Better Today

I had a fantastic run over the weekend. I finally got my time down to what it had been during the summer. I could tell my pace was good. I could feel the energy in my body. I wasn’t dragging; I was springing forward. It felt so great.

Even so, even on my good days, I know I am a slower runner than most. And even after that great run, I felt a twinge of disappointment. I wished I could’ve made the run faster.

I had to do some talking to myself because running six miles on hilly terrain is an accomplishment – even if it’s not very fast. I had to remind myself that five years ago I didn’t run at all. I walked a mile and thought I was doing something great.

Then I started walking two miles. Before I knew it, I was walking three miles, then four. Then I realized that walking really was too easy so I added jogging intervals… from this mailbox to that telephone poll, from this tree to that driveway. The intervals became longer. Somehow, I made it to jogging four miles. Then eventually five. Then I picked up my pace. Then I tried six miles. Over the summer, I now like to throw in an eight-mile run every week.

I may never be fast, but I’m better today than I was back then. I’m doing things today physically that I never imagined I could.

What about you? Can you look back and say you are better today? Are you doing things you thought you never could? Don’t be afraid to try.