Just put one foot in front of the other

Back in January I wrote about my goals for the year, my resolution list of sorts. I'm happy to say that I've been reaching many of my goals. One of these is getting back into running.

I knew that running would be great for me...the health benefits, especially the mental health benefits. But I'm finding myself surprised at just how great it is making me feel.

I love the weekly rhythm of my runs (I run Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Sundays, at various times). I love the peace of having time for just me. I love the goal of training for an event, the Columbus 10K, which I will run on my 36th birthday. I love smiling and greeting all the people I pass on the road.

Yesterday, while running 4 miles, my current longest run, I had these words repeating with the rhythm of my feet: "Running makes me a better mom." And in my mind I had this picture of my heart growing with each step. Picture the Grinch, when his heart grows at the end of the movie, bursting out of the frame. That is how I feel about running. It makes my heart grow. It feeds my soul. It fills up my love bank so that I can be with my children and approach them from my heart first.

Like everything in life, running isn't easy. My body sometimes rebels with aches and pains, even at my very modest distances. It can be challenging to get myself going when I'm still waking at night with Elle. I get excited to not have to run (like this morning...just too tired and soar).

But I will return to the road, again and again. Because really, the rewards of simply putting one foot in front of the other are just too beautiful to miss.