Start again

Deep down in my soul, I am a morning person.  It might not look that way, and I might be a quiet morning person (Emily, I know you're reading this and shaking your head in disbelief.  Stop that right now), but I really love and cherish that time.  Because each and every morning, I get the distinct pleasure of being able to start again.  To make today better.  To try something different.  To engage more fully.  To stress less.

Insert cliche Colorado picture here.  Check.

As I have gotten older, I have become acutely aware of the necessity of these new beginnings.  That I don't need to wait until Monday.  I don't need to wait until a new month, or a new year.  I need to wake up and take action with the day I have.

Originally I had planned to do a half marathon in May.  I wanted to accomplish that goal before I got married.  I started training in November with high hopes.  And then something happened, I don't remember what, but something derailed me entirely.  I decided that instead, perhaps I would do an October half, or postpone indefinitely.  I mean, I know that no Midwife in their right mind is going to allow me to run my very first half marathon while pregnant.  I had decided that training for running while going to school, working, and planning a wedding was too much to bear.

Until I woke up Monday morning.  I woke up Monday morning, my Sunday, and went off to my daily blog perusal.  And I found a blog post that mentioned a $15 one-day-only entry fee for a half marathon on August 10, 2013.  The exact day I had originally really wanted to get married on.  I knew I was available.  I knew that it was 6 months away.  I knew that the course for the half marathon had a net elevation loss of 1000 feet.  In Colorado, that's pretty dang substantial.  I knew that I would be hard pressed to find a half marathon better suited to my needs.  So I did what any other girl would do.  I registered, and then I told everyone about it.  Then I picked a plan.  I didn't even look at my treadmill.  I took another day off from running.

But Tuesday, I started again.  After coming home from a drink with a friend, a drink full of new beginnings, I began again on the treadmill.  It was miserable.  I hated almost every minute of the 48 minutes I spent on the treadmill.  The training plan I picked offers the option of a run/walk combination, just hit your mileage.  And I love that.  It takes the pressure off.  It allows me to have good days and bad.  It allows me to begin anew each and every day.

Today is your new beginning too.  I hope that you seize it.  That today is the best day yet.  That today, you make all of those dreams appear in your headlights.