mile 8, and my knee started hurting around mile 10...but because I had committed to finishing, because I had a friend right next to me encouraging every step...I DID IT!!!!!
During the 2 hours and 46 minutes that it took me to finish (and yes that is a LONG time to run) there were so many things that I thought about.
- the journey that I've been on that brought me to this point
- all of the amazingly supportive and encouraging friends that i have that have believed in my even when I have questioned myself
- the weather
- what new goal I'm going to set for myself next
- whether I was going to choose water or Gatorade at the next mile marker
- that if I put my mind to it, I can push myself farther than I ever thought I could with my asthma
- all of the friends that I have that also have goals/dreams that they deserve to see completed/accomplished, and what part I can play in helping that happen
- remembering to breathe....and then realizing what a simple yet vital put that is....not just when I'm running, but in all areas of my life.
If we take a little time to stop and think about it, we all have goals, dreams, hopes....things that we are almost scared to believe we can do. That's the thing about dreaming big...there is always the chance that we have set our goal too high. It can be scary to think that we might not achieve what we were hoping to. Some of us let that fear of not being completely successful stop us from even dreaming those big dreams.
What I'd like to say (from personal experience) is, even if I don't meet my goals 100% the way I thought I would, I always find a way to accomplish it...and I learn SO much about myself in the process. I have NEVER been sorry for setting a goal that is a little out of reach. I have learned that is one of the things that has helped me to continue to grow as a person and in my fitness journey.
What is a goal that you have for yourself? What do you need to do to start moving toward obtaining it? Have you told someone else about it? Asked them to help you or hold you accountable?
We all deserve to feel the joy of obtaining something that started out as a dream and enjoying the journey of getting to that place!
