Recovery Run

Just a nice slow marathon recovery run. As I was chugging along I was reflecting on how much I have learned over the last year. The El Paso Marathon last year was my first completed marathon. I was so sore afterward and decided I earned time off from doing anything. I remained so sore that I could hardly walk, it only got worse until I ran the Spartan race the following weekend, which cured the pain. I never believed in the power of the recovery run.
I was reflecting on all the things I have learned, mostly by trial and error. I have learned the value of a recovery run. I have learned that you have to respect the marathon because it does not respect you. I have learned the difference between sore and pain and which ones to push thru and which ones to listen to. I have learned to listen to my body, it will tell me what to do. I have learned the difference between not WANTING to go the distance and not being able to. I've learned that fearing the distance is all in my head. I've learned that 26.2 is not the whole distance, it's just the race distance. Most importantly I've learned that I can do more than I ever thought if I just try.
I have fought with myself, I have fought with running, I have loved it and hated it and continued to do it. I have had a million reasons to run and a million reasons not to and I keep chugging along. I've learned that those miles are patient and they will lay there and wait for me to run them.
I have learned to believe in the strength of my own legs, the power of my own lungs and the courage of my own heart.