What inspires you?

Hi. It's Laura

Some days, I really struggle with getting out of bed in the morning to get to the gym. Okay, really its most days. 5:00 am is early (and the garbage trucks aren't even out at 5, maybe at 5:30 but not 5). I also like to say “I start my workouts at 5:30” but it’s really more like 5:40 (so it is close enough).

This morning was a harder morning than most. The Husband and I went to see a man about a birthday party which threw off our whole evening schedule (yes, I am that rigid). This in turn, threw off the morning schedule. Although everything got done, it was little later than usual and today you can call me lead bottom (I ran that slow today).

So what inspires me to get out of bed in the morning when the last thing I want to move?

It’s a long answer with a few parts.

First part: I have been running Central Park on and off for fifteen years but started morning sessions when I moved to the UWS. I can say I hit the park anywhere between 5:30 and 6:00 and change my route frequently. There is one man that I see every morning that I run. I am guessing he is about 70 years old and (still guessing) that he suffered a mild stroke. He cannot lift his feet off the ground so it is more of a shuffle than a run. One arm seems a bit stiff which is why I am guessing that it was stroke. He is out there (more guessing) every day, rain, shine, hot, cold, snow or not. I mostly encounter him on the East Side and he runs the park clockwise. I have never stopped to talk to him (I don't talk to anyone when I run so why make an exception?)  but I either pass him when I run clockwise or see him when I run counter clockwise.

If an elderly man gets out there every day, despite the weather, I have no excuse. 

Second part of my answer: Back in December I was decorating the tree. The Husband was out with the dog. So instead of watching the Grinch or some other holiday classic, I watched the Ironman. If you are unfamiliar with ironman, it is a triathlon held in Hawaii and consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a marathon (26.2 miles).

They highlighted the elites which are inspiring stories and make me all verklempt on their own. But then they started with the regular people. OMG! There was the woman who was diagnosed with colon cancer, Tara Costa from the Biggest Loser, who has lost over 100 lbs, and then there were the two 80 year old men. One was a doctor and I am sad that I do not remember what the other one did. I watched in awe as the two 80 year olds literally fell down all over the place for the last five miles of the race and ultimately crossed the finish line.  I cried.

The next time you whine about something hurting or find some other excuse not to go to the gym, think of these people and maybe they will inspire you too.

Play hard!

Laura 

As of this writing, I have not done my swim yet today and was considering skipping it until I re-read my own post, off the to the pool I go