The alarm blares in your ear while it's still dark outside. You slip on your running shoes and past your sleeping household to greet the chili air for a 3-5 miler. Why? What in heck motivates us to get up at ungodly hours, head to the gym after a stressful day's work, or hit the pavement when all we really want to do is sit on the couch and enjoy a Twinkie? Here are just a few of my motivators.
Bootcamp - I am part of a privileged group of people who greet each other daily with a simple email that answers 2 questions. What did you do today to take care of your body? What did you do today to take care of your soul? I LOVE that accountability. It makes me think about having to tell someone that I only worked out 1 time this week or that I ate way too many snacks one day.
Weather - I love fall weather. It reminds me of crisp, wet, cross-country races. I love to feel the sting of the air hitting my lungs (weird, I know). 40-45 degree weather motivates me to get out and enjoy it. Now 20-30 degree weather is a whole different story.
A race - There's nothing like having a schedule posted to your refrigerator telling you exactly how many miles you have to run that day to get your bootie moving. If you don't do your 4 mile run this weekend, how will you be ready to do your 6 mile run next weekend?
Other runners - This article on Eric Liddell speaks for itself. Way beyond my fitness, I pray to have character like that.
Stress - Sometimes when I run I literally feel like I'm running away from the daily junk in my life. I tend to make mountains out of mole hills, but somehow a good, fast, tiring run puts some things in perspective for me.
My legs - I've been running for so long that my body is accustomed to it. I get the symptoms of RLS when I don't run for even 2 days in a row. It's infuriating really. Especially when I was 8-9 months pregnant and couldn't sleep because the muscles in my legs were twitching reminding me I hadn't run in a few days. Ridiculous.
So here are my motivators...what are YOURS? Leave me a comment!
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2 comments:
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Hmmm...2 things:
1 - fear of being known as "the fat sister"
2 - my friend Becca. Last year she was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer and she has 2 small kiddos. She has an awesome attitude and continues to run. She did Chicago this past year and a couple of days later had her stomach removed. You can read about her at her blog: beccascancer.blogspot.com
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