Monday, February 22, 2010

The Climb....

...& no, this isnt a post about Miley Cyrus.  I'm not a fan...

The sun came out Saturday & it just called my name.  Time to hit the roads instead of being in the stuffy basement on a rotating belt.  I find its so much more enjoyable to just look around at all the beautiful surroundings when you run.  Especially where I live.  I passed many a dog in a front yard, one beagle that followed me for quite awhile (I thought I was going to have a new pet), lots of acres of land that was covered with pure snow that no one has stepped a foot in - the sun just glimmering off that snow too.... the smell of cows & the big lashed eyes watching me as I run by & say "Hi Baby!"... yes, much better then staring at a TV in the basement...

I did venture out of the normal way & challenged myself though on this beautiful day... call is the effects of the sun!  Who knows what can happen when you're sun-deprived for so long & then it hits you... it causes some crazy reactions!  But I took a turn that I knew would take me a further distance then I had before.  And the thing is, I knew once I went down this way, I had to commit... it would be just as long to turn around & go the way I had come... but the difference, this way had some HILLS... & I'm not talking the pretty rolling hills you may expect. I'm talking some hills that leave you leaning at a 45 degree angle to get up.

The hard part about it, this was on the BACKSIDE of my run, so I'm already a little worn  & tired... & then I look up & see the hill of all hills... honestly I didnt know they had hills like this around my area.  This picture on the side... doesnt even compare... & maybe if you're driving it, it doesnt seem that big of a deal... but let me tell you, run a few miles & then see it ahead of you & then stand at the bottom & look up!  It might as well been Mt. Everest!

I started up it looking at the top & had energy, but it didnt take long for the legs to burn... for the breathing to become really rapid & labored.... my heart rate was beeping at me like "Do you know your heart is ready to explode?"... oh, be quiet Mr. Heart Rate Monitor... I have a hill to get over!

But I noticed that the more I kept looking at the top of it, I wasnt feeling like I was making any progress.  So I changed my perspective... I started looking down at my feet & the ground right in front of my feet... I concentrated on the next step I had to take & then the next step.... & then the next step...

Before I knew it,  I was at the top... with my heart rate STILL telling me I was about to pass out & roll back down that hill, but I made it up!!!

Then I realized that so many times, we look up at big hills, or big goals in our life & we struggle just to make it to the top... but we dont focus maybe on each little step it takes to get there... focus on the smaller steps... focus on the journey instead of the destination...it was more encouraging to know I did take that one step that took me one step closer, instead of taking one step & seeing I was still no where near the top....

When we get discouraged in the big goals of our lives, may we stop & look at the little, small steps that make up the journey to the big goal... find comfort & encouragement in every little step we take...

"I have fought the good fight....I have finished the race... I have kept the faith"
-2 Timothy 4:7

13 comments:

  1. Oh such good stuff! I do that when I'm on the elliptical, I just focus on that one minute, not the 20 more I have after it. lol

    The best way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time. :)

    Its easy to get overwhelmed when faced with something big so it's really important to do what you did and look at the progress your making instead of constantly at the end of the goal. Makes it much easier to endure that way.

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  2. Wonderful words of encouragement! I found that when I trained for the 3-day I wasn't concerned about the time, but the miles. I found it easier to walk a "3 miles" than it was to walk for "20 minutes".

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  3. So true, so true!

    I love how the telephone lines shadowed on the pavement. If you look at the picture sideways it sort-of looks like an EKG monitor. Maybe the mountain was looking out for your heart after all!

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  4. um, probably not the best place to ask this, but how did you get your blog to have stuff on the left, AND the right? I can only get mine to add things to the right, and can't figure out how to change it to a 3 column layout. Help??

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  5. Your post reminds me of when I went back to college (only a few short years ago). I worked part-time, traveled around the country with my daughter for soccer tournaments, and had mom duties...all while juggling a full-time class schedule. I remember the beginning of every term (two for each semester "regular" students had). I always felt overwhelmed. Then, I broke the time into segments (sometimes hours) and got through it.

    Focusing on God and the end goal (i.e. the PRIZE) is the key in life's journey!

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  6. What an awesome perspective, Rebecca Jo! I really needed to read this today...I'm going to take your advice! :)

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  7. Congrats on making it up the hill!! But, also, excellent advice - I love your perspectives on things!

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  8. Today must be philosophical blog Monday. So many good lessons out there. Thanks for this one.

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  9. You are kickin' butt with your exercise - and wise words here. I often struggle with thinking of the end result and getting overwhelmed. A step at at time....

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  10. Well great, now I've got that Miley Cyrus song in my head! LOL

    But it was worth it to read this post!

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  11. Loving those words of encouragement.
    BTW, my niece got her camo wedding dress at Cabelo's or something like that. Thanks for the comment love.

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  12. I knew when I read the title of this post I would go away inspired. THank you for that my dear friend. I am so proud of you for all that you are accomplishing. For me, I feel so overwhelmed and taking those first tiny steps just doesn't seem to be enough. I will keep this in mind in the weeks to come as I set smaller goals for myself.

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  13. You are so right. I love that you went for it. Sometimes that's exactly what he wants us to do. I love your view on things.
    Thanks

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