lessons learned lately

Last Sunday, I ran the Chicago Half-Marathon, just a couple of months after having our second little girl.  For me, running 13.1 miles is no small challenge!  And, if I'm honest, I have to admit that I was a little bit nervous.  I wasn't sure how my body would respond to that distance.  I wasn't sure that I'd be ready for that kind of challenge.

As soon as my doctor cleared me to run after having the baby, I went after preparations for the race.  I stuck with it - running on days when I felt like running...and on days when I didn't feel like running.  I committed to eating healthy food, to support my recovery from pregnancy and my training for the race.  I slowly built up the mileage, in order to get ready for the full 13.1 miles.

On race day, an amazing thing happened: everything was GREAT.  The run went according to plan!  A dear friend ran with me, and we enjoyed a beautiful run along Lake Michigan on a cool, crisp, and clear Chicago morning.  I was so excited about how well it went!  But then I began to think...
I shouldn't be so amazed that the run went so well.  Now, of course, there are sometimes surprising injuries, cramps, and other things you can't prepare for during a race.  But, I trained diligently - and accomplished what I intended to.  I shouldn't have  been shocked; the race went well because I had put in the hours to get ready for it.  It went the way it was supposed to go...and that made it a lot of fun!

This experience in the past week has gotten me thinking, so I want to offer you a few lessons that I've been learning through running lately:

*CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Lets be honest--there are days when we don't feel like running.  The key for me was running on the "good" days...and the "bad" days.  Sticking with it.  Whether it's running, eating healthier, or making other positive lifestyle choices, the ultimate key is consistency.  Running, specifically, is about so much more than speed, strength, or natural ability.  More than anything else, running rewards those who just go out and do it - with consistent commitment.  I wasn't the fastest person in the Half-Marathon last week.  But the consistency of my preparation meant that I didn't have a "freak out" moment.  I enjoyed a run that was the result of consistent preparation.

*PATTERNS CREATE HABITS
Starting a new commitment is always hard.  Some days, it will feel like you're fighting every impulse in your body to get out for a run, or to say no to an unhealthy snack that isn't a part of your commitment to healthy eating.  This "battle" can go on for a while!  But, a commitment to new patterns in life starts to do something.  Over time, those patterns begin to solidify...and become regular parts of your life.  They turn into HABITS.  Running becomes just something that you do.  It's less of a battle, and more of a "normal" thing.  It takes time to get there, but that's the fruit of changing your patterns.  It does get easier!

*HABITS LEAD TO GROWTH
We've got to remember, too, that consistently setting patterns that turn into habits eventually leads to growth.  That's when things get really fun.  You run a race at a distance that you never thought possible.  You live with healthy choices like you never have before.  GROWTH happens.  And it's not a mystery!  Consistent commitment in the same direction will eventually lead to lasting habits, which will bring growth and accomplishment.  As you start the process of change, remember your end goal.  Go after it, and don't forget that your efforts are going somewhere!
Today, go after it!  Start being consistent about something you've been wanting to pursue - going for a run, changing eating habits, or pursuing a more active lifestyle.  Set some patterns, and enjoy watching those solidify into habits.  Then, get ready for growth.  That's the fun part!