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Yes! Positive Energy!

THAT quote comes from Stephen Brody Stephens

You're welcome for that.  Earlier this week I posted about not taking yourself or your training too seriously.  Another part of enjoying your run and/or your training is actually enjoying the training.  I've glazed over it in many different posts, particularly when writing about how my reasons for running have changed over the years.  
The thing is, you gotta enjoy your run.  One of my earlier posts went through my favorite time to run and pictures from it. Running the Sun Up.
We can get so lost in splits, the competitive spirit, and proving yourself.  I have a shirt with Pre's famous "I run to see who has the most guts" quote on it.  Movies and coaches from other sports have always had that "give it your all" approach.  Like I said in my last post (You'll Never Get Out Alive!) is that we (most of us, anyway) need to remember that we're choosing to be runners.  We don't HAVE to run, typically.  I'm sure that some of you are in a physical job such as the military where you have to do occasional tests.  I get that.  But the majority of us that run 5k or longer races do it for the fun of it.  So, why not enjoy it?


Two of my favorite "happy runners," Anne and Ceci.  You'll see these ladies tearing up the trails and roads around Texas, Iowa, Mexico, and even Peru with an ever-present smile and infectious positivity.
Now, you will catch me saying "Oh, I HAVE to run 6 miles tomorrow or I HAVE to do this or that," but it's only because that is what is on my schedule.  The truth is, I either wrote that schedule myself or asked for it.  What I mean by that is that I GET to go run.  If you're going to do it, find the positive in it. Sometimes, on the crappiest runs, the only positive you can find is the fact that you're able to be out there on that crappy run   Andy Jones-Wilkins, owner of ultra running site irunfar, is coming back from a recent knee surgery to run the Hard Rock 100.  At this very moment, he's at mile 85, 27th place.  In a recent Trail Runner Nation podcast he went in depth about how happy he is just to be out on the trails.  11 months ago he was thinking that his running career was over.  Now, he's taking it easy compared to his monstrous training while younger.  However, he's enjoying his runs because he's grateful to even be out there.
A personal sense of "just glad to be able" comes from an unlikely spot - my dad.  A man that my whole childhood prided himself on strength and toughness had two hip replacements and struggled to get up a flight of stairs by the age of 48.  Now, 48 isn't that old, but it's still a ways off for me.  I want to take advantage of every chance I get to go run.  I want to appreciate all of the time that I get out on the streets or trails.
Where do you find enjoyment while running?

Our San Angelo Road Lizards/Team RWB early morning crew!

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