Running Downhill

I love to work out. Well, let me rephrase. I love how I look when I work out, I love how I feel when I work out, I love how my jeans fit when I work out. But I do not love the actual working out process.

I have tried a number of different workout strategies- bootcamp, pilates, jogging, all of which produce great results for me. I’ll get in a really good routine of exercising on a regular basis. THEN something happens to knock me off my course, and the next thing you know a few weeks have gone by and nary a leg lift or plank  have I done. It really frustrates me. Especially when my pants start to get a little snug. Because I know if I’ll just take the time to work out, I will see results pretty quickly.

This makes me think, how often do I do this in other areas of my life? I know what to do to see the results I want to see, but I just don’t make the time, and instead make excuses.

Yesterday, my husband asked me if I wanted to go with him to take the kids fishing. I declined because I had laundry to do. Then I decided the laundry could wait, changed into my workout clothes and sneakers, and hopped in the car with the family. Not to go fishing but to take on the bridge!

You can’t tell from the picture, but has a nice  incline. I put a little Freddy Rodriguez on my ipod and set off at a brisk pace. My legs started burning as I was walking up, but I just started walking faster. When I got to the middle of the bridge I was feeling exhilarated, so decided to run all the way down. (I have never been a runner even though I’ve tried to be one many times, so a quarter mile is good for me!) Even though I was running downhill, it still felt great! I decided to do the same thing on the other side of the bridge, walked up it and ran down it.

It may seem like running downhill was cheating, but it was just what I needed to get me motivated again. Today my legs are sore (ina good way), I feel great, and it made me want to go back and try to run a little further next time.

If you are frustrated about where you are at in your life. If you’re not seeing the results you want to see, all the while knowing what you need to do to make it better, I encourage you to take a run downhill  to kick start your motivation. Instead of having unrealistic goals and expectations that you can’t possibly achieve so therefore don’t even try, start off with something easy. Something that will allow you to enjoy getting back in the right direction, something that will encourage you to work towards your goal again, whatever it may be. As Paul said in 2 Cor. 8:10-14  So here’s what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart’s been in the right place all along. You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. (The Message)