The day I decided to take back control of my life was the
day a close friend’s sister invited me to a group run. I’ve seen adverts for Black Girls Run (BGR) locally,
but had never given much thought to the movement and it’s objectives. That day was in October of 2013. The group of about 10 ladies met in
Smyrna. I was so out of shape I could
barely walk 2 miles in the allotted 40-minute duration. I felt exhausted and defeated as I struggled
to make it back to the arranged meeting place, however, something encouraging
occurred as I approached the designated end mark. I saw that many of the ladies who finished
their run before me had stayed and they were cheering me on and encouraging me
to finish strong. They clapped and some
gave me a high five as I finished my walk.
I’d never experienced this level of encouragement from my peers; a group
of ladies of similar demographics happy to see me succeed. I’ve never felt this level of acceptance from
my own family. This was special to
me.
Since that day I started moving my body on a regular basis
and I haven’t stopped. I went from a
20-minute per mile pace walking to a 12 to 13-minute per mile run. I never in my wildest dreams thought that 16
months, almost 1000 miles and minus 50 pounds later I’d be as much in love with
running as I am today. Running for me is
my reward; it’s my stress relief and my outlet.
My favorite place to run is in Austell on the Silver Comet Trail. I run on the trail in the mornings when traffic
is light, the morning air is crisp and clear and I can meditate on all that God
has blessed the world with through nature.
I no longer run with BGR, however I’d like to acknowledge
the group for teaching me one of the best lessons I’ve learned in life, ‘it’s
not how you run the race, but how you finish.
Finish strong.’ That’s a lesson
I’ve applied to other areas of my life…
work, relationships and other recreational activities I participate
in.
So, I say ‘Yes’ to self-acknowledgement and self-love. I say, ‘Yes’ to physical fitness and mental
health awareness. I say, ‘Yes’ to
overall self-improvement.
If you’re interested in topics related to the Project
Management Profession, I’d like to invite you to visit my blog, www.pmpracticality.com.
Thanks to Kathi Middleton for inviting me to participate in
her blogging event. This was truly a
wonderful and uplifting experience.
It takes a lot of courage to take that first step!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!!!
ReplyDeleteLove! I am starting a similar journey today! Prayfully I will reach my goal...
ReplyDeleteLove! I am starting a similar journey today! Prayfully I will reach my goal...
ReplyDeleteAt some time, we will all experience several turning points in our life. We can choose to sit around and watch as the world goes by, or we can unlock our self improvement power not because someone told us it is mandatory, but because you feel unhappy, unfulfilled and listless. That is a sign that you need to incorporate self improvement in your life.dcitltd
ReplyDelete