Looking Back So You Can Move Forward

Last Friday, I did a bad thing.

I looked ahead.

At my training schedule that is.  And it completely Freaked. Me. Out.

Let me explain. Right now, this is where we are at:

5 minute walk - 11 minute run - 5 minute walk.  It doesn't sound like a lot but it is - for an inexperienced, couch potato runner like me - and it is stretching me...Big Time.  So how do you think I felt when I made the mistake of looking at day 63 of our schedule and saw this:

Get me a paper bag now and let the hyperventilating begin...

Geesh.  Once again, what have I gotten myself into.  As I was reminding myself that this "will not kill me" and that I am "not a quitter", I felt the panic over take every part of my being.

But then I did this -  I looked back: 

Where I started, Week one: 5 minute walk, 2 minute run, 5 minute walk - a measly .56 miles that just about killed me.

Today, Week five: 5 minute walk, 11 minute run, 5 minute walk - 1.55 miles!

In 5 weeks, I have increased my running time by 5X and tripled my distance.  Woo-hoo!!  Get me some chocolate to celebrate!  Then I realized one more very important thing: 1.55 miles is exactly half of 3.1 miles. 

I am half way there.  Half way!

5 weeks ago I could barely run 2 minutes without feeling like my lungs were going to explode.  Today I can run 11+ and feel good about it. 

Looking back, I can see clearly how far I have come.  I can remember how out of shape I was - how bad off I was.  And I can see where I am now.  Healthier, stronger, faster...

Now that I've looked back and seen how far I have come, I can move forward - knowing that I can make it the rest of the way.  I won't look too far ahead but I will focus on running this race one day ... one minute ... one song on my iPod ... and one prayer ... at a time.

We are not supposed to live in the past - that is unhealthy.  But sometimes we need to look back just for a moment to see how far we really have come.  Be encouraged!  We are making progress - sometimes it is just baby steps - but progress is progress!

Be blessed...