Some Weeks Running Doesn’t Happen that Much…and It’s Okay…
I had every intention of running four to five times this week. I laid out my weekly game plan, scheduled my runs, planned my dinners, and scheduled my outings. Everything was going to be perfect, or so I thought.
This week one interruption after another happened. Between mastitis, a thunderstorm, and evening road trips, my night running pretty much went downhill. But you know what, it’s okay.
I once was that person whose runs controlled my day, emotions, and even my attitude. If I didn’t get my run in, the exact number of miles, or nailed my pace, the day would be shattered. I would feel like a failure and slob. It didn’t matter if I ran the day before or that I really needed to take a rest day (yes, rest days are important!) it only mattered if I met my daily “quota,” in order to achieve that “fit,””healthy”feeling.
Thank goodness those days are in the past. Don’t get me wrong, I am bummed if I can’t fit in my run that I’ve planned/ dreamed about all day long. Yes, it’s disappointing, yes it can be frustrating, but life is like that sometimes. Sometimes, we can’t meet every.single.deadline or check every box off our list. It’s in these moments that we (eh, I) need to remember, that it’s okay.
I think social media messes with us and we see all these perfect people with perfect lives, wearing perfect designer clothes who just got back from their perfect ten mile run. But guys, life doesn’t come with filters, life can be messy. But, life can be beautiful in the mess. As I scroll through my insta feed and see all these gorgeous meals (while I slurp my brown smoothie down) or someone’s epic 4am run, I need to remind myself that these are just the highlights of people’s lives, not the “spilled milk “and everything in between.
In this new season of running, parenthood, and so many more responsibilities, I’m learning that God’s grace is enough. That even if my runs don’t go as planned, my meals end up cold, and my laundry is piled up high, His grace is sufficient through it all.
I didn’t anticipate this post getting so heavy, I was actually just planning on keeping you updated on my running postpartum, but it’s where my mind and heart went while I began to type. Just like this post, sometimes the best things happen when situations don’t go according to plan.
So? Am I giving up on goals and planning. No way. In fact, I’m dreaming up my next week runs while typing this out. I’m just adjusting my expectations. I’m going to hold my plans loosely. And if none of my days or runs happen how I scheduled or want them to, I’ll take a deep breath and remember, it’s all okay. God’s grace is enough. And life is beautiful.
Questions of the Day
- Are you a planner?
- Do you get frustrated if your runs/workouts don’t happen?
- On a different note, what are your Friday plans?!?