I find that there are three components to my morning jog: my will, my lungs, and my muscles/body.
On some days, as soon as I awake, the choice to run has already been made. “It’s on my schedule!” On those days, the challenge is to see how much time I will cut off.
On other days, it is a major victory to choose to get out of bed and put my shoes on. If I win those two battles and actually start running, I then face the next set of obstacles.
On some days, my body/muscles feel great, like a race horse ready to gallop. On those rare days, my body is actually an encouragement to my will, saying “Let’s go. We can do this!”
However, much more frequently, I feel like Sisyphus and every single step is my boulder. My legs feel like jello, my feet like boat anchors. On those days, my body will argue profusely with my will. Every step requires a choice with body grudgingly obeying.
However, even when my body feels great and my will embraces the challenge, my lungs can become a formidable foe.
Sometimes, my breathing becomes labored or my side starts to hurt. If my body feels great, I will start talking to myself, if need be, aloud, saying: “Come on! Keep going! You can do this!” My will can overcome the cardiovascular pain and complete the run.
However, when my body feels terrible and my breathing becomes labored, my will is put to the greatest test. On those days, it is a major achievement just to complete the run. The conversation inside of me goes something like this: “Don’t quit! Just keep going! Just take the next step! You only have ___ much more to go. You’re not going to die.”
I hope this encourages you as you strive to take care of your body.
