Yesterday was another huge day for me in the fitness department, but before I get to that,
you have to see Meghan.
I haven’t shown you her pictures in a couple weeks. It’s not because she’s fallen off the wagon…
In fact, quite the opposite. She’s been working her ass off.
Literally.
She is starting her 11th week, and she looks awesome. She’s back to her pre-children weight,
and approaching her pre-wedding weight!
Woo hooooo!
Day 1
Day 71
Day 1
Day 71
Who’s next? In two weeks, I’ll be ready for a new participant…It worked for Jamie! It worked for Meghan! It will work for you!
Okay, now back to my huge day yesterday.
The NYC Marathon is in 4 weeks. 4 weeks from yesterday.
Team in Training provides you with a training plan. According to the plan, I was supposed to run 16 miles yesterday.
16 miles.
That’s a lot of miles.
More than I’ve ever run.
I was having a hard time getting my head around that. I was dreading it. For days.
I still meet on Sundays at the high school to run with my little running club. Since school started, the numbers have kind of dwindled.
But one person was going to meet me. There is a 4 mile loop that I usually run with her.
So decided I’d start my run at the high school, and I planned my morning so that I would run the first 12 miles before she got there, and then I’d do the last 4 miles with her. Then I’d have someone to help carry me through that last part.
The weather wasn’t great yesterday. It was gray and misting a little bit. There was only a 30% chance of rain though.
The mist would stop. It wouldn’t rain on me.
I had to tell myself that. I kind of have an issue with running in wet sneakers. I hate it.
Like HATE it.
So the thought of running in wet shoes made the dread of 16 miles much stronger.
I programmed my ipod for 16 miles.
And I started running.
About 2 miles into the run, it stopped misting.
And it started fucking pouring.
My shoes were soaked. I was soaked.
And I still had 12 miles to go.
At least my friend would be there in an hour.
I ran a 7 mile loop,
then a 5 mile loop,
and then I was back at the high school.
It was really raining.
So I wasn’t surprised when I didn’t see my friend’s car in the parking lot. But I was still hoping she’d show up.
I grabbed my phone out of the car.
Susie, I’m not coming. It’s raining and …
Fuck.
I’d have to finish alone.
Around 12 1/2 miles, it really, really started to hurt.
A lot.
My legs were in pain.
A lot of pain.
I thought about walking.
But I also thought about this post.
You want to be able to say you did it.
You want to be able to say you did it.
And.
I fucking did it.
16 miles.
Alone.
In the pouring rain.
Wet shoes and all.
I fucking did it.
And so, here comes the you can do anything part of the post.
Um,
you can do anything.
It’s probably not going to be easy.
Most of it may be hard.
And not fun.
In fact, to get to that endpoint,
the goal,
whatever it is,
the whole journey may completely suck.
But you know what doesn’t suck?
Persevering.
Arriving.
Succeeding.
Two and a half hours of pain and discomfort yesterday.
It was not one of those I-feel-awesome-and-could-run-forever-like-Forest-Gump kind of runs.
In fact, I hurt almost the whole time.
But I did it.
So maybe you’re in the middle of your own painful, this sucks, I’m totally over this, journey.
A weight loss journey. A career change journey. A mental health journey. A financial crisis journey.
Maybe a combo of a couple of those.
Maybe you want to quit.
Don’t.
Picture these sneakers.
And picture your feet in them.
Your feet will carry you through anything.
Anything.
Your brain just has to tell them to.
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I did it! Ran my first 5k! Susie, I was so scared, but now I’m soo proud and can’t wait to do it again, thanks for the inspiration, needed a push to take the first step. Keep those strong words coming. Think taking chances makes life a little more fun & exciting. I finally understand what you mean about making your kids proud, I just think for my baby to see me putting myself out there, really being vulnerable, doing things that scare me and making good ass changes…well that is priceless.