One of the most important factors that played into my successful completion of the 5K was the fact that I was training with a group of women. If I had been training on my own I am 1000% sure I would have given up before the day of the event. Training with others offered these key things:

1. Accountability – If I didn’t show up in the morning I knew I would get a phone call later that day.
2. Camaraderie – Plain and simply it is was just way more enjoyable and fun to be running together.
3. Challenge  – When I didn’t want to push myself out of my comfort zone there were voices to challenge me to do the hard work.

One and two are obvious but the third one is probably the most important in our real life “run.”

What I wanted more than anything on those chilly mornings when every muscle ached, was someone to tell me that I had worked hard enough and was pushing myself too hard and understand that I wanted to stay warmly tucked under my covers. What I needed was someone to help me to visualize the end result and help me realize that the pain and discomfort would be worth it when I crossed the finish line.

When you are choosing people whom you allow to speak into your life make sure that they are more concerned with your progress than your comfort and then be open to receiving their advice.

Our human nature will cause us to gravitate towards those who will make us feel good but if we want to run to win we must seek out those willing to tell us the truth even if it will require us facing something or doing something difficult. As we all know, sometimes the truth hurts but it almost always helps us to grow.

Proverbs 27:6 says…Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

Early morning running group