My first official "run" besides running around wildly as a little kid was in 6th grade when we had to run one mile in P.E. to complete the Presidential fitness test. (Mark, remember that thing?) I stopped and started at least 10 times. My lungs burned. My legs ached.

Running nonstop for a mile seemed inhumane to me. I have always been a sprinter. My genetically pre-disposed quads (and the quads of my entire family on both sides) will agree.

Then, in 8th grade, my super athletic, competitive Aunt convinced me to sign up for the  school's annual Turkey Trot with my super athletic, competitive, athlete extraordinaire cousin.

This one mile (or two mile? Maaaaaybe three mile?) race will go down as one of the most humiliating experiences of my life.

Spoiler alert: I came in last place.

There was one other girl who was near the end of the pack with me. She started and stopped over and over. She would sprint past me, then walk, then I'd pass her, then she'd catch up, and so on.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to give up. But I just kept going. I never stopped running.

The worst part was crossing the finish line and being cheered on by all these well meaning parents and bystanders. 

I didn't want to be seen. I was mortified.

Let's just say, my lack of desire to become a long distance cross country runner intensified even more. I soon hit puberty and that was it for me: my hips, thighs, and booty arrived overnight, and I convinced myself that running was just out of the question. It hurt my hips. It didn't feel good in my joints. And I always felt better sprinting. Mostly because you get breaks!

Fast forward 5 years later, and I started running in college because all my other roommates were running. I was mostly distracted by how much I loathed it because of the great conversation and laughs along the way.

Then I found strength training and everything changed. 

I was the only girl in the weight room at UC San Diego in 2001, and that was just fine with me. I loved feeling strong. I loved building muscle. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. This was AOL online chat days when the internet was barren. It wasn't like I could Google certain lifts or look up proper form. I was just winging it.

Over the years after college, running continued to fade into the background for me. Especially as I had the opportunity to train under coaches who worked with elite college-level and professional athletes. I started sprinting and lifting with barbells. My love for strength, plyometrics, and explosive movements grew even more.

The only cardio I truly enjoy is walking, hiking or riding a bike, but for the latter two, I've been told that I turn them into a race with many opportunities for them to become an anaerobic workout with distinct sprint intervals.

But here we are today.

A few clients shared with us recently that they loathed strength training. They thought it was so boring and couldn't stick with it. They also feared getting bulky (we'll continue de-bunking that myth another day, but back to doing new things that you're not an expert at and thus don't enjoy doing).

In solidarity, I promised to do something everyday that made me uncomfortable: running.

Not sprinting (remember, I like that)... but running.

I have been running nearly every day for the past month. And here is what I've found:

The first run was the worst... shocking, I know.

Every step was miserable. So I immediately asked for support.

I asked my husband to join me. He did. It started to suck less.

I asked my kids to ride bikes alongside us. They did. It started to suck less.

I put on music, listened to books, practiced affirmations. It started to suck less.

I embraced the suck. Even in cold weather, I ran. Even when I came up with a million other excuses not to run... I ran. I kept going.

I kept my promise. I didn't stop doing anything else that I normally do that I hold of utmost importance.

This was just a very, very small addition to my daily routine.

But I do spend less time now doing things that don't add to my development as a human.

And THIS is the power of DISCIPLINE.

Discipline = Freedom.

Ironically, you'll gain more time back in your life when you commit to something.

You'll no longer waiver between "well, I might do this" or "let's see if I get to it."

No. You're doing it. You committed. You promised. You intended it. It's happening.

My daily running experiment also reminded me of how important it is to do something new and UNCOMFORTABLE every day.

I was naturally uncomfortable for almost a year when I lived in a van with the fam.

Being back in a house now has introduced a level of complacency and comfort.

So, running has become my latest way to stretch and grow.

We ask our clients to get comfortable with being uncomfortable every day.

We ask them to slowly build new habits... to try things they never have before... to set new boundaries... to examine and release beliefs that are no longer serving them...

We, as coaches, walk the walk and talk the talk. We are right there with them every step of the way.

We can all do hard things.

Seeking the new, embracing the suck, challenging yourself, getting uncomfortable...

This is the nature of the human spirit!

It opens up new ways of seeing the world.

It's so easy to get complacent and settle. And complain. And get frustrated. And lose yourself in the chaos and noise of everyone else's problems around you and in the world.

Start getting uncomfortable today.  It will make you more resilient and strong (mentally, physically, spiritually).

You deserve it. The world deserves it.

You can do hard things.

Will I run every day forever? I don't know. But right now, I'm committed to running daily until it stops sucking. I'll let you know when I get to that point and report back. ~Lisa

P.S. I still lift weights 3 times a week, eat balanced, and walk as much as possible. Running has not replaced any of my core healthy habits that are essential for muscle health, bone density, and energy. Cardio goes wrong when it becomes chronic, when one you under-eat, and when you don't balance it with resistance training and other cross-training modalities. If you'd like to learn more, check out our nutrition master class.

P.P.S. Book a free call with us if you're ready to challenge yourself and take back your health 🤩

Shannon Morse & Lisa Kirby | Creators of Awaken Your Nutrition @thegreendoor.life  |  thegreendoorlife.com

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