Look at how far we've all come

I had a great 4 mile run today...nice even pace, no stops for water or anything, and I was really in a groove. My pace was between 9:45 and 9:30 during the whole run, and I felt good about that also. It's runs like this when I get into a zone (you know what I mean, don't you?), and my mind kicks into high gear. I had a very interesting thought today I wanted to share with y'all...

I was feeling very happy about running 4 miles with no stops, then I got to thinking about how scared I was with my first 5K, and how scary it was to start walking/running, then running/walking.

I bet all of you have gone through this. The whole defeatist self-talk that says "Heck, I can't even walk around the block, much less run it!" But my dear running and blogging friends, stop for a moment, catch your breath, and think about where you are versus where you used to be.

If you're unhappy with an 8:15 mile and striving for faster...remember when you ran a 9:00 mile?

If you're struggling to complete a half marathon...remember when you could barely finish a 10K?

If you're walking more than you're running...remember when you couldn't run at all?

I think we as humans have an ingrained need to be better people...or "better animals," as the late Dr. George Sheehan would have said. Having said that, when we picked running, we picked a tough sport. Running isn't for wimps--and none of you who read this, or leave comments, or appear on my blogroll, are wimps at all.

If you're struggling or you find it tough, good! The difficulty of running--getting faster, running longer--is what makes us better people. It helps us lose weight. It helps with the stress. It helps you sleep better. But to me, most importantly, it lets you look back on something you've accomplished with a sense of pride and satisfaction.

Keep running, my friends. It is hard, but it will get easier. When it gets easier, pat yourself on the back, grab a Gatorade, and then look for the next challenge. It'll be hard at first, but do it until it becomes easy. Repeat this process as necessary. (C: