Patience

Patience…why do I have so little of it? 

I am midway through Week 2 of Couch to 5K, and don’t get me wrong, I am extremely proud of myself!  Even a month ago, if someone had told me that I was going to be following a running program, and already signed up for a 5K, I probably would have pulled a muscle laughing.  Since I started this journey about two weeks ago, I have been actively sweating at least 30 minutes every day, I’ve given up Diet Pepsi, and I’m drinking water enough to flood Lake Champlain.

Unfortunately, being my impatient self, I look at my current running pace and think “Ugh, I’m so slow!”  On the logical surface of things, I know that slow and steady is the way to build.  I don’t want to injure myself or burn out, or generally suffer from those “Terrible Toos” of a new program:  Too much, Too fast, Too soon.  I know this, and yet…my competitive juices begin to flow, and I want to WIN! 

In order to retain my sanity, my sense of accomplishment, and my motivation, I am going to have to set small goals for myself, and continue that pattern of what my motivator Charles Duhigg calls “small wins”.  Every day, and every run is a new one, and an opportunity to stretch myself just a little farther, or a little faster.  Not to the point of insanity, but just to the point of finding some tangible, measurable improvement each time, no matter how small.  Hopefully, all of those small wins will continue to motivate me to chase the larger goals on my horizon.