Man - what a tough run today.
I've been so lazy and lethargic lately, that it took me several days to even sit down and write this blog.. coincidentally on the topic of being lazy and lethargic. After 5 wonderful years of turning my life around and finding insane stamina to keep focused on my training program, I think I've finally weened off the high of becoming athletically fit and am now culling in the valley of not having motivation. Funny thing though, I started this blog, or rather was inspired to start writing in this blog to jot down all of the things that have kept me motivated throughout the years.. yet here I am writing about not being motivated! No matter.. I think that state that I'm in, many can relate to. My job catching up to me, family time, the lack of sleep, social/church responsibilities and a girlfriend have all kept me sufficiently on my toes for the past several months. What does that mean? Fitness has gone down the tubes and eating junk food has gone up. Ouch.
So in the pits of this non-bicep building despair, what am I to do? I figured it's time to finally take a dose of my own medicine. I reread several of my blogs, especially the ones centered around goals and have decided to do the one thing I always tell people to do: take the first step. Although I've been keeping up with going to the gym (averaging twice or three times a week now vs. 4-5), I've been rather lazy with running/cycling (I averaged about 250 miles in 2011 and 2012.. so far this year I've ran less than 30!). I've discovered that I'm making the same excuses that I once chastised people for making. "oh i'm too busy" "oh I have to go here.. I have to go there" "oh i'll do it tomorrow". Wow. I never thought it would come to this.
Oh well, that's water under the bridge, right? no mas! no longer am I going to make excuses. So I threw on my compression shorts & favorite running hat (of course I was shirtless, what other way would I have it?!), turned my GPS watch on and pulled the quick-laces of my faux-triathlon running shoes snug .. and off I went. I've got to say, today's run was the hardest damn 10 minute/mile 5k I've run in a long time. Although my, what I call, 'home 5k' has several small hills to climb, running a 29'22" time was a far cry from my 26'00" personal best on that route. But I tell you what, it was the most satisfying thing I've done in a while.
So here I am, making my testimony to you. Greatness, achievement and success doesn't begin with greatness, achievement and success. It starts with one step. It starts with the mind being ready first, then the body to follow. No matter how many DE-motivating things are happening in my life, the moment I decided to make my health a priority again was the moment I defeated the 'can't do' attitude. So wherever you are in your struggle, I'd say this: take that first step and remember your bro-rific pal (me), in his lethargic-double-cheeseburger-eating-I-forgot-to-stop-bulking-for-the-summer-state-of-mind, can be a testament that it's never too late to start.
Some things to meditate on (or repeat over and over again while running aka hurting):
Philippians 4:13 (yep, the super cliche one, but super awesome!)
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
aaaaaaaaaaand
Ask yourself:
1) What actually motivates you? Vanity? Health? Your children? Fitness goals? Confidence?
How bad do you want it?
2) What's stopping you? oh yea that's right, you.
3) What results are you chasing?
4) Where is your discipline?
5) How can you take that first step?
