My body felt like a mac truck ran over it throughout the night. I wanted desperately to get up this morning to go running with my running group at 8:00a.m., but for the life of me I could not get out of bed. Every muscle in my body was aching. But through sheer grit and determination, I dragged myself to the gym before it closed and pressed my way to run 3 straight miles without stopping….Yay me!
I’m proud of myself for accomplishing what I set out to do, but I had to really talk to myself and encourage myself to keep moving. Although mentally, I can’t help wondering when it’s going to get easier, I have noticed that my breathing is not as labored, and the dry mouth has eased up. I guess my legs are getting stronger because they don’t hurt as much when I run. My knee bothers me a little bit, but nothing bad enough to sideline me. I need to get some new running sneakers because I noticed yesterday and today that my feet and my ankles were bothering me and that has not been the case in the pass. Of course there were moments when I wanted to stop, but I kept pushing myself to do one more half mile, and then another and then another. I had to constantly remind myself that as long as I could breathe, and that as long as I was not in any pain, I had to keep moving. I think it’s easier to keep going than it is to stop and start (at least it was today). I had to keep telling myself to ignore the feeling of being uncomfortable and to push past pain. My mantra today: You Are the Bomb Girl, and You Are Doing the Darn Thang!
I have to maintain my focus in order to complete my 40 miles in 40 days challenge. I have until next Saturday to do so. My running schedule for next week is as follows: 3 miles on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and 2 miles on Thursday and Friday. This will have me completing 40 miles exactly, and one day ahead of schedule. But knowing myself, I will probably push to do 3 miles every day next week as well as 3 miles on Saturday for good measure. I will complete this challenge if it kills me. And although it feels like it might, the truth of the matter is that it is only making me stronger, and that’s a good thing!
Much Love
~Stacey