Small Victories

Small victories are rarely celebrated enough. I ran four miles today, and the first one felt great. 

Miles two and three felt fine, and the fourth was admittedly tough, but the first mile felt great. This is an accomplishment worth noting. I haven't run more than three miles in almost a year, but today I completed one strong mile, two average miles, and I muscled through to finish the fourth. I was passed by runners who are faster than I am, and probably were running a greater distance. It's tempting to turn every run into a race, and to compare myself to other people. But their journey is their own, and today's four miles are all mine.

Time takes time, and you can't wait until the end to be proud of yourself. Training for a race is a long commitment. If you wait until the medal at the finish line to feel any sense of accomplishment, you may get discouraged and stop pushing forward. Every step, every run, every new milestone matters. Be proud of the process, and be proud of your progress.

Here's to small victories.