I have been putting on a good show.
You wouldn’t know it based on my Instagram photos or my witty Strava run titles. For months, it has been a struggle getting out the door and putting one foot in front of another (again and again). Running is not fun when you are on the road to recovery – again – from a recurring injury.
In fact it can be bloody hell.
But dear friends, I have to tell you. Something magical happened. I don’t know when – maybe in February. The mere thought of running did not fill me with complete and utter dread. Suddenly I couldn’t wait to get out the door. I was telling a friend this morning that it has been a long time since running put an actual smile on my face.
Man it feels good to be back! I am looking forward to my races this year and sharing some miles with friends. It’s like a switch turned on in my brain. Everything is sunshine and lollipops.
I think most runners go through a bit of a funk when it comes to running. Not every part of your highlight reel or solidifies new PRs. Like real life, we all have our ups and downs. I am so cognizant of this as I emerge from months of feeling like crap and a failure.
So some words of wisdom? Runners are human. You are human. You can have your low motivation seasons and highly motivated kick ass seasons. It’s all about perspective and setting yourself up for long-term success in running or life for that matter.
Running makes me happy. And we should all do things that make us happy.