I've always placed precedence on nurturing yourself, and I've spoken about self kindness a number of times before. Something I'm only beginning to understand, though, is the power of pushing yourself also. The body is a truly powerful instrument, capable of much more than we realise or expect. I have heard this so many times from so many people, but this notion has only begun to resonate with me since I have started running.
Tom pushed me to run early in the year, but when I broke my toe I was off my feet for six weeks and even then I didn't run for another month. It took me a lot of persuading to get off the couch and hit the pavement and then I'd run until the lactic acid started pumping and walk for the remainder of the half hour. Basically I was running in two minute blocks. But one day I ran through that pain and realised that on the other side of it was the 'zone' that everyone talks about. I hit a rhythm and ran for a full ten minutes that day, easily three or four times that of the day before.
Now I think I get it. Last night I ran for almost two kilometres. Before this year I'd never run more than 200m at a time. Seriously. I have never been physically fit in my life. I used to play sick to get out of PE class, or else walk behind the rest of the class as they ran the oval. I had no desire or interest or belief in myself to even attempt to keep up or push myself. So running for twenty minutes straight, as slow as I might be going, is a HUGE achievement for me and I am appropriately excited and proud.
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