Woooosh!

Check out how fast my legs can run on the treadmill.... NOT!

You might not be able to see them 'wooshing' through the photographs, but they also aren't moving as fast as they once were.

Sometimes, when things are really hard, and you know you should just keep plugging along because the reward in the end is going to be worth it, you still can't seem to muster the motivation to keep yourself moving in that direction.  Well, that is what has happened to me in my quest for speed.  After starting up running at the end of last November, I struggled with running past five minutes and the 4 setting on my treadmill was taking me for one seriously fast ride!!  My endurance has definitely grown as has my speed, but my next challenges came in the form of injuries and pain.  That gets old after a while too, and I suppose that's when I started pushing off my runs.  After Saturday's race, however, I've recommitted.  Since Monday, I've been running for thirty minutes on the treadmill.  I've lost a lot of what I gained already!  A month ago I could run 30 minutes no problem, 40 minutes was my point for running out of steam and 50-60 minutes was doable, but I was really pushing myself to keep a slow and steady pace.  I was running between 5.0 and 5.5.  This week, I hit 20 minutes and am out of steam and I'm running at 5 on the treadmill.  The next 10 minutes is a push, and I can do it, but I have a way of reminding myself during these last 10 minutes how not too long ago the very same 10 minutes used to be sooo easy!! 

So here is a reminder to me.  Don't Stop!!  Just do it!  And be kind to yourself as you continue on your quest!