Finding Self-Love Through Running

I have written lots of articles on my start of running and the continuing pieces of my running life and I am here to today to share my struggles.

Today after a long day of work, I knew I needed to get a run after. After dragging my feet for an hour, I decided I just needed to do it.

As I was about a mile in my mind started going to the moments when I could only run a mile. How I just had gained much weight after high school and was in a point in my life where I just was trying to learn self-love again.

I was the heaviest I had ever been. I was just starting college at a Big Ten university, nervous already about the transition from my small town high school to a big school, feeling not healthy didn’t help.

My roommate was a avid runner and was super healthy. I was jealous. I just didn’t have the energy to do it like her. So I took her as motivation to do it! Over time I started going to the gym again, I remember the first time I ran 3 miles, it took me 30 minutes and I felt on top of the world. I ran it at a 5.5 pace. I remember that day like it was yesterday.

So what was holding me back all this time? Fear, lack of self love, lack of confidence; Many things I needed I want to overcome.

Gaining Confidence

It was that day, I knew I wanted more, I wanted to feel better, I wanted to succeed. It took a while, it actually took a whole year before I ran my first 5K. It then took me another three years to run my first half marathon. Over time, I noticed the little things, I was feeling better, losing some weight, had more self-love and had confidence in myself.

Losing It Again

Then after all that work, I started to gain it again. I knew I needed to get back on track so I hired a personal trainer. I wanted to get healthier and sometimes you need some help. I put a lot of work into it and I once again started to notice the differences in how I interacted with people, my work ethic and my confidence.

Continuing

Over time I have continued this and I haven’t looked back. I surround myself with others that motivate me, that was runners and I have even run my first marathon! I have my moments, where I don’t want to run or do something, I don’t think I could ever say its been an easy journey. However in the moments of no motivation, I remember how far I have come and how far I want to go. So I put on the shoes again and make the most out of a work out. See for me running, isn’t just to get ‘skinnier’ its a lifestyle change, its to help make me the best person I can be. It taught me self-love.