What I Learned About Hurts, Hang ups, Habits, and Healthy Hair While Running

Once upon a time, circa 2000, I would avoid strenuous activity like the plague. Not only did I believe that I could sweat out a "perm" but so did all of my friends. Puffy roots were signs of defeat. We'd halt gym time if anyone dropped a bead of sweat and ditch the club early if it got to crowded and/or hot. It was a very serious matter! I'm not ashamed to admit it. Fast forward to the present--now I'm all about the sweat life. Now I adore running---not for its obvious cardiovascular benefits but for what its taught me about hurts, hang ups, (bad) habits, and claro que si, my hair.  

Running through the Rain into Rainbows| AIDS Run 2013 | My furry running partner |
Sunrise Run | Me and my superhero hubby | AIDS Run 2012

Hurts- There's a purpose for the pain; It may not be good to you but it's good for you: Running is fun---never have I ever said. Running is painful. Running is hard. Running is exhausting. But crossing the finish line--well that's... Amazing. Exhilarating. Accomplishing. The reward is always worth the pain. Not everything that we do---in the name of being the best that we can be--is supposed to be easy. Yet the pain is always worth the reward.   

Habits: Watching the clock is wastes time- I use RunDouble (yep its free!) to track my 5k time and distance. Its a pretty cool app that tells me when to start running, when I'm half way, and when to slow down to an easy pace. All of the time between, its silent. Sometimes too silent. I don't have good days every time that I run. And on those not so good days, I find myself habitually pulling my phone out to check my progress. Every time that I do, my stride suffers--my focus shifts---my overall pace slows. When life gets hard---how easy is it to want to countdown the hours, minutes, and seconds until its all over? But every time that you do---you're wasting time and giving discouragement a welcome home because it feels as if nothing's changed. 

Hang ups: Being thankful for success and setbacks- Setbacks suck. I try to avoid them like the plague. Yet one always has a way of creeping in where I least expect it. The good news: ain't it funny how setbacks often mold us more willingly than success can? Learning to have an attitude of gratitude, no matter what the circumstance will change the way that you view those pesky buggers. Setbacks are always set ups for success---ONLY when you make the choice to learn from them. 

Healthy Hair: My journey isn't the same as your journey- My superhero hubby agreed to help me train for my 5k. He's super athletic. He plays basketball, football, and softball. But there was one little problem. He hates running. With a passion. While I ran 3-4 times a week, working on my endurance, perfecting my stride, and focusing on my breathing---he was playing pick up games with his boys. Yet every time that he joined me---he flew right by me. I really wanted to complain, give up, and get nasty. But I remembered (and therefore painfully bit my tongue) that timing is everything. What I needed do was stay on my course. In due time, I'll be faster. In due time, I'll be better. In due time, I'll be stronger. My time just wasn't that day. How many of us have seen chicas who started their hhj around the same time that we did with pixie cuts who have MBL+ hair today? Yes its frustrating. Yes we want to find something wrong with her and her hair to validate our own insecurities (y'all know what I'm talking about---HATE is running rampant on blogs, forums, and YouTube) but at the end of the day, your hair isn't her hair. For one person, MBL takes one year. For others it might take 5+ years. Yet being faithful to your own journey is ever important. You will get there one day when you stay the course and that day will be great. Get your confetti ready chica!

Besitos!
KLP