Strength is one of those things that can apply in so many aspects of our lives and I think one thing that I have learned is that we don’t always realize how much strength we possess until it is really tested. I have always known that physically I’m strong, you have to be to carry around the weight that I do but learning to run has really showed how much strength I have in more ways than just physical strength. I wasn’t expecting this. This entry is dedicated to not only the strength of my body, but also to the strength of my mind as well as the strength of my desire to run. Each of these things has come to mean a great deal to me and had I not decided to try to run I don’t know when I would have realized just how much strength I possess.
As I mentioned I have always considered myself to be physically strong but as I talked about yesterday there was still things that I didn’t think I could do because I didn’t think my body would be able to. Each day when I push myself a little bit further on the treadmill I can feel the strength in my body. I feel the power of my legs pushing me further and it is pretty exciting. Better than that since starting this process I have also started to feel actual muscle definition in my legs which is pretty cool. Feeling the physical changes in my body has helped keep me going even though I don’t actually see the changes that are happening but I’ll write more on that tomorrow.
As great as it is to feel my physical strength grow I have to say that learning the strength that exists in my mind has been the best lesson. In the past if something was hard or in the case of exercise made me feel tired or my legs shake I would stop but now I have been reminding myself that it is mind over matter. Today actually I was reminded of this. I was on the treadmill trying to get to 1.55miles (half of the 5K) as fast as I could and while I was running I began to feel my calf cramping up. In the past I would have stopped the treadmill and got off thinking it was my body’s way of saying it was too much but today I just slowed to a walk and continued at a slower pass until the cramp passed. The whole time I just kept repeating in my mind that I have this and that I have done this before so I can do it now. Before long I was able to run again with the cramp having passed. Our mind is such a powerful thing and if I can use that power to keep me moving I’m going to do everything I can to harness it.
I think one of the things that has shocked me the most on this journey, besides just how much my mind plays a role in keeping me going, is something that is also sort of related to the strength of my mind – it is the desire to run. I mean I have always wanted to do it but now that I am actually running I find I want more. I wasn’t really expecting to love it as much as I am. I look forward to my run days and as nervous as next weekend is making me I’m anxious to run across that finish line. The only other activity that has come close to feeling as good as running has to me is dancing but the difference is I don’t feel self-conscious at all when I run, I can’t say the same for dancing. It is pretty amazing to have an activity that I can get excited over.
I think humans are inherently strong. I think most of us don’t realize just how strong we really are but at least for me I am starting to learn to trust my strength and accept that it really is there to help me along. I know now that no matter what this crazy world throws at me I will find a way to make it work. I possess everything that I need to achieve anything my brain thinks is a good idea, we all do. It is time to embrace our strength and make our dreams come true.
To donate and check out my progress please visit my page here.
For more information on the Terry Fox Foundation and the run check out their page here.
Finding My Running Legs Previous Entries
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