Several people asked me this week why I run when I’m already getting so much cardio exercise from dance. I run because the mental benefits go way beyond anything physical. Every single mile is a chance to overcome obstacles, fight through pain and suffering, test emotional limits and boundaries, experiment with the potential in my body, and discover just how far I can push myself. Running is about the time when my mind wanders to my own special world where no one can reach me or touch me, where I’m able to break down the barriers I never even knew existed, experience pain that I’ve never felt before, and feel the determination, the tenacity, the pure commitment to myself for success. It's about when the voice inside my head that keeps yelling, "I can't" stops, and a new voice, a stronger voice, takes its place and whispers, "I can." It's about judging how well I ran not only by the time on a clock, but also by the feeling in my legs and arms after I’ve stopped running and the pounding of my heart. It's about those few moments of glory after the end of the race, where the world is spinning and walking in a straight line is impossible--that moment when I can't help but smile, because even though I may not have won or beaten anyone else, I know that I gave absolutely everything I possibly could. I endured the pain, I found the courage to fight through the misery, I found the beauty in the ache, the burn, the sheer torment I inflicted upon myself, and that alone is an experience to be thankful for. That’s why I run. . . . . . #runner #running #fitness #yoga #dance #strength #5krace #stretching #mobility #workout #training #dancer #balance #healing #stretch #splits #motivation #mindset #success #selfcare #fitnessmotivation #love #selflove #personaldevelopment #lifecoach #spirituality #goals #empowerment #mindfulness #mentalhealth
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