I remember the last time I toed the starting line (so to speak) at the Saskatoon Half-marathon. I was nervous, as I always am before any big run, and my friend Jaclyn was standing beside me all calm and poised, ready to run her 10k.
I told her that I was feeling jittery, and she asked me why? I told her that I was afraid of having a bad run, and she said “ahh, every run is a good run”.
And she’s right.
Because the very fact that I can run makes every run a good run. The fact that I have legs that move, lungs that breathe, and a heart that can pump my blood fast enough to keep me moving makes it a good run. Because there are some people who would love to run – even to be able to have a bad run, and who can’t.
I was so thankful that she said that to me at that moment, and I ended up running a personal best, both in time and in effort. And every time I started to slow down or feel fatigued, I recalled those words and I ran stronger.
This time, I have new motivation. And it comes from Suzy over at The Runs. She posted this the other day:
“If you say you will, you will. If you say you won’t, you won’t”
It reminded me of something that I’d read in one of my running magazines – a quote from Henry Ford:
“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right”
I love it. I will be thinking of these quotes as I pursue my 2-hour goal time, even though I am pretty sure it’s out of my reach. But, if I think that it’s out of reach, then it is. So I will change my thinking, and I will run my hardest, and I will think of Suzy and her quote. And then I will run a little harder.
4 comments:
I am so excited for you, my friend. Even though running a half marathon is the farthest thing from pleasure in my personal books I am just so pumped for you that you are going to have a beautiful day, a beautiful experience and a beautiful run!
Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend, till you break
Cause its all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad you get strong
Wipe your hands shake it off
Then you Stand, Then you stand
Every time you get up
And get back in the race
One more small piece of you
Starts to fall into place
(Rascal Flatts' "Stand")
That's a song that really helps me at the ten mile mark of the half. It's at that point where you really have to decide if it's worth it to keep running as hard as you are to reach your goal.
And you know what I have learned? It's going to hurt the next couple of days no matter what, so you may as well make it worth it and keep running hard, right?
You go, girl! Like PC, it's not something that would thrill me - but it's obviously something that you love to do. You CAN do it - and I can hardly wait to see your post about what a terrific day and run you had.
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