Sunday, June 11, 2017

All or Nothing?

It's hard to keep up with a blog about running a marathon when I haven't been doing much running. 
My body just physically does not want to run very far or very fast or very often. I still have the desire to get out there, I'm just moving much more slowly than I would like.

Running isn't the only thing in my life that I'm only doing part of the way right now. I've gone back and forth about whether I need to give up those things completely. If I can't do them 100%, should I be attempting to do them at all? One of the things that motivates me to run is to set goals to run faster and farther than the last time. Doesn't that also motivate us in life? To move forward, make gains, and feel like we are achieving something?

So what happens when we are stagnant? When we aren't really achieving anything and maybe we even feel like we're moving backwards instead of forwards? Should we quit? Should it be all or nothing?

I went back and forth about this with running. I went out for a run and ended up walking a lot and running a little. When I stopped to walk I thought about giving up on running completely. Why continue if I'm just going to have to stop and walk? After walking a bit I felt like running again and made up my mind that it doesn't really matter how much I walk or how much I run. I love to run, and I'm going to keep doing it as long as I'm still enjoying it and my body is physically capable of doing it!

Luke and I going for a run on Global Running Day

I don't think it is all or nothing. God has me where I am for a reason. I have times in my life when I can jump into things with both feet and give it everything I've got, and I have other times when I have to scale back and just do what I am able to do. There may be times when I need to quit, when something is taking up space that shouldn't be taking my time and energy, but there are other times when I quit things that maybe I am supposed to hold onto a little longer. Even though I am not making the progress I would like or getting the results I think I should, it doesn't mean it is over.

My encouragement for you and for myself right now is not to give up when you can't do it all. It just matters that we are doing something. No matter how big or small it seems to be. Keep doing it.

I'll leave you with a yoga website to check out. Yoga has been something I can always fall back on and do even when other workouts seem out of reach.