Back in Training

Last week, I saw something that motivated me to get back in gear-- two of the girls that I trained with for Cowtown have continued their training and have recently completed their 20-mile practice run in preparation for a marathon next month. Meanwhile, I plug away on the treadmill, maybe reaching 4 miles if I don't become too bored. My motivation has waned and my resolve has all but vanished. I've continued working out, of course, but not having something to work towards has left me feeling... well... blah, for lack of a better word. I see what they have accomplished and I nearly kick myself for not continuing my training, until I realize that that very discouragement is what has kept me from moving forward in the past. Whether it's about a distance goal or a weight loss goal (or anything else, really), disappointment and frustration have often managed to stop me in my path, leaving me with the feeling that I don't have it in me to move forward.

Not anymore!

As soon as I saw what the girls had accomplished, I decided right then and there that I am in training again! Training for what, I'm not entirely sure at the moment. I will run Cowtown again in February but I'm hoping to find a half in December that I can run more competitively (because I'll probably be pregnant by February's race). I stepped on the treadmill on Monday in training mode and have managed to run 16 miles by the end of the week. I was very excited to catch up with the running group again this morning. It was early, and it was a tad chilly, but it was so invigorating. I've missed running outside! I managed a steady 5 miles and will continue moving up from there. It's great feeling like I'm working towards something beyond a number on a scale or the way I look in the mirror. I confess that for me, those things are not nearly as motivating as what I am able to accomplish with a healthier and more fit body. Numbers go up and down so easily, and body image is so subjective and often distorted, but when I cross the finish line of a big race, I know I've accomplished something great. It's an incredible feeling that I get from nothing else. That's what gets me excited and motivated to be healthy. What is it for you?