Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog. Now let's get started by talking about something that can steal our joy, motivation and love of running.
Okay, so raise your hand if you love your GPS Watch. Now raise your hand if you hate it too. I don't know about you but I raised my hand both times. Why? Because when I'm having a good run, the watch tells me that I'm on track to meet my goal. But when I'm having a 'bad' run, the watch screams, "You'll never meet your goal!" and "Why do you even try?" But guess what? There is no such thing as a bad run - so tell your watch to back off! Each and every run is to be celebrated because every run is a gift undeserved. Unfortunately though, we often lose sight of that and so slip back into defining ourselves by the numbers on the watch; which can most definitely steal our joy and rob us of our motivation.
This was something Laura Murrieta came to realize as she participated in the Ultra Sweaty Santa 6-Hour Endurance Run on Saturday where participants were invited to run for the whole duration or as long as they wanted with the benefits going to Operation Christmas Child.
"So Saturday I did what I would like to call my comeback run, 5 years in the making. I used to be able to call myself a runner, I had ran marathons and then I had my first baby and had to take it easy due to a history of miscarriages. Well in 5 yrs I've had 3 beautiful babies. After each baby I kept trying to get back to where I once was and then would get pregnant again. After having our last baby and making the decision that she is our last, I thought well now is the time but then postpartum depression hit and I lost my joy and was only doing what I needed to do on a daily basis to get by. I was put on medication and soon I started to feel better and this year I decided that I was gonna do more than just get by. I had asked my hubby for a treadmill because as a stay at home mom of an infant and 3 and 5 year old it's hard to get out and run. But running in the past was always a great emotional outlet for me, I could laugh and I could cry while running and not only than that I love to listen to praise music while I'm running so it's my personal worship time. So we bought the treadmill. I've only had it for about 6 months but since then, I've been recently taken off my medication, my joy is coming back and I learned I may not get back to running 5 miles an hour or I may not be skinny but I can be fit. So Saturday I set out to do only 5 miles but during that loop I wanted more, and ended up with 6 in an hour and 30 mins and man I couldn't be happier. I have a goal of doing the 5k and 10k in October at the Frog Hill 1/2."
(this is a very determined Laura out to surpass her goal with joy in her heart and praise on her lips)
But let me tell you this... I saw Laura out there on the course Saturday with tears in her eyes as she looked at her watch and was so exasperated over her perceived lack of speed that I stopped to talk to her. "Laura," I said. "Listen to me. You cannot let the fact that you are not completing the mileage you set out to complete in a time you may not be able to run rob you of your joy!! Look around! It's a beautiful day and God gave you the ability to do five miles. Five miles Laura!!! Not many people can do that! So celebrate the accomplishment of doing the five miles you set out to do without letting the watch tell you it's not worth celebrating!" And with that, we both cried, hugged and then Laura set out running. It wasn't until the next day that I found out that she hadn't stopped at five miles but went on to do six! It's amazing what a new mindset will do isn't it? Wow!
And just how can you get this new mindset? That's easy....
1. Focus on the positive. - This might be easy to say but hard to do, especially if you're feeling frustrated. Begin by looking around at the favorable and good things that surround you. At whatever pace you may be at, remember that running takes you places other people only dream about. It takes you to quiet country roads to be alone with nature and find peace in a crazy world. It takes you to the top of giant hills and mountains where you can see creation in all of its' glory. It also makes you feel alive like nothing else can. So make a choice to focus on the beauty around you and be grateful that you can put one foot in front of the other.
2. Refuse to look back at what or where you once were. - So this is the deal. There is not one person that can go back in time. Life is constantly changing. And if we don't adapt to these changes and move forward, guess what? We will stay where we are. Looking back at what we could once do only keeps us from doing the things we can do. So keep your eyes ahead of you! This applies to life too! Don't allow past mistakes to rob you of a new start or a better future. We have all done things we wish we hadn't. Don't dwell on these things. Forgive yourself and move on.
3. Choose joy! - This is the best thing you could ever do to make any situation better. Joy has so many positive effects on the body and the mind that I would consider it the biggest weapon in a person's battle to keep pressing on. There is power in joy! In fact, joy can restore a person's mental and physical strength. It has that much power.
Happy Running!!!
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