Ever since my race back in April I have not been very good and keeping up with my running. I think I needed a break after the race, and then shortly after we went to Italy, and once we got home from that it was hard to start it up again. I have gotten in a few random, short runs, but nothing significant.
I said to my husband the other day that I needed to sign up for another race, just to motivate me towards a goal. Unfortunately, since we’re just moving into the heat of the summer, there aren’t many races around here in the coming weeks and if I sign up for something in October or November, there’s not much incentive to start training for a few months. So at the moment, I am left to motivating myself.
I feel a little guilty now when I talk myself out of going for a run. I think it’s because I spent so long wishing I could get into something like running, but was unable to because of my Crohn’s, that now that I am able to, I feel bad when I just don’t want to. Plus, the longer you stay out of it, the hard it is to get back into the habit of doing it. I think it’s more about discipline for me than it is about being a good runner or even being in shape… although I would like to be both. It’s really hard to make yourself get out of bed before the sun is even up and go for a run, but I also don’t want to waste a good portion of my life simply hitting the snooze button.

So this week I have been better about it. I got up twice this week before 6:00 a.m. and went for a 2 or 3 mile run. And I have to say… it was really nice. It was still cool out (which in the South, you have to go before the sun is up or it’s just way too hot) and most people were not even up yet. There aren’t a lot of cars on the road or even a lot of other runners out. The world is fairly quiet around that time and it’s been a good way to clear my thoughts and focus on the important things in my life and try to figure out any issues I am having. I think it’s really healthy to start off the day with a little “ME-time.” And I don’t mean that in some self-centered “it’s all about me” sort of way. I just mean taking the time to sort your thoughts and get your life in order. Because how are we ever supposed to be productive workers or help others when we don’t have our own life straight?
So, discipline. That is what I am trying to learn right now. I started a training schedule for a 10K this week and got in 3 out of 4 runs, which I consider pretty good. I only missed a short 2-miler yesterday, and that was really because I was out-of-town the day before and was a little worn out from that. Even so, I got in 9 miles this week and I want to keep that going. Tomorrow is a rest day, but Tuesday morning, 5:30, it’s time to get to work! We’ll see how this goes…