Sometimes you just gotta run

I went to Shred today (my favorite class at the gym) and was just not feeling the love for Shred that I normally do. The class focused a lot on arm strength (push-up city today!) and my arms are by far one of the weakest parts of my body. They don't bend like they should even though I am willing them to go down or out or whatever direction they are suppose to go. Push-ups and I just don't agree....yet! One of my goals for this year is to increase my arm and chest strength and to be able to do a beautiful push-up in full plank. About halfway through class I was thoroughly frustrated and not anywhere near meeting my calorie burn. The instructor is great about giving modifications to each move, but I get frustrated with myself when I feel like I should be able to do more. This frustration leads to a complete shut-down which leads to more frustration. It was at that moment that I wanted to be anywhere but at Shred.


What did I do???????

I ran...

And I ran FAST!!! I met a huge running goal today. I ran the whole stinkin thing! For the first time ever I ran a 10 minute mile on the treadmill at the gym. I picked this goal because it is the same speed that our 5th graders are suppose to run the mile in at school. I set the speed at 6.0 and just kept going. I felt AMAZING! I was proud of myself for my time, but more than that I was proud of myself for not giving up on my workout just because it wasn't what it had started out to be.

Be encouraged the next time your workout isn't going as well as planned. Your body might just have something else in mind. We talk about intuitive eating to meet the food needs of our body. I'm starting to wonder if there is something to be said for intuitive exercise.

Guess what else I realized today? I AM A RUNNER! A real life runner! I actually like running. I've always told people that I do it because it's good exercise. Today I pushed my body further than it has every gone before and I actually liked it.