Celebrating Small Victories

hey all!
happy February! i hope you are all having a fabulous week - or at least trying to! i know i am.

so today, i just want to write a short little post that will hopefully motivate at least one of you.

yesterday, i had a small victory in my life. and when i say small, i mean it. yesterday i ran my longest consecutive distance in over 5 months. 1 mile. yep, that's it! just one mile. the best part? i ran it in 8 min 48 sec. yes, it was SLOW but i ran the entire time and it felt amazing.
now, let me give you a little background to this story. i have been having IT band problems (at least that's what i think it is) since my freshman year in college. the side of my knee cramps up and running is like trying to pull on a very stiff rubber band. it is very uncomfortable and often times if i try to run on it in the morning, it is stiff the rest of the day. it used to be more of a seasonal problem, meaning it would bother me in the colder months and not so much in the warmer months. however, this past year it never really went away. it has continuously bothered me since last winter. some days i can run longer than others, but generally a mile or less is my limit. i am sure that you are all wondering, "if it has bothered you for that long, why haven't you seen a physical therapist about it?" let me tell you why. it only bothers me when i run. so, i don't run, at least not more that 200-400m at once. if i don't run, it doesn't hurt. terrible i know. but, i have just chosen other ways to get my cardio in and my HR up. elliptical, biking, burpees, rowing, etc. so, running an entire mile pain free was a victory for me.

sometimes in the fitness world, it seems as if only the large victories matter. large victories like losing 20lbs, running a marathon, or completing an ironman. that can be hard to keep up with! i know i can't do it! heck, its a good day if i get to the gym AND eat healthy!
i'm not perfect, not by far. but, i started this blog with the intention to better myself, and maybe inspire someone along the way. with that being said, i want to be real with my readers. i don't always eat healthy, and there are weeks were i only get to the gym once or twice. but do i try? absolutely. i don't want you to feel as if you need to be a perfect eater, or a perfect exerciser to be noticed and to improve yourself. just get up and move! go for a walk, play a game of tennis, do some jumping jacks while you are waiting for your food to heat up in the microwave, for heavens sake! maybe choose grilled chicken instead of crispy chicken when you go out to eat, and ask for your dressing on the side. it is small things like those, that bring on the bigger victories.

what i am trying to get at with this post is simple. be proud of yourself for the small victories. be proud of those 1 mile runs! love who you are, and continuously strive to better yourself and those around you. sometimes we fall, but those of us with true strength are the ones who pick ourselves up and move forward, stronger people.

xoxo,
lil kate ♥