What is chasing you?

I ran my first 5K yesterday. I neither died, nor came in last, both of which were valid concerns for me. I'm not very fast, I haven't been running for very long, and I didn't train much of the month due to a recent appendectomy and a respiratory viral infection. My husband actually attempted to discourage me from the race in light of my lingering hacking cough, but I had said when I signed up that I would run "no matter what" and illness is a "what", right?

So I ran anyway. I crossed the finish line in just under 35 minutes, and 11.12 minute mile putting me in 377th place out of 511 participants.  So I didn't blow any one's doors off. But I ran. I did it, which proves pretty much anyone can, as I have never been what anyone would consider athletic.

Afterward, we celebrated with brunch, and there were a lot of runners where we ended up, and I heard an overweight lady saying "I would only run if something was chasing me!" and felt like replying "I am being chased...by thunder thighs and a fat ass. By high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. If I slow down, they might catch me as at least a few seem to have caught you!". But I have found that many people who already have a problem much prefer for you to either overlook or commiserate than to suggest how they might resolve. The average person really doesn't want to take action and possess a million reasons why they shouldn't try, or why they tried, but quit because it "didn't work". I have done it, too, until I realized if I spent half the time doing something about my problems that I spent complaining about and rationalizing why I am doing nothing about them, then I could probably resolves them all. Even knowing this, I still have to occasionally remind myself.

So, I stayed silent, as I was pretty sure my comment would not be construed as helpful.

Perhaps some day someone will run across this blog and become angry, feeling that I am picking on overweight people. This is not my intention. I have given birth to three children and possess a lower body that expands at the drop of a twinkie. I understand how difficult it is. But it is very rarely, if ever, truly impossible. So my question would be, what is chasing you? Extra weight? Self-doubt? Fear? What are you doing to not get caught? Do you do nothing because you are lazy (let's face it, we are all kinda lazy) or that you fear failure? Are either of those thing worth wasting you life being unhappy about something that you can change? Change is hard. But change is an amazing entity..sometimes it happens to you against your will, and you get drug kicking and screaming into it, but at the same time, you always get to choose change. Always. Any second of any day you can decide "I am going to change this" and set about doing just that. This type of change often takes time and patience, and this is where people often lose it...its too hard, it takes too long. Is your life not worth it? Mine damn sure is. Absolutely.

I highly suggest reading or listening to the teaching of Jim Rohn. He talks about how anyone can totally turn around their lives  and do a major life altering overhaul in 2-5 years. That may sound like a long time, but what is 5 years when you compare it to a life of unfulfillment and unhappiness? A drop in the water. You can have success, whatever that means to you personally...anyone can. I am not saying that someone who can't sing can become a famous professional singer, but I do believe that one who has a clear view of their strengths and weakness can find things they enjoy and are at least acceptable at and can make these things into something that benefits their life, as well as pinpoint flaws to determine the ones that can be worked on and do two very important things...quit beating themselves up over them, and change them.

Yesterday, I triumphed over my fear of failure while at the same time doing something that was healthy and good for me. Yesterday, I ran.

Maybe you would like to run, too. Couch to 5k is a great program to get you started.
http://www.fromcouchto5k.com/articles/training/the-couch-to-5k-training-plan/