I went running today.

As I was running, I noticed that my focus was off. (I can usually tell by my lack of proper breathing and lack of clarity.) I hadn’t been running in a while. It has surely been over a month since my last run, and I had been looking forward to getting back out there. Motivation was not the problem–FOCUS was.

Often, especially when it comes to running, I’ll take an unforeseen break and when I come back, I want to hit the pavement right where I started from… LITERALLY! I want to go back to running a 10 minute mile or a 30 minute 5k as if I had never left! The motivation was there! Admittedly, I wasn’t even concerned with focus. The harsh reality of it all was the fact that I was hardly being PRACTICAL! I made up my mind to skip the couch-to-5k app that I typically run with as I opted for my Nike+ Running app that would let me schedule my own run on my own terms versus following the paced instructions of the more practical #c25k app. I wanted to run a mile straight without having been mile-prepped for weeks!!! So, I ran…

I ran.

And I stopped.

I ran.

And I stopped.

I did that at least 2 more times until I completed my goal of running a mile. (I had set my Nike+ app for a distance run of a mile vs a timed run of 10 mins.)

My Goal? Run a mile.
The Result? I ran a mile.
The Fine Print? I ran a mile that I wasn’t satisfied with, yet I completed the course. I very easily could have quit once I IMMEDIATELY realized that I wasn’t going to be able to run a straight mile–once I realized this run was NOT going to go as “planned”. Doing that would have been SO unlike ME, so… I kept the course! I kept rehearsing in my mind… push yourself… Push Yourself… PUSH YOURSELF!!! That is exactly what I did!

The #MESSAGE!!!

We all have plans. All of us. On a daily basis, we encounter and accomplish a great many of those plans. Very rarely do we realize (unless we’re having a “bad” day) that many of our daily tasks hardly ever go according to “plan”. The truth is that life happens in a way that forces us to continually grow and change and adjust to fit the situation and circumstance. Our “plans” are often at the mercy of ourselves, our time, our motivation, our focus, our practicality, and… OTHERS! Does the fact that we cannot account for everything that may stand in the way of our goals means that we completely QUIT what we set in our minds and hearts to do? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! It only means that, despite the aches and pains, (labored breathing, dry mouth and the slight bruise I have on my leg,) we MUST continue the course!!!

In life, and in running, we are rarely (IF EVER!!!!) competing with anyone other than ourselves!!! In keeping that as a focus, remember to always, Always, ALWAYS…

push yourself…

Push Yourself…

PUSH YOURSELF!!!