You're a Firework!!

This week I decided to change my running to Mon/Tues/Thurs  - and maybe begin my longer runs on Saturday.  That way my runs wouldn't interfere with basketball on Wed and Friday.  I learned last week that running and playing basketball on the same day leaves me in a lot of PAIN!

So Monday, I got on the treadmill WITH my Ipod and with the TV on "Shawn the sheep" for distraction... although the music is actually much better than watching something, and I ran.  Just 7 minutes into the run, my ankle began to hurt and my knee felt some twinges and I was already contemplating the thought of making it a very short run.  You know the thoughts... tempting yourself out of work outs.... tempting yourself into wrong food choices.  Yada yada yada...

Somehow I pushed through and amazingly about 30 minutes into the run, my ankle and knee felt fine and I was feeling pretty good about running - and not stopping to walk.  As I approached 50 minutes the song:  Firework by Katy Perry came on my Ipod.  I like that song, but something about having been running for so long and pushing myself - and then hearing those words in that song - just spoke to me and gave SO MUCH more meaning to the words.  I felt like that song was written just for me.  I especially felt ignited by the words:

Even brighter than the Moon, moon, moon

It's always been inside of you, you, you

And now it's time to let it through, through, through

'Cause baby your a Firework

Come on, show 'em what your worth

Make 'em go "oh, oh oh"

As you shoot across the sky, sky sky

Running is often such an emotional experience - pushing yourself farther than you thought you could go.  I ran for 52 minutes and for 3.4 miles.  

WOW!  

Then Tuesday (Valentine's Day) - I was nervous to be able to match that... same thing though... pushed myself.  This time I tried to take slightly longer strides and I also ran for 52 minutes and covered 3.49 miles.

BOOYA!  

I did feel it in my left knee afterwards though, so I'm glad I'm taking a break for a day.  It's still overwhelming to think about running a 1/2 marathon, though!  I'm thinking about doing my "VIRTUAL 5K" this Saturday if anyone wants to join me.  :)

Running makes me wonder what more can each of us really do that we don't KNOW we can do?  What do we not do because of our fear of failure?  Or what do we shy away from because we feel we're not good enough?  How amazing is it, to realize MOST or ALL our self-defeating thoughts are completely FALSE!  Our worth is not determined by what we think or by how we are perceived... it's ALREADY before us set in stone!  What we can accomplish is already there WAITING for us to reach out and DO IT!

I hope I can always remember this!  Life is good.  

Forgive yourself and others... and MOVE ON with a SMILE.  

xoXO ~Margene