Today, I'm writing about a learning experience I had this morning. Having resolved to run at least a little every day, I got up today, and set out for a quick run. I approached this run differently than I have approached any run in all my years of running: I prayed.
Sure, I've prayed, or joined in quick prayers for "everyone to
perform to the best of their abilities" or to "have fun. This was different. I've set a handfull of resolutions for my personal improvement that I'm really working hard on. This morning, I was talking to my Father, and we talked about what I've been doing; where I've been improving, and where I could improve. Today, on the heels of a couple really short, disappointing runs, I prayed for help. Asking for a healthy heart and a stronger mind, and preparing otherwise, I set out for my run.
I started out for my go-to run: a 1.9 mile loop around the Logan temple. Only a block out, I resolved to change direction and head east, towards the the entrance of Logan Canyon, and the first in a series of small dams -- a 5 mile loop. A quarter of the way into the loop (halfway to the first dam), I decided that I felt good enough to run a little ways up the canyon. It evolved into this.
I learned/re-learned a few really cool things from this run:
- Prayer works. When I'm on top of my exercising, I'm motivated and everything else seems to fall in to place. Knowing that it was important to me, Heavenly Father strengthened me.
- Every additional mile your body isn't used to handling hurts more than the previous.
- I don't know what I'm capable of. Every time I work at something hard enough to feel like I'm pushing the limits, I realize the limits are further out than I'd imagined. Though I definitely felt limited today, I know I can do more than I thought. I pushed several limits, and loved doing it.
If you didn't check the link, do it. I think the post makes more sense with it.
