I love to run for exercise.
Some of my most peaceful memories are of my early morning jogs through the gorgeous beach community of Coronado, California. The pounding sound of the waves on the sand, the padding of my feet on the pavement, the occasional “ ‘mornin” to a fellow jogger passing by in the dark.
Then there were the runs on the path winding through the Saguaro National Monument in Tucson, Arizona. The cool, crisp air; roadrunners scampering into the brush; and the sun just beginning to peak up over the horizon.
When I moved from “out west” to “back east” to the Washington DC area, my runs took on a different flavor as I began to explore the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the miles-long path winding along the Potomac south to George Washington’s Mt. Vernon home.
Running has always provided an escape, a challenge, a reward. I’d always been more of a plodder than a “real” runner, but in my mind – when I rounded the corner at the end of a longer-than-ever run, I may as well have been a gold medal winner in the Olympic games!
That is – until, “ouch”. One day, I began to notice a new and unfamiliar pain in my back. It became nearly debilitating – and it seemed that my previously glorious runs were now the perpetrator of this nagging, aching and sometimes stabbing pain.
Various doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists all advised me that running may well have been the culprit. As difficult as it was to admit and accept, I realized that no amount of enjoyment from a run was worth that pain.
That was about 4 years ago. I’d written off running, and “settled for” walking. Over these past years, when I see someone scampering along enjoying their run – I long for “the good old days.”
This past week I was inspired by one of my coaching clients. She shared with me her new-found love of running, and is even competing in a duathlon this weekend! Oh, man – I was itching to get out there again!
So, when I climbed up on the treadmill for my walk, I gave it a go. Only 10 minutes of jogging at a snail’s pace – sandwiched in between two periods of walking - landed me in the proverbial “hurt locker.” This time it wasn’t my back (yea!) – but it was just some good old-fashioned soreness from muscles, ligaments and tendons that hadn’t been used that way in years. How humiliating – to be “stove up” after a measly 10 minutes!! I spent the next 36 hours or so rubbing my sore places, determined not to give up. All it takes is time, patience, and determination to get back what you’ve lost.
Throughout my years of running, I gained many profound spiritual and life lessons. So I’m not surprised that the first attempt at it after years of laying off brought up application not just for ME, but for us all!
Most anything that’s worth having requires diligence, discipline, and a willingness to take small, sometimes painful and difficult baby steps. If this “something” you’re working for is something you’ve known in the past – it may seem even MORE difficult to “get it back” because you have the over- glamorized memory of your glory days, and it’s hard to start from scratch again. But, the advantage is this –
you know from personal experience what it takes, and you know that you've got what it takes!
My second treadmill jog was 5 minutes longer – and a lot less painful. I’m hopeful and determined that I, too, will once again be scampering along the path before long with the wind in my hair and a smile on my face.
Visit href="http://LifeHouseCoaching.com/">LifeHouse Coaching to sign up for "Blueprints for a Dream Life" and receive Edi Sowers' f*r*e*e* weekly articles, coaching tips, and special offers. Edi works with women business owners who work at home and face the arduous challenge of balancing their personal and professional priorities in order to build their dream life.
No comments:
Post a Comment