Showing Up

Yesterday was quite the busy day for me. It was a rare instance where deadlines, for different projects, began to overlap with one another. My attention was being demanded by multiple tabs on my computer at the same time. A break was needed.  

I planned my second run of the Nike Training plan in the afternoon, and it could not have come at a better time. Just as I took my break, the sun began to glisten in the bright blue sky. I quickly geared up and set out for another 20-minute run.

For some reason, the Nike Running app didn’t apply my last run toward my overall progress. I decided to do the run over, so it can properly be recorded.  

I let my music play as normal and ran through the wonderous trail. It felt magical. I couldn’t stop noticing the leaves and flowers that seemed to have doubled in growth since my last run. I couldn’t resist a quick stop to snap some photos of the beautiful cherry blossoms that lined the trail. They reminded me of springtime in Seattle and how spoiled I was walking through a quad filled with an endless promenade of cherry blossoms at UW during this time.  

I ended my run feeling a little bit stronger. After I finished the run on my app, the standard congratulatory message, pre-recorded from a Nike head coach, played. It’s a message that I’ve heard before, but this time it hit differently. “You’re a better runner now, than when you started this run.” It was true. Not only did I show up, but I was able to improve my time by a fraction of a minute.

You’ll only improve when you continue to show up.