Saturday, September 25, 2010

Lessons & Confessions from a {former} Marathon Runner

 There is something about me not many people know: I run marathons. O.K. I DID run marathons- about 7 of them. I also ran lots of 5k's, 10k's, and 1/2 marathons. Most of my running happened between the ages of 19-30. Let's just say I'm a lot older than 30 now....so... (Grandma, Dad, and all my other family runners- I know you are even older than that and are still running strong!!-- Yes, I ran with my grandma. You can now pick your jaw up off the ground. She has run  well over 100 marathons and is still going strong. )

Now.... I run 5K's and that is about it.
Today I ran a 5K.  While running I thought a few things like: "I'm going to die." "It is just too hot." "I need water NOW." "I really do not like running." and "Why was I doing this today?" 
I also thought things like "I can do this." "This is good for me." "This is fun."  "Believe you can." 

And when I got to that finish line, I saw the clock.
So I ran faster.
And I beat my last time.
And I felt good.






There are many many lessons I learned from running long distances. And while I currently am not in any shape to run a marathon, I draw on the lessons I learned from those experiences to get me through many things everyday. Like-
*Keep on Going
*One step at a time
*Stay positive
*What you think- you become
*Hydrate
*Wear good shoes
*Prepare
*Work hard
*You can do this
*With God nothing is impossible
*ENDURE to the end
*Keep on keepin' on
*Never give up
*Don't push things too hard or you will get sick!
*Do the best you can do
*Don't compare yourself to others or you will always fall short
*Everyone who tries can be a winner
*Be the best you that you can be
*Try and try again
*The race doesn't go to the swiftest, but to those that keep on trying
*Mental preparedness can change everything
*Eat right- a balanced diet
*fuel your muscles
*Be kind
*Rest
*Have courage
*Stretch
*Don't be too hard on yourself
*Listen to your body!
*Winning isn't everything
*Those who only care about winning--don't get it
*positive thoughts leads to positive actions

And the list could go on and on and on.

 For me running isn't just about exercise and  physical fitness. It is a spiritual experience too.



 As a mother of 3 young boys, I continue to run. Each day I pull from those lessons I learned when running long distance and apply them to my "marathon of motherhood" - the race I am currently running.
Some days I would like a break. I would like to quit running and go to a movie by myself! :)
Or I would like to sit and sew with no interruptions. But that doesn't happen most days. And it is O.K.

Being a marathon runner takes a lot of time and energy and dedication. So does being a mom-it takes even more! And that is the race I have chosen to run right now. And while it may not be perfect, and full of hard moments, I will keep going. I will keep learning. I will endure and at the end I will feel good, and I will do my best and finish strong. In my own way, I will run this marathon of motherhood. ☺

I've got lots of new posts in store...just need a little time to get them all posted :)

Happy Fall! Thanks for reading!


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7 comments:

Lisa @ Pulsipher Page said...

Good job! I like the marathon/ motherhood similarities. Both hard but both rewarding.

Leslie said...

this is a great post...this is what my husband and i were talking about this morning. me starting to run after we have our up and coming baby. but with three kids, where do you find the time to train and just get out for a run?

Unknown said...

love love love this post! im a 'new' runner. ive done three 5Ks so far... and if nothing else, it's a good work out and some quiet mommy time ;) we are all running our own race, aren't we?

Stacey said...

Great post! Some nights after a long day of motherhood, I feel like I have just run a marathon!

Jeanette said...

Great post!!

Niki said...

Very good post--motherhood is a marathon for sure. Great analogy!!!

PS--love the bean bags in the previous post!

Caroline said...

Love this post Sharla! You were right about how running a marathon can "change a person". For so many years I thought there was no way I could ever do it. But now that I have, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment. Parallel-ing that to motherhood, I am seeing my kids grow up so quickly and feeling a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment at who they are becoming. And it helps me realize that as a mom, I AM making a difference. Thanks for your kind words of encouragement....it's been fun to keep tabs on you after all these years. You have a beautiful family!