Pick em up, Put em down

This week I had set a short term goal for myself.  Not a weight loss goal, but a small fitness goal.  It was to increase my time running by 2 minutes.  I would be going from 10 minutes of running last week to 12 minutes this week.  To me that would be an attainable goal.  So I laced up my running shoes and headed out of the garage to jog around my neighborhood.

It started out rough.  My legs felt heavy and I didn't have a whole lot of motivation today.  As I was listening to my Ipod, the running cadence I was listening to said, "Pick em up, put em down."  That is exactly what I did.  I just kept picking up one foot and putting the other down.  About 5 minutes in to the run I started feeling pretty good.  My legs had loosened up a bit and I told myself that 12 minutes wouldn't be a big deal.  I kept picking my feet up and putting them down and before I knew it, I ran for 12:30.  30 seconds past what I was planning.  I know it isn't a lot, but it is something.  And for me, reaching a short term goal only motivates me more to keep going.  When I look at the end result of where I want to be, it seems almost impossible.  Accomplishing short term goals reassures me that I am headed in the right direction.  All I need to do is to keep picking my feet up and putting them down, moving forward towards my long term goals.