
We go on walks several times a week and I often think about how I want to start running again, but there's no way I can run like I used to. I haven't ran since I was like five or six months preggo. So, I continue to tell myself the story that I'm too out of shape to run and that I have to start lifting weights or something to build up my strength and then I can start running again. Only then will I be able to get back into running. Of course, I have every excuse in the book that prevents me from taking the elevator down five floors to get to our weight room. (or better yet I could WALK down five flights of stairs!). It's no wonder I don't run, I have all kinds of alibis.
I had an epiphany on our walk this morning. Hudson, like most babies, learns to walk by cruising around furniture, standing alone, taking one step, then three steps, etc. and finally one day he'll be running full speed ahead. That's when it hit me that I don't have to set out to run for 30 minutes. I don't have to wait until I'm "strong enough" to run like I used to. Just take baby steps. I can start running right now, today, even if it's only five minutes. Or three minutes. Just run already, damn it!
I ran this morning. I ran for 20 minutes and I took a few walk breaks in between. It felt so invigorating. So this is what it feels like to have my heart rate up again?! I have to say, the caffeine helped. Oh how I've missed my caffeine.
It's so easy to delay today what we can put off until tomorrow, especially when we have all kinds of seemingly-acceptable excuses. I often do it out of fear of failure, but I have to remind myself that running three minutes versus 30 minutes isn't a failure - it's a success. Three minutes is more than I've ran in months. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may feel. Whether it's running or writing or cooking, just begin with baby steps. After all, we have to walk before we can run.