I Give Up!

Or at least I wanted to.  It was one of those runs that started off great and ended with me in tears - questioning myself, my abilities, and my training.

Let me set the scene: my training plan insisted on 16 miles...in the rain...and 90+% humidity...OK, no problem. Got off to a good start.  Legs felt fresh, pace was comfortable, fuel belt stocked.  I've got this!  And then the rain picked up...and my phone, which I use to track my run and play my music, begins to act demon possessed - because it's wet.  And I'm wet, head to toe, so I can't dry it off, or dry myself off so I can try to fix it.  And I'm only at my half-way point...Deep breath.  Regroup.  I know my route.  I can run without my music.  It's a chance for me to just run... unplugged... me and the road.  I've got this!  And then my ankle starts hurting - a similar pain from when I trained for a half-marathon two years ago.  And my soaking wet clothes are rubbing me raw in places you don't talk about in public.  So, I make the decision...take it home, change into dry clothes, and run the rest of the miles on my treadmill...as much as I HATE a treadmill...Still, I've got this...

Limp it on home with 3.3 miles left to go, change into dry clothes and get on the treadmill.  And hit the proverbial wall!  I was tired.  I was in pain.  I felt like I had absolutely nothing left to give.  I didn't have this...tears of frustration, disappointment, self-doubt, and exhaustion mixed with the sweat dripping off my face.  And, yet, between running, walking, and sometimes shuffling, I finished up those 3.3 miles.

So why the tears?  Because I was tired of trying.  Because it was too hard.  Because it was causing me pain.  Because my goal seemed out of reach.  Because every single little circumstance seemed to be telling me to quit. Because I wanted to quit.

As it is with running, so it is with life.  How many times has it seemed too hard or too painful?  How many times have circumstances thrown you a curve ball?  How many times have you compromised your dreams and goals because it got too hard?  So adjust your plan, even cry a little bit, but never stop moving.  Never give up!

Dreams are worth pursuing!  Goals are worth reaching!  Is it possible that you will limp across that finish line out of breath, out of gas, in tears? Yes!  But will you also know in your heart of hearts that you persevered, you did what you had to do, you never gave up and you never quit?

Abso-freakin'-lutely!  You've got this!

Run Strong!