How many times do you get home from a run and someone asks you how it went and you simply say – it was good. Maybe this is just a me thing, but my husband does this as well.
During my run the other day I got to thinking about it.
I thought about how I was feeling at that moment during the run. I felt tired, my legs hurt, I was sucking air (it was a workout) and at that moment I was cursing everything to do with running.
Yet, when I got finished my husband asked me “how’d your workout go?”
Wanna guess what I said? Yep, it went good!
I stopped myself after that. Why was I telling someone my workout went good when in fact it was the hardest thing I had done? I was cursing running not even 15 minutes earlier.
It comes down to the reason why I run. I love it. Even on those awful hard days when I am cursing out loud the entire time, the moment I stop the runner’s high sets in and I reminded again why I love it.
I love that running is hard. I love that it challenges me both mentally and physically. I also love those days where I have no workout and can just go get lost.
Running isn’t easy. I think that is a common misconception people have about those who love to run. I don’t love to run because I’m just good at it, I think I have established well that I am not naturally good at running. I don’t run because it is easy I run because it challenges me.
Some days it is work to get out there and do a workout or run. Sometimes it is the last thing I want to do. However, even on the days when I don’t want to do it it always leaves me feeling amazing. I have never regretted a run.
The common misconception of running is that it is easy for some. It’s not. Even those who are naturally gifted (like my husband), it still takes an incredible amount of work and there are going to be hard days. The feeling and the accomplishment that comes from running is something that can’t be replaced for me.
Just like I’ve mentioned before, I’m not saying running is for everyone but I do believe everyone should find that one thing that challenges them to be better. That pushes you to that next level and gives you the confidence to keep doing it every day. Even when you aren’t that good at it.
We all fear the unknown. I still do, but if we sit back and never try we will never know what those things can bring us.
I guess the point of this post (besides rambling my thoughts) is to encourage you to challenge yourself. Do something every day that challenges you. Running no matter how hard it is, or how bad of a day I have, will always be a good run because I am blessed to be able to run and challenge myself daily!
What is something that challenges you?
What are you doing this Saturday?.
I love this sport precisely because it’s not easy and it challenges me.
Today, I am continuing the hunt for an apartment in Boston!
Good luck on the apartment search! I know how it is to be moving. It’s tough!
I can so relate. Often after a long run like 18 or 20 I’ll come home and rave about how great I felt, and maybe I wasn’t in excruciating pain, but I didn’t feel “good” the way a non running person would think of that feeling! I love a challenge and the feeling of accomplishing it, so the way I feel once I come home is more that and it sometimes makes me completely forget how I felt on the run itself!
Exactly! I couldn’t have said it better myself Michele. It’s that feeling after you finished that you just can’t match. It’s the confidence, pride and excitement that running brings!
I understand what you’re saying. I always say “oh it was good” because I don’t want people to say “terrible” because that’s just so negative! Running is quite a challenging sport, it’s not something that comes naturally for me and I have to work my ass off for my times. My friend hasn’t run in over a year and yesterday banged out 2.2 miles in less than 18 minutes and I’m like … how?! You haven’t even trained?! It took me a couple months to be do that!
Yeah everyone is different! My husband is at a whole other level than me and sometimes I don’t understand how he does what he does, but I know it’s not easy!
Great post, thanks! I had a good run yesterday (aka not completely dying in pain) and it made me think about why i appreciate running so much– it’s taught me to put one foot in front of the other no matter what. sometimes my legs feel so heavy and sore and just wrong, and other times i feel like i could run for days, but to put one foot in front of the other whether i feel like i can or not– that’s resilience. running has helped me build resilience.
Now that you say that, I do it too! I say a run was good even when it might not have been the best because I always feel so much better after a run! It’s such a good feeling. Thanks for sharing!
Very true Amanda 🙂 Runs make everything feel better!