Have you ever had one of those weeks where you just wanted to sleep? That’s what this past week was like for me. I was burning the candle at each end and felt exhausted. But even though I wanted to sleep, I did not. I stayed committed to running no matter what!
Diary of a Running Chick: July 25th, 2016
Sometimes I contemplate whether I should sleep in or go run. It can be a tough battle, but almost every time I decide I’m going to run no matter what. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I will sleep in for thirty minutes to an hour and then go for my run. Those are days where I have more free time. But there are also those days where I sleep for an extra hour and know that I won’t have time to run later, and I’m okay with that. I’ve written about rest days before and they are great. The rest of the time I stay committed to running and win the mental battle.
Running is about commitment and making it for yourself. For me, running is something I do to make myself feel good and happy. I don’t do it for anyone else. I don’t even run races. I do it because I love the sheer act of running and how it makes me feel. I love everything about it. Once I accepted that fact, I needed to commit to running daily. Commitment is really just your mindset and deciding to put yourself first.
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My journey to becoming a committed runner started with me being not very committed at all. It appeared that I was, but I really wasn’t. I wanted to fix things, so I made up my mind that I was going to work my way up to run daily. I knew it was going to be hard. I knew that I would have days where I could not run. I knew I would be sore. I knew that I would have to drag myself out of bed. But I knew it would be worth it.
Dragging myself out of bed was how I became truly committed. Every night before I went to bed I’d tell myself that no matter what I would get out of bed in the morning to run. It was a real challenge. For a long time I’d swing my legs onto the floor and sit there. They would be so sore! My hamstrings were tender and my thighs burned, but I knew that if I got my running clothes on and went outside that I would feel better after.
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I can’t even tell you when the hesitation and the struggle stopped happening. But it happened. I wasn’t sore like that anymore and now I get right out of bed. Don’t get my wrong, the soreness never fully goes away. But weeks like I just had, where I’m very tired and worn down, remind me of how committed I now am. They also reinforce why I run and why I continue to do it.
I strive to separate myself and my runs from everything else that’s going on in my life. It doesn’t matter if I have a busy day. It doesn’t matter if I’m tired. I know that if I get out there and run I’ll have an amazing day. I’ll have already accomplished something great for me! I’ll have done something that’s personal and just for myself, putting me ahead of everything else!
That’s how it should be kids. There has to be something you truly do for you EVERY DAY! I fully believe that fitness is that thing. For me it’s running. I don’t feel like I go out of my way to do it, because I’ve conditioned myself and I enjoy it. I love it. I crave it. I know that if I take too many days off, that I’ll miss it!
Make sure you’re running for the right reasons and you’re committed to you!
Mandi Mellen is Lead Editor, Staff Writer, and Featured Vlogger at BuzzChomp. She’s an actress, writer, and producer. Get lost in her youtube comedy channel PillowTalk TV. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Instagram
Photo Credit: running.competitor.com
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