I was at mile 23, and I was crossing the Gordon Bridge in Sioux City, and I had no desire to continue on.
I stopped, looked over the edge of the bridge, and considered calling someone to come pick me up. I was physically exhausted. Hadn't eaten much, and knew I needed to get some food soon.
It is so easy to enjoy running when everything is going smooth, your body is feeling great, and there is no pain or blisters, but when there is turmoil, doubt and frustration that is when you discover what you are made of.
Running can be similar to every encounter and obstacle we face in daily life.
On that bridge I said out-loud several times my running mantra, "I run, because I love to run, not because I have to run."
I love to run when it everything is going great, and funny to say, but I love to run when everything isn't going great. Such is life.
Life can get us down, and it can be tough to endure, but it is the people who continue during the tough times who grow as a result of pushing through.
May you be challenged to get back up when you are knocked down, to push through when you want to give up.
Come up with a mantra you can say when things start getting tough. Maybe you can use it when you go out for a run, or in your daily life.
"I run, because I love to run, not because I have to run."
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