The Climb

Yesterday, we were on the bus on the way home from the March for Life and I sat back and turned on my ipod.  A song came on and reminded me of how far I have come in such a short time (as far as running, that is!).  The lyrics really have a way of hitting home for me.  What is that song?  The Climb by Miley Cyrus.

Now, I'm not a Miley Cyrus fan, but this song really does something to me, from the very beginning of it. "I can almost see it, that dream I'm dreaming, but there's a voice inside my head, saying you'll never reach it".  How true that was for me!  When I started running, it was so hard (heck, some days it's still hard!).  That dream of running a 5K seemed so far away to me.  And there would always be the voice saying, it's too hard, I'm too tired, it hurts, you'll never make it.  Sometimes when I run, that voice still talks negatively to me.  But it happens less now.  And when it does happen, I know better.  I know to talk myself out of it. 

"Ain't about how fast I get there, ain't about what's waiting on the other side, it's the climb".  It is about the climb.  The climb gets me emotional.  What a journey!  I might not be fast, I might not medal in these races, but I climbed and conquered it!  I was able to run several 5Ks and a 10K.  And to be climbing the mountain to get to the top of my first 1/2 marathon...how wonderful that will be!

There WILL always be another mountain and I'm gonna want to make it move.  As long as I appreciate the climb and all I've done to get there and conquer it, then that will be what matters.  Someone once told me, if running was easy, the streets would be full of people.  How true!  It's not easy.  It's hard.  Especially for those that don't have that natural athletic ability.  But the climb is what makes us stronger and fight harder.  It makes us sweat more, go for more and cry more.  So I'll keep on moving, keep on climbing and for sure, I'll keep the faith.  It's the climb!