[Subby]

Motivating blog entries are often few and far between, so I really appreciate this one, which I came across this afternoon.

Why Stepping Out the Door on a Cold Rainy Day is Important

Don't think, do. Then think.

By Dave Griffin
As featured in the Web Only issue of Running Times Magazine
Cold rain is the worst weather to run in, and it was thirty-eight degrees and raining right outside my window.I watched it, wishing I didn’t have a run planned.

In Maryland, the spring and fall offer the best running weather. The moderate temperatures feel perfect when contrasted with the extremes of the preceding seasons. On those days I can’t wait to get outside

Of course, the transitional seasons have bad days as well. Temperatures go up and down and dreariness moves in and out. Sometimes, it almost feels like summertime, when the weight of the damp heat makes me feel sluggish no matter how fit I am.

The truth is, if you tracked the weather throughout the year, there are really only a handful of perfect running days. So, I’m used to running in less than ideal conditions. I learned a long time ago that if I let the weather become an excuse, then I could find at least a hundred other excuses not to run. Excuses don’t serve you well, if there’s something you hope to gain through persistence.

So, I stepped out into the rain. It wasn’t any more pleasant than I imagined it would be. A hard breeze struck me with the first stride and the rain stung my face. There wouldn’t be any easing into this run. I needed to move fast to warm up.

And, I did warm up, after ten minutes or so. By then, the rain was more of a nuisance than a hindrance, and I was moving along in relative comfort.

That’s the way it is when you’re facing something difficult. The hardest part is almost always the very first step. Once you’re moving in the right direction, momentum becomes a friend.

People passing in their cars didn’t understand. They looked at me with curiosity, wondering why anyone would willingly be outside. They had no idea I was feeling comfortable, the hardest part of the run well behind me.

I eased through the final mile, and turned onto my street, stopping at my driveway. I felt a sense of gratification, and even stood for a few moments feeling the rain fall before going back inside.

I’m sharing this particular run for a reason. I imagine as December moves us towards Christmas and then the New Year, you’ll be doing some reflecting. Another year is over, and with it leaves the promise its days offered. Sometimes, that kind of reflection can lead to regret. Don’t let it.

Instead, focus on the year ahead and the unwritten chapters of your life. What is it that you want to do? And, perhaps more importantly, who is it that you want to become? Now is a time to imagine, to dream, not to lament.

When you do dream, paint a picture of yourself in the fulfillment of your vision. Let that picture preside over the days ahead because, rest assured, you’ll need the motivation when the cold rain comes. And it will come, forming an obstacle between you and your dream. Move ahead in spite of it. Its sting is temporary, but the gratification that comes from running through it endures.

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I love those last three paragraphs.