So far, running has been funny and exciting, but today I discovered THE challenge. I would venture to say that one's mental attitude is significantly more important that physicality. Each time I've set out on a run its been such an adrenaline rush to know that I was currently taking one more step than I've ever taken before and I was determined to make it further each time. Today, I went out in a sour mood and so annoyed at the work it was going to take to put one foot in front of the other that not even strapping on my bright pink running sneaks improved my mood; but, I went anyways.
The trail was damp and overcast from the weather. It appropriately reflected my emotions. I started out and 10 steps into my run, literally, I thought I could not go any further. This is the same trail I run on a fairly regular basis. I always start out running and am completely convinced in the moment that my lungs have spontaneously lit on fire and that they may possibly burst out of my mouth. I know, from experience, that this will not indeed happen so I keep going until I can fall into a groove and pound out a my 1.5 mile goal. At that point it takes determination to get into a rhythm and then its great fun. Ten steps was about all my mind could handle today. Ten steps and I couldn't convince myself that my lungs were actually fine. Ten steps and my brain was exhausted. Then to secure my attitude that running was just NOT happening today a strange man on a bicycle followed me for the short distance I had gone. He rode slowly behind me talking to himself and staring. That was it! I turned around and got back in my car.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will take more than 10 steps.
