How It Started
In the summer of 2020, I decided to make a change. I chose to try and live a healthier life. It started as the normal goals we all have. Eat right, exercise more and so on. However, the challenge of living a healthier life was going to be more challenging than anything I've ever even imagined; that was until I became inspired.
Running was my vice. The goal was to lose weight and the method was to run. Not to run fast, not to run races, not to strive for personal records - just run. So that's what I did, I went outside and just started running. The start of it was tough. Being someone who never exercised, to making a drastic change that incorporated a running routine was challenging mentally and physically. So much so, that I had to set realistic goals for myself. They started small. I told myself "one day I'm going to run three miles without stopping" It took some time, but I finally got there.
Fast forward several months later, what I thought was a way to lose weight has become a cornerstone in my life. Almost everything I do is centered around running, because that is what transformed me into my best self thus far. From what I eat, to how much I sleep, even changed how I think. You get to spend a lot of time with your thoughts while running, which is time you hardly ever get anywhere else. I'm currently training for my second marathon, after completing my first one October 2021. I trained to run sub 4:00 hours and ended up finishing in 3 hours 30 mins. This time around I'm training to finish in 3 hours and 15 mins.
Inspiration
We live in a day and age where we have the ability to see most people lives in real time. Fortunate for me, I was able to see people who did things I wanted to do. I saw healthy eaters, fitness junkies, mental health awareness promoters, and of course runners. We often imagine and dream about doing certain things or being certain things, but like the saying goes - "seeing is believing". Seeing those who look familiar to you do the things you aspire to do, is such an incredible experience.
"ONLY THING THAT SEPRATES ME FROM THEM IS THE WORK"
Not gonna lie - the work? It's hard.... But it's not impossible. I think it takes physical toughness but more mental toughness. If I could just physically do the work to get the results, then it would be much easier, but the mind is powerful and can be the strongest muscle you will actually use in your lifetime. You really have to find ways to make yourself believe that you can do it.
One of the statements I often repeat to myself is "nothing happens overnight" What I mean by that is - I'm 30 years old today, so that means I have 30 years of unhealthy practices, 30 years of bad eating habits, 30 years of not exercising. That is literally three decades of undoing I have to work on, so expecting things to change quick and easy is not reality - the reality is, it's going to take time; and lots of it. However, if you commit to the work and process, eventually it will pay off - that is a 100% fact.
I know there are some circumstances where inspiration has a price tag, but for the most part - inspiration is free. It costs nothing to see someone inspire you to be great or be the best version of yourself. So, thank you to those who inspire others and being the reason running has changed my life.
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