So, life has been a bit of a crap shoot lately when it comes to consistent exercise of any kind. Funny how three years of seminary can do that to a person. Exhaustion, health stuff, homework, and everything else have gotten in the way more often than I want to discuss.
BUT, since finishing seminary, I have been working harder at being consistent. Sometimes successfully, and sometimes not, but at least I am trying, right?!
PiYo will always be my soul-mate workout, but running will always be my first love. Ever since my meniscus surgery five years ago, I have been scared to do too much running for fear of another injury. Well, that and my favorite half marathon falls on the same weekend as prom here in Greenville, which my daughter has attended the last two years, so I haven’t had that race to work toward.
In 2020, I don’t have a kid going to prom so I am thinking that it is time to do the Mini Indy again!
But that means I have to start running again. Regularly. And based on my life, that means I have to get up at the butt-crack of dawn, (or pre-butt crack as one of my friends calls it) which is 5:00 a.m., to run. And let’s just say, I have grown accustomed to sleeping until much later in the morning.
I used to get up even earlier than 5:00 am to go run. I even remember a 2:30 Sunday morning wake-up for a 3:00 am long run when we were training for the Goofy. (BTW – Sunday early morning runs are the BEST because there is NO ONE out and about so you don’t have to worry about getting hit by a car, AND you get to see beautiful sunrises.)
I made a plan. I like my plan. It takes my training right up to 1/2 marathon week. The problem is executing the plan and actually getting out of bed at 5:00 a.m. when the alarm goes off AND staying awake through the entire day that is filled with various activities that require my being awake.
After three failed attempts this week, yesterday, with the help of a 2nd alarm, I did it! I got up! I ran! I felt great! The weather was perfect! I remembered why I love running!
But, as my life goes, yesterday was a VERY long day (a good one that included baby snuggles), and today, no such rising with the alarm.
Trisha Yearwood has a song called “One in a Row.” It has nothing to do with running, but I keep singing part of the chorus in my head: “That makes one in a row, one in a row, one in a row. One in a row.” At this point in my life I am taking one in a row as a good thing, a start, and the hope of two in a row coming very soon.
No matter what it is that you are working toward – an exercise routine, a meal-prep plan, a degree, not strangling your children, getting out of bed in the morning, reading a book, or some other challenge, I offer you this word of hope today – every time you accomplish even the smallest of tasks, give yourself a pat on the back for getting one in a row. And then do the same thing tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.
As for me, I am going to keep on pushing toward my goal of completing half-marathon number 16 in May 2020, and celebrating every one in a row that I can count.