I ran the same loop that I did a few weeks ago. It's about three and a third miles. The last part of the run is all uphill, so it's usually my slowest and most difficult part. It's such a great feeling when you climb those last few hills and don't give up.
A few years ago when I worked at a gym, I signed up for some personal training sessions. I'll never forget what my trainer told me. Every time I would quit or give up on the last few push-ups, he would always say, "you are only cheating yourself." He was right, and after that I realized it wasn't fair for me to cheat myself out of what I deserved.
That's how I feel every time I reach the end of my run. I don't want to cheat myself anymore. I just have to dig deep and do it. Even if it's slow, like my last part of my run, I just kept going. It's amazing how much you have left in you when you feel like you've reached the end. I love the feeling after a run where you know you gave it your all.
Motivated yet?
When I met my friend at the gym later on, I didn't have much steam left. You know when your muscles are just all out of energy? Even though I felt like that I still gave it everything I had left. It was a pretty good work out. It's always helpful to have a buddy to cheer you on and keep you motivated. We did some of my most hated exercises, such as burpees and push-ups. I know they are good for you, but I usually avoid them at all costs. It was good to have someone there to give me the little push that I needed. I'll definitely be sore tomorrow!
