Being Miserable

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” ~ Wayne Dyer

 Miserable. Absolutely miserable. 

It took everything for me to lace up and bundle up to run. Mondays, I am usually running 16 miles of trails but today I decided to hit the roads. 

As I headed outside, the wet snow quickly saturated my socks. Even though I was avoiding puddles my socks were heavy and sloshing the first 2 miles. I tucked my hat down further over my eyes to block the snow now turning to sleet as it bounced off my hoodie. I calculated my miles and the time it would take to run 16 miles, or maybe 14 miles or....my goals were quickly being intercepted by the agony I was feeling. 

And the more I ruminated on how cold, wet and soggy I was, the more I felt discouraged.   

My thighs were burning from the drenched and frigid fabric of my running pants. 

I instructed myself to just get to 5 miles then reassess my misery. 

Before I even made it to 5 miles, I found myself turned around. Seriously! How does one get confused less than 4 miles from home?

Its called misery. 

I had to confront my suffering and all the negativity I was trudging through. I found I was making a tough run more terrible by the torture of my thoughts. My gloomy thoughts were adding more discomfort than the elements I was actually running in. 

I reminded myself of the races I have quickly approaching. The next 3 weekends I have races. This made me smile. 

My thoughts began shifting. My steps found their purpose again. I quit making excuses to cut my run short and instead found myself adding loops to guarantee ALL 16 miles. 

My pants were frozen, my Complete Runner gloves were water logged and dripping, my shoes sloshed with mud and water but my body was sweating with excitement. 

Today was actually my 3rd day of "Back to Back" runs. And I was feeling pretty strong. 

Saturday: 19.5 miles

Sunday: 10 miles

Monday: 16 miles. 

I DID IT! Not only did I do it, I ran it miserable and mighty. I had to remind myself to bring it down adding walk breaks to settle down my pace. 

This weekend I have a trail marathon. I am so stoked! Andy is bringing out the camper for me and my girlfriends. We are all running Carpe Diem. I am running a 1/2 marathon in the morning and a 1/2 marathon at night! 

Today was actually good training for what the weather will be like this weekend! 

It is going to be COLD! 

But we are going to have hot coffee and campfires! 

COLLISION 

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” ~ Wayne Dyer

We are not going to escape discomfort. We are truly disillusioned if we think that life is all sunshine and fairy tales. 

Training presents many different runs. Just when I am about to throw in the towel, quit, cry or carry on in misery I have to consciously choose Misery or Motivate. 

I let my thoughts throw sand in the gears and make a mountain out of a mole hill. 

Pain speaks volumes to us. It is not easy to flip the script when you are doubled over in agony. 

But misery is a road we travel with easy, it takes courage to get off the wide road of misery and take a risk to welcome the joy and happiness. To be motivated or to find that motivation. 

There will always be suffering and misery, the elements of life will never run out of obstacles and challenges. But I have discovered that I have for more elements of life to motivate me to never give in to misery. 

 

In Peace, not Pieces,

Anita~