Open Book Quote - #HAWMC Day 18 @wegohealth

Open Book. For today’s post, open the nearest book (or find your favorite and open that!) to a random page and point to a word or phrase on that page.  Using that phrase or word as your inspiration, free-write for 20 minutes – to be sure, set a timer and see what you’ve come up with.

Book Choice: Running Within by Jerry Lynch and Warren Scott; pp 113:

"Whatever you wish to concentrate on, create a way to become more attracted to it".

I really love this quote. I swear I wasn't searching for one that would be easy for me to write about.  As it relates to running and my desire to be a smarter and stronger runner (ie. what I wish to concentrate on), I found a way to LOVE running because running a marathon before 40 had been a goal of mine for over 10 years before I found the courage to get my butt in gear!

I thought using a "couch to half marathon in 6 months" program was just the ticket. The program used run/walk intervals, with increasing running segments relative to the walking segments as I progressed week-to-week. The program proved to be too much for me and I ran my first half marathon with leg and back pain from about mile 8 to the finish. While I did get to the finish, I had to take several months off to recover , go to PT for weeks, and to heal a badly ingrown toenail. I was bound and determined to find another way to keep moving forward as a distance runner.

I created a way to become more attracted to it through research of the multitude of training programs and advice from every resource I could think of....and more that I found through my initial research. This is the time when I discovered Jeff Galloway's run/walk/run method. His run/walk intervals started me at 2 minutes running/1 minute walking. Before I knew it, I was back up and running some good distances again all while continuing to heal from my previous injuries. It took a lot of patience and time, but I loved how I felt at the end of each training session. I felt confident, successful and proud of my accomplishments with every passing week. The next year, I ran the same half marathon and cut 25 minutes off my first half marathon time. I was elated!

I still use the Galloway training method and yes, I do run/walk all my races too. Every year I get faster and stronger. I found a way to love running and to keep loving it because this method works for me. I don't get injured anymore (well, at least not from running....I'm an absolute klutz sometimes!) AND I started an official Galloway training program in Simi Valley, CA so I could give this gift of "how to love running and keep doing it" to anyone who will listen.

I truly believe that, especially when it comes to making good healthy decisions for yourself, if you don't find a way to like or even love what you're doing or how it makes you feel, the change or decision you wanted to make won't "stick". 

Figure out what you want and then find a way to fit it into your life in a way that draws you towards it!!! It exists....I promise. But it's up to you to find it. :-)