Gratitude

I ran a marathon this week!!!

Ok, so I did it over 4 days, but still it’s an accomplishment for me. I ran 10.5 miles on Sunday, 5.5 on Monday, 5.5 on Tuesday,  and 5.5 this morning. I do have to say that my legs hurt today when I set out but I know how great it feels when I’m done and so I pushed through it and feel amazing today. I have this thing though about running: I am very competitive but mainly with myself. I push myself to my limits when running and feel so great when I complete what I never thought I could.

My upcoming half marathon is going to be one of those days when I feel nervous and anxious but I need to keep reminding myself that I am running for ME: for that feeling of awe when I do it and say “wow, I’m capable of doing things that I didn’t think I was capable of.” I envision myself crossing the finish line in September with a grin as wide as the road and thanking God for another chance to be more than I imagined.

I look at people in wheelchairs or with canes sometimes and it really makes me so incredibly grateful for my legs that work. Not just work, but legs that carry me to places I didn’t think I could go. Running is a mind game. If I let my mind beat me up and tell me that I can’t do it, then my legs will follow. So, when I run, I think about the finish line. I think about how the pain I feel is just weakness leaving my body and that as long as I’m not hurting myself physically, any feelings of tiredness or soreness is all worth it.

So, for today, I’m grateful to be able to train and to wake up at 5 am each morning to watch the sun rise as my feet hit the pavement. That is my “me time” and it’s a blessing.

Run on, my friends.