Thanks Mom

My mom called me yesterday and asked for some advice on how to begin running. I was really happy to be asked. When it comes to running, the more the merrier. She explained to me that during a workout she had recently ran in place for 10 minutes.

10 minutes?

Geez. I can't even do that.

Sure, I ran a 10K (6 plus miles) without stopping last September, but my running has been hit and miss since then. With the start of the new year I resolved to get myself back into running at least 3 times a week. So far I've been running on the treadmill while Pandora.com plays in the background.

Run one song. Walk one song. Run one song. Walk. Run. Etc.

Last week I was so proud of myself for "pushing" to running one and a half songs and then walking half or one song. At best that's only 6 or 7 minutes of constant running.

And my mom can run 10?

Dangit.

By no means is my mom decrepit or incapable. It's just...She's my mom. She's older wiser and she hasn't run regularly or in a 10K race like I have. I have to admit, as happy as I was to hear her taking an interest in running, this was a low blow to my ego. It just simply wouldn't do.

So as I stepped on the treadmill the next day--today--I had one goal in mind.

10 minutes. No. Wait. More than 10 minutes.

25 minutes later...

I stepped off the treadmill sweaty, worked, accomplished.

There really is something to that whole "mind over matter" business. I thought I was barely making it through 5 minutes and that I was working so hard going for a whole long amazing 5 minutes. How on earth did 5 really difficult minutes turn into 25 minutes?

It's not my body that limits me. It's my brain.

I can do anything. I just need to believe I can.

"Whether you think you can or you can't...you're right."

So thank you, Mom, for inspiring me to do better and for pushing me out of my comfort zone! And way to go on running yourself. How 'bout a little half-marathon in September, eh??? Love you!