Inspiration after a Tough Run

Friday night I got the wonderful fortune of a surprise visit from my friend Mindy who was in town to run an 18-mile race in Oak Ridge.  Sitting there at dinner and talking with her, I was reminded of all of the people that I've known over the years who have sworn they would never run a 5k, let alone anything further than that.  Yet now, years later, they are out there kicking butt and taking names.

The past two weeks have been super tough with my training.  Recruitment kicked my butt and threw me way off my training schedule.  Every year I always think that it's going to be different, that I'm going to eat healthy and still get my workouts in, but then the first sleepless night happens and all the sudden the only thing that keeps me awake and going is eating all the junk food that's around and counting down the minutes until I can take a nap.

I went for my first post-recruitment run the other day and it was the text book definition of a bad run. I couldn't even make it half a mile before I needed to stop and walk.  My legs felt like lead, I was getting stitches in my side, and I was having a difficult time breathing.  I tried all the tricks I knew - deep breathing in through my nose and out my mouth, speeding up for a minute to make the slower pace seem easier, correcting my posture, everything.  None of it worked.  Every half mile or so I would have to walk.  I finally stopped after 2 miles and lost it.  Started crying, having all kinds of anxiety and worry.  How in the world was I going to be able to run 13 miles if I couldn't even get past 1?

Then dinner with Mindy reminded me that we all have to start somewhere and we all have ups and downs throughout the training process.  We all have bad runs and we all have times when we doubt ourselves and our ability to keep going when it gets hard.  But being able to come back from those bad runs and those hard times are the times that we show ourselves our worth and prove to ourselves that we are more than just one bad run.  Today's run, while still tough, was 10 times better.  So this post goes out to all my peeps who keep going despite the bad runs, especially those that once claimed they would never even consider being a runner.  Funny how times change, right?

Fundraising Update: I'm almost halfway to my goal!  My short term goal is to hit that 50% by October, so keep donating!  Every little bit helps!  https://www.raceplanner.com/donate/Jennifer-s-on-the-Run