A labor of love?

I have decide that running is a labor of love for me. It's a labor for one simple reason:I am slow! Now, I may be getting a little less slow, but I am not definitely not fast, not even close. My 12 mile training run took over two hours today- two hours! Some people could knock that out in an hour and twenty minutes while talking, seemingly gliding over the road and looking fresh the whole way. Me, I felt like I was chugging more than Thomas the Train. The run got done, but it was not pretty. Some day I may be like "those people", but I wonder when/if that day will ever come.

So why is it not just a labor, but a labor of love? Because as I completed my trek up the hill (seemed like Mt. Washington at times) that is Mt. Ida road I was overtaken by a huge sense of accomplishment. I didn't stop and walk and my time didn't slow considerably either.  Then,when I was in the middle of my run and chugging along it felt great that I could do a running tour of Alexandria, Va, even if was a really slow tour. Finally, at about mile 10 when I was cold, uncomfortable, and beat- I didn't stop. I "cowboyed up" and finished. It's a labor of love, because of what it does for me, and not just in running, but in life. My running makes me physically and emotionally stronger. I am a better man, husband, and father because of running. The lessons I learn and the confidence I have from running apply to so many other facets of my life.

Here's today's trek courtesy of the almighty Garmin:

I'll leave you with a song that inspired me on my run today: